Customer Reviews

The Dark Secret of Weatherend

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I was in 7th grade, I read every John Bellairs book that the library had. His modern gothic tales of dark suspense were unlike any other stories to be found, and they captivated me entirely with their mystical charm. Some 14 or 15 years later, the memory of his stories remained so strong in my mind that I recently sought out and read "The Dark Secret of Weatherend" once again. And once again, I was taken under the spell of Bellairs' literary magic, enjoying it as much as I had so long ago.

Every one of his books is excellent. The writing, the intrigue, the dark mood he creates for the reader, are crafted with mastery. They are ideally suited for reading to children, especially since the hero is always a young boy or girl, and are entirely unique in the realm of children's literature. It is that very quality that makes them just as enjoyable for the mature reader. At such a low price, I highly reccommend anyone who enjoys reading to check them out. "Dark Secret" is a perfect place to start.

The only similar comparisons I can make to the stories of Bellairs are the poems and illustrations of Edward Gorey, the films of Tim Burton, and the music of Danny Elfman. If you like one, you'll probably like them all.

then you'll LOVE books by John Bellairs! This man invented mysteries for young readers. Try it, and you won't be able to put it down. The characters are easily to identify with as they seem like ordinary kids, yet they have extraordinary adventures! Bellairs is funny, intelligent and entertaining in his writing. Read it to your kids as a bedtime story, and YOU'LL keep reading it to yourself long after they've nodded off.

It's a nice one that gives you that creeping feeling, and is interesting. Its thrilling ending is synomous with John Bellairs.

i am a very large fan of John Bellairs, and I must state, this is him at his very best. This book entrigues you. You will never have a chance to put it down. It has the perfect plot to capture your imagination. Read IT!

I usually really enjoy John Bellairs's books, and i've read most of them, but compared to the others, this one was a bit of a disappointment. I felt that it was one of those mysteries where you can't just figure it out by common knowledge and the clues from the book, but you have to wait until the main characters figure it out. Which I guess, isn't neccessarily a bad thing...
It was still pretty good, but I wouldn't call it a mystery. I didn't hate it but I didn't really like it as much as his others. For some reason, there wasn't as much suspense in this one.
Oh well. It was still pretty good overall. But if you're interested in a mystery that will keep you hooked, go for Joan Lowery Nixon.:)

I read this and several other books by John Bellairs as a child and for some reason was thinking of them tonight. I was so excited to look here and see how many others there are that I didn't know about! Great reading and I can't wait to order the rest! This one is so good, as is the mummy, the will, and the crypt, the house with a clock in its walls, and the first one I read, the treasure of alpheas winterbourne

As always, a great book by Bellairs! Anthony discovers a plot to turn the world into an icy wasteland and must stop Anders Borkmans son, the person who is trying to do it.