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The Green Man
Teenaged O – never call her Ophelia – is about to spend the summer with her aunt Emily. Emily is a poet and the owner of an antiquarian book store, The Green Man. A proud, independent woman, Emily’s been made frail by a heart attack. O will be a help to her. Just how crucial that help will be unfolds as O first tackles Emily’s badly neglected home, then the chaotic shop. But soon she discovers that there are mysteries and long-buried dark forces that she cannot sweep away, though they threaten to awaken once more. At once an exploration of poetry, a story of family relationships, and an intriguing mystery, The Green Man is Michael Bedard at his finest.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2012
11 people are currently reading
823 people want to read
About the author
Michael Bedard
40 books20 followersMichael Bedard was born and raised in Toronto. His novels include Stained Glass, A Darker Magic, Painted Devil, and Redwork, which received the Governor General’s Literary Award and the Canadian Library Association’s Book of the Year Award for Children. He has also written several acclaimed picture books, including The Clay Ladies, which received the Toronto IODE Book Award. His biography, William Blake: The Gates of Paradise and his picture book Emily attest to his interest in poets and poetry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
January 24, 2015
Over time, a bookshop will take the shape of its owner. Emily had been at the Green Man so long that it had grown around her like a second skin. The books were her flesh; the words that flowed through them were the blood that ran through her veins. The poetry section was the beating heart of the collection. (66)If the above passage speaks to you, then you're probably the right reader for this book. It doesn't matter your age, if you feel more at home in a secondhand bookstore than say, at your actual home, you'll settle into this book's atmosphere like a cat into a pile of freshly laundered clothes. If the idea that poets are all "crazy people" with a special perspective of our world (and maybe even other worlds), add this book pronto.
For me, The Green Man was to poetry as Among Others was to sci-fi novels. Both held their respective forms high on a pedestal and showered me in various works and authors' names - some well-known, others obscure - implanting a subliminal urge to read everything mentioned. Both featured a young adult's quest to find herself. Both dipped their pinky toes into otherworldly goings on but, for the most part, remained fixed on the surface of our reality.
What I really loved about The Green Man - other than the obvious: books, a cat named Psycho, a bakery across the street from a bookshop, ghosts of poets hanging around the shop - was Emily's ideas about time. (I love all things timey-wimey.) I wonder if the ghosts were an example of that opened door?
One nitpick, had I realized this was a continuation of the mystery and characters introduced in Bedard's first novel, A Darker Magic, I most certainly would have obtained a copy to read prior to this book. However, having read The Green Man first, I don't feel like I missed anything. Quite the opposite, now I absolutely MUST find a copy of A Darker Magic.
4 stars
Received paperback from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2012
This book just goes to show you don’t have to be a great writer to write a great book. Some of the language was not what you would consider correct in terms of modern English teachers but it was still beautiful. Michael Bedard wove a story that was not only touching but funny and suspenseful. O has just been recruited to spend the summer with her aunt, Emily, while her father goes to Italy. Emily is an elderly woman, poet and bookstore owner with a bad heart. O is not thrilled to spend the summer with her aunt but she’s not exactly disappointed. She’s just used to the way things go. O has a secret – she’s writing poetry herself. She fears that she, too, is crazy or will become crazy because that seems to be the fate of poets. Emily may be crazy but she is haunted by ghosts of poets that have taken residence up in her bookstore and by a darkness that appears every leap year that August 8th falls on a Saturday. There are many facets to this story and they seem to work well together. For me, the real story is about writing and those who are captivated by the words. There is a poetry to this book that spoke to me more than any book I have read recently. I laughed, cried and felt inspired.
October 8, 2021
Here's the thing: The Green Man wants to be two stories.
One, a warm contemporary tale of Emily and Opelia taking care of each other as they run the secondhand bookstore. They share a mutual love of poetry and work towards reviving monthly poetry readings at The Green Man. Along the way, they meet old and new friends that show them all the ways one can be a poet.
The other, a dark haunting ghost story of a magic show gone wrong and the shadows it cast on Emily's life. She has an uncanny ability to speak with ghosts, which influences her ability to write. As an ominous time approaches, her niece Opelia meets a boy who does not seem to be all that he says he is.
Either of these stories could have been amazing if done separately. Done together, neither is satisfying for me because there wasn't enough room to follow the threads left by either of them.
One thing for certain though. This was written as a love letter to poetry. I just wish I could have loved it more.
One, a warm contemporary tale of Emily and Opelia taking care of each other as they run the secondhand bookstore. They share a mutual love of poetry and work towards reviving monthly poetry readings at The Green Man. Along the way, they meet old and new friends that show them all the ways one can be a poet.
The other, a dark haunting ghost story of a magic show gone wrong and the shadows it cast on Emily's life. She has an uncanny ability to speak with ghosts, which influences her ability to write. As an ominous time approaches, her niece Opelia meets a boy who does not seem to be all that he says he is.
Either of these stories could have been amazing if done separately. Done together, neither is satisfying for me because there wasn't enough room to follow the threads left by either of them.
One thing for certain though. This was written as a love letter to poetry. I just wish I could have loved it more.
April 29, 2012
I've always been intrigued by The Green Man. Most of the images I've seen of him were of a laughing smiling man, inviting you to share in his mirth. But The Green Man book store is buried, In books (absolutely no pun intended), in layers of dust, memories, ghosts of better days and of the poets of the past. When O's father goes to Italy to research his book on Ezra Pound he sends her to stay with her aunt. At one point it seems like she might have had a choice to go with him or go to her aunt's, Italy would have seemed to be the logical choice for a girl in her teens, but spending the summer in a bookstore isn't terrible either. However, O. is not expecting the mess of a life she finds when she gets to her aunt's house and store. Emily, as her aunt insists on being called, is preoccupied with something and the store and house is in complete neglect as is Emily's health. O. forces her to stop smoking as she can't stand it and Emily has just suffered a recent heart attack. And as the summer progresses, O. slowly transforms The Green Man from the past, into the present, keeping the ghosts of the poets alive, but removing the clutter and dust of years of stasis.
Eccentric is what I'd call Emily. She's a poet, spent her life traveling around writing poetry never settling down until she found the Green Man. She walks around the ghostly figure of the poet Mallarme on the stairs that lead up to the apartment above the store. O. is startled at first, of course there is no one there, but she pretends and goes along with it. Her aunt also has no computer and piles and piles of boxes of books waiting to be shelved on the dusty shelves. O. notes as she goes to fix something to eat, "The fridge sat in the corner of the room, humming to itself and trying to look busy." (Kindle ARC) I pictured this rounded cartoonish refrigerator kind of buzzing with excitement hoping to be noticed. And it works because O. takes over the cooking and fills the shelves of the pantry and the refrigerator. No longer does she allow Emily coffee and cigarettes for breakfast.
The story is told sometimes for Emily's point of view and sometimes O.'s, but no matter who is doing the telling, it is clear that things are changing. They are becoming more alike. Something is up, something sinister, not like a murder or a robber, but something darker that's playing tricks on both of their minds and O. is realizing that she is a poet, that in order to be, she must write. The paranormal aspects of this novel were somewhat confusing at first because Emily is in her seventies and you don't know if it's the ramblings of an old woman's memories or if it's something believable. But it lends a feeling of creepiness to the latter part of the book. It also joins Emily and O. in a bond as more than relatives, they have experienced more than that and they are poets, together. The Green Man is aptly named as "the doorway between imagination and creation." (Kindle ARC)
This novel is very clean with a light air of romance, but more mystery to that too. It is perfect for anyone that loves stories about The Green Man, about poetry, about coming or age stories, stories about the three stages of life, about supernatural/bizarre stories. So, pretty much anyone would love this story. I thought the writing was subtle in what it was saying, and poetic, but not cryptic. Anyone with any interest in poetry would miss out if they didn't read this one. Just to note, it is not, I repeat, not written in verse. Just well written. Soft phrasing. Gentle nudges at what it's hinting at beneath the words. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I'll be picking up my own hardbound copy of this one.
Thank you to the publisher Tundra Books for the ARC via NetGalley. This in no way affected my review of the novel and no monetary compensation was received for my review.
Heather
Eccentric is what I'd call Emily. She's a poet, spent her life traveling around writing poetry never settling down until she found the Green Man. She walks around the ghostly figure of the poet Mallarme on the stairs that lead up to the apartment above the store. O. is startled at first, of course there is no one there, but she pretends and goes along with it. Her aunt also has no computer and piles and piles of boxes of books waiting to be shelved on the dusty shelves. O. notes as she goes to fix something to eat, "The fridge sat in the corner of the room, humming to itself and trying to look busy." (Kindle ARC) I pictured this rounded cartoonish refrigerator kind of buzzing with excitement hoping to be noticed. And it works because O. takes over the cooking and fills the shelves of the pantry and the refrigerator. No longer does she allow Emily coffee and cigarettes for breakfast.
The story is told sometimes for Emily's point of view and sometimes O.'s, but no matter who is doing the telling, it is clear that things are changing. They are becoming more alike. Something is up, something sinister, not like a murder or a robber, but something darker that's playing tricks on both of their minds and O. is realizing that she is a poet, that in order to be, she must write. The paranormal aspects of this novel were somewhat confusing at first because Emily is in her seventies and you don't know if it's the ramblings of an old woman's memories or if it's something believable. But it lends a feeling of creepiness to the latter part of the book. It also joins Emily and O. in a bond as more than relatives, they have experienced more than that and they are poets, together. The Green Man is aptly named as "the doorway between imagination and creation." (Kindle ARC)
This novel is very clean with a light air of romance, but more mystery to that too. It is perfect for anyone that loves stories about The Green Man, about poetry, about coming or age stories, stories about the three stages of life, about supernatural/bizarre stories. So, pretty much anyone would love this story. I thought the writing was subtle in what it was saying, and poetic, but not cryptic. Anyone with any interest in poetry would miss out if they didn't read this one. Just to note, it is not, I repeat, not written in verse. Just well written. Soft phrasing. Gentle nudges at what it's hinting at beneath the words. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. I'll be picking up my own hardbound copy of this one.
Thank you to the publisher Tundra Books for the ARC via NetGalley. This in no way affected my review of the novel and no monetary compensation was received for my review.
Heather
February 6, 2017
An innocuous bit of the supernatural mixed with poets and poetry. An imaginative story -- a poetic mystery -- and of course, the delight when the puzzle is solved.
Quotes:
-Sleep steals quietly into the room. Eyes grow leaden and close like flowers. Books grow drowsy on the shelves. If you listen, you can hear The murmur of dreams in the still air.
-The night before, O had started working on a poem. A few random lines came to her as she lay down to sleep. Words often decided to come then. She tumbled out of bed, sat at the desk, and wrote them down. She crossed some words out, tried others and crossed them out as well. A pool of light shone on the page. She felt the silence pressing in like darkness all around. She pierced it with the pen, and words trickled out.
-“Poems must be more Than just words dancing On the marble floor of the page To soft music In worn satin shoes. This bakery window, Its treasures tiered On stanzas of glass, Is a poem too …”
-Into that calm came a word, then a line. She reached for her book and wrote it down. Another came, and then another in its wake. She had no idea where they came from, where they led. She listened, she wrote. It was as simple as that. She kept her head down like a swimmer in deep water, reaching out stroke after stroke, buoyed up by blind faith alone. When inspiration passed, she had two pages of close scrawl. She looked down at the dim sheets. Never before had words flowed out of her like that. When she first crawled out onto the rooftop deck, O had felt shut up in herself, trapped in a dark well whose high sides she could not hope to scale. But now she was free. She was the wide sky scattered with stars, the wind tossing among the trees.
-“Twenty-eight years passed. I spent a lot of it away from home, traveling, working at this and that, living out of a car, with the backseat reserved for the other passenger in my life –poetry. Two suitcases full of pieces of paper salvaged from the storm of life –pieces I would from time to time assemble, like a puzzle without a box, putting out little books and sending them into the world.
-the fabric of time tearing in places, allowing things to pass through.
-Halfway down she heard a voice –a voice composed of furtive scurryings, the distant babble of water, the insistent whispering of the wind in the trees.
-Who knew where poems came from? In the end, they were a gift. All you could do was accept it with gratitude and carry it into the light as best you could. She was glad for what she’d been given and hoped she’d be given more. If nothing else, this incredible summer had taught her one thing –she was happiest at those times when words stirred inside her.
-“You write because you must –because, for whatever reason, you have fallen in love with words –with the taste of them on the tongue, the feel of them flowing through the pen, the sight of them on the page. And as long as this world retains its mystery and wonder, there will be those who continue to fall beneath the spell. “I have grown old in this work, but the spirit leaps in me still. If we are to keep the spirit of poetry strong, there must be new voices to come and take up the task, poets who bring their youth, their passion, and their vision to this age-old craft. Poetry is many things, but above all else, it is the constantly renewed vision of hope.
-For wherever something was done with grace and beauty, there was poetry.
Quotes:
-Sleep steals quietly into the room. Eyes grow leaden and close like flowers. Books grow drowsy on the shelves. If you listen, you can hear The murmur of dreams in the still air.
-The night before, O had started working on a poem. A few random lines came to her as she lay down to sleep. Words often decided to come then. She tumbled out of bed, sat at the desk, and wrote them down. She crossed some words out, tried others and crossed them out as well. A pool of light shone on the page. She felt the silence pressing in like darkness all around. She pierced it with the pen, and words trickled out.
-“Poems must be more Than just words dancing On the marble floor of the page To soft music In worn satin shoes. This bakery window, Its treasures tiered On stanzas of glass, Is a poem too …”
-Into that calm came a word, then a line. She reached for her book and wrote it down. Another came, and then another in its wake. She had no idea where they came from, where they led. She listened, she wrote. It was as simple as that. She kept her head down like a swimmer in deep water, reaching out stroke after stroke, buoyed up by blind faith alone. When inspiration passed, she had two pages of close scrawl. She looked down at the dim sheets. Never before had words flowed out of her like that. When she first crawled out onto the rooftop deck, O had felt shut up in herself, trapped in a dark well whose high sides she could not hope to scale. But now she was free. She was the wide sky scattered with stars, the wind tossing among the trees.
-“Twenty-eight years passed. I spent a lot of it away from home, traveling, working at this and that, living out of a car, with the backseat reserved for the other passenger in my life –poetry. Two suitcases full of pieces of paper salvaged from the storm of life –pieces I would from time to time assemble, like a puzzle without a box, putting out little books and sending them into the world.
-the fabric of time tearing in places, allowing things to pass through.
-Halfway down she heard a voice –a voice composed of furtive scurryings, the distant babble of water, the insistent whispering of the wind in the trees.
-Who knew where poems came from? In the end, they were a gift. All you could do was accept it with gratitude and carry it into the light as best you could. She was glad for what she’d been given and hoped she’d be given more. If nothing else, this incredible summer had taught her one thing –she was happiest at those times when words stirred inside her.
-“You write because you must –because, for whatever reason, you have fallen in love with words –with the taste of them on the tongue, the feel of them flowing through the pen, the sight of them on the page. And as long as this world retains its mystery and wonder, there will be those who continue to fall beneath the spell. “I have grown old in this work, but the spirit leaps in me still. If we are to keep the spirit of poetry strong, there must be new voices to come and take up the task, poets who bring their youth, their passion, and their vision to this age-old craft. Poetry is many things, but above all else, it is the constantly renewed vision of hope.
-For wherever something was done with grace and beauty, there was poetry.
March 10, 2012
A magical and poetic tale in which Ophelia "O" Endicott goes to stay with her Aunt Emily for the summer and help out in Emily's book shop, The Green Man. It is a magical place, but with an underlying sinister quality. That's actually a good description of the book itself, as well.
Emily and O are both fascinating characters with flaws and struggles as well as endearing qualities. The world of poetry is almost a third main character itself, in that it greatly influences the tale and acts upon our other characters. I would have liked more resolution and explanation to the magical mystery that informs the central conflict of the tale, but the vagueness was more in keeping with the poetry theme, and the interpretation of the events is left up to the reader's imagination. A very satisfying read. I will be looking for more by this author.
Emily and O are both fascinating characters with flaws and struggles as well as endearing qualities. The world of poetry is almost a third main character itself, in that it greatly influences the tale and acts upon our other characters. I would have liked more resolution and explanation to the magical mystery that informs the central conflict of the tale, but the vagueness was more in keeping with the poetry theme, and the interpretation of the events is left up to the reader's imagination. A very satisfying read. I will be looking for more by this author.
May 22, 2014
No, just no. This book completely fell apart, it was a shell of elements with a single message: poets are more eccentric and interesting than any other individual. The characters were not developed, the love element was completely tacked on and shallow, and the pacing was just unbelievable: the middle of the story didn't occur until the last quarter of the book and climax was rushed and underdeveloped. There was also no lead into the fantastic elements, it was nonexistent until a single character said it was there, then boom it would not stop adding random fantastical elements that had really no connection with the plot. I was so disappointed, the green man shop seemed a promising setting, but bad writing took over and squashed it.
January 30, 2012
It is a fantastic ride on the poetical side, never has the Green Man been used in such a unique way. A real page turner, even if you do not like poets you will like this mystery, mystical adventure.
September 10, 2020
O. (short for Ophelia a name she hates) goes to live with the aunt over the summer while her father does research in Italy. Aunt Emily owns a used bookstore and is a poet. O. thinks she might be a poet but worries because all of her research says that poets go mad. Emily doesn't disprove her suspicions. In addition to learning much about the bookstore business, O. learns of the many ghosts of poets who inhabit the store. One of those ghosts is a evil magician who scares Emily, who haunts her in her dreams. This is a great book for would-be poets, poets and those who love poetry.
April 25, 2019
I wish there was a 3.5 rating. I really enjoyed the book. The relationship between O and Emily was really special and the book was written with a lyricism that is fitting for a book focussed so heavily on poetry. The plot moved at a funny pace and felt superfluous to the key message. A lovely, charming book.
November 14, 2019
With references to jazz musicians and poets, this YA book surprised me. A light mystery/magical realism novel that shows us to believe "in the power and beauty of words, in the spirits that move among us always, in the worlds of light and dark" and "to believe in the possibility of the impossible."
December 18, 2019
Nothing special. Annotated a few bits as this is a book I needed to read for a new YA book club in our local library. Just an average book with a little magic and a book Shop and some poetry. Too "young" for an old girl like me? LOL. Not likely to recommend. Too frothy after so many non fiction books I have been enjoying.
May 13, 2022
When her father has to travel, fifteen-year-old O (short for Ophelia) goes to stay with her aging aunt, who owns a used bookstore called The Green Man. The shop has its share of strange happenings, and O's aunt knows that something is coming. Old memories. Magic shows. Ghostly poets. And the scent of roses.
An old neighborhood. A community of poets. This is a slow-build tale of suspense.
An old neighborhood. A community of poets. This is a slow-build tale of suspense.
September 6, 2025
This was a beautiful book. Reading it, for some reason, reminded me of my dad before his dementia. I wish he could have read it as young adult, I think he would have related. The ending felt a bit haphazard, but overall a good read. I don't think I'll read again, and re-lend back to my neighbourhood's lending library.
November 7, 2023
It's a nice premise: spending the summer with an eccentric poetic aunt in a quirky little bookshop. But I finished the book with more questions than answers. Was Rimbaud really Rimbaud's ghost, or the magician in a different form?
July 4, 2020
Creepy literary thrill ride!
December 13, 2022
It surprised me how much I enjoyed this book. Very clever writing & with a surprise ending. I feel the synopsis of this book didn't do it justice. Very entertaining book.
February 11, 2023
This book was kind of weird.
Kinda liked it though.
Thought the title was referring to the green bean man.
Kinda liked it though.
Thought the title was referring to the green bean man.
September 10, 2024
Wasn’t a fan of the ending
October 1, 2013
"She learned that the Green Man had been adopted by medieval stonemasons and wood-carvers as their special symbol. They tucked the figure in out-of-the-way places in the vast cathedrals they built, as a sort of signature of their work. He was connected to what creativity meant for them. The vines that spilled from his mouth symbolized the outpouring of inspiration. He stood at the gateway between the two worlds, at the place where imagination passed into creation."
p. 91, The Green Man, by Michael Bedard
This book was a recipe for my obsessive love. The cover and title are initially what drew me - any story/fable/fairytale about the Green Man is bound to have my little ears pricked up in intrigue. Once I'd read the back and realized that 'The Green Man' in this case, was in fact, a quaint and dusty bookshop owned by a poet, and it looked to be a magical realism mystery to boot...yeah. Sold. And when the protagonist was introduced simply as 'O' - I knew it had to be nod to the most tragic character of all. What could be better that a Shakespeare reference as the protagonists namesake?
Let me first say that the most striking impression I got of the book was the truly beautiful writing of Michael Bedard. His devotion to poetry and poets is evident on every page of this book - through both its content and its prose. It is very much a love letter unto itself to the muse that is the written word. It also touches very poignantly upon the hardship and pain of a person struggling with an obsession with words - a vignette of a individual plagued with mental health issues that go hand in hand with the powerful need to write that possesses their mind and soul.
These larger themed are paramitered by the slow progressing 'coming of age' story of 'O', our passionate yet practical protagonist who travels to spend the summer with her aunt (and bookshop owner) who recently had a heart attack. There is also, interwoven into the plot, a ghost story of sorts, although the magical realism element is very subtly executed to where, for me at least, it is almost the least important element of the story.
Why I loved reading this book is because, frankly, you can tell that the author loves his subject matter. Bedard's passages are so lyrical and poetic that I at times forgot I was even reading a full length novel (and a YA novel, come to think of it). On top of which (as I touched upon earlier) he writes about poetry, books, writing, the power of words in a way that only a fellow wordsmith or word-lover could appreciate. There is love between the lines and pages of this book, and it is palpable to the reader.
This book should be read in the summer. Partly because it is set in the summer, but also because it has the heady romance of an endless summer. Interestingly, while I recommend this book as a 'summer read', I doubt that I mean it in the same way that others define the category. My literal definition of a 'summer read' is...well...pretty literal. A book that you read in the summer time. In the sun. In the shade of a beautiful tree. By candle or lamp light, wrapped in a blanket, under the stars. In the spirit of true summer. If you're looking for a quick, easy, light-hearted romp, a typical YA love triangle with lots of teenage angst, then maybe skip this one. While it is charming, while it isn't challenging to read, while its contents is aimed at a younger readership, while there is indeed an unyielding note of hope and positively that flows through its pages, it is not a happy-go-lucky story. This novel is reserved for those few readers who are patient, thoughtful, and who appreciate the importance, power, and significance of what a book truly is; truly means.
p. 91, The Green Man, by Michael Bedard
This book was a recipe for my obsessive love. The cover and title are initially what drew me - any story/fable/fairytale about the Green Man is bound to have my little ears pricked up in intrigue. Once I'd read the back and realized that 'The Green Man' in this case, was in fact, a quaint and dusty bookshop owned by a poet, and it looked to be a magical realism mystery to boot...yeah. Sold. And when the protagonist was introduced simply as 'O' - I knew it had to be nod to the most tragic character of all. What could be better that a Shakespeare reference as the protagonists namesake?
Let me first say that the most striking impression I got of the book was the truly beautiful writing of Michael Bedard. His devotion to poetry and poets is evident on every page of this book - through both its content and its prose. It is very much a love letter unto itself to the muse that is the written word. It also touches very poignantly upon the hardship and pain of a person struggling with an obsession with words - a vignette of a individual plagued with mental health issues that go hand in hand with the powerful need to write that possesses their mind and soul.
These larger themed are paramitered by the slow progressing 'coming of age' story of 'O', our passionate yet practical protagonist who travels to spend the summer with her aunt (and bookshop owner) who recently had a heart attack. There is also, interwoven into the plot, a ghost story of sorts, although the magical realism element is very subtly executed to where, for me at least, it is almost the least important element of the story.
Why I loved reading this book is because, frankly, you can tell that the author loves his subject matter. Bedard's passages are so lyrical and poetic that I at times forgot I was even reading a full length novel (and a YA novel, come to think of it). On top of which (as I touched upon earlier) he writes about poetry, books, writing, the power of words in a way that only a fellow wordsmith or word-lover could appreciate. There is love between the lines and pages of this book, and it is palpable to the reader.
This book should be read in the summer. Partly because it is set in the summer, but also because it has the heady romance of an endless summer. Interestingly, while I recommend this book as a 'summer read', I doubt that I mean it in the same way that others define the category. My literal definition of a 'summer read' is...well...pretty literal. A book that you read in the summer time. In the sun. In the shade of a beautiful tree. By candle or lamp light, wrapped in a blanket, under the stars. In the spirit of true summer. If you're looking for a quick, easy, light-hearted romp, a typical YA love triangle with lots of teenage angst, then maybe skip this one. While it is charming, while it isn't challenging to read, while its contents is aimed at a younger readership, while there is indeed an unyielding note of hope and positively that flows through its pages, it is not a happy-go-lucky story. This novel is reserved for those few readers who are patient, thoughtful, and who appreciate the importance, power, and significance of what a book truly is; truly means.
January 16, 2015
When O (just O, not Ophelia) goes to stay with her father's sister Emily (just Emily, not Aunt), she's already wary of poets and scared/excited about becoming one. Poets are crazy, Emily being the most convenient example. This is not the meat of the story, but it was interesting to see O's reactions to reading about the lives of poets, increasingly "crazier" as the book goes on, alongside Emily's growing eccentricity about an evil magician in her dreams. Of course she's crazy; even O, who grows close to Emily, thinks so. But as Emily ramps up the precautions and weird things start to happen, including a dream boy for O and a dream haul for Emily, O starts to believe.
This book is not without flaws. The biggest for me being the jump from nothing to everything that happens in a few different instances. First, O and Emily's relationship. They start prickly, which is understandable considering they don't seem to know each other at all and one of them is a chain-smoking septuagenarian and the other is a health-food eating teenager. Then suddenly, they're close, in a routine, and friends, not just I-don't-want-to-see-you-have-a-heart-attack friends but actual friends. The second being Emily's suspension of disbelief. She goes into the summer afraid of the legacy of crazy poets, her aunt being no exception. She doesn't believe Emily's story about the evil magician who returns to town only when August 8th falls on a Saturday in a leap year (so many details!). She worries about her aunt talking to herself in the shop when she thinks she's alone. And then, out of nowhere, she can see and is fine with the ghosts of poets hanging around; she doesn't talk to them like Emily does, but she treats them like any other fact of life of used bookstores. You have dust, you have teetering towers of books, and you have ghosts. But until it's actually happening, an evil magician is just too much? The book does span an entire summer, and it's hard to tell how much time has passed at any given point. For all I know, there's a skipped month there in the middle. If that had been more clear, I might have been more able to make that jump with O.
All that aside, I loved this book. It is not super suspenseful or super action packed, but I had a really hard time putting it down. It's compelling. And packed in with a compelling story is O's (and to a lesser extent Emily's) musings about poetry. I'm not a big poetry fan and not one to like a book with teen angst poetry scattered about. Luckily, this was not that kind of book. The poetry O writes is not about tru lurv and it is (blessedly) sparse. Bedard manages to convey her love of poetry and writing without showcasing her and her fellow poets' work. Instead, he showcases their passion.
Though there is romance, it is beyond chase (it's more of a crush), and though there is an evil magician intent on killing children, it is not scary. I think this book could skew young or old for the right reader. The kind of middle grade or high school reader who is always reading, longs for old bookshops, secretly (or not-so-secretly) dreams about what would happen if magic was real, and does a lot of scribbling in notebooks. You know the one.
Book source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers
This book is not without flaws. The biggest for me being the jump from nothing to everything that happens in a few different instances. First, O and Emily's relationship. They start prickly, which is understandable considering they don't seem to know each other at all and one of them is a chain-smoking septuagenarian and the other is a health-food eating teenager. Then suddenly, they're close, in a routine, and friends, not just I-don't-want-to-see-you-have-a-heart-attack friends but actual friends. The second being Emily's suspension of disbelief. She goes into the summer afraid of the legacy of crazy poets, her aunt being no exception. She doesn't believe Emily's story about the evil magician who returns to town only when August 8th falls on a Saturday in a leap year (so many details!). She worries about her aunt talking to herself in the shop when she thinks she's alone. And then, out of nowhere, she can see and is fine with the ghosts of poets hanging around; she doesn't talk to them like Emily does, but she treats them like any other fact of life of used bookstores. You have dust, you have teetering towers of books, and you have ghosts. But until it's actually happening, an evil magician is just too much? The book does span an entire summer, and it's hard to tell how much time has passed at any given point. For all I know, there's a skipped month there in the middle. If that had been more clear, I might have been more able to make that jump with O.
All that aside, I loved this book. It is not super suspenseful or super action packed, but I had a really hard time putting it down. It's compelling. And packed in with a compelling story is O's (and to a lesser extent Emily's) musings about poetry. I'm not a big poetry fan and not one to like a book with teen angst poetry scattered about. Luckily, this was not that kind of book. The poetry O writes is not about tru lurv and it is (blessedly) sparse. Bedard manages to convey her love of poetry and writing without showcasing her and her fellow poets' work. Instead, he showcases their passion.
Though there is romance, it is beyond chase (it's more of a crush), and though there is an evil magician intent on killing children, it is not scary. I think this book could skew young or old for the right reader. The kind of middle grade or high school reader who is always reading, longs for old bookshops, secretly (or not-so-secretly) dreams about what would happen if magic was real, and does a lot of scribbling in notebooks. You know the one.
Book source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers
April 11, 2012
Originally published at Epic (Chocolate) Fantasy.
Bite-Sized Review
If this book had been longer and more fleshed out, I think it could have been great. As it was, I quite liked it, particularly the lovely writing style.
King-Sized Review
When her father travels to Italy for research one summer, fifteen-year-old O, short for Ophelia, spends the time with her Aunt Emily, who owns a secondhand bookstore called "The Green Man." O, a budding poet, enjoys helping her aunt in the store, but when odd things start to happen, Emily realizes that her past is coming back to haunt her and O as well.
I loved the poetic style of this story. With two poets as main characters, it could hardly be otherwise, but reading parts of this book was like having words wrapped around my head so that the rest of the world disappeared. The writing was beautiful and my favorite part of the book.
The setting was another high positive. Most of the story takes place among books, which is always something to be happy about. I wish there had been a bit more about the bookstore itself – I wanted to see more of the ghosts of poets past, and have a better picture of the store. I would have liked to know more about the story of the green man as well. If the book, which was rather short, had been a bit (or a lot) longer, the setting could have been more developed.
One aspect for which I actually appreciated the under-development was the magic. There is magic in this book, but it is mysterious and dangerous, the opposite of the magic of words that Emily and O possess. The mystery surrounding the magic in this story – even the question of whether or not it really existed – added suspense and gave the book a wonderfully ethereal quality that's missing from most of this genre. Of course, the writing contributed to this aspect as well, but the uncertainty of the magic, of what's really happening in to O and Emily, really makes it a better story.
However, Emily and O themselves didn't feel entirely real either, which was not a positive. As much as I loved the writing and the setting, the characters didn't live up to the same standard. They weren't bad, they just didn't come alive the way other parts of the story did. Again, with a longer book this could have been much better. As it was, O and Emily weren't much more than faint outlines of characters without much personality. I've seen much worse characters, but there was plenty of room for improvement. And even at the end I knew next to nothing about O's love interest, and while the mystery was definitely part of his appeal, it would have been nice to know his real name, at the very least.
But overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's a quick read and definitely worthwhile for fans of a more mysterious sort of magic with a light touch of romance.
Bite-Sized Review
If this book had been longer and more fleshed out, I think it could have been great. As it was, I quite liked it, particularly the lovely writing style.
King-Sized Review
When her father travels to Italy for research one summer, fifteen-year-old O, short for Ophelia, spends the time with her Aunt Emily, who owns a secondhand bookstore called "The Green Man." O, a budding poet, enjoys helping her aunt in the store, but when odd things start to happen, Emily realizes that her past is coming back to haunt her and O as well.
I loved the poetic style of this story. With two poets as main characters, it could hardly be otherwise, but reading parts of this book was like having words wrapped around my head so that the rest of the world disappeared. The writing was beautiful and my favorite part of the book.
The setting was another high positive. Most of the story takes place among books, which is always something to be happy about. I wish there had been a bit more about the bookstore itself – I wanted to see more of the ghosts of poets past, and have a better picture of the store. I would have liked to know more about the story of the green man as well. If the book, which was rather short, had been a bit (or a lot) longer, the setting could have been more developed.
One aspect for which I actually appreciated the under-development was the magic. There is magic in this book, but it is mysterious and dangerous, the opposite of the magic of words that Emily and O possess. The mystery surrounding the magic in this story – even the question of whether or not it really existed – added suspense and gave the book a wonderfully ethereal quality that's missing from most of this genre. Of course, the writing contributed to this aspect as well, but the uncertainty of the magic, of what's really happening in to O and Emily, really makes it a better story.
However, Emily and O themselves didn't feel entirely real either, which was not a positive. As much as I loved the writing and the setting, the characters didn't live up to the same standard. They weren't bad, they just didn't come alive the way other parts of the story did. Again, with a longer book this could have been much better. As it was, O and Emily weren't much more than faint outlines of characters without much personality. I've seen much worse characters, but there was plenty of room for improvement. And even at the end I knew next to nothing about O's love interest, and while the mystery was definitely part of his appeal, it would have been nice to know his real name, at the very least.
But overall, I really enjoyed this book. It's a quick read and definitely worthwhile for fans of a more mysterious sort of magic with a light touch of romance.
July 3, 2012
In 1987, Bedard published “A Darker Magic,” the prequel to “The Green Man.” In many ways, “The Green Man,” is a reuse of the original novel’s plot. However, “The Green Man,” shows Bedard’s growth as a writer, with a more polished approach, more complicated characters, and more engaging prose enhanced with poetry. It is not necessary to have read the earlier novel to enjoy the new one, but reading both provides an opportunity for comparison and contrast and a chance to see how both heroine’s lives were destined to overlap.
Ophelia (who prefers to be called “O”) plans to spend the summer with her eccentric Aunt Emily, poet and owner of The Green Man bookstore. Upon her arrival, it is clear to O that Aunt Emily needs help. Emily is rundown and vague and the shop is in decline. O gradually takes over many of the duties at the bookstore, slowly organizing the stock and revitalizing the displays. She cooks, encouraging Emily to follow a more sensible, healthy diet and give up smoking. O ventures out into the English town, meeting more (memorable) characters and accompanying her aunt to estate sales, where Emily hopes to someday hit pay dirt.
Emily is plagued by bad dreams, ill health, and the fear that something terrible will occur on August 8, the anniversary of a childhood trauma. She becomes convinced that O will suffer the same fate as the children who attended a fateful magic show in her youth, and then died. Still, when a local architect’s last relative invites Emily to bid on a rare collection of magic books, Emily is convinced that it will be The Green Man’s salvation. As events unfold, it becomes clear the opportunity could also be the shop’s undoing.
Bedard weaves poetry, and the importance of poetry, throughout the plot. O is a blossoming poet. Emily is an established poet whose shop was once a haven for poets. Poetry brings O together with a mysterious young man (also a poet). Together, O and Emily resurrect a poets’ critique and support group. And the shop is haunted by the ghosts of old poets.
More time might have been devoted to descriptions of The Green Man (it could qualify as a character of its own in this novel). It would have been interesting to more thoroughly explore O’s poetic growth and know more about Emily’s poetry. However, the atmospheric, slightly cinematic approach will appeal to many readers. Fans of magical realism will want to read this book.
Ophelia (who prefers to be called “O”) plans to spend the summer with her eccentric Aunt Emily, poet and owner of The Green Man bookstore. Upon her arrival, it is clear to O that Aunt Emily needs help. Emily is rundown and vague and the shop is in decline. O gradually takes over many of the duties at the bookstore, slowly organizing the stock and revitalizing the displays. She cooks, encouraging Emily to follow a more sensible, healthy diet and give up smoking. O ventures out into the English town, meeting more (memorable) characters and accompanying her aunt to estate sales, where Emily hopes to someday hit pay dirt.
Emily is plagued by bad dreams, ill health, and the fear that something terrible will occur on August 8, the anniversary of a childhood trauma. She becomes convinced that O will suffer the same fate as the children who attended a fateful magic show in her youth, and then died. Still, when a local architect’s last relative invites Emily to bid on a rare collection of magic books, Emily is convinced that it will be The Green Man’s salvation. As events unfold, it becomes clear the opportunity could also be the shop’s undoing.
Bedard weaves poetry, and the importance of poetry, throughout the plot. O is a blossoming poet. Emily is an established poet whose shop was once a haven for poets. Poetry brings O together with a mysterious young man (also a poet). Together, O and Emily resurrect a poets’ critique and support group. And the shop is haunted by the ghosts of old poets.
More time might have been devoted to descriptions of The Green Man (it could qualify as a character of its own in this novel). It would have been interesting to more thoroughly explore O’s poetic growth and know more about Emily’s poetry. However, the atmospheric, slightly cinematic approach will appeal to many readers. Fans of magical realism will want to read this book.
December 24, 2012
3.5 stars
5 stars for the writing
3 stars for the story
4 stars for the characters
I am not a big fan of magical realism, but this book balanced out my distaste with beautiful writing. The Green Man is a book devoted primarily to poetry and poets and takes place in a bookstore - it is very much a love story to the written word as well as a look into the mental health that goes along with being possessed with the need to write. Now this much wouldn't have been much of a story though it was fabulous to read; to make it more of a story, there is a ghost story thrown in. That is what I was not so sure about. It is almost subtle enough that it never took over the book and didn't take away from what I think made this book special; however, it was just enough that it added a bit of plot twists in to make the story a bit more of a story (though I personally would have been okay with just the coming of age story).
Primarily the parts I truly loved about this book are just parts where the author is either A) Writing so lyrically and poetically that I wanted to reread it over and over or B) Writing about poetry, books, writing, etc. in a way that only someone who is a poet, reader or writer understands. There are plenty of mentor text moments for poetry, imagery, metaphors, etc. and these are really the moments I loved.
This book is going to find a very special place with a very special reader - one who is patient, smart and sees the importance in poetry and books that is very much necessary to enjoy this book.
Snatch of text: "Some people lead epic lives, long and full. Some lead lyric lives, short and too soon over. Her mother led a lyric life." (p. 37)
"Over time, a bookshop will take the shape of its owner. Emily had been at the Green Man so long that it had grown around her like a second skin. The books were her flesh; the words that flowed through them were the blood that ran through her veins. The poetry section was the beating heart of the collection." (p. 66)
"She learned that the Green Man had been adopted by medieval stonemasons and wood-carvers as their special symbol. They tucked the figure in out-of-the-way places in the vast cathedrals they built, as a sort of signature of their work. He was connected to what creativity meant for them. The vines that spilled from his mouth symbolized the outpouring of inspiration. He stood at the gateway between the two worlds, at the place where imagination passed into creation." (p. 91)
5 stars for the writing
3 stars for the story
4 stars for the characters
I am not a big fan of magical realism, but this book balanced out my distaste with beautiful writing. The Green Man is a book devoted primarily to poetry and poets and takes place in a bookstore - it is very much a love story to the written word as well as a look into the mental health that goes along with being possessed with the need to write. Now this much wouldn't have been much of a story though it was fabulous to read; to make it more of a story, there is a ghost story thrown in. That is what I was not so sure about. It is almost subtle enough that it never took over the book and didn't take away from what I think made this book special; however, it was just enough that it added a bit of plot twists in to make the story a bit more of a story (though I personally would have been okay with just the coming of age story).
Primarily the parts I truly loved about this book are just parts where the author is either A) Writing so lyrically and poetically that I wanted to reread it over and over or B) Writing about poetry, books, writing, etc. in a way that only someone who is a poet, reader or writer understands. There are plenty of mentor text moments for poetry, imagery, metaphors, etc. and these are really the moments I loved.
This book is going to find a very special place with a very special reader - one who is patient, smart and sees the importance in poetry and books that is very much necessary to enjoy this book.
Snatch of text: "Some people lead epic lives, long and full. Some lead lyric lives, short and too soon over. Her mother led a lyric life." (p. 37)
"Over time, a bookshop will take the shape of its owner. Emily had been at the Green Man so long that it had grown around her like a second skin. The books were her flesh; the words that flowed through them were the blood that ran through her veins. The poetry section was the beating heart of the collection." (p. 66)
"She learned that the Green Man had been adopted by medieval stonemasons and wood-carvers as their special symbol. They tucked the figure in out-of-the-way places in the vast cathedrals they built, as a sort of signature of their work. He was connected to what creativity meant for them. The vines that spilled from his mouth symbolized the outpouring of inspiration. He stood at the gateway between the two worlds, at the place where imagination passed into creation." (p. 91)
January 2, 2015
Review based on ARC.
What a lovely teen fantasy. Bedard pays tribute to bookstores, creativity and poetry, and the Green Man himself in his aptly named book. The Green Man is the bookstore owned by Ophelia's ("O") aunt Emily, named after the legend of the Green Man, a protector who stands between the worlds and where life began. While O's father travels to research Ezra Pound, he sends O to Emily for the summer in a dual effort to ensure both are taken care of. Initially, fifteen-year-old O and seventy-year-old Emily clash in some to-be-expected ways, but eventually their similarities and common love of poetry and all things related thereto draw them into a very close relationship. Although each believes she is really taking care of the other, Bedard has deftly created an actual dual relationship that feels organic and true.
While visiting Emily at the Green Man, O learns about not only the magic of poetry and poets, but also about a recurring sinister plan that continues to plague her aunt and the town in which she lives. Saying much more about the plot would ruin it, so I won't.
What I will say is that I loved this little YA novel that is atmospheric, soft, and lovely. It has ghosts and books and hot summers. It lifts up jazz and pays homage to the receding world of used bookstores. There is also darkness and hard life, an acknowledgment of the deterioration of such a world and the effects it can and does have on real people. It is somewhat gothic and somewhat romantic. It is simple as a YA, but will appeal to book and bookstore lovers alike. To me, it gave just a little of a lot, just enough to satiate, just enough to squeeze your heart and then leave you for a peaceful night's sleep.
Highly recommended.
FOUR AND A HALF of five stars (boosted to 5 on sites w/o halves).
I note that I am *not* typically a fan of poetry. While this novel is about poets at its heart, and the power of poetry to those moved by it, and while this novel occasionally drops a poem here and there, it is not overdone and definitely did not turn me off, despite my natural disinclination to poetry.
What a lovely teen fantasy. Bedard pays tribute to bookstores, creativity and poetry, and the Green Man himself in his aptly named book. The Green Man is the bookstore owned by Ophelia's ("O") aunt Emily, named after the legend of the Green Man, a protector who stands between the worlds and where life began. While O's father travels to research Ezra Pound, he sends O to Emily for the summer in a dual effort to ensure both are taken care of. Initially, fifteen-year-old O and seventy-year-old Emily clash in some to-be-expected ways, but eventually their similarities and common love of poetry and all things related thereto draw them into a very close relationship. Although each believes she is really taking care of the other, Bedard has deftly created an actual dual relationship that feels organic and true.
While visiting Emily at the Green Man, O learns about not only the magic of poetry and poets, but also about a recurring sinister plan that continues to plague her aunt and the town in which she lives. Saying much more about the plot would ruin it, so I won't.
What I will say is that I loved this little YA novel that is atmospheric, soft, and lovely. It has ghosts and books and hot summers. It lifts up jazz and pays homage to the receding world of used bookstores. There is also darkness and hard life, an acknowledgment of the deterioration of such a world and the effects it can and does have on real people. It is somewhat gothic and somewhat romantic. It is simple as a YA, but will appeal to book and bookstore lovers alike. To me, it gave just a little of a lot, just enough to satiate, just enough to squeeze your heart and then leave you for a peaceful night's sleep.
Highly recommended.
FOUR AND A HALF of five stars (boosted to 5 on sites w/o halves).
I note that I am *not* typically a fan of poetry. While this novel is about poets at its heart, and the power of poetry to those moved by it, and while this novel occasionally drops a poem here and there, it is not overdone and definitely did not turn me off, despite my natural disinclination to poetry.
October 22, 2012
I picked up this book because I'm drawn to the Green Man myself especially at this time of the year when he is the god preparing to die and return to the earth waiting to be reborn again.
The theme of the Green Man and all the aspects that surround him are richly written into this book and woven into a beautifully worded tale. The ideas that really struck a chord with me were those around time, The Green Man acts as a gateway between opposing forces, death and rebirth, light and dark, past and future. Time is thin near the bookshop bearing the name of the Green Man, both our heroines witness a visitation of the past int eh form of a brother and father on the afternoon of our younger heroine, O's arrival to the book shop. Just as the land where the Green Man resides in myth is a strange place full of enchantments and free of constraints of ordinary time and space; so is the Green Man Book store. The past comes to visit, ghosts inhabit the empty spaces, strange customers appear and disappear, the building seems to be alive, ancient fliers magically appear on shelves and the Green Man depicted in the sign outside the shop speaks.
On the whole this book is one written for and about poets, the language and the dialogue between the characters flows, is musical. The discussions about long dead poets as well as the poets who reside within the story is heavy in poetic theory, but not so heavy that the story is bogged down in theory. The heart of the story is the idea that poets see beyond the mundane, they see into the darkness and manifest creativity in verse, like the never ending cycle of death and rebirth that the Green Man represents.
I found this book on the book shelf in the Children's section of my local library but I think it is rich enough to recommend to anyone who is interested in writing, magic and poetry.
The theme of the Green Man and all the aspects that surround him are richly written into this book and woven into a beautifully worded tale. The ideas that really struck a chord with me were those around time, The Green Man acts as a gateway between opposing forces, death and rebirth, light and dark, past and future. Time is thin near the bookshop bearing the name of the Green Man, both our heroines witness a visitation of the past int eh form of a brother and father on the afternoon of our younger heroine, O's arrival to the book shop. Just as the land where the Green Man resides in myth is a strange place full of enchantments and free of constraints of ordinary time and space; so is the Green Man Book store. The past comes to visit, ghosts inhabit the empty spaces, strange customers appear and disappear, the building seems to be alive, ancient fliers magically appear on shelves and the Green Man depicted in the sign outside the shop speaks.
On the whole this book is one written for and about poets, the language and the dialogue between the characters flows, is musical. The discussions about long dead poets as well as the poets who reside within the story is heavy in poetic theory, but not so heavy that the story is bogged down in theory. The heart of the story is the idea that poets see beyond the mundane, they see into the darkness and manifest creativity in verse, like the never ending cycle of death and rebirth that the Green Man represents.
I found this book on the book shelf in the Children's section of my local library but I think it is rich enough to recommend to anyone who is interested in writing, magic and poetry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
October 16, 2015I'm going to shelve this in the unfinished pile, and for future reference, here are some notes:
1- seems to be a book written for pagan YA demographics. But it doesn't necessarily have to be. It had some appeal.
2- the writing was simpler than I expected, but not simplistic. But not not simplistic by too very much. In other words, and this is what kind of got to me, the language was less than I wanted. Modern language is awful watery, eh what?
3- the characters were kind of interesting. They seemed a little out of focus, which may be because the author was using a set of standard short cuts to write it and write it quick.
4- the fantasy and mystery couldn't hold my attention. Again, I think because the book wasn't written for middle aged people.
5- that mystery stuff? I saw through it immediately, and sensed that there was an attempt to build suspense, but it fell flat for me. It would probably work for younger readers who find some of these veils less than mystifying.
6- I got fifteen chapters in and suddenly realized I just didn't care. I also realized I could have been writing a letter to my friend. I have a small pile of personal letters here to reply to. It occurred to me that instead of reading this book, I could have been writing letters. A letter, anyway. That was when I understood how little I was involved with this book.
No stars, only because I didn't finish it. It looked like an interesting read for younger somebody elses. Or if my youngest were interested, I would have read on through, but she's not, and I'm almost done with that whole stage of reading ahead for the sake of the kids. Well, totally done with it, but the kid prefers I still do it sometimes. Oh well.
1- seems to be a book written for pagan YA demographics. But it doesn't necessarily have to be. It had some appeal.
2- the writing was simpler than I expected, but not simplistic. But not not simplistic by too very much. In other words, and this is what kind of got to me, the language was less than I wanted. Modern language is awful watery, eh what?
3- the characters were kind of interesting. They seemed a little out of focus, which may be because the author was using a set of standard short cuts to write it and write it quick.
4- the fantasy and mystery couldn't hold my attention. Again, I think because the book wasn't written for middle aged people.
5- that mystery stuff? I saw through it immediately, and sensed that there was an attempt to build suspense, but it fell flat for me. It would probably work for younger readers who find some of these veils less than mystifying.
6- I got fifteen chapters in and suddenly realized I just didn't care. I also realized I could have been writing a letter to my friend. I have a small pile of personal letters here to reply to. It occurred to me that instead of reading this book, I could have been writing letters. A letter, anyway. That was when I understood how little I was involved with this book.
No stars, only because I didn't finish it. It looked like an interesting read for younger somebody elses. Or if my youngest were interested, I would have read on through, but she's not, and I'm almost done with that whole stage of reading ahead for the sake of the kids. Well, totally done with it, but the kid prefers I still do it sometimes. Oh well.
April 11, 2012
O (never Ophelia) is feeling kind of on the fence about staying with her Aunt Emily for the summer, while her Father researches his book about Ezra Pound in Italy. Once she sees her Aunt's bookshop, The Green Man she feels a sense of purpose. She also comes to feel fairly close to Emily as time goes by, sharing a love of poetry with her. Aunt Emily hasn't written poetry or had readings at the shop since her heart attack but O wants to change that. Emily has a dark secret that has plagued her since childhood, one that comes back around to haunt her like clockwork. So far she's made it out alive, but this summer the magician will come back. Can O save Emily and herself from the clutches of evil? Is her new, mysterious friend Rimbaud involved? And will they all make it out alive? This was a pretty interesting book. To be honest, I really felt like the inclusion of magic and the good vs. evil struggle was unneccesary. Just reading about O's coming of age woes, her budding poetry and Emily's struggles with getting old was worth the time. These characters leaped off the page and into my heart. I felt like the magic detracted from the inherent magic of the poetry involved in the story's core. I don't know how Bedard managed to capture the pain of being a fourteen year old girl, but he did - and it was well done. This was a slow moving, yet beautiful book that I would recommend.
VERDICT: 4.25/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published April 10th, 2012.*
VERDICT: 4.25/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published April 10th, 2012.*
January 29, 2012
Review originally posted at Krazy Book Lady.
O Endicott travels to Caledon to spend the summer with her elderly aunt, Emily, after her father takes off to Italy for research. Emily owns the otherworldly Green Man bookshop, and lives in the apartment above it. O dabbles in poetry during her stay, but she questions her decision to write it because so many poets are insane. But are the queer things occurring around the bookshop really poet madness, or is there some kind of evil afoot?
I was about halfway through The Green Man when I found out that it was a part of a series. However, I never felt as if I was missing anything because there were various flashbacks with sufficient backstory. I only had two problems with the book. There were a few plot points that I felt did not lead anywhere, such as O seeing a young version of her father. It could have had a potentially interesting twist, but it only served descriptive purposes. My other issue was that the climax was very brief. I found myself asking, “Was that it?!” Other than that, I found this to be a very enjoyable read. The writing is lovely, and the pace is ideal for the young adult reader. I would even like to go back and read the previous two books in the series.
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received the book for free through NetGalley. It in no way affected the outcome of my review.
3.5/5 Stars
O Endicott travels to Caledon to spend the summer with her elderly aunt, Emily, after her father takes off to Italy for research. Emily owns the otherworldly Green Man bookshop, and lives in the apartment above it. O dabbles in poetry during her stay, but she questions her decision to write it because so many poets are insane. But are the queer things occurring around the bookshop really poet madness, or is there some kind of evil afoot?
I was about halfway through The Green Man when I found out that it was a part of a series. However, I never felt as if I was missing anything because there were various flashbacks with sufficient backstory. I only had two problems with the book. There were a few plot points that I felt did not lead anywhere, such as O seeing a young version of her father. It could have had a potentially interesting twist, but it only served descriptive purposes. My other issue was that the climax was very brief. I found myself asking, “Was that it?!” Other than that, I found this to be a very enjoyable read. The writing is lovely, and the pace is ideal for the young adult reader. I would even like to go back and read the previous two books in the series.
To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received the book for free through NetGalley. It in no way affected the outcome of my review.
3.5/5 Stars
January 5, 2015
Fourteen-year-old Ophelia Endicott spends the summer with her Aunt Emily and helps out in her second hand bookstore, The Green Man. While recovering from a heart attack, Emily continues to be haunted with memories of a magic show that has a sinister side to it. Ophelia--she prefers to be called O--senses that something or someone may be watching her, and even while she is composing poetry just like her aunt did, she is watchful. While growing intrigued by a mysterious young man she calls Rimbaud, she also is suspicious of him at the same time. While there are plenty of loose threads dangling at the end and several incidents are not explained thoroughly, the book shows readers how easily it is to fall under the spell of something or someone that doesn't exist. I enjoyed some of the poetry sprinkled throughout the book and the book treasures that were hidden in The Green Man as well as the poetic ghosts that populated its interior. I also liked the fact that these two women were strong, independent, stubborn, and imperfect. The aunt's past life is only hinted at in the story, a gentle reminder that all of us have stories and have lived rich lives if only someone takes the time to listen to those stories. A hymn to the joys and struggles of writing poetry, this one may appeal to those with an interest in word play or an inclination for the supernatural since it is both ghost story and mystery.
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