 "Reading with Tequila" | 2010-01-23 |
| - Reviewed By Jennifer Sicurella from New Jersey, USA |
| I enjoyed Midnight for Charlie Bone more than I expected to. I couldn't help but compare this book to the Harry Potter series, as it has many of the same elements like children with supernatural abilities going to a special private school. You can see the beginnings of the children (as well as others) taking sides, good vs. evil style. This is the comparison ends. It's written in a language that that would be easy for young children to understand. There isn't anything too scary about the story and I think it would be a very good introduction to basic fantasy stories. The story is entertaining and well thought out, including important interactions with parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. which I think are usually lacking in stories like this. There is an light focus on history and genealogy that sounds interesting and looks as though it may become more important as the series progresses. Midnight for Charlie Bone is a promising start to the Children of the Red King series. |
| |
 "love this series" | 2009-06-15 |
| - Reviewed By B Davis from North Chili, NY USA |
| I bought this series for my nephew, I read before I gave it to him, to make sure it was OK. I ended up drawn into the books so much that I purchased another set of this series for myself. I would recommend this series to anyone. |
| |
| "My book review of Midnight for Charlie Bone" | 2009-02-26 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
This is a great book for people that like suspense and mystery. It is about a young boy named "Charlie Bone" who is one of the descendants of the Red King. Charlie has inherited one of the kings powers where he can hear voices in photos. He is sent to a school that endowed children with powers have to go to. Bloors is not an ordinary school. Many strange things happen there and Charlie Bone is trying to figure out what they are. I recommend that many people read this book. Midnight for Charlie Bone (The Children of the Red King, Book 1: Midnight for Charlie Bone) It's a great book
|
| |
| "Mysterious gifts and a boarding school." | 2009-02-06 |
| - Reviewed By Novel Teen Book Reviews from USA |
Review by Jill Williamson
Charlie bone had a special picture blown up for his best friend's birthday present. His mom picks it up from Kwik Foto, but when Charlie opens up the package, it's not his order. He stares at the photo of a man holding a baby, mesmerized. Then a conversation floods his mind. He can hear a woman and a man talking about the baby. Charlie convinces himself that he imagined it, but Grandma Bone has her own theory.
His grandma enrolls him at Bloor's Academy, a school for gifted children. She thinks that Charlie is endowed with special abilities. Charlie doesn't want to go to any special school. But since Grandma Bone supports him and his mother, he doesn't have a choice. Life at Bloor's is different, and soon Charlie discovers that there are other students in his class who have equally mysterious powers.
The people in the photo and a mysterious gift set Charlie hot on the trail to solve a mystery of a missing girl. Can Charlie find her at his school? And what other secrets might the Bloor's hiding? Could any of them have to do with Charlie's past?
This series has some parallels to Harry Potter. A British author. A magically gifted boy away at boarding school. Some kids are good, some are bad. Charlie has wicked relatives. But these students aren't studying magic. They are born with their endowments which are anything and everything including: shape shifting, mind reading, controlling the weather, speaking to animals, and flying. I found the book fun. It was a little predictable, but entertaining. The characters are amusing and real, sometimes choosing to do what's right, sometimes not. There is no strong element of faith, but the story is clean and the plot centers on righting a wrong. I recommend this for younger readers who love fantasy.
|
| |
 "I kept thinking it would get better..." | 2009-01-11 |
| - Reviewed By An Amazon User |
But it didn't. I even read the next 2 in the series, hoping things would look up. All in vain. The characters were flat, the plot was uninteresting, and Charlie was one of the dullest heros I've ever had the displeasure to encounter. Reading these books was like walking down a street in the suburbs and looking in the windows - sometimes boring, sometimes a bit more interesting, but you can't hear what's going on and don't know enough to care.
One other thing - I've read all the reviews (20 pages!) and I've seen people state that this would be appropriate for younger ages. Almost as if they're trying to say that a book for younger readers is allowed to be written poorly. This seems so wrong to me. I read and reread children's books all the time, and my favorite books are ones that are well written, whether it's A Wrinkle in Time or Green Eggs and Ham. |
| |
| "You're In for Charlie Bone!" | 2008-11-04 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
Midnight For Charlie Bone is full of fantasy and wonder! Charlie Bone finds out he can hear people talking in photographs. Turns out, to his disappointment, he has to go to special boarding school for children with magical talent. Charlie Bone is left with a strange briefcase from a bookshop that won't open. Will he ever find out what is in the case?
I love this book because you can never tell what's going to happen next. I think Jenny Nimmo did a great job writing this book. If you're curious and want to know what happens next, read it and you will find yourself in an adventure just like I did!
|
| |
International Available
