Tag: Fantasy

Cannot be explained.

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Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper: Book 1 of 5

Synopsis

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper is a  middle grade fantasy novel and the first of five in The Dark Is Rising series. It features the Drew children: Simone, Jane, and Barney vacationing with their parents in the fictional village of Trewissick.

The  children find an old manuscript with a map of the Cornwall coast in the ttic of the mansion they’re renting for the summer. When Barney discovers the map is related to King Arthur, they turn to their Great-uncle Merry. He confirms that the map is a reproduction of a much older map to an ancient relic of Britain, the children decide  to withhold the information from the adults and set themselves to treasure hunting. Merry does warn the children that there adults looking for the artifact, especially and organization called The Dark. Soon the summer activity turns dangerous as they are pursued by agents of The Dark, bent on possessing the relic for themselves.

  • Pros:

The book will be enjoyed by boys and girls since the protagonists are a sister and her brothers. The book isn’t spooky, but it is thrilling and has a lot of action that utilizes the supernatural as the backdrop of story.

Susan Cooper is a wonderful writer and took advantage of all the English folklore from the Cornwall region and uses it as a backdrop for all five  books. Of all the books, Over Sea, Under Stone is probably the weakest of the stories, but it was also the first of the series. This means that if you like book one, the next four only get better.  If you don’t like book one, try the next one because it gets better.

  • Cons:

The series is a fantasy series and will get darker as the books progress on, though in defense of Ms. Cooper, you will never find her books without hope or dreary. Some children might not enjoy the darker aspects of the story.

While the whole series takes advantage of the Arthur legend, the first book utilizes the Holy Grail legend as a backdrop.  While I don’t believe they are antithetical to Christian, or any other belief system (with the exception of Atheism), the Arthur legend does run parallel with Christian beliefs: so be warned, or encouraged.

  • Final Word

Susan Cooper is the reason I fell in love with reading fantasy as an eight year-old. Though I didn’t start with book one in the series, I still found this book fun to read. Two of her books in the series won Newberry Awards, which in the sixties and seventies, was unheard of because of the general disdain for fantasy.  Having said that, her work has continued to win acclaim and readers across the genres, which speaks volumes to the quality of her writing.

 

 

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Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty

 

Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty is a dark Middle Grade mystery most suited to fifth grade and up.  The setting is the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, 1899 where we are introduced to a very interesting girl named Serafina.

Synopsis

Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore estate. There’s plenty to explore in her grand home, although she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate’s maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore’s corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of the Biltmore’s owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak’s true identity . . . before all of the children vanish one by one.

Serafina’s hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic, one that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.

Pros:

  • This story holds the reader’s attention because there are so many things you want to know as you read: why does Serafina live the way she does? why doesn’t her pa want anyone to know about her? who is the man in the black cloak?
  • I enjoyed the friendship that grows between Serafina and Braeden. Serafina is a brave girl but she is lonely. Braeden is a kind, generous boy who needs a friend who doesn’t care about his money. In each other, they find true friendship.
  • [spoiler] As a Christian, I couldn’t help but notice that the Black Cloak tempted Serafina with “imagine understanding and controlling everything around you…” and “you will become all-knowing, all-powerful…” The Black Cloak was a walking metaphor for the sin, and not just any sin, but the temptation to be like God. It was a very Garden-of-Eden moment that Serafina must experience but ultimately overcome.

Cons:

  • The story is spooky. Middle-grade fiction seems to be going through a dark/spooky/horror phase. I picked this book up because it was nominated for a state award. If your child is sensitive or prone to nightmares, this might not be the book for them. Or at least, not right before bedtime.
  • Like many adventure stories, Serafina does things against her father’s wishes.

Final Word

I thought the redemptive ending made the book well worth reading. After we learned more about Serafina, who she was and where she came from, it made me interested to read more in the series.

Discussion Questions

  1. When did you first realize that Serafina was an unusual girl?
  2. After you found out about Serafina’s mother, were there clues in the book that gave you hints as to Serafina’s origin?
  3. Which character was your favorite in the book? Why?
  4. Did you find the book scary? If so, what parts?
  5. What did you think of the Man in the Black Cloak? What would you do if you met someone like him?