2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too, February 4, 2007
On the night before his tenth birthday, Archie Stringweed notices something a little strange. The wind seems to be talking to him. Is that possible? Archie thinks it can't be, so he doesn't say anything to anyone about it. But that's just the beginning of the odd occurrences. There's the present from his Uncle Rufus, that he obviously wasn't supposed to get, from the dirty look she keeps seeing his mother give the box. Archie doesn't see what the big deal is; it's just a harmless coin. Until he overhears his parents talking about all the presents Rufus has sent that have been hidden. That seems like a pretty big deal. Then there's his normally intelligent father suddenly becoming extremely forgetful. There's the snowstorm that only seems to be occurring over the Stringweeds' house, the giant bird that flies through his window carrying a coin that's a lot like the one he got from Uncle Rufus,and the glowing green ball that shows up every so often when Archie is alone. Then suddenly Rufus himself miraculously reappears after years and years of travelling. Archie is having a very eventful tenth birthday.
According to Uncle Rufus, that's not surprising. He tells Archie that there is a curse on all of the firstborn Stringweed children; on their tenth birthday, or shortly after, they will completely lose any courage they have. Not that they won't want to do things, they will just talk themselves out of it. Even simple things like flying in a plane, or going on the train, or taking a vacation. This of course seems crazy to Archie. How can someone lose all of their courage? But when he thinks about his dad, it seems like it might be possible. And horrible.
Rufus claims that Archie can break the curse, with the help of some family heirlooms and clues that Rufus has sent. The heirlooms would be all of the presents that Rufus has sent that Archie has never gotten, and the cards that came with them. Finding these things is only one of many obstacles Archie will have to overcome. Not the least of which is the wind. It really is talking to Archie, and it's not about to let him break the curse. In fact, it's coming for him.
Archie is confused, scared, unsure, and not even close to prepared. But if he can break the curse he not only gets to keep his own courage, but give his dad and grandfather theirs back. That seems like a pretty big deal.
A good adventure that teaches a great lesson: Courage is continuing in the face of fear. A lesson worth learning and remembering at any age. And this is a decidedly fun way to learn it.
Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Great for Younger Readers, September 8, 2011
This is a book that will probably appeal to readers younger than my usual preference - so maybe 7 or 8+. Archie Stringweed's family is under a curse that will afflict him when a tornado strikes 48 hours after his 10th birthday. With the help of an uncle who has researched the curse, and a set of birthday presents that have been hidden away over the years by his mother, as well as a flock of birds, Archie must fight to avoid the curse afflicting his generation.
This is actually a very good story. It contains themes about perseverance and judgementalism as well as bravery and bullying. I would not recommend it for older readers, but it would be an excellent story for younger readers. Unfortunately I cannot give it star ratings by age, so I will go with how I found the story - readable but not great. But again - for younger readers, this is one to look out for.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Predictable and uninspired, July 4, 2011
In the early days of video games there was no opportunity to wander around and explore fantasy worlds. Games were "on rails", which meant that when the game started you only had the opportunity to move forward along a predetermined path reacting to whatever was built into the game along that track. The phrase "on rails" was apt, because it was like being on a rail journey. You could look out the windows, but couldn't leave the track, couldn't change the stops, and always ended up at the same destination.
This is a fantasy book "on the rails". From the front and back flaps and the first twenty pages you know everything you need to know about the entire book. There is a curse that appears on the hero's tenth birthday. Our hero must fight against the curse. An enigmatic uncle will appear to provide guidance. Certain artifacts will have to be found, and will be found, in preparation for the final confrontation. There will be a final confrontation. There will be a few unexpected allies, and maybe some random helpful magic.
The hero, Archie, is completely undeveloped. The secondary characters are all from central casting. The artifacts and the search for them are all dull. The final confrontation is rushed and vaguely written. It's a formula book; the formula is old and uninspired. It's a three star book - perfectly fine and perfectly unexceptionable in every way.
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