The Enchanted Castle (Book and Charm)

Rating:
Summary: I am so glad that I read this
Review: Let's get one thing straight: under normal circumstances, I would not have read this book. But one of my friends was telling me that I had a deprived childhood since I didn't read it. Fine, I said, I'll read it. Was I pleasantly surprised! This book is a delight for adults and children alike. I was so impressed with the way that E. Nesbit had captured the essences of the children down to the very last detail. And the scenes that she presented seemed like they had come out of a dream. The characters were heartening and the story was so elaboartely woven that I marvled. You won't be dissappointed.

Rating:
Summary: I am so glad that I read this
Review: Let's get one thing straight: under normal circumstances, I would not have read this book. But one of my friends was telling me that I had a deprived childhood since I didn't read it. Fine, I said, I'll read it. Was I pleasantly surprised! This book is a delight for adults and children alike. I was so impressed with the way that E. Nesbit had captured the essences of the children down to the very last detail. And the scenes that she presented seemed like they had come out of a dream. The characters were heartening and the story was so elaboartely woven that I marvled. You won't be dissappointed.

Rating:
Summary: The Enchanting Book
Review: My children and I have been reading this as our bedtime book. My son, age 8, was going to read it himself, but we soon found his sister, age 6, wanted me to read it instead (so I could do the "voices") so it has been turned into the nightly story. The characters: Gerald, Kathleen, and Jimmy are each drawn clearly and individually. My children are fascinated with Gerald's way of speaking as though he were telling a story. And they love Kathleen's way of alternating between being practical and yet longing for all things "magical". Jimmy is funny and endearing, as he is at that age of Not believing and yet eager for adventure. Their friend Mabel is full of mystery and make-believe and soon pulls them into a grand escapade. The author is able to vividly paint each person and each scene. It is with great reluctance we put the book down after a couple of chapters each night, wanting to finish all at once, but wanting the magic to last a little longer. When we finished, we all decided it was one of our favorites. Extremely well written. I did not find even the beginning dull or slow. From start to finish, this is one of the best children's books I've found. And we've read very many.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely brilliant
Review: One of the warmest, most inventive, and genuinely interesting children's books ever written. You can't go wrong reading this to your child - it's easily the best of its genre and should inspire a fair bit of imaginative energy in any kid. Nesbit's characters are belieavable, mischevious, and good-hearted, all in ways that never come across as saccharine or flat. The best book by the best writer.

Rating:
Summary: Magic in its most enriching, uplifting form
Review: Possibly one of the greatest "for children of all ages" books of all time - Nesbit practically invented the genre and in this book she achieved her greatest heights. The Enchanted Castle is a true classic and essential for anyone wanting to give children a sense of wonder and maybe a little joy in the process.

Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Nesbit
Review: The children of Edgar Eager's imagination think so and I'm inclined to agree with them. This one has it all, a sleeping princess, a garden labyrinth, an enchanted castle, not to mention a summer in an abandoned school supervised only by a darling French teacher. Wait, that's only the first two chapters! Truly this is my favorite of Nesbit's magic novels featuring her trademark plucky heroine (times two), complicated persnickety magic, and a sequence of misadventures each more inventive and hilarious than the last. The unexpected (and often disastrous) well intentioned exploits in the style of the Railway Children and the Wouldbegoods are delightfully combined with the fantasy of The Magic City and Five Children and It. Simply required reading for any child or adult with the slightest bit of soul.

Rating:
Summary: A TRULY UNIQUE AND MEMORIBLE BOOK!!!
Review: The Enchanted Castle was a great book with delightful characters that act out a memorible tale of magic, imagination, and mystery. My favorite picture in the book was the one of the children following the red string that is attached to the girl's finger. My favorite part in the book was when the girl claims that the ring makes it's wearer invisible, and then her fib becomes a reality. All in all, I think that this a book will be shared and passed down generation to generation

Rating:
Summary: Nesbit: An Author of wonder!
Review: The reason I only gave this book 4 stars is because of out of the 5 Edith Nesbit Books I have read so far...this is my least favourite. I think it is beacuase of how it is written. It, to me, was lacking something all the other books she wrote have. I also did not particularly enjoy the beginning of the book, as it started out dull etc. But as it went on...I fell in love with the four children. One thing that is very evident in this book is the thing of good magic. Evrything thing seems to be filled with it, therefore making the story all the better and all more exciting. I loved how it showed each of there adventures, and each of there luck with the magic ring. I also got a few laughs out of the children's injinuity. This is truly a classic, but not my favourite Nesbit book. It certainly is worth getting though.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic book!
Review: This book is a wonderful, magical read. I got it because I watched the BBC adaptation as a child, and loved it. It's a story of magic, childhood and friendship, but more than it it captures the magic of the unknown - the statues that come alive, and the sense of adventure and mystery that every child knows. The story of the Ugli-Wuglies is truly creepy, but necessary - theres too much tendency these days to protect children from anything that might scare them - its good for them to be scared occasionally, they'll come to learn that the real world is far more frightening place. When you read it later as an adult, there's the theme of love, and the pain of love lost and the fact the that nothing is free, everything has to be paid for ultimately. The only reason I deducted a star is that, enchanting though it is, it lacks the depth or richness of, say, Phillipa Pearce's "Tom's Midnight Garden". All the same, still a children's classic, and every child should have the opportunity to read it.

Rating:
Summary: definitely a book of wonder
Review: This book is such a delight - funny, imaginative and engaging. I love the humor that E.Nesbit always has (enjoyable for both adults and kids) but I really loved the world she created - the amazing garden with it's visitors. The images still remain with me in the same way that I'll never forget Dr. Doolittle's garden. I think that's a sign of a great book. Other books by Nesbit are more well known but I'd recommend this book before any others. I hope someone makes a film of this book - it would be magical. Anything so that more people would get a chance to enjoy this wonderful book.