Customer Reviews

The House of Arden (New York Review Children's Collection)

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

 

 

Two 10-year-olds are the last survivors of a long line of english aristocrats.The family castle lies in ruins, but the children are determined to restore it to its former glory with the help of the long-lost family treasure. The task seems daunting, but they soon discover there's some intricate, powerful magic in the family crest.. Subsequently the treasure hunt hurtles along at breathtaking pace. The magic includes frequent trips into the turbulent (and dangerous) times of England's feudal past to discover the exact time and place where the treasure was hidden.. This book and it's sequel (or prequel?!) "Harding's Luck" can't be recommended enough. They are children's classics of the nicest kind - not the least bit sirupy - but full of adventure and magic

I got this and "Hardings Luck" one christmas about twentyfive years ago. These stories have stayed with me throughout my adult life and I have never forgotten how I was swept away by the stories. These books are educational while being simply spellbinding...my imagination went wild, back then. Absolutely a must!

One of the delightful things about this book is that it treats children as thinking beings, yet still manages to contain all of the magic and adventure of childhood. As in all of her work, E. Nesbit tells an exciting story while encouraging the reader to consider the meaning of things. One of the best books written by one of the best children's writers of all time.

I was hoping to read this book to my 7 year old boy. It was heavy for him and somewhat slow. The book requires maturity and sophisticated vocabulary, somehow it does not fit the pace at which our kids live now.

It certainly can be appreciated by an older, more mature kid, who loves the English language. It is beautifully written.

We now own three books published by the New York Review Children's Collection including The House of Arden. Our 10-year old daughter adores the fantasy and fun she finds inside its pages. Edred and Elfrida and their adventures in their time and place, the English countryside in the early 1800s, as well as their visits to their family's past as far back as James I sparked her imagination and her interest in history. I also highly recommend The Midnight Folk and The Box of Delights by John Masefield from the same publisher.

Here's the thing - most time travel adventures for younger readers are either really simple minded, (pick up the magic coin; walk through the magic mirror), or frustratingly complex, (bend the quanta fabric of time in an interdimensional black hole by tapping the alpha waves of your previous consciousness). It's hard to find a satisfying, understandable, exciting and plausible tale, much less find one with engaging characters, suspense, and a compelling framing story. Much less find all that with good writing and without any annoying cute add-ons, (talking monkey or funny alien companion).

Well, as the reviews and comments attest, this may very well be the book you are looking for. Old, but not dated, sweet but not saccharine, well written but not overwritten, historical but not obscure, this is a solid addition to any library.

E. Nesbit is usually such a satisfying read--but not this one. There are too many lose ends, and did I mention a bad ending? Give this one a skip and stick to her more famous works.