Spellbound by Anna Dale - Revision history

Sue at 13:57, 7 September 2020

2020-09-07T13:57:47Z

Sue at 13:07, 19 April 2018

2018-04-19T13:07:47Z

Sue at 15:34, 16 December 2014

2014-12-16T15:34:12Z

Keith: 1 revision

2009-10-24T17:35:12Z

1 revision

Jill at 18:20, 19 May 2009

2009-05-19T18:20:35Z

New review

{{infobox
|title= Spellbound
|author= Anna Dale
|reviewer= Ruth Ng
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary= A fun, magical adventure that has a flavour of Enid Blyton about it with its talking animals, tricky spells and an exciting escape from an underground world.
|rating=4
|buy= Yes
|borrow= Yes
|format= Paperback
|pages=288
|publisher= Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
|date= June 2009
|isbn=978-0747594796
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0747594791</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1599903709</amazonus>
}}

Twelve year old Athene who is neat and smart and clever has a little brother called Zach who is six. He is sweet and messy and cheerful...and Athene can't stand him! She is forever causing trouble with her parents about Zach, complaining at every turn. They all go together for a holiday in the countryside and whilst she's there Athene stumbles across some night time creatures called Gloams. She learns of a magical place run by another clan, some evil Low Gloams, where those who enter never return. So one night, when she finds she can stand no more of her little brother, she tricks him into being captured by the Low Gloams. Of course, she finds that once he is gone she misses him and realises what a terrible thing she has done, and so she sets off on her quest to get him home safely.

I was reminded of two other distinguished writers as I read this - [[:Category:Enid Blyton|Enid Blyton]] and [[:Category:C S Lewis|C.S. Lewis]]. The story has that same magical edge about it, with its well-formed imaginary creatures and their world. The Humble Gloams are small, gnome-like creatures who are nocturnal and sleep amongst the nettles to avoid the Glares (which is what they call humans). They can perform magic, and for a while Athene enjoys meeting with them and learning about them. It is only when Zach creeps out of the house to join her one evening that she loses her temper, and frustrated at having to share her secret with him she seeks revenge. I think many an older sibling would identify with Athene's plan to rid herself of her little brother, although I personally found Athene to be a rather annoying, grumpy spoilt pre-teen. I came around to her a little more as she throws herself into her quest to get Zach back, disguising herself as a Gloam and breaking in to the Low Gloam's underground town along with her two Humble Gloam friends to help.

It's a fairly easy book to read, but not overly simplistic as it has some nice descriptive moments and some more challenging bits of vocabulary sprinkled throughout it. The underground world the Low Gloam inhabit is interesting and depicted very well, and I liked the various different creatures that Athene encounters in the search for her brother. Although I was irritated by Athene a little to begin with there's an exciting ending, but nothing too scary for younger readers so this would work well as a bedtime story or as a book for a pre-teen to read by themselves. I found I raced through this easily, and I'd like to go back and try her earlier novels, ''Whispering to Witches'' and ''Dawn Undercover''.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.

For another exciting adventure story try [[Kira (Shadow of the Dragon) by Kate O'Hearn|Kira]] by Kate O'Hearn.

{{amazontext|amazon=0747594791}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6313553}}

{{commenthead}}

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 It's a fairly easy book to read, but not overly simplistic as it has some nice descriptive moments and some more challenging bits of vocabulary sprinkled throughout it.  The underground world the Low Gloam inhabit is interesting and depicted very well, and I liked the various different creatures that Athene encounters in the search for her brother.  Although I was irritated by Athene a little to begin with there's an exciting ending, but nothing too scary for younger readers so this would work well as a bedtime story or as a book for a pre-teen to read by themselves.  I found I raced through this easily, and I'd like to go back and try her earlier novels, ''Whispering to Witches'' and ''Dawn Undercover''.
-I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
+I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.  We also have a review of [[Magical Mischief by Anna Dale]].
 For another exciting adventure story try [[Kira (Shadow of the Dragon) by Kate O'Hearn|Kira]] by Kate O'Hearn.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infobox
+{{infobox1
 |title= Spellbound
 |author= Anna Dale
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 |date= June 2009
 |isbn=978-0747594796
-|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0747594791</amazonuk>
+|cover=0747594791
-|amazonus=<amazonus>1599903709</amazonus>
+|aznuk=0747594791
 }}

@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 |buy= Yes
 |borrow= Yes
 |pages=288
 |publisher= Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
@@ Line 27: / Line 26: @@
 For another exciting adventure story try [[Kira (Shadow of the Dragon) by Kate O'Hearn|Kira]] by Kate O'Hearn.
-{{amazontext|amazon=0747594791}} {{waterstonestext|waterstones=6313553}}
+{{amazontext|amazon=0747594791}}
 {{commenthead}}

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