Haunted Waters [Paperback]

Mary Pope Osborne (Author), Angela Barrett (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 1996

After meeting the mysterious sea maid Undine on a bleak promontory and making her his wife, Lord Huldbrand tries to defend her from the faceless demon that haunts her.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A nobleman unwittingly marries a beautiful creature of the sea. "Lustrous as a pearl," said PW in a starred review of this novel inspired by a 19th-century German fairy tale. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-8–Osborne has revised her fairy-tale adaptation of the legend of Undine (Candlewick, 1994), making language and stylistic changes. Lord Huldbrand meets and becomes enamored of a fey marine maiden. Trouble comes upon their marriage when Undines difficulties in adjusting to a terrestrial life and Huldbrands inabilities to fully trust his wifes magical origins bring tragedy to them both. Osbornes straightforward tale exhibits some superb writing. Of Undine, Huldbrand says, She was my axis: whether I was brushing my horse or whittling my bow, I located my heart with her. The descriptions of Undines relationship with the sea are equally evocative, while short, declarative sentences and first-person narration reinforce its inescapable, tragic conclusion. Unfortunately, the spare writing causes the pacing to suffer slightly; the unvarying sentence structure is somewhat stilted, although Osbornes tale is more successful than flawed. Audience is another question. The storys theme of marriage and betrayal is too sophisticated for Osbornes Magic Tree House series (Random) readers, but the tales atmospheric chivalry makes it a hard sell for mainstream middle school readers. Give this to readers who like ghost stories and Arthurian lore.–Caitlin Augusta, The Darien Library, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (February 10, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564025888
• ISBN-13: 978-1564025883
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,631,970 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"I'm one of those very lucky people who absolutely loves what they do for a living. There is no career better suited to my eccentricities, strengths, and passions than that of a children's book author."--Mary Pope Osborne

Mary Pope Osborne is the author of the popular Magic Tree House series. She works with her husband Will and her sister Natalie on the nonfiction companion series, Magic Tree House Research Guides. Many of her books have been named to best-books lists.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super fairy tale for older readers, June 27, 2000

By 

Kat (Sandston, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haunted Waters (Paperback)

Isn't it great when a book really grabs you and knocks you off your feet? I was so sorry to come to the end. A hauntingly beautiful fairy tale for older readers. The love of Lord Huldbrand (spelling!) for Undine is powerful to begin with and it is fascinating to watch this love turn to suspicion to fear and even to loathing. The mysterious, mystical elements of the book are particularly well written. It's spooky without being scary. I am a Storyteller who loves folklore, mythology, and fairy tales. I am now searching Amazon.com for similar books. (Anyone out there have any suggestions?) This is just a very powerful work that is extremely well written. I'm not doing as good a job as I'd hoped in praising it (these reviews are tough to write, which makes me appreciate a well-written book even more!) so buy a copy for yourself and enjoy, I know you will.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars MYTH AND MYSTERY FLOW LIKE MIST, July 17, 1998

By 

Plume45 "kitka12345" (Westchester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haunted Waters (Hardcover)

This expanded version of Fouque's fairy tale noir is excellent; the plot flows right along, emptying into a sea of despair. Twenty-four short chapters provide readers thristy for more details the opportunity to drink deeply of the intimate dialogue bewteen the ill-starred couple: Undine, supposing herself the daughter of humble fisherfolk, and young Lord Hudlbrand of Ringstetten, lost in the dark forest. While Fouque's heroine (see reveiws for UNDINE) is fair and blonde, Osborne's maiden has dark tresses and even darker origins. The author encloses her tale within a brief prologue and epiloque of her own creation, to futher explain the fate of this mysterious girl.

Both versions have the old fisherman, the flooded peninsula, demonic trailing, the sudden arrival of a shipwrecked priest and the romantic complications caused by Lady Bertalda. This noble lady is less threatening to Undine than Fouque's; though less guilty and conniving, she still represents the Eter! ! nal Triangle . Narrated in the first person, HAUNTED WATERS reveals more of the psychological struggle of a nobleman deeply in love with his bride. Yet he is increasingly distressed about her fascination with the sea, her unusual powers over water and and her not-quite human origins.

Once he dobuts her love and suspects her link to the aquatic underworld, Huldbrand's life cascades into terror and disaster. Despite Undine's warnings not to antagonize the water spirits by causing her pain in their presence, he can not prevent the distance between their once-adoring hearts. Their happiness and their very lives are doomed, yet Osborne implies some hope for an unusual afterlife. This is a wonderful read for fans of Fantasy and Fairy Tales of all ages; I loved it!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Spare, Atmospheric Tale of Enchantment, March 5, 2002

By 

Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Haunted Waters (Paperback)

Based upon the novel "Undine" written in the early 19th century by Friedrich Heinrich Karl, this short novel is spare and seems almost primative. The dialog is simple, the characters not very deep, but it has atmosphere in abundance and romance and obsession. It is the sad tale of a nobleman who is beguiled and ultimately falls in love with a mysterious young woman. It reads almost like a myth or a legend. It draws you into its pages and treats you to emotional ambiance that you won't soon forget. Some elements of the tale are never fully explained, but I did not find that to be a necessity because it is very dream-like or similar to being held under a spell. Anyone who has lived under an enchantment will understand. Read it and see for yourself. It is lovely.