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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Monster Manor, October 29, 2006
This review is from: House of Shards (Charmed) (Mass Market Paperback)
Halliwell Manor has faithfully served generations of witches, so when the plumbing starts acting up the sisters assume the house is just showing its age. But age can't explain a black hole in the bathroom, a portal to an alternate past in Paige's room, and psychic vibes of murdered food in the kitchen. Has the house turned against them, or has something evil taken over? The sisters must find the answer--or say goodbye to their home sweet home forever.
Their problem-and the book's problem- is that they have no idea how to proceed. When the Book of Shadows offers no suggestions, they rely on the advice of Leo, the Elders, even a friendly shopkeeper, rather than their own instincts. Where are the strong, proactive women from the television series? Here the sisters amble along until the way-too-easy final solution, in which they are mostly bystanders.
House of Shards is not completely without merit: Piper has some amusing run-ins with her Mommy and Me group, and Paige has a few touching moments imagining a childhood in the Halliwell household. Still, this is one "House" I wouldn't want to visit again.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Dreadful, February 2, 2007
This review is from: House of Shards (Charmed) (Mass Market Paperback)
Changeling Places was uncreative, uninitiated and kind of a total bore. From that very same author comes House of Shards.
Which is equally, if not more, uncreative, uninitiated and a total bore.
The concept of the Halliwell Manor turning against the Charmed Ones and being a danger to them and their family is actually a good one. It has a lot of potential and could develop into a very exciting and thrilling storyline. Kudos to whoever who came up with this idea. If it was Ostow's idea, then it would be really disappointing that she did not fully utilize the possibilities.
There was no danger, no true fear, no ACTION. At its very worse the book is a chick-lit soap book, with so much dialogue and emotion. Kudos again to Micol for using the emotional aspect of leaving their home and house behind, but the fact is that this IS Charmed, not Picket Fences or Dawson's Creek. It is expected that some supernatural force is behind this. It is expected that there is some monster lurking in the basement controlling the Manor or turning the Nexus against them.
None. Nada. Zilch. Ostow dismissed the fictional aspect of Charmed, focusing on the sisters' lives, emotions and feelings too much. On TV, again, this would have been a great reprieve, but on paper, this becomes boring and the overall book is unsatisfying and rather drudgy.
For fans of Charmed, you'll be disappointed. For fans of soap drama, you'll be equally disappointed. Ostow tries to achieve some balance, but in the end fails at fulfilling the magical concept AND the humane concept.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
When Houses Attack, January 26, 2007
This review is from: House of Shards (Charmed) (Mass Market Paperback)
Strange things are going on at Halliwell Manor, the home of the Charmed Ones. Baby Wyatt is up to his usual tricks and keeps making giant versions of his favorite stuffed toys. But more sinister things are going on. First there is demonic plumbing. But that is quickly followed by black holes in the bathroom, talking food, and ghostly replays of a past that never happened. The only explanation is that the house has turned on the sisters and is trying to get rid of them. The Elders are their usual unhelpful selves and the Charmed Ones get set to purify their house. An idea that requires them to move out for a while.
But as even more strange and ghostly things begin to occur everyone wonders if their solution has any chance of working. New tactics are planned and planned for. More research is done. The girls stay in the house. Finally the true force is revealed but it will still be time before they fully understand it and are able to vanquish it. Will the Halliwell sisters manage to put it all together before the force wins? You will have to read the book to find out.
At just over 170 pages, this is one of the thinner Charmed tales. There is no real sense of dread or emergency in the writing. The witches seem rather casual about sticking around, eating and sleeping in a very dangerous place. At one point, after being under siege for some time, they come up with a new plan to save the day. But apparently stopping to eat a souffle (I kid you not) was more important. Considering this was written by the author of CHANGELING PLACES where the girls decided not to help innocents I can't say I am too surprised. Definitely at or near the bottom of the list of Charmed novels.
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