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Summary: Real life is not like movies
Review: In the movies, people meet and tear each other's clothes off within five minutes. In the Ramsay Scallop, they actually take a matter of months to get to know each other. This is more realistic and also more interesting.
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Summary: great!
Review: It was a great book. It really is not a boy book, I don't know many boys who like love stories. If you'r in it for the adventure this is NOT for you, but if you'r in it for the love story you'll LOVE it.
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Summary: A very readable story of pilgrimage and self-discovery.
Review: It was customary in medieval times for the children of nobility to be pledged in marriage by their parents long before they were old enough to understand it. Property, peace, and wealth were the underpinnings of the relationships, not love or compatibility of age and interests. Fourteen-year-old Eleanor and Thomas, who is eight years older, are the betrothed couple in this story, set at the beginning of the 14th century in England. Thomas has been gone on Crusade for eight years, and Eleanor has no desire to marry him (or anyone else), as she recalls his teasing and torment of her when she was small. The two are sent on religious pilgrimage to a shrine in Spain as "chaste companions" by the priest who has been Eleanor's guardian since the death of her parents. On this journey, Eleanor comes to understand that the adult Thomas is not the boy who went away. She begins to think about marriage very differently, and Thomas makes peace with some of the bitterness an! d disillusionment that he brought back from Crusade. The story is filled with vivid images of peasant and noble life, and it contains a plot that is as enjoyable as it is predictable. Interspersed are stories told by various characters, clearly evocative of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Good sixth or seventh grade readers who appreciate strongly-drawn characters and their relationships more than battle-filled action should like it very much. A teacher using this book with a discussion group will find many challenging philosophical ideas to explore that have relevance in modern times.
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Summary: A blip in our historical past
Review: My daughter has read this book many times between the age of 7 and 12 years old, and it was she who requested that I read it as well. This book brought to life a moment in history. The rich descriptions of the environment brought the sounds, smell, anxiety, hardships, and friendships of the time, to life. It was fascinating to again be aware that all these people were travelling through Europe, all speaking more-or-less the same language, and how in just a few centuries, that language diverged into Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese. My daughter and I both recommend this book to teachers whose students are studying this time period, and are looking for supplemental reading material to help bring that time and place in history to life. Based on other reviews, I realize that some 12-year olds may not like this book, but many would... even if they DO also enjoy more fast-paced books.
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Summary: There must be a science behind making books this boring.
Review: The book The Ramsay Scallop is a very boring book.This book is very hard to relate to because of the time period it is set in(the middle ages )because they did everything differently. The characters Thomas and Elenor just kind of walked around doing their own thing just waiting for something to happen. They weren't really looking forward to anything nor did they have to stop anywhere to do anything on their pilgrimage.This book lacked action and suspence.I would never recommend The Ramsay Scallop to any any readers especially young readers because after they read a chapter or so they will not want to read it they will want to lock it up in a closet. I do not recommend The Ramsay Scallop to readers of any ages.
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Summary: YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY!
Review: The book's title refers to the Scallop which may be worn by pilgrims who have completed their journey to the cathedral of St. James of Campostella in Spain--a symbol of their successful spiritual (and obviously physical) achievement. The Ramsay Scallop provides an excellent introduction to medieval history and mentality, in both sacred and secular areas. Scattered throughout the chaste love story we uncover segments of the phenonmenon called Pilgrimage. We follow their route (The Way, as it is reverently called) from England, through France, across the Pyrenees into Spain; we learn of their raiment and restrictions, travel decorum, religious customs and Eastern beliefs. The author invites her secondary charaters to elucidate the arts of cathedral building and glass blowing. We witness peaceful coexsistence between Christian and Saracen in Spain, and shiver to learn to the atrocities committed against the Albigensians because of their Biblical heresy. The eve of the 14th century threatens the peace of mind of all Europe, but 14-year-old Elenor has a more immediate cause for alarm: the long-delayed but inevitable return from the Crusades of her fiance (betrothed during her childhood). She dreads Thomas not only for his remembered youthful escapades, but because she secretly fears marriage and childbirth, which caused her mother's death. Elenor chafes under the pre-nuptiual vows arranged by their parents; she welcomes any delay in becoming a wife. Thomas also is reluctant to wed and bed THE BRAT, as he thinks of her. As each is the last of their line, the marriage is necessary to preserve the Ramsay heritage. Their trusted, village priest sends them on a pilgrimage, to bear the sins of the returning Crusaders, as well as the villagers who surived for 8 years without their menfolk, and deposit the scroll of confessions at the Saint's shrine. Yet this spiritual journey will shape their personal development and focus their social destiny. Both will make difficult decisions and sacrif! ice prized possessions to benefit others. The Knights Templar lay an additional burden on Thomas: he must assume responsibility for a large group of fellow pilgrims. He has to shepherd a ragtag mob and come to terms with Nora, as she decides to be called. Their lives for three months on the road intertwine with those of many other pilgrims, some of whom become good friends; he also decide on a practical course of action for his return to the manor. And in true Canterbury Pilgrim style, they pass the time and the dusty miles by telling tales. Medieval lore cleverly set into a gem of a love story. About Roland and Charlemagne and the Legend of St. James himself. This relaxed introduction to the Middle Ages will educate and amuse young students of World History, as well as provide valuable literary detail and insight into medieval Catholicism. Like a good drama, the story ends after their imposed goal has been achieved, even though the couple have yet to return to England. There are strands of humor as well woven into this tapestry of travel, plus clever comments on the role of Women (as seen by themselves) in Medieval Society.
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Summary: The Ramsay Scallop
Review: The novel "The Ramsay Scallop" is about a girl named Elenor and her pre-arranged husband, Thomas. The two of them go on a Pilgramage to get to know each other better. Elenor showed she was scared about her marriage. She goes on the pilgramage completely negative. As the pilgimage goes on, both of them change. Their Relationship takes a dive for the better. I gave this book a rating of only 3 stars. I did so because the climax of the book was not exciting. It did not get me thinking as much as Elizabeth Alder's book "The King's Shadow" did. "The Ramsay Scallop did not have a twisting ending or even an exciting plot. The middle of the book was not exciting. I could have skipped a chapter and still be knowing what has happened in the plot. The only uppoint of the book was the change that took place in both characters. I would not recommend this book to a friend because of the boring plot. Thank you for your time.
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Summary: The Ramsay Scallop
Review: The novel "The Ramsay Scallop" is about a girl named Elenor and her pre-arranged husband, Thomas. The two of them go on a Pilgramage to get to know each other better. Elenor showed she was scared about her marriage. She goes on the pilgramage completely negative. As the pilgimage goes on, both of them change. Their Relationship takes a dive for the better. I gave this book a rating of only 3 stars. I did so because the climax of the book was not exciting. It did not get me thinking as much as Elizabeth Alder's book "The King's Shadow" did. "The Ramsay Scallop did not have a twisting ending or even an exciting plot. The middle of the book was not exciting. I could have skipped a chapter and still be knowing what has happened in the plot. The only uppoint of the book was the change that took place in both characters. I would not recommend this book to a friend because of the boring plot. Thank you for your time.
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Summary: Unusual but Brilliant Young Adult Novel
Review: The Ramsay Scallop is a very good young adult novel, though it has a few flaws. The story is set in the year 1299, and its two main characters are Eleanor and Thomas. The two are betrothed to one another through an arranged marriage, but they neither one can bear the thought of marriage. Thomas, who has been away fighting in the crusades, only remembers Eleanor as "The Brat" who he pestered as a child. Eleanor only remembers Thomas as a cruel kid, and she fears having to bear children because of her slight build. Though they neither one relish the thought of marriage, there really isn't an alternate choice for the two of them....that is, until Father Gregory decides to send them on a pilgrimage to Spain together. Along the way, the two meet people and have experiences that begin to draw them towards one another. They begin to realize the beauties that the other holds for them. The novel could be perfect except for two flaws. One is that sometimes the prose is unpolished and rough. The pace is slow (which is not a fault), but sometimes the prose along with that pacing makes the story drag a bit too much. Younger readers, in particular, may have trouble getting through these slower parts. The other flaw with the novel is with its clumsy handling of God. Temple is very correct to introduce religion to the book. The conflicts that each character in the book may have with Europe's religion are important and valid. But Temple only seems to introduce the topic. She raises questions about what the main characters believe and are beginning to believe, but before she finishes studying the topic, she drops it. Though there are some small flaws with the novel, The Ramsay Scallop has some definite strong points. Overall, it is difficult to find very much better than it is. It is even more rare to find a book with this kind of writing set in the Middle Ages. The Ramsay Scallop is a fascinating young adult novel.
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Summary: Catherine, Called Birdy Lovers BEWARE!!!!!!!!
Review: The Ramsey Scallops was a very drab, trite, and repetatively bad told tale of a good plot gone wrong. Where in the book did the two "lovers" begin to "understand" and "accept" each other? Where's the trials and tribulations? This is snobbery of class at it's best.
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