Sang Spell

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Summary: Don't let the title fool you, it's worth reading.
Review: A few punches to the face and a kick to the ribs was all the thief needed to render him unconscious. As he wakes up, he is on a wagon entering a strange village where he can't escape from. Who are these people? Where is he? How does he get home? Will he get home? Author Phyllis Naylor wrote an extraordinary book. I guarantee you have never read anything like this. I strongly advise that everyone reads Sang Spell.

The title of this book was a little weak. In my opinion, Sang Spell doesn't really fit the book until the way end when everything is clear. Josh is trapped in a strange village that he can not find his way out of. He wanders what is holding him in this strange, hidden village. While he is staying there, he has to work with the farm people and pick ginseng. Once they harvest they sell their crop to Japanese traders. Readers find out three quarters of the way through the book that the ginseng has a lot to do with why Josh can't leave. This theme doesn't make sense to me. Why does the ginseng have a strange power to keep him in the village? The reader is not going to be interested in a book that has ginseng in the title. Sang Spell sounds like a weak book. There is nothing in that title that makes me want to pick the book up. The fact of the matter is that his book is a really good book. The title should be a little more attention getting. This would make readers want to pick the book up; something that grabs your attention from the start. Ginseng and spell are two dull words, and aren't that much brighter when they are put together. This is a really good book and the title takes away from that. The reason that I picked up Sang Spell is, a friend from Tolland had this book on a required summer reading list. I read the book and thought that it was really good. Her writing style kept my attention throughout the whole book. She wrote in a way to keep the reader guessing. For example, she didn't reveal the significance of ginseng until the way out. The reader wonders the whole time why Josh can't leave the village. Another aspect of her writing that amazes me is how she shows the characters emotions so clearly. The whole time I was reading the book I felt what Josh was feeling. I felt like I knew what he was going through. I felt the frustration that he felt. That makes the book really hard to put down. When you feel like your in the book and you can relate to what's going on this makes the book more interesting. Another reason that the book was so good was the fact that the story could never happen in real life. The story is like that thing you dread most and would figure would never happen, but then you say to yourself, but what if? It's interesting to read about something like that. She is a great author and has a really good writing style. Her writing is hard to put down and connect with her readers. To sum up, Sang Spell, was a great book. She is one of those authors that you never get sick of. The book was hard to put down. Full of suspense and assumption, this book isn't one to pass.

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Summary: Sang Spell by:CJ
Review: I read Sang Spell, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. It is a story of a boy, Josh Vardy, who recently lost his mother and is hitchhiking down to Dallas (from Boston) to live with his aunt. However, along the way something happens and he finds himself lost in the Appalachian Mountains, in a small, almost medieval, settlement called Canara. While in Canara Josh is put to work digging ginseng, or 'sang as the natives call it, to earn his keep in the small establishment. Throughout his stay, Josh goes on somewhat of a spiritual journey to find his way out of Canara. He believes that the ginseng has something to do with him being stuck, hence the title of the book, Sang Spell. The plot is intriguing, yet confusing in parts. Aside from that however, I enjoyed this book. It had good character development, details and many twists. Overall, Sang Spell was very well written and had a truly original plot. It was the perfect cross between fantasy, mystery and suspense.
There are many fantasy elements in this story. One, for instance, is the fact that Canara moves throughout the Appalachians during the night. One day it'll be north the next it may be farther south. This element keeps the book interesting because you never know quite where they are or what state Canara is in. In the book, many times, this movement keeps Josh from escaping Canara, for before he can leave he needs to know where he is and what direction he needs to go. Another example of the fantasy elements in Sang Spell is the fact that when Josh first attempts to leave Canara, he ends up back where he started. The path he took had no fork in it nor a bend, so how is such a thing possible? Read and find out.

Sang Spell is also full of is suspense. Many times in the book Josh is threatened by Kaspar, another young man whom, like Josh, stumbled into Canara and is also trapped. Kaspar often demands that Josh help him escape, threatening him with a jack knife. This always kept me wondering whether or not Josh would get out of Canara alive. In addition to this, near the end Josh is being chased at sundown as he tries to escape Canara. This kept me reading. I was curious to whether or not he would be caught. However I cannot tell you the out come of it, you'll have to read and find out.
Throughout the book the author continually refers back to one saying, 'sometimes to go forward, you have to go back'. But what does this mean? It is the reason Josh cannot leave Canara, at least not until he's "ready", but what does it have to do with him leaving? I can't tell. This is one of the main mysterious elements in Sang Spell. Another particular example, is that Canara is repeatedly referred to as "a place of healing", but why? This as well, is not revealed until the end. A final example of this book's mysterious elements are, why some people, born in Canara, can go to "The Edge", and others cannot, or why only some who stumble upon the place find their way out. So, as you can see, there are many things that go unexplained until the very end.
Sang Spell is an adventurous story mixed with supernatural events, hidden answers and thrills. It's a winner, with a little mystery, a dash of suspense and a pinch of fantasy. All the twists thrown in keep your eyes glued to the pages. I would recommend Sang Spell to anyone who has ever felt like they have lost their way. This book is all about finding yourself and renewing your spirits. It is a truly inspirational tale and gave me a new view on society. I hope anyone who reads it will find it as entertaining as I did.

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Summary: Sang Spell
Review: Sang Spell is a book about a teen-aged named Josh. His mom died and he is hitchhiking from Massachusetts to Dallas, Texas. He doesn't want to have his life change. He has been a star athlete at his high school in Massachusetts.

As Josh goes along on his journey, he encounters a man willing to bring him to Dallas, for he is already going in that direction. Instead of getting to Dallas, Josh makes it to Tennessee. The driver purposely went the wrong way. The driver beats Josh up and leaves him by the side of the road to die in the middle of no where. A horse-drawn carriage transported him to a strange farm town with no electricity or telephones. He tries to get out of this town, but every time he tries, he ends up back in the same spot that he entered the town in.

Josh meets a girl named Mavis, and they quickly become friends. Josh wants her to teach him about the town, named Canara. She doesn't know much about the strange force that sends u back to the town when you try to leave. Kaspar, another Melungeon, like Josh himself, hates being trapped in Canara. A Melungeon is a person that accidently comes into Canara and gets stuck.

Many of the people in Canara, (mostly young children) admire Josh for his knowledge of the "outer world." They ask him many things, like, what is it like out there? Also, how can you survive out there with all that fighting? He wishes he had all the answers but he doesn't.

Josh is annoyed with the "curse" of Canara, and wants to find out how to leave. Kaspar notices his ambition and offers to lead the expedition, no matter what the cost.

In the next few days, Josh learns that he has to work for his food and clothing. Ginseng grows wild in Canara, in the Appalachians, Josh learned. Canara has the largest supply of Ginseng in the world, stashed behind barbed wire and guard dogs. It also grows some places in the village. Ginseng is traded to Chinese traders. When Kaspar learned that, he knew that the woman that did it, named Isobel, can travel in and out of Canara, without the curse.

Josh tries to leave serveral more times before he follows Padro, an elder in Canara, to "The Edge," where the people of Canara cannot leave from. Josh takes a rowboat in the river across and nothing happens until he gets out on the other side. He runs through the woods and notices that he's nearing the town, even though he went the opposite way. He finds him self in the "bank" of ginseng where the dogs bark wildly at him to leave. Padro finds him and sentences him to dig a two new toilet holes.

After this Kaspar asks Josh if he wants to join him killing the to Elder women, which would lift the curse and make the town with it's people disappear. Josh tells Padro and the other town's people, and they threaten to stone him, but instead they put him into the school house which re appears as a different building every equinox and solstice.

It was the first day of the autumn equinox so the school house started to disappear. The town's people heard wild banging on the door and then a shriek of terror as the building disappeared. Padro told Josh that last time someone stepped in it, and got locked in on the first day of the equinox, the next year he came back as a pile of bones.

A strange voice crept into Joshes head, saying that he could leave. He started to leave when Mavis told him he loved him and that she could come to. They leave, and Mavis runs back to town thinking about her mom and says good-bye to Josh, once-and-for-all. He gets to the interstate and goes home.

Naylor has created a great story using spooky events that make you need to read more. It's almost addictive. Although it was fictional, I almost believed that there could be a Canara out there somewhere. At some parts you might find yourself laughing, on the other hand, at other parts you might find yourself biting your nails.

This is a must-read book.

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Summary: Stuck in Canara
Review: Stuck in Canara is the situation Josh finds himself in after trying to hitch his way to Texas. Josh's mother died a couple weeks before Josh starts his junior year of high school. He decides to live with his aunt in Texas. But before he got there, one driver who picked Josh up beat and robbed him and left him on the side of the road. That is where Leone, a mute woman, finds Josh and brings him to the village of Canara where to go forward, you must first go back.

Soon Josh discovers the people in Canara are all Melungeons - people of mixed races. He also discovers a kind girl named Mavis and befriends a boy named Gil. But Canara isn't where Josh belongs. He wants to go to texas, but can't seem to get out of Canara.

What is happening? Why can't Josh get out? And does he really have the heart to leave Mavis and Gil?

I really like Sang spell because it was a bit creepy, had a little bit of history, dealt with moral dilemmas, and was totally original. If you are looking for any of these qualities in a book, get Sang Spell.

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Summary: Great book!
Review: This book was amazing! It's definately a page turner, full of suspense. 13 year old, Josh gets mugged on his way to his aunt's house. He ends up in a strange town called Canara. His only problem is he can't seem to get out, and he's not so sure if he wants to. Throughout the book, Josh's life is threatened, he befriends a kid full of curiosity, and ends up liking a girl who is true to herself. This book is a MUST READ!!! It'll have you on the edge of your seat the whole book!!

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Summary: Come Under the Sang's Spell
Review: This is one of the best books I have ever read. I'm not the type of person to pick up a sort of mystery-type book, but this one somehow caught my eye. Once I finished reading about Josh Vardy's escape from reality into a magical land called Canara, I was hooked. I have never read a book as many times as I have read this one. It doesn't matter how old you are to enjoy this book. I first read it in elementary school, now I'm sophmore in high school and I still enjoy it. I recommend it to those who enjoy a little bit of mystery, a little bit of eerie-spookyness, learning life's lessons, and of course, a little bit of a love story :)

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Summary: Aaron's Sang Spell Book Review 4 stars
Review: Well its very simple.....i loved the book! Its definetley a new favorite of mine! You have gotta read this book. Josh Vardy rescently lost is mother in an unexpected car crash. He has no other family but his aunt in Dallas Texas. Josh is devastated by his mothers loss. To make his way to Dallas, he must hitch hike. He ends up in the Appalachain Mts. The driver that drove him there not only robbed him but almost beat him to death! He has a broken rib and severe damages. He goes into a concussion state only for a while and wakes up in this unknown primitive village. As the story goes on, he finds a girl named Mavis Jack. She soon becomes his close friend. But can he trust the other people of this strange village of Canara? Does he even know? This place is like a ghost town, people are sending his questions back w/ mixed answers such as riddles. He thinks everyone is joking around but really Canara is all they know. Here he doesnt have to worry to be popular, or the star of basketbal team of track star. He can be who he is. He is desperate to leave....but does he really want to?

~this book is a must read for ages 11 and up (i am 12 years old)
i gave this book 5 stars, i have never read anything quite like it and if you love mysyteries/weirdness you are gonna LOVE this book! check it out now!

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Summary: Best book I have read in a while
Review: When Josh Vardy's mother dies in a totally preventable car accident, Josh decides to go live with his aunt in Texas for the two years left until he is eighteen. He wants to have a sort of adventure, so he trys to hitchhike there, which is a long way from Boston. Somewhere between Tenessee and Virginia, he is picked up by a man who jumps him, takes his money, and leaves him on the side of the road to die. But then, some strange people with a horse and buggy come and save him. He is appreciative at first, until he realizes he is stuck in a world that time must have missed, a world where buildings come and go and the landscape changes daily. All Josh wants is his normal life back, but "to go foreward, you must go back," the Old One Who Remembers, Isobel, says. It turns out truer than Josh can imagine in this land of Canara where space is time, time is space, and your only jailer is yourself. I have read many books, but this one is different. It is a great book for teens and adults as well- I'm sure that each one of us is secretly trapped in our own, personal Canara, where we are the key to our own escape, the only decider of our future, and our past, for that matter. I strongly reccomend this book to anyone and everyone- you won't be disappointed.