The Stones Are Hatching [Hardcover]

Geraldine McCaughrean (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 25, 2000 | Age Level: 10 and up

After centuries of undisturbed slumber, the Stoor Worm -- the World Eater -- is waking. A creature of monstrous proportions and unimaginable evil, the Stoor Worm must be destroyed. Already its murderous hatchlings are bringing terror and destruction to every corner of Britain. And an odd trio--a Fool, a Maiden, and a Horse -- is desperately trying to convince one quite ordinary boy that he alone can save the world.

Drawing upon the centuiries-old lore of Britain's Old Magic, acclaimed novelist Geraldine McCaughrean has created a bold, original fantasy. Richly textured, this gripping tale of perilous adventure is filled with unforgettable scenes of terror, heroism, and treachery in the timeless fight between good and evil.

It was from out at sea that Phelim got his first glimpse of the Stoor Worm: Alexia pointed it out to him. A mass of land thrust out into the sea, interrupting the smooth curve of the coast. Within it and behind it, the land was far higher than round about, and it had a reddish tinge to it. There was no eye, no ear, no claw, no thorny tail. It was simply a piece of land. How can you be afraid of a piece of land? Phelim, who had been expecting the fright of his life, felt absolutely nothing. The Stoor Worm was simply a morsel of legend, untrue. "It doesn't even look like a dragon," he said, half laughing with relief.

"Well, that is only the snout," Alexia said.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

"Phelim had always thought there must be more to magic than rabbits or handkerchiefs--that if it existed at all, it would be too large to palm or to hide up your sleeve." In fact, this young lad was pretty sure ghosts existed... or at least ghostly cats. His older sister and guardian, Prudence, had no tolerance for his irrational musings, but she hadn't seen the milk saucer licked dry day after day.

One morning in England in 1919, 11-year-old Phelim's life upends when he enters the kitchen and discovers a crowd of "stark-naked men and women about as tall as his waist, shaggy and matted with filth." These wild, scrabbly "prehistoric dwarfs" are glashans, people who tend the fields, invisible to humans. The whole motley crew has emerged from hiding to save the house from the Hatchlings, and for some reason they are counting on Phelim Green (newly dubbed Jack o' Green) to stop the Worm from waking up and demolishing the world.

The quirky, Oz-like odyssey that follows--fast-paced, powerful, and poetically told--is awash with Old Magic. As young Phelim plunges toward his quest, he wrenches himself out of the psychological clutches of his derisive older sister and into his own skin. Can Jack o' Green, with the help of a Fool (a "smelly old derelict" named Sweeney), a Maiden (a white-haired, upside-down-eyed girl he meets along the way named Alexia), and a Horse (the snickering "Obby Oss"), truly find the dreaded, slumbering Stoor Worm before its murderous hatchlings wreak havoc on Britain?

Award-winning British author and mythologist Geraldine McCaughrean (The Bronze Cauldron) draws on centuries-old folklore to create this rich, breathtaking fantasy. Sometimes terrifying, strangely beautiful, The Stones Are Hatching asks its readers to respect and appreciate the earth--a sacred place where everything is destroyed when we wage war, take our harvests for granted, and deny its magic. (Ages 12 and older) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

The hero's quest provides the foundation for this richly imagined fantasy set in 1919 England. Eleven-year-old Phelim O'Green thinks he is dreaming when he encounters the Domovoy, a magical creature who lives behind his stove. When he realizes he is not dreaming, "He felt as if his brains had been sewn up and thrown over the wall." Before long, the Domovoy and a troupe of tiny Neanderthal-like glashans kick him out of his house and send him on his way to conquer the Stoor Worm, a Loch Ness-like monster of gigantic proportions. With WWI raging, artillery fire begins to awaken the sleeping worm and to speed the hatching of the stones nesting in her body, releasing all types of hellacious monsters. McCaughrean (The Pirate's Son) creates an allegory in which archetypal monsters evoke the horrors of war. For instance, the Noonday Twister, a beautiful young girl, breaks the necks of boys and men reaping wheat in the fields, in effect becoming the Grim Reaper herself. Accompanying Phelim and aiding his quest are somewhat comic sidekicks: the mandatory fool (Mad Sweeney, a soldier who fought against Napoleon who hops from tree to tree), a maiden (Alexia, a young woman who lost her shadow and her reflection to the Devil) and a horse (Obby Oss, a bobbing, headless, two-legged thingamajig). While it may be too violent for some, this evocative and sometimes profound fantasy distinguishes itself by way of vivid imagery, compelling action and often Siren-like lyricism. Ages 10-up. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers; First Edition edition (April 25, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060287659
• ISBN-13: 978-0060287658
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,424,483 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

It's 30 years now since I first got published, and 50 since I found out how writing let me step outside my little, everyday world and go wherever I chose - way back in Time, to far distant shores, towards my own, home-made happy ending. Not that all my books are an easy ride. I write adventure, first and foremost, because that's what I enjoyed reading as a child. But since I have published over 150 books now, there are all manner of books in among that number - gorgeously illustated picture books, easy readers, prize winners, teenage books and five adult novels.
The White Darkness won the Printz Award in the USA, which, for as Englishwoman, was the most amazing, startling thrill.
Then there was Peter Pan in Scarlet - official sequel to J M Barrie's Peter Pan, written on behalf of Great Ormond Street Hopsital for Sick Children. I won the chance to write that in a worldwide competition, and because Peter Pan is loved everywhere, my book sold worldwide too. I can't say I expected that when, as a child, I dreamed of being like my older brother and getting a book published one day.
These days I have a husband (who's good at continuity and spelling) and a daughter who is an excellent editor. But she's at the Royal Academy of Dramtic Art now, studying to become an actor. So, naturally, I have turned my hand to writing plays. (So many actors, so few plays!)
My Mum told me, "Never boil your cabbages twice, dear," which was her way of saying, "Don't repeat yourself." So I have tried never to write the same book twice. You'll find all my novels quite different from one another. I have also done lots of retellings of myth, legend, folk and fairy tales, and adapted indigestible classics such as El Cid, the Epic of Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, Moby Dick, Shakespeare and the Pilgrim's Progress.
Something for everyone, you see, my dear young, not-so-young, eccentric, middle-of-the-road, poetical, sad, cheerful, timid or reckless reader.
All they have in common is that they all contain words. If you are allergic to words, you'd best not open the covers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The story of Jack O'Green, May 1, 2002

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Stones Are Hatching (Hardcover)

Reminiscent of a spicier Lloyd Alexander, Geraldine McCaughrean weaves a spellbinding tale with bits of Celtic lore, excellent writing and amazing lead characters.

Phelim, a young boy living in post World War I Cornwall, lives with his emotionally abusive sister; his mother is dead, his father is simply gone. But Phelim's life takes an unexpected turn when a bunch of scraggly prehistoric dwarves and something called the Domovoy invade his house, pursued by the sinister Black Dog. They force Phelim out, saying that he is Jack O'Green and has to deal with the Stoor Worm.

Before long, Phelim encounters mad Sweeney, a veteran of the Napoleonic wars who lives in perpetual terror in the trees; the Obby Oss, a delightfully goofy specter; and Alexia, a shadowless apprentice witch who fled her courses in the Dark Arts. So Phelim, the Maiden, the Fool and the Horse all set out (Phelim only half-willingly) to destroy the Stoor Worm, who was wakened by the guns of the first world war. And the heat from the wakening Worm is causing strange things to hatch from stones, and roam throughout the British Isles. And Phelim will encounter soul-stealing merrows, the hideous Noonday Twister and the bloodthirsty cornwives, skinless nuckelavees, maddened human beings, and finally the monstrous Stoor Worm itself...

McCaughrean does an excellent job with his book; with the slightly clueless hero, magical and sharp-witted heroine, and a pair of odd but poignant sidekicks, it reminds me of Lloyd Alexander's books. She also, unlike most authors, harbors no romantic illusions about "Old Ways" and how mean they could be. She is unafraid to weave the spectacular and the everyday, with a few subtle comments on the human condition.

Her writing is extremely evocative, very descriptive as children's books go; she devotes more descriptions to the oddities like the Oss than to ordinary things like the reapers. The dialogue is also very believable. McCaughrean also adds new spins to old ideas, such as the faeries; these are not innocent little sprites, or Elf-like Sidhe. Readers won't forget these faeries in a hurry.

A darker, bittersweet feel permeates the later chapters, where Phelim loses his innocent mindset, glimpses what he is capable of, and does something that readers may initially condemn. However, I applaud Ms. McCaughrean for having him do that, simply because his remorseful response after the fact is admirable and very true. But while everyone makes mistakes, and his feelings are certainly understandable, she also makes no excuses for what he did or felt; there are consequences to no longer being "ever-good." This is extremely rare in books of any kind, and to see it in a kids' book is excellent.

By an author with less talent, Phelim might have been a real pain to read about; he spends over half the book denying that he is Jack O'Green, and often responding wrongly or needing to be helped out. But his confusion and fear (especially after seeing his shirt being washed by... well, you'll see) over the things that he has seen and what he is expected to do is well written and understandable. Alexia initially seems like a fairly ordinary character, but her traumatic past adds an extra dimension and strength to her. Same with Sweeney, who initially seems like he will be an entertaining character, but his fear and guilt make him almost a tragic figure. The Oss is simply fun in an overall serious adventure. You just can't get him down, and he remains a source of emotional support and entertainment.

A tight, fast-paced and immensely imaginative fantasy story, this is a great read for kids and adults alike.

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Harry Potter Fans--here's something better, July 15, 2000

By 

Laraine A. Barker "Laraine A Barker" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Stones Are Hatching (Hardcover)

While the plot of this novel is nothing like the Harry Potter books, the protagonist shares many characteristics with Harry. Like Harry, Phelim is looked after by a cruel relative, in this case his sister Prudence. Prudence is clearly embittered by having to provide from her pitiful earnings for both her small brother and a father who appears to be in his dotage. (The father is no longer with them when the story starts. She tells Phelim he died, leaving Phelim believing he is an orphan--just one of her endless acts of verbal and psychological abuse.)

There are many amusing characters in this book. Phelim has to find three others (the Maiden, the Fool and the Horse) to help him in his quest to save the world from dreadful monsters, the Hatchlings of the Stoor Worm, which are already creating terror and chaos. Sweeney, the Fool, is an extremely funny character whom you won't forget in a hurry, while I'm sure the 'Obby Oss' will prance through my dreams for the rest of my life.

Geraldine McCaughrean has an amazing wit. Her humour runs circles around Joanne Rowling's. Also, she chooses her words with care, making every one count. Because of this, the reader has more sympathy for Phelim than for Harry Potter. In the end you will even feel a twinge of sympathy for the Stoor Worm.

McCaughrean once said this book is more terrifying than she intended. It is certainly spine-chilling in parts. I had to read the chapter where Phelim destroys the Stoor Worm again and again; the writing is just so beautiful. And McCaughrean knows exactly when to 'tell' rather than 'show' for the right effect:

'Phelim intercepted the paw with his hand and held it. The claws within its velvety feet were still soft. Enfeebled by the effort of hatching, it rested for a moment, globules of albumen slithering off its starry pelt, a panther but leopard-spotted with constellations of gold. It was beautiful.'

Not 'Phelim caught his breath at its beauty' or anything similar; just that simple statement: 'It was beautiful'.

Many adults (narrow-minded ones anyway) will no doubt criticise the way Geraldine McCaughrean deals with Prudence at the end of the book. But how else, we must ask ourselves, could Phelim escape the horrors of having to live with her? What would we do in Phelim's place?

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Breathtaking fantasy, May 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Stones Are Hatching (Hardcover)

This book is pure magic. Rooted in great fantasy traditions, Geraldine McCaughrean transcends her genre through breathtaking language and fresh, near-overwhelming imagery. It's a sophisticated, challenging read, but those who have the stamina for it will be greatly rewarded.