Reader response to Midnight for Charlie Bone:Children of the Red King by Jenny Nimmo
Back cover reads:
"What's happening to Charlie Bone? Charlie doesn't want to believe it when he discovers that he can hear the thoughts of people in photographs. But his horrible aunts are delighted - it means that he is one of the chosen and must attend the Bloor's Academy for gifted children. Once there, Charlie realizes that some of his classmates have equally mysterious powers, and soon Charlie is involved in uncovering the mysterious past of one of them."
My thoughts:
Blah. One of my students bought Books 2-5 for me, but were unable to find the first one. Well, I'm not about to read those until I had the first one under my belt. First of all, my initial impression concerns alacrity. I started this book on Monday night, and I finished it this morning. I actually polished off more than half the book in 2 hours. It's a very fast read, which isn't difficult to imagine because the font is huge and so are the margins.
As far as plot is concerned, eh. It smacks strongly of Harry Potter. Three friends (2 guys and a girl) are enrolled in some English boarding school that has something to do with wizardry. It's an ok mystery, but I saw a few things coming.
However, there is a special spark in there. Nimmo's writing just makes you keep reading. It wasn't boring in an places, she's pretty inventive, and the imagery is great. It just feels like fluff, though. I don't know. Maybe they'll improve as the series goes on. Right now this deserves no Word Nerd Seal of Approval.
nyah.
Charlie Bone and the Time Twister: Book 2 in the Children of the Red King Series.
Back cover reads:
Charlie hopes that the new term at Bloor’s Academy will hold no nasty surprises. But then Henry Yewbeam appears, twisted through time from the icy winter of 1916. With the scheming Yewbeam aunts on the prowl, and the Bloors out to catch him, Henry will need Charlie’s help just to stay alive. Bloor’s Academy can be a very dangerous place.
Reaction
Good GOD this book was BORING. I’m really dreading reading the next four books. Her one saving grace is her use of wonderful vocabulary words. This will go in the classroom library, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I guess I kind of feel bad for Nimmo. She seems like an author who is overshadowed by JK Rowling’s greatness. But her story just reminds me of a weak copy of Harry Potter. Most of her characters are static and don’t have any breadth or depth. She’s building up these Yewbeam sisters to be some type of ultimate evil, but they never do anything. They better flipping get to it soon. Whilst reading, I threw this book across the room THREE TIMES because it doesn’t GO anywhere. The book is 400 pages, and it should be 200! Some of the imagery is great, but it really just doesn’t suit my reading tastes. It’s like drinking weak, lukewarm tea at a grease spoon after having a large chocolate mint mocha chiller at Gloria Jean’s. Rowling has spoiled me. GOOD! I’m glad! I have better expectations for my young adult literature. *rolls eyes* I really do not want to read the next book.
Quotes:
“There was a rift, Charlie. A terrible quarrel. Long, long ago. I can hardly remember what cause id. For them our father doesn’t exist” (32). I can relate to this pretty well. It’s happened twice now on my father’s side… and some people are working on a third rift. I hate it when people keep score.
“inexplicably” (59).
“elated” (79).
“daunted, dilapidated” (173).
“tempestuous” (318). I’ve read this word three freaking times today!
Back Cover reads:
"A new semester is beginning at Bloor's Academy, and danger is lurking around every corner. First Charlie's beloved uncle Paton disappears on a along and perilous journey. Then Charlie and his friends make an astonishing discovery: an invisible boy, Ollie Sparks, has been imprisoned in the attic of the academy. Charlie knows it's up to him to use his extraordinary gifts to help his uncle and Ollie. But lately, his powers have been changing-- and not for the better. Nothing is what it seems, and Charlie doesn't know if anyone can be trusted--including himself..."
My Rxn:
WTF? Who wrote the back cover? Obviously someone who didn't read the book. I'm halfway through the series, and my dissatisfaction has yet to wane. Again, Nimmo took 400 pages to says what she could have done in 200. It was a God-awfully long buildup to a mere paragraph of anti-climactic fluff. Ack.
Not even quote worthy.
The series starts off strong, but it just goes downhill and gets worse.
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