The Wishing Spell (The Land of Stories, #1)

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The Wishing Spell (The Land of Stories #1)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 5,300 ratings · 924 reviews

Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change....

Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, twins Alex and Connor leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.

But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins,...more

Hardcover, 448 pages

Published July 17th 2012 by Atom

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Aug 01, 2012 Indiaskye rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2012, witches-magic, fairytales

Actor, Golden Globe winner, 2-time Emmy nominee, one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World, singer, screen writer, producer ... and now author? And all of that at just 22 years old? I understand how some people might be a bit skeptical in regards to Chris Colfer's actual writing talents, but the truth is - the guy just seems to be a natural-born storyteller, and it doesn't matter which medium he uses for it.

His first novel, "The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell", is the f...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Alyssa (Books Take You Places) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, own

Originally reviewed on Books Take You Places.

Alex and Conner are doing their best to get by. Having recently lost their father to an accident, the twins live with their overworked mother in a small rental home and rely on one another for comfort. Alex is an overachiever, the teacher’s pet and the logical one of the two, whereas Conner is the comedian, and the more impulsive twin. Both children hold memories of their father close and look upon his stories when they need comfort. On their twelfth...more Originally reviewed on Books Take You Places.

Alex and Conner are doing their best to get by. Having recently lost their father to an accident, the twins live with their overworked mother in a small rental home and rely on one another for comfort. Alex is an overachiever, the teacher’s pet and the logical one of the two, whereas Conner is the comedian, and the more impulsive twin. Both children hold memories of their father close and look upon his stories when they need comfort. On their twelfth birthday, their grandmother comes to visit and brings her very old, very special storybook for them as a present. This book opens up a different world for the children in which the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about are real. The only problem here is that, not only are the heroes and princesses real, but also the Evil Queen and big bad wolves are real as well. These well known villains are on a hunt to find items for a wishing spell; the same items that the twins are hunting in order to wish themselves back home to their mother. Through this quest the twins meet a very pregnant Cinderella, a very vain Red Riding Hood, a few King Charmings, and a host of other well known fantastical characters.

Anyone who knows me know that I love a good retelling and apparently the publisher was describing this one as “The Chronicles of Narnia meets Shrek.” Besides the falling through a ~~wardrobe~~ book to a fairy tale land, this book is nothing like Narnia. It would be easy to compare this to the numerous retellings out there today and I’ll admit that as I was reading I was thinking of the ways the book reminded me of Once Upon a Time, The 10th Kingdom, and yes, Shrek. However, while Chris Colfer was reminding me of all of the things I love about these former retellings, he was also showing me something different. New sides of old characters, surprisingly romantic interludes and a new kickass heroine.

One thing I loved even more than the characters in this novel was the different worlds that the author created. I’m a big fan of epic world building and Colfer penned the settings in a way that made it easy to see in my mind. When Conner asked, “What’s up with all the glitter?” while in the Fairy Kingdom, I really saw it sparkling. When the twins traveled to the Thornbush Pit, I felt myself cringing away as if I was the one who had to venture to the bottom. The only thing missing from this element was a good, detailed map of the kingdoms. I actually drew one for myself so I could keep track of where the twins were headed. (Note: this was an unedited ARC so the finished copy may include an awesome map!)

I’ll be honest, I was wary going into this story. I know many of you had the same thought in your mind when you saw that the author of this novel was a well-known tv actor. To be quite honest, had I not received an ARC of this novel I might not have picked it up for a number of reasons. But let me tell you something, I am so glad that I did. I am beyond thrilled with this story and really rather impressed at Mr. Chris Colfer. Bravo, Kurt! Take that NYADA!

This excerpt provides the reader with a glimpse at the twins and their personalities. Primarily Conner and his humorous jibes toward his sister:

“Grazing around a perfect little stream ahead of them, to their amazement, was a herd of unicorns. They were beautiful: white with silver horns, silver hooves, and silver manes.

Conner’s forehead wrinkled, and his mouth dropped open. ‘Oh, jeez,’ he said. ‘That’s the most obnoxious thing I’ve ever seen in my life!’

‘I want to pet one!’ Alex said, and ran toward them.

‘Alex, be careful!’ Conner said. ‘They could have rabies!’

‘Unicorns don’t have rabies, Conner!’ Alex said.

You don’t know where those horns have been!’ Conner called out.

Alex walked up to the herd, slowing her pace so she wouldn’t spook them. They were so majestic and graceful, she just had to stop and admire them for a moment. One saw her and walked toward her…” (Page 262.)

This story was far from perfect but there were parts that made me laugh out loud, parts that made me a little misty eyed and parts that made me marvel at the level of angst, love and devotion in a middle grade novel. I highly recommend it to readers of all ages.

*I received an unedited ARC from the publisher at BEA 2012!
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Aug 04, 2012 Johara rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 52-books-2012

I picked this book up at the airport because I was trying to convince my ten year old brother to start reading more imaginative stories and less... Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

I figured I'd read it first and see what it was like. Then I found out the author was this dude on glee, apparently, and I admit my enthusiasm kind of dipped. And, good thing it did, because this book was very... I don't know. The plot and the fairytale world was good enough, but the whole story was quite bland. Not to mention th...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Jazz Sexton rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Which I Drink Haterade and Review The Wishing Spell...

I'm not getting my hate on just to hate. I'm getting my hate on because this book was the most painful reading experience I have ever had. I didn't think a book could irritate me so much that it would result in a terrible weight in my chest, but it did. It did.

Colfer's prose is cliche and redundant from the first page. His sentences are short and simplistic with no signs of imagery or depth. Instead of showing emotion and action, Colfer op...more In Which I Drink Haterade and Review The Wishing Spell...

I'm not getting my hate on just to hate. I'm getting my hate on because this book was the most painful reading experience I have ever had. I didn't think a book could irritate me so much that it would result in a terrible weight in my chest, but it did. It did.

Colfer's prose is cliche and redundant from the first page. His sentences are short and simplistic with no signs of imagery or depth. Instead of showing emotion and action, Colfer opts to tell you what the characters are feeling as blandly as possible. We don't feel the rush of falling through a book into a magical land. Instead, we get "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" and a plethora of adverbs (that get worse as the novel goes on).

Was an editor assigned to this book? I think the editor might have been a cat with narcolepsy.

Had The Wishing Spell been written as a straight up parody of faerie tales, it would have been a successful piece of writing. When the twins meet the witch who tried to eat Hansel & Gretel, they find a way to turn her into vegan. Conner notes that compared to the Pevensie children climbing through a wardrobe, and Dorothy being whisked away to Oz via twister, falling through a book was pretty boring. I had to laugh at the latter because I was thinking the same thing, and the former because it was a clever way to portray how modern children would react to villains from old stories they knew well.

Colfer does not engage with faerie tales in a meaningful way. Alex and Conner debate over the messages of the stories at the start of the novel, but by the book's close they only come to the conclusion that the stories have made people happy for years. They do not recognize it is important for these stories to have multiple interpretations, and that there is no correct meaning.

The original characters are flat archetypes--single mother with a heart of gold, slacker boy, smart uptight girl, the perfect grandma is endlessly supportive and offers financial support. Colfer turns beloved faerie tale characters into ineffectual twits. Even his semi-interesting version of Goldilocks is reduced to petty name calling when she discovers a betrayal. Snow White shouts in the prologue, and it is said that it was the first time she had ever raised her voice. A woman whose stepmother tried to murder her four times never raised her voice before speaking to her stepmother in a dungeon? No. Colfer also paints Snow White as the paragon of virtue. Though he thanks the Brothers Grimm in his acknowledgements, Colfer ignores the ending printed in their stories in which Snow White makes her mother "dance" in red-hot iron shoes at her wedding. Even the good guys can be cruel, which would have been something wise to impart to readers, but he made the disappointing decision to gloss over it.

All of the scrapes Alex and Conner find themselves in are easily solved through helpful adults whom have no problem sacrificing themselves for two annoying kids they just met. This plot device is irritating not only because it is repetitive, but also because Conner feels perfectly comfortable insulting and walking all over the people he meets. As soon as they get to the Land of Stories, he designates a frog-man as Froggy rather than letting the frog-man establish his own identity. Alex waffles between being the responsible one and having no common sense. How does a bookworm manage to climb Rapunzel's tower without any mountain climbing gear? It seems Colfer changed the characters to suit his whims as he went on. The twins mostly storm from kingdom to kingdom telling the monarchs that they suck at being monarchs (unless they're busy being good wives and mothers), and solve simple problems for them that make the faerie tale characters seem like jokes rather than complex figures.

The land of stories is not a Hogwarts, Narnia, or Oz--both terrifying and delightful. It is pretty much just terrifying and miserable. Why would anyone want to go there? Furthermore, why would a child want to read about such an unhappy place?

Verdict: Don't read this. Watch Fushigi Yuugi instead.(less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Emelie marked it as to-read-asap · review of another edition

I admit it, my main reason for even looking at this book is curosity - this is a book by Chris Colfer, after all, he who plays the amazing Kurt in Glee.

So I might not be a hardcore Glee-fan, I've actually only seen one episode - although I liked that one - but I do want to pick up on the series. But that's not all, no. This book actually sounds awesome. And I dig Chris Colfer - he's pretty cool :D Yes. I want to read this one. Hope it's awesome! :D

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Mar 26, 2013 Heather Aldaine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-booklist, fantasy, young-adult

Before I review this book, I must tell you that the author, Chris Colfer, is one of my favorite actors, but as I read this book I put that out of my mind to judge him as a novelist only. I have attempted to review this book as fairly and impartially as I do all the novels I read.

There is no question that this story is entertaining. The number of times I laughed out loud, teared up, and let my imagination run wild with theories cannot be counted. Colfer is, as he’s said in his own words, a consum...more Before I review this book, I must tell you that the author, Chris Colfer, is one of my favorite actors, but as I read this book I put that out of my mind to judge him as a novelist only. I have attempted to review this book as fairly and impartially as I do all the novels I read.

There is no question that this story is entertaining. The number of times I laughed out loud, teared up, and let my imagination run wild with theories cannot be counted. Colfer is, as he’s said in his own words, a consummate storyteller. He takes classic fairytales and makes them relatable to modern young adults. While I sometimes disagreed with his interpretation of the fairytale morals, I certainly see his opinion as valid and enjoyed his renditions of post-fairytale life immensely.

Only in one regard do I vehemently disagree with the message in the novel. The story of the Evil Queen is well-told and heartbreaking, and I loved the idea that evil characters have as much history and motivation as good characters. However, nothing can justify or pardon the Evil Queen emotionally abandoning and attempting to murder her stepdaughter. The novel seems to attempt to push readers in that direction. While I felt sympathy for the Evil Queen, I would not, as many of the characters did, pardon her actions.

The characters pop off the page. Alex is a lively know-it-all too smart for her own good. Connor is a smart aleck who doesn’t see he’s just as whip-smart as his sister. Colfer is known for his quick wit, a trait that shows very much in Connor’s dialogue. His way of pointing out fairytale plot holes and absurdity is both enlightening and hilarious.

In comparison to other fantasy novels for this age range, such as Percy Jackson and Septimus Heap, Land of Stories simply does not measure up. It is clear that Colfer is, primarily, a screenwriter. While the characters and dialogue are vibrant, the narration is dull to plodding at some points. The action sequences felt very bland and were difficult to follow. The descriptions never painted a completely clear landscape in my head.

I can’t help but think this novel needed a much heavier editor’s pen. The writing and release of this novel happened exceptionally fast, probably because of the legions of Chris Colfer fans clamoring for it, and that proved to be a detriment to the novel.

Land of the Stories is a fine debut novel, but ultimately, I found that Colfer has considerable room for improvement as a novelist.(less)

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Oct 11, 2012 Lilian Cheng rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Writing felt annoyingly clunky, and not in a juvenile way (though I did think the writing explained EVERY LITTLE THING. I am not stupid here!)--in a messy way. I listened to the audiobook, and I am surprised Chris Colfer didn't feel the urge to clean his weird sentences. The dialogue felt too rigid, and all those he said, she saids annoyed me (maybe more because it was an audiobook, complete with voice actors?) I have a feeling Colfer made Alex and Connor twins just so he could refer to them as...more

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Nov 13, 2012 Therese rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, read-in-english

So, was that ending exactly like the Narnia ending or what?

A part of me thinks I would've enjoyed the book more if I was a bit younger. The other part of me is saying "uhm Therese you read a lot of children books, and you don't have any problems with them." So who knows? Maybe I would've liked it more if I was 10. Maybe not.

The good parts:
* There were some really good and funny quotes.

The bad parts:
* The teacher at the start made me really, really angry. She was just extremely pretentious, and w...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Charlotte rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-releases, 100-books-in-a-year-challenge-2012

Initial Excitement:

I freaking love Chris Colfer, so excited for this!

My Review:

The Land of Stories was a delightful tale for anyone who ever enjoyed any fairy tale whatsoever. Even when our favorite tales ended, they were still continuing in this world. For example, Cinderella is pregnant and the Evil Queen is in Snow White's dungeon. Alex and Conner were realistic children who had to track down some impossible items, and reading about their journey was really fun.

First off, this book is gorgeou...more

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May 21, 2013 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was hesitant to read this book, having not enjoyed Colfer's other book, Struck by Lightning and also because this book delves into the world of fairy tales. Now I have nothing against fairy tales, I don't absolutely love them, but I don't hate them either. What bothers me is when authors create stories that mingle and weave into fairy tales because I pretty much never enjoy them.
So needless to say, I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this book when I started it, but I figured I'd give it a try...more I was hesitant to read this book, having not enjoyed Colfer's other book, Struck by Lightning and also because this book delves into the world of fairy tales. Now I have nothing against fairy tales, I don't absolutely love them, but I don't hate them either. What bothers me is when authors create stories that mingle and weave into fairy tales because I pretty much never enjoy them.
So needless to say, I wasn't really expecting to enjoy this book when I started it, but I figured I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did! I love that Colfer stayed true to the original fairy tales and I enjoyed his extensions to them. It was great to see that the fairy tale that was so well known to us was a part of each character's history, but that each of their lives continued. Surprisingly, I didn't find these additions to the characters bothersome at all!
I also really enjoyed the characters, and I'm so glad that Colfer added personality to all of them, especially characters like Jack and Red. And I love that he wasn't afraid to give some of his characters unlikable traits! Red is clearly selfish and self-centered, and while these traits so obviously make her an annoying character, it's kind of fun to dislike her. Kind of like how everyone loves to hate Dolores Umbridge.
What was probably one of my only problems with this book was that things seemed a little too easy for Alex and Connor. I know, some of you are probably going, 'um, did you read the book?!' and I promise you, I did! I was just slightly annoyed at how easily the twins managed to collect some of the items for The Wishing Spell. Reading about their adventures through the Troll and Goblin Territory, and the Dwarf Forests were pretty exciting, and I just found that there was far too much, 'let's walk into the castle and be handed the item we need, and then continue on our merry way.' Aspects of this book were also predictable, but that can be said for any book really, so I won't go into that.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I really enjoyed this book! It's something I'd love to have on my shelves for a long time, and I'd even consider reading it to my kids in the future!(less)

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May 10, 2013 Ahicks5 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: best-book-ever

The Land Of Stories is about a brother and sister, Conner and Alex, are sucked into a book of fairy tales and now has to get out of the book. This book is filled with great adventures. I was surprised at parts and sad and disappointed in some others. Alex and Conner are far from different as well. While Alex is super smart and always gets As, Conner more of slacks off in class, is always falling asleep in class, and always "guesses" on questions and on test. It has though been very hard for them...more The Land Of Stories is about a brother and sister, Conner and Alex, are sucked into a book of fairy tales and now has to get out of the book. This book is filled with great adventures. I was surprised at parts and sad and disappointed in some others. Alex and Conner are far from different as well. While Alex is super smart and always gets As, Conner more of slacks off in class, is always falling asleep in class, and always "guesses" on questions and on test. It has though been very hard for them lately because their father died in a car accident a year earlier. And they also never see their mother at all except for lunch, because their mother is a nurse and she never gets time off and never gets a chance to just talk to her own kids about their life. But the last place where I last left off, it was just Conner and Alex (also known as "the Bailey twins")birthday and their grandmother came and celebrated their birthday while their mother was yet again, working late. But one of the presents that they got was a book called "The Land Of Stories." The kids use to, when they were younger, come to their grandmothers house (when their father was still alive) and use to read that book all the time. But, that night when Alex was going to bed with the book, it started to glow and then it started whistling and Alex couldn't make it stop. But, Alex brought it to school anyway because she was afraid that her Mom would find it. But, during class Alex was doing things no one has never seen before. She was getting answers wrong, not listening, and falling asleep in class. It was almost like she was becoming her brother. But, then Alex asked to use the bathroom and took her backpack with her where the book was. Then, Conner went and followed her to the girls bathroom (don't ask me why he would go into the Girls Restroom.) And Alex was trying to tell Conner the truth, but Conner didn't believe her. Until, the book was starting to glow and hum again, and then all of sudden, a red bird flew out of the book, making them freak out. But, they just pretended that it never happened, Alex put it back into her backpack, and went back to class. But then, the humming started again, and that's when the teacher started getting mad, and she started walking around everyone, hoping to find where that sound was coming from. When the teacher did go to Alex's desk, the teacher was about to open her backpack, until Conner threw a book at the teachers head. Then, everyone just forgot about the humming, and was focus on Conner and the teacher fighting each other. But overall, this book has been the best book I've ever read. It's also cool that it did become #1 on the New York Times Best-Sellers for Children Books. But I would really recommended to get this book because its more adventure than you can think of, especially when they are about to release a sequel.(less)

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May 02, 2013 Ginger rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s

I really wanted to like this book -- it had all the elements of a story I like, but they were placed together so predictably. Now granted, I am not the target audience, but I like to give kids a little more credit than this. There was extremely obvious foreshadowing in some parts, and then out-of-the-blue new facts in others (that of course you could predict were somehow going to tie together, but they were still disjointed at the time introduced).

The ending was actually surprisingly well plotte...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have to admit that I am a big Glee fan (Klaine forever!) and I also absolutely adore fairy tale retellings. I am always leary of books written by singers and actors but I found myself immediately sucked into the Land of Stories and I forgot completely about who the author was. I'd say this book is perfect for 9-12 year olds or those in about that reading range. The Land of Spells is a fantastic imaginary world and I loved every time the young brother and sister stumbled upon a famous fairy tal...more

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Apr 07, 2013 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alex and Conner tossed and turned, with thoughts of the wishing spell all night, but there was no decision to make.
If the journal offered a possible way home, they would have to do anything and everything it instructed them to. They had no choice. They were about to embark on the greatest scavenger hunt of there lives.

Being a big Chris Colfer fan (Directed, starred and wrote indie move "Struck By Lightning", Actor on hit TV series "Glee" and amazing dude.) I was more than excited to read his...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Mrtracjk rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The book i read for this assignment is called "The Land of Stories" by Chris Colfer. This story is about two 12 year old Alex and Conner, twin's who are on a journey to find items for the wishing spell in the land of stories. It started when the twins grandma gave them a fairy tale book called The Land of Stories on their twelfth birthday, it was a book that their father and grandma treasured but a year ago their father died in a car accident and now it is passed on to Alex and Conner. One day t...more The book i read for this assignment is called "The Land of Stories" by Chris Colfer. This story is about two 12 year old Alex and Conner, twin's who are on a journey to find items for the wishing spell in the land of stories. It started when the twins grandma gave them a fairy tale book called The Land of Stories on their twelfth birthday, it was a book that their father and grandma treasured but a year ago their father died in a car accident and now it is passed on to Alex and Conner. One day the twin's fell through a portal,the book, and now the twins must find a way to get back home. They discovered the wishing spell, its a spell that grants you one wish but to use this spell you must have these 8 specific items, a lock of Rapunzel's hair, one of Cinderella's glass slippers, a piece of Red Riding Hood's first basket that she used to carry food to her grandmother's house, stone crown of the Troll King, a tear from a fairy, Sleeping Beauty's spindle, a jewel from Snow White's coffin, a saber. So, the twin's goes hunting for these items but the evil witch is also looking for these items and she's hot on their trails. While the twin's collect the items they discover after the fairy tales "Happily Ever After" didn't turn out what they thought it would be, it was unexpected. It turns out that the stories they know so well haven't ended up in this magical land- Goldilocks is now a wanted fugitive, Red Riding Hood has her own kingdom and is in love with Jack and the Beanstalk but he is also having a relationship with Goldilocks, Queen Cinderella is about to become a mother, and Snow White was the person that let the evil queen escape from prison! I like this book a lot because it made me feel like i was in the land of stories too, probably 'cause I'm a fan of fairy tales but even if i wasn't I'd still think this a great book. I had some rough times but when i started reading this book it made me hope and it kept me away from reality, which is scary for me sometimes. I wasn't a fond of Little Red Riding Hood's attitude in this story, it annoyed me a lot. She obsesses over Jack and she tries to ruin Goldilock and Jack's relationship. She brings trouble and she's really rude but other than that i really enjoyed this book and i would definitely read this again and i definitely recommend this book to read. (less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Jenni French rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: age-3-grades-3-5, genre-fantasy

Fame does not equal writing ability.

This book was written (and narrated, since I had the audio version) by Chris Colfer, who played Kurt on the show Glee. It sounded like a Fablehaven-esque story, and I was intrigued enough to give it a try. And while Colfer does an excellent job narrating the story - using different voices, etc. - the narration wasn't enough to keep me interested. The writing just isn't that good. He does a lot of telling and very little showing, and the story is peppered with...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Ellen Cohen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I must admit, I first knew of Chris Colfer through Glee...since then, though, I have been impressed by his remarkable versatility in a wide variety of areas--he's not just a teen actor, but a writer, producer, and director, though some of his original work is just getting off the ground. Still, I was not sure what to expect of a first novel, especially as a 20-year-old English major who usually reads classic works...

I was drawn in from the first chapter--the introduction, in fact--by the compell...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Crosby Bradford rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was shocked by how much I enjoyed this novel. I borrowed it from a friend for a bit of fun, easy reading and almost immediately was sucked into the world that Colfer borrows from and creates anew. I should have known from the brick size of the book that it wouldn't be a typical fairy tale type, but I was blown away by the story lines. The main characters, Conner, the class clown type who sleeps during class and his twin sister Alex, the class pet with no friends but her stories, are instantly...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Jordan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell is an enjoyable book if you can deal with great amounts of cheesiness and have a love for the stories that fairy tales tell. Like they have been for many years this book is another story that includes fairy tales re-written. You get to look at these fairy tales through a new lens and see how popular tales you have heard before are now related to others. At many times during the book I would think about how cheesy some parts were and I can't say it didn't ge...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Mandy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: advance-reader-copy

Yes, this book is in fact written by Chris Colfer who plays Kurt Hummel on Fox’s Glee. I’m not necessarily a huge Glee fan so that’s not why I chose to read this book. I love watching the musical numbers but don’t really enjoy the storyline and would rather just have an hour of back-to-back musical numbers. But I do like to see what other talents celebrities have to other. And as it turns out, Colfer is quite the storyteller. I saw Colfer speak at BookExpo America during the children’s author’s...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Brittany rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, favorite-books-that-i-read-in-2012, childhood

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is my review of The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Glee’s own Chris Colfer.

PLOT:
The story is about these twins named Alex and Conner Bailey. On their birthday their grandma gives them her fairy tale book called The Land of Stories. One day the book starts to glow, and hum, and the twins fall into the book, and into the fairy tale world. In the fairy tale world, they meet legendary fairy tale characters and some very unfriendly, and dangerous things on their journey to find the objec...more This is my review of The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Glee’s own Chris Colfer.

PLOT:
The story is about these twins named Alex and Conner Bailey. On their birthday their grandma gives them her fairy tale book called The Land of Stories. One day the book starts to glow, and hum, and the twins fall into the book, and into the fairy tale world. In the fairy tale world, they meet legendary fairy tale characters and some very unfriendly, and dangerous things on their journey to find the objects they need for the Wishing Spell that should get them back home.
The story was very enjoyable. While there were plot points and the identity of some characters that I had figured out maybe near the beginning, or in the middle of the book, it didn’t lessen my enjoyment.

CHARACTERS:
Alex is a bookworm and basically a walking fairy tale encyclopedia. I found that I related quite a bit to Alex and a lot of her reactions I believe would be mine as well. Conner, kind of reminded me of my brother. Conner was without a doubt the comic relief for not only the whole book, but also, for the tense situations. The relationship between Conner and Alex is very believable and reminded me of my brother and I.
Now, for the fairy tale characters. I loved Chris’ take on these classic characters. I especially loved the back story he gave the Evil Queen. The relationship between Goldilocks and Jack was also something I quite enjoyed. Red Riding Hood annoyed me quite a lot which I’m pretty sure was the intention. I really loved Chris’ explanation for why there was more than one Prince Charming.

WRITING:
For this being Chris’ first book I think he did a fantastic job. Chris is very good at describing things so clearly that you can easily and vividly picture them in your head. I, also, loved the dialogue and the humor throughout. I will admit while I read this I couldn’t help hearing Chris’ voice in my head. xD

Overall, I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Anyone who loves Chris, fairy tales, or both should most defiantly read this book.(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Whatchyareading added it · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, caitlin, series, fantasy

I hadn’t read an MG book in awhile, well unless you count the Son of Neptune, so I was really excited to pick this one up. Also it’s cover is gorgeous.

So, this book is written by an actor. And whenever a “celebrity” book is published I usually stay away. Far, far away. I absolutely understand why publishers will publish books “written” by Tyra Banks or that Snooki person. Instant money makers are important. They allow publishers to take risks on smaller projects that they are unsure of. But I do...more I hadn’t read an MG book in awhile, well unless you count the Son of Neptune, so I was really excited to pick this one up. Also it’s cover is gorgeous.

So, this book is written by an actor. And whenever a “celebrity” book is published I usually stay away. Far, far away. I absolutely understand why publishers will publish books “written” by Tyra Banks or that Snooki person. Instant money makers are important. They allow publishers to take risks on smaller projects that they are unsure of. But I don’t generally read these books.

But there was something about this one. I don’t know what. It just struck me that Chris Colfer wrote it because he wanted to tell as story. And it wasn’t a publicity thing or anything like that. And if you randomly came across this book in the bookstore you wouldn’t even know it was written by a rather famous person. I liked that.

Also, I love fairy tale retellings, especially when all the fairy tales are all smooshed together. And Goldilocks has to interact with Rapunzel. Or whatever. Throw in two modern kids who were raised on fairy tales and you’ve got a really interesting premise.

Throughout the story you can tell the author is aware that this is not a completely original story and I enjoyed how he embraced it and sometimes made a joke of it. Also, no matter how many fairy tale retellings I read, I’m always intrigued by the way everyone imagines classic characters slightly differently. Some people make Goldilocks a villainous little cretin, some make her a Robin Hood-esque hero. And I loved getting to meet all the familiar yet new characters in this book.

Also, I loved that the siblings pulled into the book, Alex especially, treated it almost like a vacation at first, and a little throughout. She wanted to see all the things she had grown up imagining and who cares if it might be dangerous or difficult. It was as if she was a tourist in her own imagination and she wasn’t going to miss a single bit of it.

I do have to say though, that despite all the good things in this book, I found the writing to be a little condescending. Or, it felt as if the author was talking down to the people reading the book. Things were over-explained and not a lot left up to interpretation. And you might think, “that’s okay, it’s a kids book.” But I disagree. I’ve ready plenty of MG books that were easier reads, and definitely written for people reading their first novels, but they did not make me feel that way. You know? It doesn’t kill the story but made it less enjoyable for me. And gave me a lot to skim.

Other than that, I was happy with the quality of writing this book has.

Have you read it? Did you like it? How do you feel about celebrities writing books?

Thanks to Hachette Book Group Canada for providing me with a copy!

This book was reviewed at WhatchYAreading.net on July 28, 2012.(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 Sophie Train Clark rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a big fan of Glee and Chris Colfer in general, I felt that I had to read this book so I ordered two copies (one for me and another as a present for a friend, also a big fan) a few days after it came out. I started reading instantly and enjoyed it. I came for Chris Colfer but stayed for the book.
As a child, I loved fairy tales, both the originals and the Disney versions, but over the past few years, I lost this passion. The Land of Stories definitely reignited this childhood love of mine and...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Brittany rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was eagerly anticipating this book as I adore Chris Colfer with all of my heart, and I wasn't disappointed at all! As a kid I was such a bookworm (still am) and books have always been a source of escapism for me. I could see in his storytelling that Colfer has also experienced this need to escape into books and he provides an excellent book to 'fall' into. The fairy tale aspect was very creative and fun to read - I loved his interpretations and the way he weaved all the tales together. Admitte...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Cleo rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alex and Conor are two twins who couldn't be more different. Alex is a smart and bookish girl and Conor slacks off and frequently takes naps at school. The Bailey family has been having financial difficulties ever since the twins' father was killed in an accident. Alex and Conor's grandmother gives them a book of fairy tales called The Land of Stories, which begins to mysteriously glow. Alex and Conor end up falling through the book into the very land which it describes!

I enjoyed the plot of thi...more Alex and Conor are two twins who couldn't be more different. Alex is a smart and bookish girl and Conor slacks off and frequently takes naps at school. The Bailey family has been having financial difficulties ever since the twins' father was killed in an accident. Alex and Conor's grandmother gives them a book of fairy tales called The Land of Stories, which begins to mysteriously glow. Alex and Conor end up falling through the book into the very land which it describes!

I enjoyed the plot of this middle-grade fantasy novel. But the writing, alas, left much to be desired. It was stilted and unreal; in the hands of another author this could have been a great book. But Colfer's descriptions of the wonders of the various kingdoms fell flat, and I couldn't really picture the scenes in my head. And the characters weren't well fleshed out and developed other than stereotypes (Alex the good student and teacher's pet, Conor the slacker.)

However, as I said, the actual story-line itself was good. I enjoyed the land that Colfer created, even if I couldn't quite picture it in my head. That said, I think some beautiful color plates would have really helped and added a whole lot to the book. But Little Brown didn't do that (incidentally, Little Brown refused to give me a review copy, so I borrowed it from Emily.)

Ah, yes, back to the writing. On page 215 there is a description of Red Riding Hood, now a queen: "Red Riding Hood was a very pretty young woman around the same age as Jack. She had bright blue eyes and blonde hair that was done up glamorously behind her crown. She wore a long, red gown with a matching hooded cape and a pink corset. She wore a necklace with a massive diamond, her shoulders were completely bare, and she wore a pair of long gloves with a dozen sparkly rings on her fingers." First lesson of writing class. Never start two sentences with the exact same phrase. Plus, Colfer uses "she wore" a second time in the second sentences. And "pretty"? Really? It sounds awkward and is not very creative. The Evil Queen's back-story was quite interesting though.

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Nov 01, 2012 Kidsmomo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review from Karen, intended for young readers:

Have you ever wanted to fall into the world of your favorite book — explore its streets and meet its inhabitants? Well, that’s exactly what happens in the new book The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer.

If that author’s name sounds familiar to you, it’s not because you’ve read other books of his (this is his first). It’s because you’ve seen him on Glee, playing Kurt Hummel! So, how did this actor do as an author? Not bad, I’d say!

One...more Review from Karen, intended for young readers:

Have you ever wanted to fall into the world of your favorite book — explore its streets and meet its inhabitants? Well, that’s exactly what happens in the new book The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer.

If that author’s name sounds familiar to you, it’s not because you’ve read other books of his (this is his first). It’s because you’ve seen him on Glee, playing Kurt Hummel! So, how did this actor do as an author? Not bad, I’d say!

One of Colfer’s favorite series is The Chronicles of Narnia, and you can see how it influenced his own book. But The Land of Stories is no Narnia — Colfer can really belt it out on Glee, but I don’t think he quite as successfully breathes life into his characters and setting; they lack the spark and dimension that make you fall in love with the people and places in your favorite books.

Also, the writing seems sort of heavy and dull sometimes, like it’s just moving along the story. Then again, it’s a pretty awesome story! One day, twins Alex and Conner literally drop into a book of fairy tales, and they find themselves in the actual world where all the stories take place. But this is the land after “Ever After” — Cinderella is pregnant, Sleeping Beauty has been awake and ruling her kingdom for years, Goldilocks is an outlaw, and Snow White has imprisoned her evil stepmother.

Sounds like a fascinating place to explore — and Alex sure would like to stay a while and do just that, but soon it becomes clear that this world has its dangers and the twins need to focus on getting home. Apparently, there’s only one way to do that, and it’s going to be a challenge! (Hint: It involves the “wishing spell” of the book’s title.) Can Conner and Alex conquer their quest and return to their family, or will they be stuck in this story world forever?

If you want to know what happens, I definitely recommend that you read The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell. You won’t enter a wholly original world like Narnia, Hogwarts, Oz, etc. but it’s a fun read that constantly keeps you wondering what’s up next!

This review also appears on Kidsmomo.com.(less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Susan Paredes rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell by Chris Colfer. Ages 8 and up. Grades 3 and up.Parents who enjoy reading fairy tales stories for their children, will enjoy this story. The chapters are a page turner. When Alex and Conner’s grandmother gives them a special fairy tale book, they have no idea the journey from which they will embark. The twins must recall the stories they know so well to return home. However, Alex and Conner soon discover the stories they were familiarized hasn't ended in th...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Fiona rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Rating: 3.25
Overall impression: I think this would be better suited as a movie or a show, but not really a book. But, if I were still in middle school I would have loved this book.

What I liked:
≈Two kids enter a fairy-tale world. (Idea is great.)
≈The pacing was good and it was nice to see other sides to the fairy-tales we know.
≈"BE TROLL, BE GOBLIN, OR BE AFRAID"
≈use of the word Xanthous
≈"'It's so cold, I think we may be twin sisters now,' he said."

What I disliked:
≈Alex and Conner's personalities...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Bookworm rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“Someday, you will be old enough to read fairy tales again.”
- C.S Lewis

I guess I never grew up then because I was never once tired of reading fairy tales.

This is a book for anyone, whether you’re 7 or 70, whether you often have your head in the clouds or if you’re a realist. The Land of Stories is definitely not your run-of-the-mill fantasy story. Main characters, twins Alex and Connor Bailey fell into a fairytale book their Grandma gave them on their twelfth birthdays. The journey that follow...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Guillermo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Kids ages 7 to 13

Recommended to Guillermo by: The editor

Shelves: tv-related, novel

The author of this book is one of the young prodigies in Hollywood-land, being one of the stars of the musical hit Glee where he plays Kurt Hummel. But this 22 year old man has launched himself to the quest of becoming the ultimate multiple threat, adding to his resumee stuff like a Golden Globe win, a couple of Emmy Nominatios, writing and directing credits in movies. But that´s not all... he also wrote a Fairy Tales book called
The Land of Stories - The Wishing Spell, a book that was almost imm...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Making this into a stage play! Help?	1	4	Apr 02, 2013 08:36pm
Good or not?	18	83	Mar 18, 2013 06:36am
What wishing spell object would be the coolest to have	2	12	Mar 17, 2013 03:21pm
Did Chris Give Conner His Sense of Humor?	1	25	Oct 18, 2012 07:58am
That's What She Read: Discuss: The Wishing Spell	1	10	Aug 18, 2012 02:11pm

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