reviews
Dec 13, 2009
Nikki
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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 More...
There are some very interesting newer concepts introduced in this book. We've already met the Wild Magic, in a sense, in the More...
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Dec 13, 2009
Tyas
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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 g More...
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 g More...
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Jan 31, 2012
Nicole
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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
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Sep 01, 2011
Andres
rated it: 
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, b More...
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, b More...
Aug 28, 2011
Stuart
rated it:
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
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May 01, 2011
Jessica
rated it:
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 f More...
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 f More...
Mar 03, 2011
Nikki
rated it:
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
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Oct 12, 2010
Jenna
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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 More...
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 More...
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Apr 17, 2010
Janis
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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 favo More...
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 favo More...
Apr 29, 2009
Kerry
rated it:
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 More...
Greenwitch begins More...
Dec 09, 2009
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
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Apr 02, 2011
Melissa
rated it:
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 boo More...
From the first boo More...
Feb 11, 2012
Tommy
rated it:
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 r More...
The Harry Potter books are accessible to younger readers and have a r More...
Nov 15, 2011
Dorothea
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Feb 10, 2011
robyn
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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 a More...
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 a More...
Jul 17, 2011
Sienna
rated it:
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
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Jan 29, 2012
Nikki
rated it:
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 t More...
I think the other great thing about this one is the atmosphere. Once the Greenwitch enters t More...
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Aug 01, 2010
Erin
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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, possib
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Nov 09, 2011
Josephine
rated it:
Growing up, this is the book I liked least, and for many of the reasons mentioned elsewhere; the language is a bit stilted (does she really need to repeat "spells of Mana and spells of Reck and spells of Lir"?) and the conflict between the various arms of the magical forces never fully explained. I understand that the Light and the Dark are in opposition to one another--that's self-evident--but even as a kid, it always seemed that Cooper threw in several other branches of magic without
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May 09, 2011
Jared
rated it:
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. More...
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. More...
Feb 15, 2011
B. Jay
rated it:
The kids from Narnia hook up with Harry Potter and Merlin for a beach vacation to chase down the Holy Grail for the second time. Well, OK, maybe not those actual characters, but Susan Cooper continues to use English mythology to craft magical tales for children which get more exciting and to the point with each volume in the series.
At 128 pages of large print, this is a quick read for even young children. Aside from keeping the series moving and shining a spotlight on an old fishermen fa More...
At 128 pages of large print, this is a quick read for even young children. Aside from keeping the series moving and shining a spotlight on an old fishermen fa More...
Aug 16, 2010
Jason
rated it:
I don't remember anything about this other than it was my least favorite in the series. The kids in the first book meet the kid in the second book. There's some tension there as the first kids aren't all that hip on the other dude (who may or may not be called Will), with the exception of the sister, and that causes tension with her two brothers. Maybe/maybe-not Will is special and powerful in the grand scheme of things, but nobody is allowed to know that. He's also pretty humble about it, i
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May 02, 2010
Barky
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The Drew siblings (Jane, Simon, and Barney) are reunited with their uncle Merriman in another quest to regain the grail they found in the first book (Over Sea, Under Stone), which has been taken by an agent of the Dark. Will Stanton also becomes a part of their quest. And, although the grail is temporarily lost to the Light, Jane is able to regain the scroll needed to unlock its secret – from the Greenwitch (an icon created from branches and leaves by the women of Trewissick and imbued with an
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Mar 15, 2009
Kim
rated it:
While many of the young adult fantasy series out there (Harry Potter, His Dark Materials, etc.) are perfectly readable and enjoyable for adults, this series is probably not one of them. It tends to be a bit too simplistic with the problems too easily solved. This is the third book in "The Dark is Rising" sequence and brings together characters from the first two books. One of the characters is clearly in control of the situation, not needing to work it solving the problems at all an
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Aug 08, 2010
Rebecca
rated it:
This third audio book in The Dark is Rising sequence was very short, only 4 CDs. I loved that the Drew children teamed up with Will Stanton and Uncle Merry in this book. I also especially liked the particular role that Jane played in the story. Cooper’s eerie descriptions of the making of the Greenwitch and Jane’s observations made me reflect on my own awareness and reverence of our natural world. I know I had a better appreciation of nature as a child, and Cooper does a wonderful job of cap
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Mar 11, 2011
Robyn
rated it:
The only weak link in the series, and it's still pretty enjoyable, if a bit short. It does make the reader happy to see Will, Barney, Jane and Simon brought together in one book, connecting their narratives and familiarizing them with each other to continue the series. However the book mostly follows Jane, the only female in the main cast, and while it does homage to the power of the feminine in British/Celtic mythology, it's off putting to focus do deeply on one of the characters when Will Stan
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Sep 19, 2011
Cjpeffer
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Love this series! I am listening to it this time and I enjoy the narrator immensely. Wonderful British accent that makes the books come alive!
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Jun 19, 2011
Rosemary
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Really, if I could give this book 3 1/2 stars I would. It is definitely more interesting than The Dark is Rising, while still being less engaging than Over Sea, Under Stone. It really is a pity that this series isn't about the Drew children, as they are really the best characters. When the book drifted away from them, I found myself drifting away from the book. As for Will, he is a totally uninteresting character. He really doesn't even do anything in this book other than stand around. There is
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Apr 30, 2010
Damon
rated it:
Good - more Drew children, less Will Stanton here. Oddly, Will is kind of this weird presence in the background who has obviously become very comfortable with his supernatural abilities. In the firt pages of the next book, though, he's just like a normal kid again... Kind of weird.
Entertaining stuff overall, though I guess that maybe as a kid reading this, one would have less of the sense that everything is going to work out okay from the very beginning? Any time there's some kin More...
Entertaining stuff overall, though I guess that maybe as a kid reading this, one would have less of the sense that everything is going to work out okay from the very beginning? Any time there's some kin More...
Jul 07, 2009
Patrick
rated it:
This is a difficult one for me. As a kid, I loved these books enormously. They were magical and exciting and entirely absorbing. I read them over and over.
But as an adult, I can't help but see flaws in them. The characters, in common with those in many classic children's books, are more sketches than fully-realised people and are sometimes more witnesses than active participants in what goes on.
That said, Greenwitch is a big improvement over the first two books in the ser More...
But as an adult, I can't help but see flaws in them. The characters, in common with those in many classic children's books, are more sketches than fully-realised people and are sometimes more witnesses than active participants in what goes on.
That said, Greenwitch is a big improvement over the first two books in the ser More...
