Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Greenwitch (The Dark is Rising #3)

by Susan Cooper (Goodreads Author)

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 11,244 ratings · 331 reviews

Simon, Jane, and Barney, enlisted by their mysterious great-uncle, arrive in a small coastal town to recover a priceless golden grail stolen by the forces of evil -- Dark. They are not at first aware of the strange powers of another boy brought to help, Will Stanton -- nor of the sinister significance of the Greenwitch, an image of leaves and branches that for centuries ha...more

Paperback, 192 pages

Published October 1st 2000 by Margaret K. McElderry Books (first published 1974)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine

Best Pre Teen Female Fantasy Novels

112th out of 390 books — 704 voters

One Word Titles

74th out of 575 books — 56 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Oct 11, 2012 Cassandra rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: speculative-and-fantastic, reviewed, 2012challenge, y-a-lit

Beautiful, haunting, and gloriously inventive. Some have complained of the plotting or pacing in this book, but my only complaint is that it didn't last longer. Despite the brevity, however, it doesn't feel rushed--Susan Cooper ends it on exactly the right note, a sigh of relief mingled with just a touch of melancholy and a final surprising burst of wonder.

When it comes to spectacle and sheer blessed creativity, this one far overpasses anything Cooper had done before. Sure, there may not be as...more

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 13, 2009 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, arthurian, favourites, children-s-and-ya, based-on-myth-saga-etc

I'm probably becoming repetitive with my reviews of this sequence. Parts of this book, especially the descriptions, are just glorious and perfect. I think of it as the book that focuses more on Jane, too, which is always interesting as she's the only real key female character. It also contains one of my favourite scenes/images from the sequence: Barney scrying.

There are some very interesting newer concepts introduced in this book. We've already met the Wild Magic, in a sense, in the form of Her...more

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 13, 2009 Tyas rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, susan-cooper

So, in this third book, the Drews finally met Will Stanton through their mutual Merriman. At first, the Drew children were jealous of Will and they decided not to be nice with him - but they soon found out that their fates were intertwined with that of Will, the last of the Old Ones.

There are some reasons why I really enjoyed this book:
- Most of the time, we see Will through the eyes of the Drew children. Somehow, there's a distance that makes Will appear more magical, more grown up, more... Old...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 17, 2012 Rosalinda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Main Character/s: Simon, Jane, Barney, Will Stanton, Great-Uncle Merry
Setting: Village of Trewissick in South Cornwall
POV: Switches between characters depending on chapter

Summary: This novel is the third volume in a series titled The Dark Is Rising. In this volume the Drew children (Jane, Simon, and Barney) are brought back to the fishing village of Trewissick in South Cornwall by the great-uncle Merry. The kids are brought back to this town because Merry needs their help in finding the magica...more

like · see review

Aug 09, 2012 Arthur-raphael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Builds on the previous two books in the series. Having so recently read Over Sea, Under Stone and The Dark is Rising, I can say that Greenwitch achieves a balance between the two, making up for each book's main shortcomings. The eternal battle between the Light and the Dark continue as the Sign Seeker Will Stanton arrives in Trewissick and with the help of the Drew children - Barney, Simon and Jane - embarks on a hunt for the Grail: a mysterious Thing of Power that was stolen by an agent of the...more Builds on the previous two books in the series. Having so recently read Over Sea, Under Stone and The Dark is Rising, I can say that Greenwitch achieves a balance between the two, making up for each book's main shortcomings. The eternal battle between the Light and the Dark continue as the Sign Seeker Will Stanton arrives in Trewissick and with the help of the Drew children - Barney, Simon and Jane - embarks on a hunt for the Grail: a mysterious Thing of Power that was stolen by an agent of the Dark.
The first book features the Drew children in what is essentially a classic treasure hunt. While it was well written and exciting, the tone throughout the story remains too light and at times even generic. Their search for the grail, as well as allusions to Arthurian legend, do not lend much originality to what is a rather mundane - though well-written - premise. In the second book, Will Stanton's journey rather takes the reader by surprise and leaves us hanging as we are distanced from the protagonist's powers and wisdom. Greenwitch, on the other hand, places the Drew children as the main protagonists in a story that is very much about Will. This decision gives readers more support as the story happens from the perspective of ordinary characters, not some unattainable Old One. It's a good transition from the preternatural setting to a supernatural hero.
One of the things I absolutely love about this series is its roots in real customs and traditions. Unlike traditional high fantasy, which usually takes place in some Middle Earth and contains impossible creatures, The Dark is Rising Sequence occurs just under our noses on Earth, in this case a Cornish town. The magic has its roots in Pagan traditions and lends a greater sense of wonder to the reader. The characters and creatures are simple: The Old Ones, the Sign Seeker, the Painter, the Walker, the Rider. These titles give a sense of magical simplicity that makes the books feel more real. There are no boggarts or elves or boogiemen in this book, but what it does have seems to be possible in the realm of reality.
One thing I do miss though is the scenery from the second book. The rural midwinter England, with its woodlands and endless snow, as well as a sparse population allow the readers to feel desolate in what becomes an eerie setting full of invisible wonder and naked terror. Setting this book in a coastal tower seems to blunt that sense of loneliness, if just a bit. Despite this, by no means is Greenwitch a disappointing read. It is a book that has left this reader a great sense of satisfaction, and firmly establishes the pace for the next book, The Grey King.(less)

like · see review

May 07, 2012 Jill Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

BOOK REVIEW by Jill Smith © November 2008

It always surprises me when I find I’ve picked up a book cheaply somewhere, only to discover it is part of a series that winds its way into your imagination begging for the whole tale to be read. This book is exactly that. This was released in January 1977 (another surprise) and is the third in the The Dark is Rising Sequence. It is also marked as reading for 5 to 8 year olds, which I personally find ridiculous; anyone of any age would enjoy the tale entw...more BOOK REVIEW by Jill Smith © November 2008

It always surprises me when I find I’ve picked up a book cheaply somewhere, only to discover it is part of a series that winds its way into your imagination begging for the whole tale to be read. This book is exactly that. This was released in January 1977 (another surprise) and is the third in the The Dark is Rising Sequence. It is also marked as reading for 5 to 8 year olds, which I personally find ridiculous; anyone of any age would enjoy the tale entwined with legend and myths.

The book blurb is simple; Jane, Simon and Barney are once more in Cornwall with their extraodinary Great-Uncle Merry. This time they are joined by Will Stanton as they search again for the grail, recently stolen from the British Museum.

Not having had the benefit of having read the earlier books Over Sea, Under Stone or The Dark is Rising did nothing to dispel the intrigue and delight of the tale. It begins simply enough, three children are going on holidays. They are joined in the Cornish seaside village by a friend of their rather unique Uncle Merry and his nephew Will Stanton. Jane is annoyed that her brother Simon is put out by Wills presence and is quite rude towards him.

Jane is invited, as the only female visitor to take part in an ancient ritual held on the cliff tops, the making of the Greenwitch. She is unnerved by the power generated by the result. Meanwhile Simon and Barney find themselves lured to a gipsy camp where a battle far greater than they can realize takes place.

The tale of good verses evil and the way the mythology is entangled with ordinary life in this century makes the journey swiftly read. Jane is the only one who seems to realize that Will is something different and that he is very like their off beat Uncle Merry.

Naturally now I will have to get the series which I am delighted to see is available in box sets that concludes with after Greenwitch, The Grey King and Silver on the Tree. The whole series is five books that can be purchased on line. A Christmas present for myself I think, you might like to join me.
(less)

like · see review

Jan 31, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Folklore, fantasy, and adventure lovers. Also lovers of crossovers!!!

Recommended to Nicole by: Library

And thus ends the third book in the Dark is Rising series: Greenwitch. In a way, although this is the shortest book out of the five in the series, this book is also one of the books that I enjoy the most and have always remembered the most. It smooths into the gaping space and distance the first two books had from each other and melds them simultaneously and with such naturalness that you barely even notice that it's done before you've gotten to the end of the book and are wishing--eagerly and i...more

like · see review

Sep 01, 2011 Andres rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

The first book in this series was a treasure hunt plot with hints of magic. The second book in this series was all about the magic with little actual plot. This book, the third in the series, combines the two, with magic AND a plot. The results are... okay.

My main problem with the series so far is that not a lot of details are given about this ongoing battle between the Light and the Dark. Through two books we've been told of this ancient battle, and we've sort of seen some fights, but though th...more The first book in this series was a treasure hunt plot with hints of magic. The second book in this series was all about the magic with little actual plot. This book, the third in the series, combines the two, with magic AND a plot. The results are... okay.

My main problem with the series so far is that not a lot of details are given about this ongoing battle between the Light and the Dark. Through two books we've been told of this ancient battle, and we've sort of seen some fights, but though the effort to make them epic is there, the pay off has been rather anemic. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to the magic being used, and it usually comes down to "magnet magic": if one side is more powerful than the other, the other will be repelled. And the Light is always more powerful. That's it. No actual physical fighting, no swishing of arms or wands or beards or hands or sticks or anything. It's the Old Ones standing there, doing something not exactly visible, staring down the enemy and the enemy fleeing. Not very riveting.

(There is more action in this book than in TDIR, but even that was a letdown---the climactic "battle" was interesting but didn't seem to fit very well---like a lot of what happens in these books, showy but not very convincing.)

Another of my problems is with capitalizing things to make them more significant---here we have the White Lady, Wild Magic, the Lady of the Sea, the Law, High Magic, and Cold Spells. They're mentioned but nothing is really explained. What exactly is this Law we're hearing about for the first time? Why would using Cold Spells cause the evil painter to be detected? Does that mean there are Hot Spells and Warm Spells and Lukewarm Spells? What's the difference between them? What's the difference between Wild and High Magic? Does that mean there is a Middle or Medium or Intermediary Magic? No answers here.

A really annoying part involves talk or mention of "the spell of Mana and the spell of Reck and the spell of Lir." Whenever they are mentioned, they are ALL mentioned. They don't say "the spells of Mana, Reck, and Lir." No, they say "the spell of Mana and the spell of Reck and the spell of Lir." Are the spells explained at all? Nope. Are we told who are Mana, Reck or Lir? Nope.

This book at least had forward momentum, but the ins and outs of this magical world are still as enigmatic as they were at the beginning. The Old Ones can't be hurt, so there's no sense of danger there. The Dark can't directly hurt any mortals, so there's no danger there since no mortals have even been indirectly harassed.

I'm sensing that lots of myths and legends are being alluded to lightly or heavily, but since I'm not familiar with them they're lost on me. And if knowing them would make these books much more enjoyable, then that's quite a huge flaw for these books to have. They should work just as well on their own, without this prior knowledge. So far, they're lacking.

I'm sure I'll have more to complain about in the next one, but the next one is the only book to win a Newbury Medal, so who knows?(less)

1 like · like · see review

Aug 28, 2011 Stuart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Though it's not as stunning as THE DARK IS RISING, this third installment of the series has its moments and for such a sleek, small volume it packs a better punch that OVER SEA, UNDER STONE, from which the Drew children are once more brought into the story. This time the primary focus is on Jane, most interesting and least developed from the previous novel, but much more complex and compelling this time around. The scenes between her and the titular entity are the best chapters of the book and t...more

like · see review

May 01, 2011 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I read The Dark Is Rising and Greenwitch back-to-back, so here is a review of both at once:

My overall impression of this series so far is that the stories are FANTASTIC but the characters are somewhat weak/contrived: the stories themselves carry you through the books, but if you stop to look at the characters themselves, they come across as emotionless and somewhat robotic. They always seem to know what they should do, and things often fall into place without them doing much. Also, I find the ch...more

like · see review

Mar 03, 2011 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-and-ya, fantasy

Greenwitch isn't my favourite book of the series, but I do appreciate it a lot. It's beautifully written, and it features Jane more prominently, I think, than at other times -- she does have her place in other books, but it's her impulses and her goodness that really win through for the Light in this book. Without her, they'd be really, really stuck. She embodies some things that the Light lacks, or rather, can't consider. They're concerned with cold, absolute justice, but like John Rowlands, in...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 12, 2010 Jenna rated it 3 of 5 stars

With the third book in The Dark Is Rising series I feel I'm finally able to describe this properly. The books are turning out quite good. They are imaginative and colorful, with likable characters and interesting plot. I still have a feeling of disconnect from the story, but I think it's more because of my age.

For instance, this series is a somewhat typical good vs. evil adventure, yet the evil isn't really very evil. Magic is used but really the only bad things that happen are a sister and a do...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 17, 2010 Janis rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Children's fantasy novel. Book 3 in The Dark is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper.

The Drew children from book one and Will Stanton from book 2 are back--of course along with Merriman Lyon--in Cornwall (the setting for the first book) as they help fulfill more of the prophecy regarding the battle of The Light and The Dark.

After the Grail they had found (book one) is stolen from the museum where it was housed he Drew children are pleased to return to Cornwall with their favorite "Great-Uncle Merry,...more

like · see review

Apr 29, 2009 Kerry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, 8, fantasy, childrens, audiobooks, reread

Greenwitch, the third in Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence, is just a little book. I don't know how many pages the paper version runs to, but as an audiobook it was only four and a half hours long. I actually started it last year, but stalled when Christmas got in the way, so I started it again earlier this week (mostly so I could include it in my 2009 challenges I admit). I finished it in a few days, something that is most unusual for me with an audiobook.

Greenwitch begins with the th...more Greenwitch, the third in Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence, is just a little book. I don't know how many pages the paper version runs to, but as an audiobook it was only four and a half hours long. I actually started it last year, but stalled when Christmas got in the way, so I started it again earlier this week (mostly so I could include it in my 2009 challenges I admit). I finished it in a few days, something that is most unusual for me with an audiobook.

Greenwitch begins with the theft of the grail the Drew children found in Over Sea, Under Stone. Merriman quickly recruits them to try to recover it and they return to Trewissick, soon finding themselves joined by Will Stanton and Captain Toms, the owner of the Grey House where they stayed the summer before. This is really Jane's story, with her brothers and Will as the supporting cast, further supported by Merriman and Captain Toms.

She is invited to witness the making of the Greenwitch, a massive creation of wood and stones that the women of the village make through the night once a year. At daybreak, the Greenwitch is tipped over the cliff into the sea. Jane is told that she is welcome to make a wish on the Greenwitch, like the other women of Trewissick. Impulsively, instead of wishing something for herself, Jane wishes for the Greenwitch to be happy, a wish that will have major consequences.

Meanwhile, Simon and Barney have an encounter with an agent of the Dark, who has the grail and is trying to recover the manuscript that came with it and ended up at the bottom of the sea at the end of Over Sea, Under Stone. But it is the Greenwich who has claimed the cannister holding the manuscript and who recovers it will be a major factor in the current balance between the Light and the Dark.

This is Jane's story and she shines here. She is the quieter, more thoughtful one compared to her brothers, but in this case those are the attributes that are needed to reach the Greenwitch and persuade it to give up its "secret". The end scene, with Will, on the rocks, is lovely and it is only the thoughtful girl and the Old One in the guise of a boy that would think to give the Greenwitch a new treasure to protect. It would never occur to Simon or Barney, and that most likely is why this is not "their" book. They took centre stage in Over Sea, Under Stone and now it is Jane's turn.

Alex Jennings is an excellent narrator and it was a pleasure to listen to him reader Susan Cooper's lyrical prose. She can shift easily between lively interaction between the characters and evocative descriptions of the location or magical events. The Wild Magic is prevalent again in this book and it is beautifully described and beautifully narrated.

I'm thoroughly enjoying my reread of this series and I look forward to The Grey King, although I'm going to be listening to Magician's Gambit next. I figure that alternating between the lyrical and thoughtful Dark is Rising books and the light and fun Belgariad books should be a nice balance.

Greenwitch
Susan Cooper
The Dark is Rising, Book 3
8/10

Qualifies for: 100+ Reading Challenge(less)

like · see review

Dec 09, 2009 Tina added it · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s, fantasy

Greenwitch brings together the Drew children of Over Sea, Under Stone and Will Stanton of The Dark Is Rising. The Drew children have to deal with many things, the theft of the hard won grail, Great-uncle Merry bringing this other child with, and the fact that Merry and Will clearly have something in common that the Drews don’t understand. There is clearly…something about Barney, but it’s not clear what. He can’t be an old one, being younger than the “last one”. However, if anyone could have look...more

like · see review

Apr 02, 2011 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy

This is the third installment of the Dark is Rising series. It should not be read as a standalone and I highly recommend reading the first two books ahead of this one for all the background information on the characters that they contain. It is vitaly important to read this book for the rest of the series though as there is a lot of information contained within. If you continue with this review, please be warned that there are spoilers for the previous books ahead.

From the first book we know tha...more This is the third installment of the Dark is Rising series. It should not be read as a standalone and I highly recommend reading the first two books ahead of this one for all the background information on the characters that they contain. It is vitaly important to read this book for the rest of the series though as there is a lot of information contained within. If you continue with this review, please be warned that there are spoilers for the previous books ahead.

From the first book we know that the Drew children had found the holy grail despite the forces of dark trying to get it first. That cup has now gone missing from the library and Merriman Lyon, the mysterious figure in both the Drew children's lives and Will Stanton's (last of the old ones from the 2nd book), believes that it is being taken back to where it was found. With both the children and Will along, they return there to try to find it. But they return at a unique time of the year. The festivities of the Greenwitch are being held and Jane Drew is allowed to come watch her making. She is a sad figure made of plants and is released into the sea with the wishes of the townsfolk every year. But in fact she is very powerful, more than most humans will know. The dark wants this power and the children, Merriman and the rest of the light will have to defeat them to get it.

The characters were a bit rushed in this book. Will, who I normally love, just didn't seem like his normal self and took too much of a backseat in this story. The Drew children were bratty, except for Jane. Merriman, who is a mysterious figure, should probably have just a bit more detail shown for him to keep him compelling. I do like that they brought the dog back for this book as I thought he was a neat character.

The plot drags a bit and while it has the potential to be very exciting, it is kind of lackluster. That's not to say this isn't a good book. It is still very well done, just not as good as the first two. Since it is a children's series it can be simplistic at times, but there is nothing offensive within the book. It does have its scary moments, but they aren't too bad and all but the meekest should be able to handle them.

While its not my favorite of the series it still does provide a good amount of important information. I definitely recommend reading it as a part of the series.

Greenwitch
Copyright 1974
131 pages

Review by M. Reynard(less)

like · see review

Aug 06, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, childrens, fantasy, young-adult

Greenwitch was the last that I read of the five Dark is Rising books, and that first reading was as an adult, so I don't view it through the glasses of nostalgia like the others. Despite that disadvantage, I'm very fond of Greenwitch. It's very much Jane's book, and it has a fairy-tale sort of feeling to it; when the women make the Greenwitch, the girls make wishes, and only Jane makes a selfless wish, for which she is later rewarded.

Greenwitch introduces Will Stanton to the Drews. They - the bo...more

like · see review

Feb 11, 2012 Tommy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, fantasy-sci-fi

This book was fine but nothing remarkable. Similar to the other books in the series I think that this book lacked development and a driving force behind the narrative. It just seemed like a bunch of things happened. I suppose it may be attributed to the fact that it was written for a younger audience who may be more story driven and less interested in details or motivation but I still think there could have been more.

The Harry Potter books are accessible to younger readers and have a reasonably...more

like · see review

Nov 02, 2012 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

The third in The Dark Is Rising sequence, Greenwitch involves three siblings, Jane, Barney, and Simon, who travel with their great-uncle Merriman to spend a holiday week in a Welsh seaside town. All innocuous enough, on the surface, but the siblings know that an adventure awaits. And sure enough, soon a good one develops. At the heart of it is a boy named Will Stanton and an ancient, annual ceremony that has the women of the town creating an effigy, called the Greenwitch, out of twigs and leaves...more

like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the Dark is Rising series. It introduces the siblings from the first book (Over Sea, Under Stone), Barney, Simon and Jane, to the main character from the second book (The Dark is Rising), Will Stanton. I loved watching them meet and seeing the series begin to flesh out. The first two books seemed so disconnected to me and this one really brought it all together.

The kids are all around the same age, (except Barney, the youngest), but as we learned in The Dark is Rising,...more

like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Jess Cattanach rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013, tower-teams-team-c, owned

I was debating whether this book deserved a three or four star rating, but decided on three in the end. It was better than the second book in the series, and really quite similar to the first. While I enjoyed Over Sea, Under Stone, this was essentially the same sort of thing, except that now Will joined Merriman and the children in Trewissick, trying to reclaim the grail from the Dark.

There were a few scenes in this book that came off as quite creepy, which is an improvement over The Dark is Ris...more

like · see review

Nov 15, 2011 Dorothea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In my review of The Dark Is Rising, I said that one thing I didn't like about the book (re-reading it as an adult) was the Good vs. Evil dichotomy. Greenwitch has it too, but I found myself more prompted by the text to consider whether I was supposed to be reading the Good as purely good. This might be because Greenwitch gives more opportunities for this kind of questioning, but maybe also because of the thought I've given the matter since finishing The Dark Is Rising.

For example: the memory-era...more

like · see review

Oct 04, 2012 Kevin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was excited because my favorite characters of the series were back in this book. It held up to expectations for the most part. Susan Cooper seemed to have learned from her mistakes and she explained both legends before they actually happened. The climax though is never really explained. She never says why the Greenwitch went crazy. Is that normal? Or was she provoked? Was it both? I don't know. But the conclusion was great so it sort of made up for it. I had one issue with it and that is that...more

like · see review

Feb 10, 2011 robyn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: quest, magic

Book three in the Dark is Rising sequence feels like a step away from the directed, dramatic story in Dark is Rising. Part of it is the reintroduction of the Drew kids from Over Sea, Under Stone; part of it is the slight (but sinister) nature of the story itself.

So far as marrying the rather disparate characters of the first two books, it works pretty well. It's interesting, again, to see Merriman and more especially Will through the Drews' eyes; Will seems more sure of himself and altogether mo...more

like · see review

Jul 17, 2011 Sienna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Wow, I really loved this one. Ancient Cornish rituals! Rufus, the preternaturally helpful dog! Gypsy caravans! Hallucinatory visions of the past coming to life! And, of course, some incredibly beautiful language. Cooper beautifully expressed (through the eyes of ordinary, if perceptive, children) just how odd the Old Ones must seem when seen together. The Drew children are better developed in this one, a much-needed spotlight on Jane in this otherwise male-dominated sequence, and even the Dark's...more

like · see review

Dec 22, 2012 Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

And belatedly continuing my rereads of these books before the New Year... Greenwitch is definitely not my favourite of the books, but I rank it a bit ahead of Over Sea, Under Stone, because it's just that little bit more mature, and some of the events are so mysterious that I can't help but be intrigued. The haunting of Trewissick, everything to do with Tethys, the weirdness with the caravan... Susan Cooper doesn't bother too greatly about giving a ton of explanations, and I actually like that,...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 29, 2012 Nikki rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-and-ya, fantasy, based-on-myth-saga-etc

Not my favourite book of this sequence, but fun nonetheless -- mostly because of the clash of characters. Barney and Simon's outrage at another boy intruding into their special relationship with Merriman, and their special quest, is just so human and believable. And there's nothing that demonstrates Will's strangeness as well as his refusal to quarrel with them, his adult and distant attitude.

I think the other great thing about this one is the atmosphere. Once the Greenwitch enters the equation,...more

4 likes · like · see review

Aug 01, 2010 Erin Reilly-Sanders rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, juvenile, fiction

I had meant to skip this one of the series after being so disappointed with Over Sea Under Stone and it returning to those characters, but my husband picked it out for a car trip and it ended up being decent. Still not as good as The Dark is Rising or The Grey King, but way better than the first of the series, since Will Stanton joins the Drew children and all of a sudden there is more magic and excitement. It is a lot easier to skip around in this series than I had originally supposed, possibly...more

like · see review

Mar 27, 2013 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 300, fiction, scifi-fantasy-paranormal, united-kingdom, youth, middle-grades, young-adult

I liked this book better than the first two in the series, possibly because I read this one while I listened to the other two on audio. Also, this book is the beginning of bringing the stories together. The first book focused on a set of siblings vacationing on the Cornish coast who end up in a hunt for a Celtic grail with mystical writing (Over Sea, Under Stone). The second book focused on Will Stanton, a young man who discovers he is one of the "Old Ones" who are part of the "Light" fighting a...more

like · see review

May 09, 2011 Jared rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2007

I recently finished reading "The Dark is Rising" series by Susan Cooper. While I admit that I have read the first two books, "Over Sea, Under Stone" and "The Dark is Rising" many times, I can't say that I remember reading the rest of the series. So here are my thoughts:

Over Sea, Under Stone (OS): Wonderful beginning to the series. Very believable character and an interesting plot line. The book never seems to drag and before you know it, you are finished. Characters are very good and you really...more I recently finished reading "The Dark is Rising" series by Susan Cooper. While I admit that I have read the first two books, "Over Sea, Under Stone" and "The Dark is Rising" many times, I can't say that I remember reading the rest of the series. So here are my thoughts:

Over Sea, Under Stone (OS): Wonderful beginning to the series. Very believable character and an interesting plot line. The book never seems to drag and before you know it, you are finished. Characters are very good and you really feel a part of their quest. My rating: A

The Dark is Rising (DR): The second book in this series garnished a Newbery Honor and it is well deserved. While a bit more on the darker side, this book introduces a new character and finally clues us into the struggle that is happening in the world we were introduced to in OS. The plot is excellent and there are many mysteries that need to be solved which draw the reader into the story. Again, excellent characters and character development. My rating: A

Greenwitch (GW): Here is where the series gets interesting and where I start having a hard time. We see character from OS and DR come together in this story. While the story is intriguing, it doesn't really seem to fit with the series as a whole and seems to have been an afterthought to bridge the gap between DR and GK. However, there is one crucial piece of prophecy that is given that is essential for the remaining books. My rating: C+

The Grey King (GK): This story takes an even darker route than DR and GW and introduces us to a new character that is part of the remaining struggle between the light and the dark. While this story won the Newbery Medal, I can't see why. The book introduces many Welsh and Arthurian customs, terminology, and mythology that makes the book hard to follow. While it does use the prophecy given GW, the overall book seemed to be lacking and I was ready to give up on the series but pushed on as I was only one book away from the end. My rating: C

Silver on the Tree (ST): The conclusion to the entire series started off dragging and again I thought about giving up on the series. At first, the characters seem to be going nowhere, there is nothing to move the plot, and the story is rich again in Welsh mythology and Arthurian legend. The characters from OS, DR, and GK all meet up in this story for the final battle between the light and the dark. The story did pick up toward the end of the first part and then took a twist that I had a hard time with. Will and Bran are whisked away to the mysterious "Lost Land" for the second part of the story. It almost seems as if they are in a dream the entire time in the lost land. I had a very hard time with this part. While there are important things happening in the lost land, it just didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book. Once out of the lost land, we enter the final rising of the dark. Suddenly we are pulled through multiple times and locations in the matter of a couple pages and then expected to bring it all together as they finally enter into the final struggle. While the final struggle was very believable, I just didn't have the background in Welsh and Arthurian tradition to understand everything. However, it end up being a good read. My rating: B-

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this series to children. While well written, there is too much outside the books that readers are expected to know as they read the series. especially in regards to Arthurian and Welsh legends. The series had a good moral and when all said and done was a good read. I would definitely recommend OS and DR to anyone. They were my favorites in this series.(less)

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (37)

More editions...

Genres

Fantasy

1,027 users

Young Adult

299 users

Childrens

125 users

Mythology > Arthurian

42 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

39 users

Adventure

31 users

Childrens > Juvenile

29 users

Fantasy > Magic

26 users

Young Adult > Young Adult Fantasy

23 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

21 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Susan Cooper

Susan Cooper was born in 1935, and grew up in England's Buckinghamshire, an area that was green countryside then but has since become part of Greater London. As a child, she loved to read, as did her younger brother, who also became a writer. After attending Oxford, where she became the first woman to ever edit that university's newspaper, Cooper worked as a reporter and feature writer for London'...more

More about Susan Cooper...

Books by Susan Cooper

The Dark is Rising (The Dark is Rising, #2)

Over Sea, Under Stone (The Dark is Rising, #1)

Silver on the Tree (The Dark is Rising, #5)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Greenwitch

3 trivia questions

More quizzes & trivia...

title link	preview: Greenwitch
avg rating	preview: Greenwitch Goodreads rating: 3.92 (11244 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24963.Greenwitch?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1368431585l/24963.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24963.Greenwitch?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Greenwitch by Susan Cooper[/url]

Greenwitch (The Dark is Rising #3)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website