Book Review of
Wildwood
For fans of The Chronicles of Narnia comes the first book in the Wildwood Chronicles, the New York Times bestselling fantasy adventure series by Colin Meloy, lead singer of the Decemberists, and Carson Ellis, acclaimed illustrator of The Mysterious Benedict Society.
In Wildwood, Prue and her friend Curtis uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheaval—a world full of warring creatures, peaceable mystics, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. And what begins as a rescue mission becomes something much greater as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood.
Wildwood captivates readers with the wonder and thrill of a secret world within the landscape of a modern city. It feels at once firmly steeped in the classics of children’s literature and completely fresh at the same time. The story is told from multiple points of view, and the book features more than eighty illustrations, including six full-color plates, making this an absolutely gorgeous object.
Lynn's Review
I picked this book up after hearing about it for sometime. It is labeled as a children’s book, but I would consider it more of a YA or teen book.
The main reason I picked up this book is that it takes place in Portland. I grew up west of Portland and am familiar with the locations in the books. This book makes you feel like you are in Portland. It talks about the Pittock Mansion. It talks about the weather, certain types of flowers, and blackberry brambles. All things you will know well if you have spent much time in the Pacific Northwest. I loved this about the book.
I have mixed thoughts on this book though. Many people compare this book to the Chronicles of Narnia. I can kind of see that comparison, but Chronicles of Narnia it is not. At least in my opinion. The writing is good, but not great. I didn’t get lost in the imaginary world like I did with C.S. Lewis and Narnia. I also found many things about the book weird, in a creepy way. The witches and what they do is just odd and creepy to me. It is the main reason why I don’t think I would have a young child read this.
My overall thought is that I am glad I read it, but not sure I can recommend it as a great read. If you or your child love fantasy type books, you might enjoy it.