Gibson Books

Agnes Grey, the daughter of a clergyman who's had a reversal of fortunes, determines to get a job working as a governess to make ends meet. Her first post is as the governess to what must be literature's most spoiled brats, the Bloomwood children of Wellwood House. After being subjected to employers that would put Miranda Pristley in The Devil Wears Prada or the Xs in The Nanny Diaries to shame, Agnes is fired (her gain, I think) and seeks another post, this time at Horton Lodge, where her charges are Miss Rosalie Murray and Miss Miranda Murray. While there, Agnes becomes acquainted with the village's curate, Edward Weston. Its not difficult to guess what happens there.

Anne's sister, Charlotte, glamorized and romanticized the life of a governess somewhat in Jane Eyre. Apparently, Anne's description of the tribulations Agnes goes through are nearly true to life. The first few chapters are devoted to Agnes's complaining about the treatment she receives at the hands of the Bloomwood children, but the story picks up when she arrives at Horton Lodge and Rosalie has her coming-out party. Rosalie Morton is another spoiled, selfish brat, but her personality is more fleshed out than those of the Bloomwoods. She provides the perfect contrast to Agnes's demure, subdued demeanor. If you've read Wuthering Heights and/or Jane Eyre, be prepared for the fact that Agnes Grey is a lot more down-to-earth and provincial--it actually reminded me a bit of George Eliot's Middlemarch, or The Mill On the Floss. But its not without its merits. It's too bad that Anne Bronte is so often overshadowed by her sisters, because this is a very fine novel.

After reading this, I am now quite surprised that Anne Bronte is the least known of the three Bronte sisters. In my opinion, this short novel is as much a literary superlative as Jane Eyre and very superior to the depressing Wuthering Heights. The fact that Anne wrote this book based on her own experiences made it very believable and made the character of Agnes appear very down to earth. Overall, I would recommend this book because it is not as fluffy as the works of Jane Austen, but not as heavy as Wuthering Heights.

Agnes Grey holds the same quality and charm of many a dusty classic. It's a pleasant read, and not too long to bog down the reader. Agnes Grey provides a window into life during Anne Bronte's time, and seems like a combination of the life Anne lived and the life she wanted to live.

Agnes Grey is, for the most part, predictable, but pleasantly so. The plot is simple, as are the characters.

Any fan of the Bronte family will find this book just what can be imagined coming from sweet Anne. It may be a fascination and love of the story of their family that makes me recommend this book. Or perhaps it's the innocent sweetness of this book.

Poor Anne Bronte. Her legacy will forever be overshadowed by the greater success of her elder sisters; Charlotte Bronte, the author of "Jane Eyre", and Emily Bronte, who gave the world "Wuthering Heights". I would love to be able to say that Anne is the hidden gem of the Bronte family, but the fact is that her work is simply not as good as that of her sisters'. She writes vividly and sympathetically, but ultimately her stories are rather forgettable, especially when compared with the trials and tribulations of Jane Eyre and the violent and passionate love affair between Heathcliff and Catherine in "Wuthering Heights" (okay, I'll admit it - it's my favourite book. I'm hopelessly biased).

Anne Bronte's most famous book "Agnes Grey", is without the timeless appeal of her sisters' novel, since it is a novel meant for her contemporary Victorian audience, one that underlined the trials and difficulties faced by governesses of the time. At this point in British history, economical and social problems had driven many young women to seek employment as governesses, and because of the influx of potential governesses, families could naturally whittle down the price of a teacher for their children (Charlotte Bronte for example, had to accept twenty pounds a year for her services as a governess). Being one of the first novels to address the hardships and indignities faced by governesses, Anne Bronte's book provided a valuable window into this world; and it did this so well in fact that one critic said of the author: "he must have bribed some governess very largely...to reveal to him the secrets of her prison house, or, he must have devoted extraordinary powers of observation and discovery to the elucidation of the subject."

In this critic's defense, Anne (along with her sisters) published their books under masculine pen names, but it is a testimony to her skill that the conditions of the governess were captured so vividly. Being a governess herself (with many similarities to her title character, as we shall see in a moment), Anne was in the prime position to `spill the beans' on the plight of the governess. By today's standards "Agnes Grey" provides a vivid and interesting history on this aspect of life in Bronte's time period, but it is more valued for its glimpses into the Bronte sisters' lives than its compelling story.

Agnes Grey is the story of a young heroine who - because of her family's financial struggles - advertises herself out as a governess. Stepping out into the world from a life surrounded by a loving family is trial enough, but Agnes is looking forward to achieving her independence and helping her family in its time of need. She is sadly disillusioned, as her new position in the Bloomfield household is not at all what she expected. The children are unruly and spoilt, the house servants are unfriendly and the master and the mistress hold Agnes responsible for their children's wild behaviour. Her second position is only moderately better; treated as little more than a servant; she is only gradually accepted by her two new charges: the flirtatious Rosalie and the tomboyish Matilda Murray. Her only spark of light is the sensible young curate Mr Weston, a man whom Rosalie is determined to add to her list of conquests before her upcoming marriage is made public...

The similarities between Agnes and Anne's lives are numerous: both are the youngest and adored little sisters of their families (and although all but one of Agnes's siblings are dead, six were born - the same as Anne's family), both had two positions as a governess at two different households and were unfairly dismissed for incompetence from the first one, both are the daughters of North England clergymen, and both are nineteen when they take up their first post. What makes Agnes especially unique in the large canon of literary governesses (of which she was one of the first), is that she is actively enthusiastic about going out into the world and earning money - a trait that is admittedly coupled with a real need to help her family, but one which is rare (most book-governesses are forced reluctantly into their positions). Agnes's situation as the adored little sister of the Grey family is akin to Anne's own place in her family (a position that scholars now believe Anne rebelled against), perhaps accounting for the unique characteristic of Agnes's initial desire to become as a governess - that she actively goes out in search of a job, rather than being helplessly driven to it solely by poverty.

There is nothing wrong with Bronte's writing technique - her language is crisp and concise, her heroine realistic and sympathetic, and her social commentary on the plight of the young unmarried Victorian woman's chances at a career is as thought-provoking as ever (though naturally a bit dated by today's standards). The problem lies with the story itself, which is somewhat uneventful. Bronte is particularly good in capturing the frustrations of being governess to a pack of ungrateful children; their naughty behaviour, their disinterestedness and the unfair treatment accorded to her by her employees, but ultimately nothing is done with it. Because it is predominantly an exposition on the requirements and hardships of governesses, we never really get any satisfactorily comeuppance to any of Agnes's pupils, save one, whose unhappy marriage is almost *too* tragic. Anne Bronte's novel is more didactic than that of her sisters', as Agnes is a paragon of virtue and patience in the face of ongoing frustration. Yes, her temper is worn at times, but she is remarkable in her ability to withhold her emotions and keep in place her calm exterior. Just once I would have liked one of the little brats to get slapped! Also, I don't think I'm alone in thinking that Agnes's romance with Mr Weston is a little flat - we never really get to know him very well, and Agnes's falling in love with him is as much a leap of faith on his perceived goodness then any real meeting of minds and hearts.

But "Agnes Grey" is certainly worth the read, for the historical insight as well as a comparative text for Anne Bronte's second novel, the much more rich and accomplished "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall."

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (Oxford World's Classics)

As much as I love Tenant of Wildfell Hall I can't say that I loved this work as much. If anything it does give the reader a good insight to the miserable life governess endured. However, if the coachman was to write a book, or day labour of those times were to write a book, I can't imagine that their lot in life was much fairer. So the complaint is the same complaint that holds true today: rich people have it so easy. But of course upon closer inspection, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Rosalie learns this lesson well. Though the book picks up after Rosalie's "coming out", the story I'm most interested in, Agnes and Edward feel more like a rush job within the last seven pages of the novel. I wanted to know about them than whole chapters of a sermon from a temporarily blind person. In all, I feel this a very padded story, since Agnes doesn't really go through an metamorphis and she requires the man of her heart with no effort at all and any chancy spirited adventures. Overall: Wildfell will remain my favorite from this author.

Leap Day is a book about a a girl named Josie who is turning 16 years old, but she has her birthday on February 29th which is "Leap Day",but her official birthday only comes only once every four years so she tell people that its her fourth birthday. In the book she has friends all around the world that she talks to that also has a birthday on leap day, and every year they give each over weird gifts to each other.Also Josieloves to act so she is trying out for her school play "Romeo and Juliet" and goes and trys for her driving test to get her license.And she also has has her three best friends Megan, Zoey and Katy and they throw her a 16th birthday at the lake.
My favorite part of the book Leap Day is when her and her friends go on a scavenger hunt. I like this part of the book the best because I thoght it was the most intresting and I could't put the book down because i wanted to see what happended next and see if they are going to win. Also when they have to get a teachers clothing i thought its was pretty funny when Katy goes upstairs and steals there teachers clothing in there house.Thats why I think it is the best part of the book, when they all go on the scavenger hunt.
This book is one of my favorite books i've read i read the book twice because I liked it so much and I will probably read it again too.So yes, I do recommend this book to others because I like how after each chapter they show he other thoughts and opinoins.I liked the book how it was set up lke that i think other books should be like that because then you will no what others really are thinking and how you would not think that they are really thinking that.So that is why I recommend this book to others.

Leap Day, a follow-up to Wendy Mass' A Mango-Shaped Place, is equally as fun and unique as its predecessor. Leap Day follows Josie on her 16th birthdy, but since she was born on 2/29, it's only the fourth time she has celebrated her birthday on the actual day she was born. This book's unique format is such a cool idea - Josie narrates through her day for one chapter, and after that, the chapter rewinds and goes again, this time from the perspective of all the other characters in the chapter. It's so interesting to see who Josie understands and who she doesn't, and how many assumptions everyone makes of everyone else. Josie is a prism, viewed by different people from a different side, and then we also get her own perspective on herself as she goes through her day at school, takes her driver's license test, goes on a scavenger hunt, and undergoes the secret rites of all 16 year old Orlando teens at a mysterious lake. This book is so fun and different from any other YA novel I've read, and is easily appropriate for middle school and up but will still keep their attention. Wendy Mass is a sure bet.

In the book leap day by Wendy Mass the main character is Josie Taylor. Leap day the title, goes along with the book because Josie is born on leap day, February 29. So it is only her forth birthday when she is actually turning 16 years old. In this book there are many conflicts that arise in this book one of the conflicts is Josie and taking her driver licenses test. Another conflict is she is trying out for the play the role is Juliet and her crush is trying out for the same play. She has three close friends Katy, Zoey, Megan. She thinks that her friend Megan is hiding some big secret from her. Meanwhile all this is happening Josie's friends are planning a sweet sixteen party for her at the lake.
I really enjoyed reading this book! This book is very interesting to read because it gives all the view points on the characters not just Josie's view point. At some parts of the book it is kind of boring but most of the story it pull's you into the story and made you think and read more of it. I recommended the book leap day to everyone I just think it is a fabulous book and everyone should read it!

In the book leap day by Wendy Mass the main character is Josie Taylor. Leap day the title, goes along with the book because Josie is born on leap day, February 29. So it is only her forth birthday when she is actually turning 16 years old. In this book there are many conflicts that arise in this book one of the conflicts is Josie and taking her driver licenses test. Another conflict is she is trying out for the play the role is Juliet and her crush is trying out for the same play. She has three close friends Katy, Zoey, Megan. She thinks that her friend Megan is hiding some big secret from her. Meanwhile all this is happening Josie's friends are planning a sweet sixteen party for her at the lake.
I really enjoyed reading this book! This book is very interesting to read because it gives all the view points on the characters not just Josie's view point. At some parts of the book it is kind of boring but most of the story it pull's you into the story and made you think and read more of it. I recommended the book leap day to everyone I just think it is a fabulous book and everyone should read it!

If you like books about real life situations, this would be a great book for you to read. Leap Day, by Wendy Mass, is about a teenager named Josie Taylor. On Josie's fourth birthday, she is turning sixteen years old. It might seem strange, but her birthday is on February 29, leap day. One of the problems Josie faces is getting her drivers license, since she is turning sixteen. She is trying out for the school play, Romeo and Juliet. She has a huge crush on an older guy named Grant, and he is trying out for the same play as Josie. She thinks one of her friends, Megan, has an eating disorder, and has a big secret that she wont tell Josie, or anyone else. Also her friend Zoey has an accident with self tanner. Then a group of her friends, Megan, Zoey and Katy, are all doing the sophomore scavenger hunt. Josie's friends are also planning a birthday party, or sweet sixteen initiation at the lake. Josie also has to deal with her brothers girlfriend breaking up with him, and a girl at school getting pregnant. I really liked how this book can relate to your life.

The author of Leap Day, Wendy Mass, writes this book in a really different way. After saying what is going on in Josie's life, she tells the different view points of the other characters. I thought it was very interesting to hear the other characters views other than Josie's, on the same subjects. After telling the other view points, sometimes she tells what is going to happen to them in the future. I would recommend reading this if you are looking for a great book to read.

I received the book in a timely manner. The book was in the
condition advertised.

The book arrived my home on time. Same as the estimated arrival date when I bought it. Also, the book was perfectly protected. Nothing was damaged during transportation. I am really glad with it. For sure, I will buy something through Amazon in the future!

A friend of mine highly recommended this book, and since I had already read "Eight Cousins" (which I didn't particularly care for, at the time,) I decided to give "Rose in Bloom" a try. What a pleasant surprise! I adored it so much that after reading it, I went back and re-read "Eight Cousins." (I would warn readers that while the plot isn't that complicated, don't read this book until you've read "Eight Cousins." Knowing the characters from the first book makes the sequel so much more enjoyable.)

Returning to America after two years of absence, Rose soon discovers that a lot has changed while she was away. Not only is 19 year old Rose now old enough to inherit her parents' money, but she's also at a marriageable age. What's a young, rich and pretty girl to do? Of course her guardian, Uncle Alec, is there to give advice or lend a listening ear. And, of course, her boy cousins have turned into young men. The bookworm, Mac, still isn't "polite and sensible like Archie, nor gay and handsome like Prince Charlie, nor neat and obliging like Steve, nor amusing like the `Brats,' nor confiding and affectionate like little Jamie," but nevertheless, I like him the best. He is sensible and intelligent, unlike Cousin Charlie, who is as good looking and charming as he is reckless. Rose tries to improve Charlie's morals and Mac's manners; all while learning what it means to live a wise and honorable life.

This is a delightful book! It made me smile, laugh, cry and fall in love. More than that, it inspired me, as I think it should all young women, to live life to the best of my ability. As Louisa May Alcott states in her preface: "Rose is not designed for a model girl, and the sequel was simply written in fulfillment of a promise, hoping to afford some amusement, and perhaps here and there a helpful hint, to other roses getting ready to bloom."

Eight Cousins This novel is a sequel to a very nice book for young people.This book is a well written 19th century romance by a classic author.Even with some tragedy , it is still artificially sweet by literary realism standards of today. The romance is marred by the modern genetics of recessive trait doubling in which, practically, first cousins shouldn't marry and have a family. The romance is nice in which the geek wins out by becoming a doctor and a poet.

If Eight Couisins was great, Rose In Bloom is classic! I left the child-hood friends in great anticipation of meeting them again as adults. At the same time, however, I felt an ominous sense of foreboding. . . Would Charlie and Mac ruin their friendship in vieing for their sweet cousin's hand? I could not imagine Mac striving with anyone over anything. So . . . what then? Would the romantic and debonair Charlie simply sweep Rose off her feet, while Mac stands in the background and sighs with dissapiontment? No. That didn't seem to fit, either. As it turned out, the good and noble Mac did win Rose's heart over his hansome and undiciplined cousin. I - like Rose - first fell in love with "the Prince". And like her, I came to see, through tragic circumstances, what true love really means. . . finding someone you can look up to, instead of lift up.

Although I read a great number of Agatha Christie books as a child, I never came across any from her "Tommy & Tuppence" series on my mother's bookshelves. So I thought that it might be fun to try the first of them to see what Christie's "other" series was like. And this first in the T&T series is like is a strange mix of John Buchan and P.G. Wodehouse -- it's an espionage story, but often reads like a parody of one. The title's play on the Joseph Conrad novel hints at a certain tongue in cheekiness, as does the use of every possible spy adventure cliché.

The story opens with a prologue aboard the sinking Lusitania in 1915, as a mysterious man entrusts a secret diplomatic packet to an American teenage girl. We then leap forward to 1919, where we meet Tommy and Tuppence, a pair of lovely young adults who are somewhat adrift and broke following their wartime experiences. Running into each other in London, the childhood friends cook up a scheme to advertise themselves as "Young Adventurers" for hire. Thanks to a wildly improbable coincidence (a snatch of overheard conversation), they find themselves in the midst of a plot to destroy England.

It seems that some secret mastermind has managed to unite all of England's enemies (Bolshevik Russians, defeated Germany, Irish Republicans, and the English working class) in common cause. All they need to do is provoke a general strike that will topple the government and unleash anarchy (exactly how or why this is the case is left murky) -- and the packet entrusted to the girl on the Lusitania is the key. Apparently it contains some kind of draft treaty whose contents are so explosive that public revelation would throw England into just the desired state of unrest (again, just how this old treaty would do that, or who the signatories are are left to the reader's imagination).

In any event, Tommy and Tuppence take on these plotters on behalf of the British government (who presumably would have more qualified people for the job), and there's much tailing, eavesdropping, impersonation, and general thrills and chills as first Tommy, and then Tuppence are captured. Naturally, neither hero nor heroine are simply killed by their captors, as that would make too much sense. Amidst all this toing and froing, they come into contact with a cast of colorful characters including an energetic young American millionaire, a crafty lawyer, a sinister society lady, a spunky kid helper, and Inspector Japp from the Poirot series. Since the reader knows full well that the plot will be foiled, the real mystery is the identity of the unknown mastermind, Mr. Brown. Alas, careful readers will realize less than halfway through, that barring some kind of "locked room" shenanigans, the identity of Mr. Brown must be one of two people.

So it's rather an odd book, perhaps best read as parody, but enjoyable as an old-fashioned ripping yarn with two engaging leads -- who naturally fall in love. Definitely left me curious to read further adventures of Tommy and Tuppence.

I've been an avid Agatha Christie fan for decades now, but had yet to read one of Ms. Christie's novels with the characters of Tommy & Tuppence until now that is....

Tommy & Tuppence are a nice, refreshing change from Miss Marple & Hercule Poirot. They are young upstarts in this novel looking to earn a decent living in an era where the economy isn't great.... So, Tommy & Tuppence, whom have been life long friends, decide to embark on a new career as the young adventurers in search of new adventures.

They end up doing under cover work, off the record, for the British Government, in search of some important documents lost in World War I. These documents if recovered by the enemy, could have dire consequences for the allies now that the war is over.

The Secret Adversary is a nice, tightly written novel by Ms. Christie and this novel keeps you guessing until the very end which character is the bad guy.

Great light beach reading in this little known series of Agatha Christie's Young Adventurers. In this first appearance, the soon to be husband and wife team of Tommy and Tuppence cast off their post-war boredom by hiring themselves out as adventurers.

They soon find themselves Britain's only hope against an unbelievable collection of thugs, unionists, and socialists bent on destroying the empire in ways that can only be spoken of in whispers. The chrismatic yet unknown Mr. Brown is behind all of this, and no one knows who he is. Join our heroes as they chase him down with several false leads and misidentifications. After almost a century this tale still holds up well. The sinking of the Lusitania and other events of the Great War play a prominent role as Victorian life provides our setting.

Tommy and Tuppence were sparkling creations by Agatha Christie (and their ability to transfer deliciously to the small screen is also a proven fact.) But sadly they were never given as strong mystery material as Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot were and have, therefore, languished on the literary sidelines to a great extent. Their first appearance, in the Secret Adversary, is a good example of this problem. Christie is weakest when politics are involved and the story is hopelessly naive with the fate of the world being controlled by one man, Mr. Brown, who ultimately is rather easily bested by those two crazy kids of the flapper Twenties, Tommy and Tuppence. The author never, ever, succeeded in achieving anything remotely approaching a spy thriller. Still, this book will hold interest for anyone wanting an early glimpse of the crazy duo who are always a pleasure to spend some time with.

"The Secret Adversary" is the very first adventure of Tommy and Tuppence, Agatha Christie's pair of amateur sleuths, and what an adventure they have. Tommy Beresford and Prudence 'Tuppence' Cowley manage to solve a threatening international crisis, by luck and intuition it would seem, rather than more ordinary methods of detection. As an introduction to the pair, who would have further adventures after their marriage, "The Secret Adversary" is fast-paced and intriguing.

Having met each other once again by chance, Tommy and Tuppence, old childhood friends, decide to advertise themselves as "Young Adventurers" who will take any charge that's well paid, no matter the danger. But before they can even post their ad, they are drawn into a mysterious web of intrigue regarding a missing draft of a peace treaty and a young girl named Jane Finn. By what seems like sheer coincidence and luck, Tommy and Tuppence, together or apart, are able to come across clues as to where Jane Finn may be, and what knowledge she has about the missing treaty. As they uncover clues, they also uncover danger that threatens their lives and friends who may just turn out to be the very adversary they are searching for.

As usual with an Agatha Christie mystery, just when you think you've figured out the final twist, she throws even more at you. "The Secret Adversary" is a smart, well-plotted thriller, a testament to Christie's brillance, as this was only her second published novel. While the book may seem dated in language and certain expressions, it is only at a surface level due to the very real nature of the modern intrigue that moves the plot.

As the title indicates, I feel quite unqualified to review the writings of George Eliot. But I did like the edition that Penguin classics puts out. It's sturdy, held up well being hauled around (never go anywhere without a book). I thought the explanatory notes at the end were quite thorough, and I enjoyed the editor's introduction.

Anybody who had fallen deeply in love would be touched by the character of Adam Bede. George Eliot's fecund words are reminiscence of a first kiss .... unforgettable.

This is the first book that I have read by George Eliot. I have serveral others of hers but I alway seemed to have another book I wanted to read. In fact, I started Adam Bede once and was about 150 pages into and put it down. After 6 months or so, I decided to pick it back up and I am glad that I did.

This is a wonderful story about a person who is true to himself and to those around him. This is also a story about how the actions of a person affect more than that person and those immediately involved.

The only problem I had with the story (and thus the 4 stars) was the dialect of the language used in the book. It is difficult to get used to the dialect and it is difficult to know what the character is trying to say. However, after the first 200 pages, I did get the hang of it but it was difficult going at first. In fact, it was because of that difficulty that I put the book down before.

I was glad to have read this book. It does have a shocking part to it though it is subtle at first. What really helped me was to read several chapters and then go the the sparknotes and read them to make sure I had not missed anything which was a big help in fully understanding the story. I would recommend that if you read this book, read the sparknotes after every 4 or 5 chapters.

I would also recommend this book to anyone that likes Thomas Hardy and espcially his "Far from the Madding Crowd." I loved "Madding Crowd" and this book reminded me of it.

I truly recommend this book to anyone that likes English Classic Literature. Once you get the hang of the dialect you will like this story. If you read this one and have not read Thomas Hardy's "Madding Crowd" I would recommend that you read that one as well.

When George Eliot published her first novel ADAM BEDE in 1859, unknown to her reading public, she had just ushered in a new era of the English novel. Beginning with this novel, Eliot infused her novels with an overwhelming sense of determinism, a then popular philosophy that suggested that man's voyage through life, that when set by nature, society, or even by himself, was etched in stone. If literary characters were to pursue a course of action that was taken willingly, then that character had to live with the consequences, however unpleasant. The primary characters of the book, Adam himself, Arthur Donnithorne, and Hetty Sorrel, are seen as limited in their ability to avoid the ramifications of their actions.

Adam Bede is portrayed as the quintessential man of good. Indeed one of the problems that modern readers have with him is that in his goodness, he is essentially a flat character, whose goodness towards others and anger towards Donnithorne, all stem from that same well of virtue. Adam falls in love with the flighty and flirty Hetty Sorrel, and is prepared to marry her, until he catches her passionately embracing his childhood friend, the aristocratic Donnithorne. The two men fight, the consequences of which set in motion a sequence of events that do not allow for mitigation of circumstance. In Hetty Sorrel, Eliot has created a woman whom she seems to judge overly harshly. Hetty truly is a flirt, and a passionate one at that, but to subject her to a non-stop series of painful retributions merely because of Hetty's willingness to sleep with the object of her youthful dreams, Donnithorne, suggests that Eliot began the book with a deck stacked partially against Adam but totally against her. And then there is Donnithorne, one who is supposed to be the villain, yet he is far less the villain as Eliot tries mightily to portray him just as Adam is far less the understanding hero as Eliot tries just as mightily to depict him. As Adam and Donnithorne battle each other for possession of the fickle Hetty, the lovely preacher Dinah Morris has been patiently waiting for Adam to come to his senses and forget his infatuation with Hetty and recognize the virtuous treasure that Eliot wants the reader to see.

Readers today show a marked lack of patience with Eliot's frequent narrative intrusions. Editors call such intrusions the use of omniscient narrator, a style of writing popular in Eliot's day but passé today. Yet, there are many readers who enjoy the panoramic vistas and linguistic idiosyncrasies that Eliot draws of a countryside that even in her day was fixed in the roots of an earlier 18th century cultural milieu. For those who do not mind Eliot's sometimes all too frequent helpful and sometimes unwanted comments, ADAM BEDE can be a welcome read in that it is a living reminder of how people may not escape the consequences of their actions, no matter how hard they try.

I love Marion Evans and expect others would enjoy her very much too. I'm writing this review to make sure that, if Adam Bede is your first experience with her, you not judge her by it and, if there is anything you find you like in it, that you go on and read more by her... Silas Marner, Middlemarch, essays, etc.

Adam Bede is, if I recall correctly, one of her earliest (if not first) extended works... the rest only get better. It is the only one that I would give less than five stars. There's really only one thing that mars it.

But first, what's good about it? Well, there's her deeply probing, psychological characterizations that leave all of her characters fully understood by the reader. We may love, admire, sympathize with, hope for, dislike, or disapprove of them. But we always understand them. Even the most minor characters or bit parts get well-developed. She puts more into a characterization of dogs than some writers do of humans... and it's clear that she loves them both very much!

Then there's her beautifully dense english: within a single sentence she can present a thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. She has the most charitable way of using irony I've ever encountered. Also, she was very much to British vernacular what Mark Twain was to American vernacular. This is especially marked in Adam Bede and may lead some people to shy away from it.

Also, she takes on the big issues of her day... political and religious change, the position of women and the otherwise disenfranchised, etc... in a way and to an extent that no one else in her day was doing. It's somewhat stealthy at times, being cloaked in the lives of the individuals who are affected by the issues. Not infrequently her own views come, comically, from the mouths of those who must otherwise be taken to least likely represent them... very sly. An example from Middlemarch flows from the nontraditional Dorothea's very traditional sister: "Oh, women are better than men at most everything [Dorothea smiling in response and her sister catching herself]... excepting of course the things they're not I mean!". I think her writing definitely stands the test of time.

Now what's bad? One thing only... Adam Bede has one radical plot twist that's either physiologically impossible or relies on the unbelievable ignorance of most of the characters. I can only imagine that the twist was less perverse to the Victorian reader's sensibility but it left me cold near the end of an otherwise warm, engaging, moving work by a great writer.

I wish I could have read this book. The type was so tiny I couldn't read any of it.

Ann Radcliffe was truly ahead of her time. She was rumored to be an inspiration for Jane Austen and other female novelists of the time. No one will ever measure up to Mrs Radcliffe who followed her dream against what society deemed "appropriate".

"I believe that memory is responsible for nearly all these three-volume novels"
-Oscar Wilde

One thing I will say for this book is that it made Oscar Wilde's plays even more entertaining for me. I now know what he was talking about when he trashes books of "unusually revolting sentimentality." And what he says is very true. I am absolutely certain that Ann Radcliffe wrote this book as a sort of extended journal for her travels. At least half of it is devoted to scenery descriptions. Now this is not a bad thing in itself. I read "classics" all the time and I understand/appreciate that books tended to be more long winded due to the limited amounts of solo activities available at the time. But this is ridiculous.

I should point out that the full title of this book is "The Mysteries of Udolpho, A Romance; interspersed with some pieces of poetry by Ann Radcliffe." SOME pieces?!? Give me a break. She throws in her poetry every chance she gets. Her prose is neither creative or inspired. Every single verse is cheesy, lacking good poetic structure and ALWAYS about nature. This quickly gets redundant and I found myself skipping over her longer ones which can last for pages.

I have seen a few of these reviewers compare this book as the predecessor to Jane Austen. I beg to differ. I have read every single one of Jane Austen's books and these authors are separated by one very crucial fact: Jane Austen is a good writer and Ann Radcliffe is not. Radcliffe's writing style is extremely difficult to follow. Commas seem to be a critical plot point with her. Any kind of sentence and/or dialogue will read something like this:

"Emily, called, as she had requested, at an early hour, awoke, little refreshed by sleep, for uneasy dreams had pursued her, and marred the kindest blessing of the unhappy, but, when she opened her casement, looked out upon the woods, bright with the morning sun, and inspired the pure air, her mind was soothed."

Yes, that is all one sentence. I am almost positive that I've heard William Shatner talk more fluidly.

Despite all my griping about this book, I think the thing that annoyed me the most was that I really just didn't care about Emily. She struck me as very spoiled and sheltered. She cries nonstop and is constantly wallowing in self pity. In reality, none of the characters (not even her "evil" uncle) really abuse her. They are strict and worldly, nothing more. In one especially nauseating scene she is driving in a carriage with her aunt and uncle, wallowing in self pity as usual, and sees some peasants playing instruments. She then thinks to herself how lovely it would be to be a peasant because then she could spend the whole day doing whatever she wanted and not be controlled by an evil aunt and uncle. Umm... what?!? Last time I checked, peasants did NOT live a charmed life.

In contrast to Emily and Valancourt, I found myself actually liking her "evil" stepuncle, Montoni. He was pretty much the only character with ANY kind of common sense.

To sum up, save yourself a painful +/- 700 page read. If you want a cute and light romance I suggest checking out books by Georgette Heyer. Or go to the Bronte sisters if you want something more Gothic and substantial.

On one level, this novel defies categorisation. Yes, the Gothic web of mystery and intrigue is obvious. And so too are the beautiful descriptions of nature, the struggle between good and evil, the noble acts of heroism and the ignoble acts of greed.

Anne Radcliffe has taken all of these components and distilled an imaginative creation that still, some 213 years after publication, catches the imagination of the reader. If you do choose to read this glorious novel, make sure that you are prepared for a pace which relies more on descriptive prose and less on implied actions. Set aside the time to immerse yourself in the setting and enjoy the journey.

This is not a novel to be rushed, it is a novel to be savoured.

Ann Radcliffe was 30 years old the year this novel was published. What an accomplished and imaginative young woman she must have been.

Highly recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

After having read the mere 176-page original gothic tale of 1764, Horace Walpole's "The Castle of Otranto", I embarked on this 672-page equally-famous gothic fantasy by Ann Radcliffe, published thirty years later, and a best-selling literary phenomenon of its day.

The opening of Terry Castle's incisive introduction to the work notes that, "Perhaps no work in the history of English fiction has been more often caricatured." It is supposed to be "the greatest (or at least the most famous) of gothic romances ... has an archetypal `gothic villain' ... is loaded with exotic scenery ... [and] its heroine, a victim of `sensibility', faints a lot." But whilst common opinion may see it as "a bit of a `silly' book too", the conscientious reader must actually "feel a twinge of bad faith"; Udolpho is actually "bigger, baggier and more uncanny than one thought it was." This is so true.

Whilst not denying a strong gothic element in the writing, the book is also a travelogue, a morality tale, a commentary on manners, and even a comedy of errors; just like Shakespeare, the servants provide a focus for humour, and Radcliffe is not even averse to parody herself as well as the tale she tells. Indeed, one can even view the novel as a typical Jane Austen romance - a woman, her marriage options, and the descent of landed property feature heavily in the plot - but this time set on the continent and in a gothic milieu; Jane Austen even drew on some of the scenes for her `Northanger Abbey' of 1818. But Terry Castle draws attention to the title of the novel, namely the `mysteries' of Udolpho. Thus one can add to the long list of genres set out above, even that of an Agatha Christie murder-mystery, a product of the new age of enlightenment when old-style superstitious mystery was replaced by its more reasoned newcomer, although "Radcliffe's supposedly `rational' explanations are at times almost more implausible than the supernatural explanations they are meant to displace."

Whilst the consensus about the book's merits might be overwhelmingly negative - "too long, feeble in characterisation ... lacking in moral or intellectual gravitas ... [and] full of absurdities" - a closer examination reveals "a meticulous stylist ... who can create moments of considerable drama". Indeed, the style of writing is worthy of remark. The book is full of long sentences, often beautifully constructed. The book must be read at a stately pace to accord with the natural breath of the author's rhythm. Did she speak in this way, or are the construction of sentences designed so as to be read aloud within family groups as they sat before the fire on cold, dark, late-eighteenth century evenings? This style can lead to artifice, and the excessive number of commas can be exasperating on occasions.

There are whole chapters of descriptive prose about the sublime effects of the natural landscape. These are of more value than mere curiosity; the author writes very well with a sharp eye for detail. Terry Castle sagely compares her prose in this regard to the landscapes paintings of Salvatore Rosa, Poussin and Claude Lorraine that Radcliffe admired. This is all the more amazing, as she never visited the places she describes in such detail, but sees them through the eyes of fancy. Actually, she saw them through the eyes of the likes of Tobias Smollett and Hester Thrale Piozzi whose travel books she greatly relied upon. Geographically, the novel forms an arc: volume one is set in Gascony and Languedoc; volume two in Venice and Udolpho; volume three in Udolpho and Tuscany; and volume four back in Gascony and Languedoc.

Ostensibly set in the year 1584, the book is imbued with the manners and sensibilities of genteel England of 1794. For this reason, I found it convenient to forego imagining a strict rendition of time and place. Whilst the number of precise factual anachronisms is small, they are nevertheless difficult to ignore; they include such items as coffee drinking, the names of English poets, the use of knives and forks, the wearing by ladies of certain hats, and the naming of rooms as `saloons'. Moreover, the description afforded to the city of Venice is more akin to the 1780s, or what Terry Castle in her introduction describes as "the elegant Venice of Canaletto and Goldoni", rather than that of the 1580s and the city of Tintoretto and Monteverdi.

There is very little character development. Indeed, there is very little character at all, since the novel revolves almost entirely around our heroine Emily. People come into her life and then leave only when they have some part to play in Emily's story. Even her dog, who appears to be her constant companion in all her travels, appears a mere two or three occasions in order to heighten tension or play a minor part in Emily's experiences: on his second appearance, as our heroine seeks to escape from the castle in which she is held, the dog's yapping threatens to disclose her position, but I had by then even forgotten the dog's very existence, so notably absent had his presence become.

So, what is this novel to be? A gothic romance? Travelogue? Morality tale? Commentary on manners or comedy of errors? Or enlightenment mystery? Why, all of the above, of course. But in a twist of blazing insight, perhaps Terry Castle is right to recommend this book for 21st century readers as a precursor of Freud's work on the unconscious, for "like a long and complex dream - the kind in which pleasure and apprehension are so closely intermingled as to become indistinguishable - the book repays imaginative introspection." When Radcliffe writes halfway through her novel that, the heroine "blamed herself for suffering her romantic imagination to carry her so far beyond the bounds of probability, and determined to endeavour to check its rapid flights, lest they should sometimes extend into madness", she is warning the incautious reader too.

The usual high standards of the Oxford University Press's World's Classics editions are upheld in this volume. Not only the introduction, but also the standard textual note, select bibliography, chronology and end-notes all appear to guide and enhance the experience. As with all reprints of classic works of literature, I recommend that the so-called introduction (which is really more of a commentary) is best read after the novel.

As one reads Peter Pan, one doesn't have to do much thinking to figure out why its story has achieved such worldwide acclaim. I had ridiculously high expectations of Mr. Barrie's imagination before purchasing this title, and he has fulfilled them completely.

Many parts of the story are nothing but nonsense, which I enjoy above all else. Mr. Darling, the head of the Darling family, commands his children to take their medicine after he hides the medicine he's supposed to take. He brags about how noble he is for drinking a medicine that tastes so much worse that theirs. Unfortunately for him, during his bragging his medicine is found, and the whole family agrees to take their respective medicines on the count of three. Sure enough, when three is reached, everyone except Mr. Darling takes their medicine, and Mr. Darling once again tries to hide his.

This kind of scenario is what I'd call Mark Twain nonsense. You can imagine it being true, even though it's quite high up on the ridiculous scale. Then there's what I would classify as over-the-top nonsense - AKA bull - which there is plenty of in Barrie's original story of Peter Pan. Going back to Mr. Darling, if we take a look at how he's doing near the end of the book, we find him going to and from work in a dog kennel. Ah, yes...grown men in pet taxis. What could be more fun than the "he-didn't-even-try-to-make-this-belivable" silliness of such a scene? To be honest, I don't know if I'd even read books if they all left out fun stuff like this.

Other silly parts of the book involve Wendy growing up a day quicker than most girls; the narrator claiming he hates Mrs. Darling only to call her his favorite character a few sentences later; the lost boys asking Wendy to change the characters her story just two sentences into it; the narrator using the phrase "woke into life" because Peter likes the word "woke" more than "wakened;" and my favorite, Captain Hook using a stale cake as a missle and then falling over it in the dark.

I believe the novel version of Peter Pan was written after the author had already established Peter Pan as a successful play. That may explain a lot about the colorful narration, which takes many, many literary liberties. We see everything from blatant narrator interference with the characters in the story to the shameless attempt at informing the audience that the narrator only chooses to make the events in the story happen a certain way so certain characters in the book won't be disappointed. Perhaps without these wacky (and maybe even insane) traits in the narration, there'd be no reason to read the book, since it would be no different from the play. After reading the Peter Pan novel though, I'd have to say it almost seems criminal to watch an adaptation of Peter Pan without any wacky narration.

Contrary to most adaptations of Peter Pan, the individual lost boys (of where there are six I believe) are actually more developed as characters than John or Michael Darling. Heck, at the end of the book they actually end up moving out of the Neverland to live with the Darlings and grow up to busy themselves in interesting professions.

I may not like the actual land of Neverland as much as I like the land of Oz, but Barrie's narration is unbeatable in my opinion. He could probably make a Jeopardy contestant's Friday night schedule sound exciting.

I believe Barrie has written another Peter Pan book as well, a prequel of sorts entitled "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens." It should be interesting, particuarly if it addresses what is contained in the dark dreams that haunt Peter throughout this book. Freud would have a field day with such dreams and the whole mother issue.

The only thing I expected to see in this book that I didn't see was "happy thoughts." That must have been a creation of Disney.

Well, I fully expected this to be sexist. But I really wasn't expecting it to be as creepy as it was. There are all sorts of pseudo-sexual, vaguely Freudian undertones, and REALLY weird mother-wife-boychild relationships:

"Dear Peter," she said, "with such a large family, of course, I have now passed my best, but you don't want to change me, do you?"
"No, Wendy."
Certainly he did not want a change, but he looked at her uncomfortably, blinking, you know, like one not sure whether he was awake or asleep.
"Peter, what is it?"
"I was just thinking," he said, a little scared. "It is only make-believe, isn't it, that I am their father?"
"Oh yes," Wendy said formally and properly.
"You see," he continued apologetically, "it would make me seem so old to be their real father."
"But they are ours, Peter, yours and mine."
"But not really, Wendy?" he asked anxiously.
"Not if you don't wish it," she replied; and she distinctly heard his sigh of relief. "Peter," she asked, trying to speak firmly, "what are your exact feelings about me?"
"Those of a devoted son, Wendy."
[The children here of course include the Lost Boys... and Wendy's own brothers.]

Not to mention that the sexism in this novel ascends to a whole new level, as Wendy exists merely to clean up and act as mother/wife to whatever susceptible boys cross her path. This is the entirety of her role in Neverland and the real world, she has no other thoughts whatsoever. Eg: "'Oh, all right,' Peter said, as if he had asked her from politeness merely; but Mrs. Darling saw his mouth twitch, and she made this handsome offer: to let Wendy go to him for a week every year to do his spring cleaning." [Oh joy, Wendy gets to clean for Peter... but only once a year...] "Wendy would have preferred a more permanent arrangement; and it seemed to her that spring would be long in coming; but this promise sent Peter away quite gay again."

I mean, it's an interesting book... but I wouldn't suggest any actual children read it. The value system is even more questionable (in a modern context) than that of the average Edwardian novel. Not to mention the overall atmosphere is just plain eerie. No wonder Michael Jackson took such a liking to it. It's probably no coincidence that the world's creepiest pedophile popstar became obsessed with the 20th Century's creepiest children's classic...

Peter pan is a great book.It's about a boy that doesn't want to grow up.There is a little girl named Wendy and she has two littler brothers named John and Michle.The setting takes place in Neverland which is a beautiful world filled with fluffy clouds .Also there is a mean pirate named Hook and one of his hands is cut off and is a hook now.His hand is a hook because once when Peter pan and Hook were fighting Peter pan and it chopped off hooks and and he replaced it with a hook.Thats everything you need to know about Peter pan.

Even though I knew that Disney movie and the various other adaptions out there were more sugar-coated than the original, this turned out to be a rather darker and more sinister book than I expected. Funny and charming and all that, too...but a little creepy in the way seemingly innocuous dreams sometimes are, when everything goes a little sideways and suddenly you aren't so sure everything is fine any more. Peter himself seems far less benevolent a soul than he is usually made out to be. In even the less flattering renditions of the story, he is usually only portrayed as childish, proud and a little selfish, but a stand-up sort of fellow nonetheless. The way I'm reading the book, he's practically a hedonist. The only thing that saves him is the fact that he has brief moments of chivalry and a memory like a goldfish. He and Dorian Gray should get together. Or maybe, on second thought, they shouldn't. Since that could lead to disturbing slashfic.

Seriously, this book made me sadder than I could ever have anticipated. Peter really is mercilessly heartless in his laughing, self-centered innocence. It really hurt my heart to think of Wendy and all her female descendants all giving their hearts' first love to Peter, one after another; the older, wiser women unable to save the girls from breaking their hearts over him in their turn.

Fantastic book, though, and a real treat for those who like to pick a book apart from a psychologist's point of view.

This review refers to the Great Illustrated Classics of "Peter Pan" by J.M. Barrie, adapted for young readers by Marian Leighton...

Great Illustrated Classics is a great way to go when introducing young readers to the great literature out there. The stories are timeless, the print is large and there is an illustration on every page next to a printed page. It makes it a real treat, instead of a chore, and kids may be more inclined to pick up the books with this easier read.

Peter Pan is a classic kid's adventure(although reading it again recently, I found I still get caught up in the story and the marvelous characters myself), that has all the elements needed for a fun and exciting read. You know the story, Peter, the boy who never wants to grow up(I know how he feels), takes Wendy, John, and Michael to Neverland, home of the lost boys, where no one every grows up and adventures with scary Pirates, Indians, Mermaids, and a brooding fairy named Tinkerbell, fill the pages. I love the part where the readers are asked to clap their hands if they believe in fairies, to help Tink recover from the poison she drinks to save Peter.

It's a book that is a great to read together and out loud. There is some violence, so may not be suited for very young children, but a classic that should be read by all who want to be taken away to Neverland...even if just for a little while.

It's a wonderfully adapted edition for kids and the illustrations are marvelous.For another must have illustrated classic for kids, try Frankenstein( ASIN:0866119817), see my review of that edition dated 11/28/06.

Adventure, Fantasy and a few life lessons to be learned with the read.

If you believe..clap your hands..don't let "Tink" die!....Laurie

I'm just finished reading the Railway Children to my 10-year-old, and it is such a great read!

I loved it as a child, and this is my second time reading it aloud. I can't recommend it enough.

It's just a nice story. Set at the turn of the century, three children are forced to leave their comfortable life in London and go live in a smaller house near a railway when their father is mysteriously taken away from them. They don't know why; we don't find out until the end of the book. In the meantime, their mother is very brave, earning money by writing, and they try not to bother her by getting to know the railway and getting involved in everybody's lives all around them.

The children are very sweet, and there's a thread of definite morality throughout the book.

Don't miss it with your kids!

If you liked Railway Children, you may also want to try Little Women (Unabridged Classics) or Island of the Blue Dolphins. My children loved those ones as well!

This is not simply a children's book. It is an extremely touching story of three children whose father is suddenly taken away from them and how they cope with the changed circumstances, how they adjust to "play at being poor" as their mother says. It is a book that is bound to enthrall you.

Utterly delightful. Loved it, ate it up. Need more Nesbit, soon as poss.

Three kids are taken to live in the English countryside when their father, well, disappears. While their mother suffers silently, and sells short fiction to help pay the bills (those were the days!), the children make a fantasy land out of their little village, especially the local railroad depot with all its fascinations. Imagine being fascinated with the steam train when it was cutting edge technology, not nostalgia! Communicating with the passengers via signs, befriending engineers, porters and station masters, even preventing a nasty rail accident, the kids end up both having fun and relieving the hardships of poor, careworn mother.

Beautiful book both remembers what its like to be a child and peeks into a childhood none of us ever knew. If you love the world of late Victorian/Edwardian Britain, read it. If you love the early parts of the Narnia books, before the kids enter the wardrobe, read it. It's precious.

I think it is kind of cool how the kids think of how to stop someone from wrecking a train. Also how they got someone un-fainted from when they were fainted. It was also pretty funny how their mother made a mistake when one of the kids said they revived a hound with a red shirt, but it was really a person.

I didn't give it 5 stars because there isn't very much action. But I still liked it a lot.

The Railway Children was originally published in 1906. It's different from many of Edith Nesbit's books, in that it doesn't feature any magic. The Railway Children is the story of three children, Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis. At the start of the story, the children live with their loving parents in a nice, modern house in London. Their lives change drastically, however, when their Father is called away unexpectedly and mysteriously. Their Mother takes them to live in an older house in the country, with only a single part-time servant, where they quickly realize that they are now poor. Mother spends all her time writing stories and poems, to submit them for publication, instead of playing games with them and teaching them, as she had done previously. The children are left largely to their own devices, with no lessons to distract them.

The house that they live in, Three Chimney's, is located near to a railway line and a small railway station. The railway quickly becomes a source of friends. The Stationmaster and the Porter (most especially the Porter, Perks) become major figures in the children's lives, as does a friendly "Old Gentleman" who waves to them every morning from the 9:15 train.

And the adventures begin. Through bravery and ingenuity (and through the coincidence of always being in the right place at the right time), the children avert not one, not two, but three separate disasters. They also get into trouble through their innocent attempts to help their Mother, and through their own sibling rivalries, and eventually help a Russian stranger newly escaped to England. Through it all, they miss their Father, and wonder what's happened to him, and why their Mother is so sad.

The constant adventures in this book make it a lot of fun. It does feel a little bit dated in places. There's a scene in which the local doctor tells Peter to be kinder to his sisters, for example, because they are "so much softer and weaker" than he is. But overall, I think that Edith Nesbit did a wonderful job of making the girls strong characters, too.

This book has lots of messages about bravery and right and wrong, and what makes up charity vs. friendship. And how to be good without being priggish. Some modern-day children might find it a little bit preachy in this area, though it is generally lightened with humor. But hopefully the adventures, and the realistic imperfections of the children, will win new readers over anyway. I know that I love this book (despite having a slight problem with the number of coincidences) and that the end brings tears to my eyes. If you haven't read it, The Railway Children is well worth checking out.

This review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on April 30, 2006.

I can't believe this book was written over a hundred years ago! Wow. It's still sooo good. Some kids may take a bit of time getting used to, and understanding, the English as spoken at the time, but after 30 or so pages, it won't be a big deal. But note, there are some pretty old-fashioned and bizarre turns of the phrase; for today's American kids anyway. Strong characters, funny situations, good story, nice resolution and really great writing make this a must-read. Cheerio.

A wonderful, wonderful book. One of the best things about it is that it creates a true, multi-dimensional, believable moral universe. This book steers clear both of the syrupy too-goodness of the Little Lord Fauntleroy and the moral blah-ness of Harry Potter. HP's world (and I've read all of them except for the last politically-correct one) is morally flat; villains do terrible things simply because they are villains, and while racism is appropriately execrated, lying does not even register as a moral choice: everyone does it, including figures of authority like Dumbledore, without a moment's thought. In contrast, in The Enchanted Castle things like lying, stealing, courage vs. cowardice, kindness vs. meanness to others are not assumed away but processed, reflected on: was this lying and when is it OK to lie, was he kind to her just then, etc. And the quality of the writing is outstanding, the language is a delight. This is Literature... HP is mere fiction.

I read this book more than fifty years ago when I was a child and have never forgotten it. How wonderful it is to see that it is available at Amazon! It has everything...humor, mystery, a little bit of romance, but best of all...MAGIC!

This is a really enjoyable work, truly magical. I just wish we had more children's books like this one and more writers like Edith Nesbit. The children discover a magic ring but their wishes come true in a way they never wanted or expected. One of the best children's books I have read.

I've always been enraptured by children's books with magic in them, especially when the author writes about ordinary children, weaving magic into the plot with such ease that it's entirely believable.

I found this book in a collection of my granddaughter's childhood books, was out of reading material, so picked it up just for a quick glance. Well, that "quick glance" turned into several hours of pure reading pleasure as I followed elder brother Gerald, his sister Kathleen, and younger brother Jimmy through a cave that ends in a magical garden surrounding an enchanted castle.

When they meet a "sleeping princess" who is not really a princess, but the niece of ... well, that would be a spoiler if I told you more, so I'll refrain from temptation.

Who is this mysterious girl named Mable who leads them on a tour of the castle, showing them some of its mysteries? Are the jewels she conjures real or figments of their imagination? What does a magical ring have to do with it? And how do they become invisible? And just where is the elusive owner of the castle and what connection does he have with the French mistress of Kathleen's school who is in charge of the children for the summer?

Those questions and more are answered by this fantastic author, Edith Nesbitt, in the most charming, believable way. Her writing style is impeccable.

This children's classic was written almost a century before the great HARRY POTTER books, with the adventures being just as original and exciting. THE ENCHANTED CASTLE has everything, including a heart-breaking, old-fashioned love story.

This book held me captive from beginning to end and is written in the style of Edith Nesbit's most popular book, FIVE CHILDREN AND IT!

A must read for all kids ... and kids at heart, like you and me!