Customer Reviews

Escape to Witch Mountain

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a kid, I disliked this book because it bore little resemblance to the Disney movie that was inspired by it. Now, however, I have much deeper appreciation of the story.

In the novel, Tony and Tia Malone are two teenagers, adopted by an elderly woman, and they live in a rough neighborhood. Because of their psychic abilities, they are targets of bullies and gangs. When their adoptive grandmother dies, they are placed in a detention home, Hackett House, run by a cold, granite-like matron, Mrs. Grindley, a former policewoman. They do not fare well at the home because of their 'strangeness' (Tia is unable to speak normally, although she can speak telepathically with Tony), and as this is the time of youth rebellion and the Vietnam war, suspicious behavior. When a mysterious, well-dressed stranger, Lucas Deranian, shows up claiming to be their uncle, the siblings realize that he is after something else. They succeed in escaping from Hackett House and enlist the help of a priest, Father O'Day, to discover their true origins.

Very different from the film, it is nonetheless a darn good read.
It also speaks volumes of what many adolescents face during these crucial years of developement - finding your identity and being accepted for it.

Since most of the reviewers of this book are adults now who read this book as children and are remembering it as a childhood favorite, I would like to say that as a modern 14-year-old, I liked this book too. I agree with the reviewer who gave this book 4 stars because it was "dated" - the remark about communists ("human rights and human suffering mean nothing to a communist") - did make it quite clear what time period the book was written in, and the Christianity parts - Father O'Day "ranting" about his "sworn enemy", the devil - were kind of annoying, but that didn't spoil the book for me - i still loved it.

I hadn't thought of this book for many years. This book (along with another by the same author "The Forgotten Door") set me on a lifetime of reading science fiction and fantasy. I have rarely rediscovered the sheer unadulterated *magic* that I felt while reading this book. Tony and Tia are teens and most teens will relate to them and will get caught up in the mystery and the adventure. I haven't reread it in years and years but I remain certain that for young readers this would be a book they would treasure. Forget about the Disney movie: It was silly popcorn fluff that I am sure crushingly disappointed every fan of the book. This book is about as serious as young adult science fiction gets. (And for those adults who enjoy Harry Potter: take a look at this book too! You won't be disappointed!)

After reading "Escape To Witch Mountain", "The Forgotten Door", or "The Case of the Vanishing Boy", you may find it hard to believe that Alexander Key, a magical-fantasy author, can pull off a science-fiction novel. But he managed to do it, and he managed to throw in his own little "Alexander Key charm" that made his other books so successful.

The story, of course, was based on the classic Disney film of the same name, so if you are looking for an extention of the first book, you are heading in the wrong direction. The book -is- an extention of the first FILM "Escape To Witch Mountain", as the film was meant to be. But for fans of the movies, this will not be a dissapointment! I, being a fan of both the books AND the films, was not dissapointed at all. But make sure to check out this book from the library before buying it.

-Robert Koehler
Tanabi5790@aol.com

This is classic Alexander Key, a story of a brother and sister with a mysterious past, psychic powers, and only dreams and fragmented memories to tell them who they really are. Much better than the okay-but-silly Disney film based on it, this ranks up there with "The Forgotten Door" as the best of Alexander Key.

Escape to Witch Mountain was a great book, made into a fun kid's movie. Then a sequel to the movie was made, and as far as I can tell, this book is merely the literal translation of that inferior second movie. It is nothing like Key's other books, and is sure to disappoint any fans of his who hope for a real continuation of the Witch Mountain story.

When I was a kid I loved the movies Escape to Witch Mountain and Return to Witch Mountain. I just came across the book Escape to Witch Mountain at the library and decided to read it. The book was great. I didn't want to put it down. It's hard to find "science fiction" books today that are not scary. My 9 yr old doesn't like books like Harry Potter or Spiderwick because of the scary details in the story. Escape to Witch Mountain was a nice change. As Tony & Tia go on their journey you want to keep reading to find out if they will get away. Pick up a copy today, I don't think you will be disappointed.

This book was a pivot point in my life! It opened up a world of magic and ideas. I can honestly say that it has greatly impacted it. The book is a bit grimmer than the Disney movie. Tony and Tia are children, outcast in their differences, and given up by authorites. Finding a clue to their past, they seek to find their past and their future!

I was entranced by this book (and even by the schlocky Disney movie) when I was a kid, and remembered Tony and Tia vividly as I grew up. I just reread the book for the first time as an adult, and it still works its magic. Anyone who knows or strongly recalls the pain, rage, and suffocating frustration of being a child surrounded by unsympathetic, uncaring, irrational adults will identify powerfully with all the trials T&T go through. I used to long for a "people" of my own to reunite with, and envy T&T for their finding this at last, despite all the harrowing disasters they undergo on the way. The story is haunting and moving.

I've only given 4 stars because the story does seem a tad dated now in several aspects: the writing style at times (but I like old-fashioned writing), the fact that they are rescued from their crisis by adults rather than pulling themselves out of it (violating today's usual doctrine for good children's lit), and the politics, sort of. About the politics, one of the "good guys" makes disparaging remarks about communists in a way that really sounds pretty old and simplistic (not that I'm a huge fan of communists), plus, he conveys a clear message about God and Christianity that I find mildly offensive. However, this is balanced by the fact that he also makes disparaging remarks about the rampant commercialism of American society; so his criticism is at least even-handed.

I want to close by reiterating that to me, these minor negative points are vastly outweighed by the magic and the power of the story, and of Tony and Tia. They are marvelous people that I wish I knew personally; they face genuine danger and difficulties with aplomb; their love for one another is well developed and not gooey; they are courageous and resourceful; their magical abilities are well thought up by Key, and complement each other; and all in all, they impart a wistful sense that the world would be a better place if people like this really existed.

I loved this book when I was a girl and I still love it. I liked it better than the movie. I really wished that Disney had followed the book instead of doing the hatchet job that they did.