Amazon.com: Review of Fablehaven

Amazon.com: Review of Fablehaven

Likeable book - passed on to me by my nephew. Not quite as complex as Harry Potter (which is actually charming) - but not as spell-binding as the Spiderwick books. I do really like Kendra's sensibility & spirit - and while the rambunctious nature of her brother Seth is an expectation for a boy his age - his completely spastic inability to contain himself repeatedly to his own detriment is over the top. It tempers as the book goes on - but is disappointing for quite a while. The formula of this book is well-worn by a growing number of authors lately - it's always odd to see that Obert Skye is on the front of the book with a dull quip, "it's a lucky book that can hold this kind of story" when he is out there concurrently shilling his own take on this same formula. Although he does have a point - Fablehaven is a good find in a book. I still wish the older Alan Garner series could have a resurgence - if anything as a next step to show that you can depict that the main characters are kids/brother/sister but that they can be clever and smart, too. Like a next step into Charles DeLint... Fablehaven gets its own voice and strength in Kendra's spirited awakening near the book's end - where she has to stop holding back and hesitating and take action and rescue her family and Fablehaven alone. I am moving on to the 2nd book now...