The Spellkey [Library Binding]

Ann Downer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1987

During a dangerous journey through the Thirteen Kingdoms, a witch girl and an outcast stableboy find their fortunes intertwined with nefarious agents seeking a powerful Spellkey.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This confusing fantasy has some original elements in it, but it ultimately becomes the familiar tale of true knight and his lady. The Badger, son of an unmarried tanner's daughter, is raised in an abbey; Caitlin, with one green eye and one blue, is a sure daughter of the otherworld. Abandoned as an infant and raised in the forest by a half-mad witch, Caitlin herself is accused of witchcraft. When the Badger finds her, she is living in a barrow; returning to the abbey, Caitlin's punishment is imprisonment in the convent of Ninthstile, and it is Badger's duty to see her there. Their journey is precarious as they try to unlock the mystery of the Spellkey. There are only glimpses of a fresh approach in the writing here, which serves to remind readers aware of what the story lacks the rest of the time. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up Because Caitlin has one blue eye and one green, she is suspected of witchcraft and is sent to be shut up in a convent in far-off Ninthstile. Badger, the bastard stableboy, is no use to anyone, so he is sent along to make sure that she arrives. If they do not reach their destination by the new year, they will forfeit their lives. As these two unwilling companions make the long journey through many kingdoms, they gradually become friends, and at last, lovers. Strange misadventures befall them. A mysterious red-haired man is following them. They begin to hear of a Spellkey which ``unlocks all doors.'' Unknown to them, the journey, with all its twists and turnings, is itself the Spellkey, leading to an evil only they can confront. Downer's skill lies in creating unusual characters and settings and expressing them in fresh, striking imagery. It is difficult to forget her king who drinks dissolved pearls, or the hunting party forever frozen in a net of spiders' webs. The robust humor of minor characters such as the Nurse and the Astronomer provide a balancing comic relief. Each of the adventures that Caitlin and Badger has almost forms a separate story in itself, with its own setting and characters. This complexity makes the thread of plot hard to follow and robs the book of a central tension. Still, Downer's odd, appealing characters and haunting imagery will keep readers spellbound to the end of the road. Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Library Binding: 217 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum; 1st edition (October 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689313292
• ISBN-13: 978-0689313295
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,155,316 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exellent Book, March 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Spellkey (Library Binding)

The Spellkey is a great book. I stumbled across in a bookstore several years ago and begged my mom to let me get it - she did, because it was on sale. Since the first time I have read it, I've probably re-read the book four or five times. It is well-written and keeps you wondering what will happen next. It is not, in fact, a perverse book. There are a total of two lovemaking scenes in the book, and they occupy only a paragraph each and are expressed mainly in the emotions the two characters feel. I think this a wonderful book. It gives me a comfortable escape. The two main characters are very interesting, and one ends up caring deeply for them. It's a great read, if it can be found.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I don't see your point. The book was great., November 9, 2001

By 

Sarah (Marengo, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Spellkey (Library Binding)

This is a great book with or without a love life. There were very few scenes involving sex, that is unless you have a perverted imagination and can twist anything.
It is detailed with characters who all have there own story outside of the begining of the trilogy.
Anne Downer describes her people and places with detail but without being boring. I would recommend this book to anybody, regardless of marital status.

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting plot, but often confusing, December 7, 2010

By 

Old-fashioned mom - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Spellkey (Library Binding)

Many fantasy books are confusing, and then clarify in the end. This one is often confusing, but it seems due to its writing style. OTOH, one definitely cares about the characters, and this says something. There are also several intriguing creatures and places that keep you hooked!

My 11 YO and I loved Ms. Downer's "Hatching Magic" and "The Dragon of Never-Was". So I checked this out of the library. In addition to the sex scenes others have mentioned, there is also rape, incest, and prostitution. My 11 YO won't be getting this book. It is teen/young adult.