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: Read this book. You'll love it! Review: "On the day of the dead when the year too dies, Must the Youngest open the Oldest hills, Through the door of birds where the breeze breaks, There fire shall fly from the Raven Boy, And the silver eyes that see the wind, And the Light shall have the Harp of Gold. By the Pleasant lake the Sleepers lie, On Cafdan's Way the kestrels call, Though grim from the Gray King shadows fall, Yet singing the Golden Harp shall guide, To break their sleep and bid them ride. When light from the Lost Land shall return, Six sleepers shall ride, Six signs shall burn, And where the Midsummer's tree grows tall, By Pendragon's sword, The Dark shall fall." When Simon, Jane and Barney Drew, along with Will Stanton, try to find the Grail, a thing of power, it is not complete. They need to find the scroll that was lost last summer. To do this, they must find help from the mysterious Greenwitch. What gave her life? What is her secret? Why do the Dark have such a sinister intrest in her? Read this book to find out! A must read. It should be required. I'd also like to recomend the other books in the Dark Is Rising sequence.
Rating: Summary: Wonderful Review: An excellent children's book, this fantasy deals with the issues of treachery (sometimes evil will betray evil for evil's sake), the loneliness of power, and the power of compassion to ease loneliness. Rich in Old English and Welsh scenery and mythology, Cooper once again succeeds in creating a wonderfully believable fantasy. Her cosmic struggle between the Dark and the Light compares with Tolkien's War of the Ring. I heartily recommend this book for a twelve year old
Rating: Summary: Great!!! Review: Barnabas, Jane, Simon, and Will seek a stolen grail in Trewissick. A legendary object, The Greenwitch, has half of it. The dark has the other. How will the children get back BOLTH HALVES?
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: 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: Greenwitch Rules Review: I believe that this book is the best in "the dark is rising sequence". It has tons of major turns in the plot and a great ending. It's the closest book to Harry Potter. I would have rather rated this book 4.75 than 5 but the damn thing won't let me. (I would have rated any Harry Potter book 5)
Rating: Summary: This happens to be the BEST in the series Review: I don't see what everyone's problem with Greenwitch is. Susan Cooper writes a great book, and this is probably one of the most important books in the series. Simon, Jane, Barney and Will would be complete strangers had it not been for the Greenwitch. This is the BEST one. Read it today!
Rating: Summary: A link in an important chain Review: Much better than Over Sea, Under Stone, not quite as strong as the other three books in the sequence. The plot here is strong enough to stand alone, but anyone who omits reading the rest of the series is to be pitied. Further development of the characters of Jane, Simon, and Barney, and of their relationship with the enigmatic Will.
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.
|