Merlin's Wood Reviews
Merlin’s Wood
Anne Hamilton
Evergreen Books
I have to say at the first that I have not been a big fan of fantasy in the past, not even Harry Potter. But Anne has got me. It’s the characters. Holly and Reece are entertaining and engaging children who quarrel, are scared, stick up for each other and are incredibly brave. They are real.
The story takes them from their Australian country home to Dreamfall― far, far away, where they meet Tamizel, a very satisfactory and mysterious knight in shining armour. Tamizel helps them through the journey of the battle between good and evil to healing, sacrifice and love.
I have one complaint! Stories are supposed to have a satisfactory ending, but this story asks more questions than it answers and leaves threads for us to follow. Hurry up and finish the next book, please!
MERLIN’S WOOD
Anne Hamilton
Evergreen Books
I just finished reading Merlin’s Wood by Anne Hamilton. Merlin’s Wood was a really interesting book. It’s about a girl called Holly and a boy called Reece. Reece and Holly are brother and sister. Together they accidentally travel to another world. They have lots of adventures while trying to get back home. There they meet animals that they trust and become friends.
I love books like these. I liked how the story was written because Anne Hamilton used good words and she kind of made the story go backwards while it was going forwards. I could imagine everything that was going on in the book perfectly.
I really enjoyed this book and I recommend this book to anyone who loves a bit of adventure and mystery.
Jessica D (aged 11)
There are books you begin and put down halfway through, and some you read once and remember fondly. Occasionally you come across a book you read in an afternoon because you can’t put it down. Very rarely you find one you read over several times, and each time you are transported to another world. Merlin’s Wood is in this last category for me.
And no, it’s not about King Arthur. It does have trees in it, but not always the way you expect. It has aliens, but more in the feel of C.S. Lewis than television robot wars. Also Anne Hamilton brings out the strangeness of the cultural differences which sometimes gets forgotten. Imaginative, insightful, and with suspense that will glue you to each page, Merlin’s Wood is about real life relationships, learning to forgive, and of course, names.
The characters come vividly to life as you experience with them their thoughts, feelings and adventures. Full of detailed descriptions, the book leaps into pictures in my mind. (I want a bathroom like Tamizel’s…)
Did I mention that Merlin’s Wood is aimed at older children? I have a few of my own in that age group, but, as with Anne Hamilton’s other books, the truths underlying the story are applicable to any age. I look forward to seeing a sequel. A warning, though; reading this book may make you think twice about the names you call yourself!
AC
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