Rating: 
Summary: "Trewissick is Under Possession This Night..."
Review:
"Greenwitch" is the third book in "The Dark is Rising" series, and it is necessary to be familiar with the first two books "Over Sea, Under Stone" and "The Dark is Rising" to fully understand what is going on in this volume. In the first book siblings Simon, Jane and Barney uncovered the grail from its hiding place, but unfortunately lost the lead-incased manuscript that would decipher the inscription on the grail's side. Now after the grail has been stolen from the museum, their great-uncle Merry brings them once more to Trewissick in order to find what they once lost.
Meeting them for the first time is Will Stanton, the youngest of the Old Ones, the beings of the Light that guard mankind against the Dark. He came into his own in "The Dark is Rising", finding the Six Signs, and now is joining the Drew children to search for the grail. An ancient soul in the body of a small boy, the Drews are initially none to pleased to find competition for their uncle's time and energy, but the search for the grail and the manuscript soon puts this out of their mind.
Jane attends a women-only all-night festival that involves the making of something called "the Greenwitch", made of rock and branches. Tentatively she makes a wish for the vastly powerful and lonely being - a wish that could do what neither the Light nor the Dark can accomplish. But with the presence of a malevolent painter that has Barney in his power, the anger of the Greenwitch and the return of a ghostly traitor from Trewissick's past, it is a challenge to reach the finish line and the next step in the ongoing quest.
"The Greenwitch" is the shortest book in the series, and most swift readers will probably finish it in one sitting (or at least one day), and although it is a carefully crafted read, it could have used a bit of padding, especially in the relationship between Will and the Drew children. It is prickly at first, and then mellows out at the end, but does not really record the transition between these two states. However, as always the story is packed with original ideas and her language is beautiful, especially the nightmare sequence when the Wild Magic of the Greenwitch is unleashed on the town.
An essential part of the collection, "Greenwitch" is a great inclusion, wrapping up plot points from the previous two books and setting the stage for the next two. In many ways, this is Jane's story, making the book unique considering she is the only female of note in the entire series - though she's hardly a strong, independent female of the 21st century, her simple wish is really quite touching and harks back to the days when females didn't have to swing a sword or do kick-boxing in order to make a real difference.
Rating: 
Summary: Gift to a pre-teen boy that had an added bonus
Review: Bought this book as a gift thinking that since he was so enthralled with the Harry Potter series that he may like this book also. He did enjoy it and the added bonus was that this book and the others in the series are on the 'extra credit' list at his school and reading it was not only enjoyable but also enhanced his reading grade. (reason for the 4 star grading was that while he liked the book, said he didn't like it as much as he had the H.Potter books so I gave it a 4 rather than a 5)
Rating:
Summary: Power from the Greenwitch, lost beneath the sea . . .
Review: Simon, Jane and Barney are horrified when they learn that the Grail they tried so hard to find a year ago has now been stolen by the powers of the Dark. They are even more horrified to learn that the Dark may use the Grail to discover the manuscript needed to understand the message vital to the Light which is etched on the side of the Grail. They decide that, along with their Great-Uncle Merry, they must return to Cornwall, exactly where they went a year before, and stop the Dark from succeeding. But when they get there, they are annoyed by the fact that Will Stanton is there as well, seemingly getting in the way and stopping them. But what they don't realise is that Will and Merriman(their Great-Uncle) are Old Ones, here to stop the Dark just as much as they are. But now the Dark has angered the Greenwitch and her mother Tethys, and where is Great-Uncle Merry, and why has Jane seen Will wearing a cloak and, with her Great-Uncle, challenging the Dark. . .?This book concentrates much more on Jane than the first book, and shows that sometimes all you need is a little bit of love and caring to win over someones' heart - as shown in Jane's immortal words: 'I wish you could be happy.' Don't we all.
Rating:
Summary: Great To The Very Last Page
Review: Susan Cooper has captured the reader's attention in Greenwitch. This mythological book contains great metaphors and symbolism. It keeps you at the edge of your seat to the very last page. I recommend this book to anyone who loves old English tales, and a good old fight between Light and Dark.
Rating:
Summary: Enchanted
Review: The middle book of the "Dark is Rising" sequence suffers a little from the middle-book syndrome, and a few items in it feel slightly strained. However, these are quickly swamped under by an unusual, well-written story and great character growth. When a golden chalice (first found by the Drews in "Under Sea Over Stone") is stolen from its museum, the mysterious Old One Merriman enlists their help and the help of the youngest Old One, Will Stanton. At first, the kids don't really get along; things seem fairly uneventful, except for Jane participating in an ancient ritual in which the women of the village get together and weave a vaguely humanoid figure, the Greenwitch. The Greenwitch is then thrown into the sea, after people touch it and make a wish. Jane, followed by strange impressions of the Greenwitch, makes a very unusual wish indeed. But then her brothers and Will bump into someone else -- a strange painter who steals a picture of Barney's, and then lures the Drew boys into his home. He's a member of the Dark, and he forces Barney to scry out a message about the Grail for him. Then a strange, wild chaos strikes the town, with a ghost ship and the angry Greenwitch herself... While this book is not the best of the series (the second takes that honor), it nevertheless is an excellent piece of work, as fantasy and as a study of the characters. The first chapter was a little weak; it felt too much like a part of "Over Sea Under Stone." However, this ceases as soon as Will comes on to the scene. The book then takes on a tone that seems, somehow, to balance out between "Dark is Rising" and "Over Sea Under Stone." The Drews are better fleshed out and individualized in this book. Jane proves that Cooper is one of the few fantasy writers who can create genuinely strong female characters; this is, in a sense, her book. Barney's abilities aside from his siblings are explored, giving them all a sense of being separate people. Will is clearly more comfortable with his role as an Old One, as he is more knowledgeable and smoother at handling situations with the Dark. At the same time, he's also able to shift into being a preteen boy, tapping Morse code to the Drew kids through the wall. (I think that I would have a crush on Will if he weren't about nine years too young) The writing in this book is versatile, becoming dreamy, stark, magical, frightening, or ordinary as the scene requires. The underwater scene with Tethys was one of the best written fantasy scenes I've ever read, while we are also given a horrific nightmare (Jane's) and the chilling pirate ship attacking a modern-day town when reality goes out of whack. Though the Greenwitch ceremony is women-only, Cooper doesn't bash the reader with any ideas; the Greenwitch herself is intriguingly written, childlike and possessive and kind of needy. This is a nice part of an amazing series, and definitely worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, bridges the worlds of the two earlier books
Review: This book brings the Drew children and Will Stanton together, in an at first uneasy coalition, and serves as a bridge between the two earlier books. The everyday world is here, as in the first book, but the world of myth is very close to the surface. I was fascinated by the myth of the Greenwitch. Susan Cooper has a truly unique take on Arthurian legend here. It is worth reading what ever age you are!
Rating:
Summary: ExCeLlEnT bOoK
Review: This book in my opinion is probably the best in the whole DarkIs Rising sequence. The plot has a lot of power and the writing isclear and descriptive, yet not overload (like some parts of The Dark Is Rising book). I loved the bringing together of the Drews and Will, and also loved the characters of Captain Toms and Merriman. Written in much the same style as Over Sea, Under Stone, Greenwitch is an excellent book in an oustanding series. P.S. If you like the Dark Is Rising sequence, read His Dark Materials triology!
Rating:
Summary: Good, but a bit too short
Review: This book, while not living up to the standard of "The Dark is Rising", is far better than "Over Sea, Under Stone". It eliminates the "Hardy Boys" feel of the first book, and maintains some of the mystery of the second book. It also throws in a more in-your-face kind of supernatural force than the "Dark Shadows" feel of the second book. If a movie had to be made about one of these books, of the three I've read so far it would need to be this one. Primarily because the Greenwitch, and Will and Merri's journey into the sea would provide a director with enough CGI images to keep him happy.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but a bit too short
Review: This book, while not living up to the standard of "The Dark is Rising", is far better than "Over Sea, Under Stone". It eliminates the "Hardy Boys" feel of the first book, and maintains some of the mystery of the second book. It also throws in a more in-your-face kind of supernatural force than the "Dark Shadows" feel of the second book. If a movie had to be made about one of these books, of the three I've read so far it would need to be this one. Primarily because the Greenwitch, and Will and Merri's journey into the sea would provide a director with enough CGI images to keep him happy.
Rating:
Summary: Greenwitch
Review: This is my favourite book in 'The Dark Is Rising'sequence, as it was the most intresting all the way through. The problem with several of the other books is they always seemed to have one part where they lagged a little, but not so with this book. I was glad to see the Drews return in this book, because I always liked the books with them in better then the two which they aren't in('The Dark Is Rising' and 'The Grey King'.) Will is my favourite character, though.
In this book, some of the best parts are those involving the Greenwitch, especially the ceremony on the beach, and I also liked how the characters of the Drews were developed more in this book, especially Jane. In 'Over Sea, Under Stone' they were a little two-dimensional, and like another reviewer said, a bit like some of E. Nesbit's characters!
Anyway, I recommend this sequence of books and especially this one to anyone who likes fantasy, they are really good and the kind of books you can read again and again. I still think that Susan Cooper's best book is 'King of Shadows', though.
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