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The Owl Keeper

by Christine Brodien-Jones (Goodreads Author), Maggie Kneen (Illustrator)

3.70 · rating details · 228 ratings · 55 reviews

Maxwell Unger has always loved the night. He used to do brave things like go tramping through the forest with his gran after dark. He loved the stories she told him about the world before the Destruction—about nature, and books, and the silver owls. His favorite story, though, was about the Owl Keeper.

According to Max’s gran, in times of darkness the Owl Keeper would appea...more

Hardcover, 313 pages

Published April 13th 2010 by Delacorte Press (first published April 2nd 2010)

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Jun 11, 2010

Kate rated it

Shelves: read-in-2010

The Owl Keeper is a non-stop, action packed ball of awesomeness. Based on the novel's summary, I figured I was in for a tale just about a boy and owls. Thought there also might be a little fantasy sprinkled in to keep things going. Wrong. Christine Brodien-Jones carefully mixes in hints of dystopian, mystery, adventure, and fantasy to create hands down the best novel aimed at younger teens that I have read since the Harry Potter series.

To say the least, Christine Brodien-Jones and Th...moreThe Owl Keeper is a non-stop, action packed ball of awesomeness. Based on the novel's summary, I figured I was in for a tale just about a boy and owls. Thought there also might be a little fantasy sprinkled in to keep things going. Wrong. Christine Brodien-Jones carefully mixes in hints of dystopian, mystery, adventure, and fantasy to create hands down the best novel aimed at younger teens that I have read since the Harry Potter series.

To say the least, Christine Brodien-Jones and The Owl Keeper blew my socks off. Brodien-Jones' keeps her writing is simplistic and the action flowing. For me, that worked out really well. The novel did not require me to puzzle over certain situations or wonder what did the author want me to get out of this passage. This means that I was allowed to enjoy the novel just for what it was.

The action in this novel is top notched. I was glued to the book as action sequence after action sequence occurred. I was amazed that Brodien-Jones could use so much action and not make it seem repetitive or too over the top. The whole novel just flowed together so nicely as the reader uncovers all the little secrets in Max's world. And the world that Max inhabits is very intriguing. Brodien-Jones has created a very dystopian feeling world that has a nice science fiction and fantasy feel to it. The world is quite different from our world, but not so much so that the author needed to go into long, drawn out explanations about how and why things are they way they are. The author does this in a nice short paragraph and focuses mainly on plot and character development.

The characters of Max and Rose are a wonderful combination for the world that Brodien-Jones has created. True, I did like Rose a little more over Max. But this is because Rose is the kind of character that one cannot ignore. She is spunky, full of life, and very impulsive. As the novel moved along, I did find myself liking Max more and more as he grew into his own skin. His character is all about growth, and by the end of novel, he is a completely changed character... just the way it should be. In addition to Max and Rose, owls, and specifically Max's owl, play into a large portion of this novel. One must admire Brodien-Jones' attention to detail. She has captured every detail from the owl's habits down to its personality. The owls added lots of depth and definition to Max's world, and made the novel a lot more fun to read.

For me, Brodien-Jones has hit the ball out of the park with this novel. From the amazing depth of her characters to the non-stop action, this novel was a blast. The novel's ending does set the reader up for a sequel, or possibly even this being the first novel in a series, so I am really hopeful that I will get to see more of Max, Rose, and the owls. While girls will throughly enjoy this novel, I think this may be a wonderful novel to give to a young male teen who has been struggling to find a novel to read. The action and adventure in this novel will be sure to captivate and inspire anyone's imagination.

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Nov 10, 2011

Jan rated it

Eleven-year-old Max Unger lived with his parents in a world of the future, a few decades after the Great Destruction of 2066. Because he was told he had a sun allergy, he stayed indoors in the daytime. At night, he loved to wander in the light of the 2 moons, and dream of caring for owls, who were also creatures of the dark. His special love was silver owls, and he was horrified when he heard that the High Echelon wanted to eliminate all of them. Max's Gran had told him silver owls were special,...moreEleven-year-old Max Unger lived with his parents in a world of the future, a few decades after the Great Destruction of 2066. Because he was told he had a sun allergy, he stayed indoors in the daytime. At night, he loved to wander in the light of the 2 moons, and dream of caring for owls, who were also creatures of the dark. His special love was silver owls, and he was horrified when he heard that the High Echelon wanted to eliminate all of them. Max's Gran had told him silver owls were special, and would one day fulfill an ancient prophecy and bring their Owl Song back to the world. How could that happen if they all were killed? On one of his moonlight walks, Max meets a mysterious red-headed girl who seems to know a lot about owls. Can they work together to save the last few silver owls on earth?

This dystopian novel is marred by unrealistic dialogue and over-wrought characters -- overworked parents who are too stressed to pay any attention to Max, an unbelievably weird housekeeper who burns every disgusting meal she cooks, and a cruel doctor who makes weekly house calls to give Max injections that have become increasingly painful over the years. Many aspects of the dystopian world do not make sense, or are not explained. For example, The High Echelon announces the Sealed Borders Act. What is that? The High Echelon will assign all children to a field of study or an apprenticeship on their 12th birthday. No explanation. The High Echelon closed libraries, museums, and universities. Why? A climate-damaged city called The Frozen Zone was declared off-limits by the High Echelon. That is all the reader knows, and he is left wondering about many aspects of this story. Now and then the reader can eventually figure it out, but too much time is spent confused about this world. Good writers need to give a clearer picture when writing about dystopian worlds.

The concept of an Owl Keeper to save an endangered owl species is a good one. Having children investigate and find solutions in a world that adults are resigned to is a good idea. But there was no need to have such overblown characterizations for the adults, and the reader is not clear about this future world. Young readers (9-11) might enjoy it more than older ones, who demand more from a story.
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Dec 23, 2010

Lilibeth rated it

Shelves: wishlist

With only memories of his Gran, small treasures that were sneaked past Mrs.Cumlin's inspections, Maxwell Unger lives through the night and dark of the High Echelon's world. Getting monthly injections of grotesque liquid was a result of Max's allergy to "sun particles." The stories of silver owls and Silver Prophecies are practically forbidden to speak. So is Max's Gran's death. With the slow deterioration of his memory, Max tries to visit his owl tree and his silver owl every night. On...moreWith only memories of his Gran, small treasures that were sneaked past Mrs.Cumlin's inspections, Maxwell Unger lives through the night and dark of the High Echelon's world. Getting monthly injections of grotesque liquid was a result of Max's allergy to "sun particles." The stories of silver owls and Silver Prophecies are practically forbidden to speak. So is Max's Gran's death. With the slow deterioration of his memory, Max tries to visit his owl tree and his silver owl every night. One night he finds a girl under his tree. A peculiar one, at that; raggedy clothes, wild dirty hair, and as thin as a chopstick. Crowding an aggressive attitude, Artemis Rose Eccles is like no one Max had ever met before. Speaking almost a foreign language, Rose endears Max with her crazy antics of the liars in the High Echelon. When the slow realization of the truth of Rose's remarks grows to be too much for Max, a slew of adventures and a final journey to the Frozen Zone are the only solutions that sought to defeat the impending Darkness sweeping the land. Will the end result be what Max and Rose were hoping for all along, or will there be too many near-death experiences to get to their destination in time?

The Owl Keeper is the mesmerizing tale of a young, weak boy that blooms into a brave and powerful Night Seer, with the help of Rose--his best friend, his silver owl and some memories of Gran and a better time. Reading through the best friends' adventures in the gloominess of High Echelon territory was entertaining and kept you interested till that final journey to find the Owl Keeper. Reading about all of the crafted, ugly-looking creatures in The Owl Keeper was intricately satisfying because of its detail. Rose and Max learn to appreciate each other in more ways than one; and upon that a very unique friendship. With a poem of a prophecy hanging over there heads, the pair try to break down its meaning in order to end at their desired destination. Through their fantastic views of the forests and chilling woods, you will keep wondering in your mind what will happen next, and will they get through this.
The Owl Keeper was set in Max's point of view of the situations around him, but with one switch I believe that the author could have made this book great in any--and I do mean any, even little Miranda's point of view. However, since I don't ordinarily read MG books, it took me a while to really get into the story. With other readers or frequenters of MG novels, this most likely may not happen; if you don't frequent MG novels, you might experience a little difficulty in the beginning, all there is to do is wait for the good parts, because they are there! Brodien truly knows what she's doing with the her characters, the only mishap is that she needs to work a bit on the magic storytelling. From time to time, the pace and some details of the story made me question the authors choice for choosing such a young male lead. However, I do believe that may be a bit biased since I used to young adult novels. In the end, Max really showed the side of his childishness and bravery all in one. The Owl Keeper really is an enchanted, mystical read that you won't want to miss. I'd love to know what happens to Max after the last page.

Grade: B(less)

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Dec 01, 2010

Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it

Shelves: mundie-kids-reviews, books-i-own, 2010-100-book-challenge

I am so captivated by the cover. It's beautiful. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter are just as intriguing. Get ready to be swept away into an amazing world where nothing is what it seems, and as the darkness is taking over the world, the hope of many rests on two eleven and twelve year olds.

Max and Rose live in a world that has been taken over by The High Echelon. They have destroyed everything that was good in the world, and have killed off most of the animals, alter...moreI am so captivated by the cover. It's beautiful. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter are just as intriguing. Get ready to be swept away into an amazing world where nothing is what it seems, and as the darkness is taking over the world, the hope of many rests on two eleven and twelve year olds.

Max and Rose live in a world that has been taken over by The High Echelon. They have destroyed everything that was good in the world, and have killed off most of the animals, altered the weather, which destroyed much of the world and in the year 2066 they are now altering people. Books have all been burned, people go missing, families aren't what they used to be, and people's memories are fading. Now The High Echelon is about to destroy the last hope anyone has to fight the darkness, Max. Except for Max doesn't know that he's the last hope. At least not yet anyway.

Max misses his lovely Gran who unexpectedly died when he was 7. When she died, so did the stories about the Silver Owls, and his favorite story about the Owl Keeper, who'd come in times of darkness and would unite the owls and sages together. He misses their talks about nature and the way the world was before the Destruction, the late night walks through the forest, all of her books and the warmth, love and comfort he felt when he was with her. Now the parents he used to be close to are forced to work 6 days a week in factory and he's guardian Miss Crumlin, a cold lady who's destroyed all but one of his Grandmother's books and treats Max with little regard. There's something that doesn't feel right about Miss Crumlin. She's a cold person, who's always reminding Max how sick he is and giving him medicine, even if he feels fine.

Max's has always loved the night, which is the only time he can go out doors. He's been raised to believe he's allergic to the sun and if the sun touches any part of his skin he can die. Now Max goes out by himself, but only to his Owl Tree. He reminds himself about the stories of the Silver Owls, fierce protectors that no longer exist. The High Echelon has killed them all, or at least that's what they claimed. There tucked up in the high branches of his beloved Owl Tree, Max is hiding his very own Silver Owl. He's keeping the message he found in her beak a secret, along with her existence. One night he meets a mysterious girl under his Owl Tree. She can see his Silver Owl.

It took me just a little bit to get into the book and once I did, I couldn't put it down. The world Christine built is fascinating and only gets more and more intriguing as we go on a journey with Max and Rose to find the Owl Keeper. The beginning of the book builds up to everything Max has been taught his whole life. When Rose enters his life, she'll challenge everything he's been told. Nothing he's been told is the truth. When Rose starts to show him things are not what they seem, he discovers a very dark secret and what his fate is about to be, unless he can change it. Confiding in each other, they both learn they have the mark of the Owl, they're night seers. When The High Echelon come looking for them, they flee. Their journey is to find The Owl Keeper and Max's Silver Owl will lead them to where The Owl Keeper is at.

The Owl Keeper is one of those books that keeps you guessing at who's the bad guy and what's really happening, until you learn the truth. It's full of adventure and wonderful characters set in a fascinating, not so distant time. With the destruction of the world, and all the wonderful things it holds, Max and Rose are the last hope and when they arrive at their destination, only then will they learn what their their true destiny will be. I'm really looking forward to a sequel. I think readers will really love Max and Rose's characters and definitely recommend this book to those 10 yrs old and up. (less)

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Jul 14, 2010

Cat rated it

Shelves: borrowed-from-library, ya

Beautifully written, fantastic story. I will certainly buy more books from this author. Brilliant debut!

(from my blog)
This book was beautifully written. The story was beautiful, the descriptions were beautiful the relationship between Max and his owl and yes, even Rose was beautiful.

This story was also creepy in a way that I was not expecting. Guess what? I stumbled into yet another dystopian novel and didn’t even know it! I was just so happy that my crappy library ...moreBeautifully written, fantastic story. I will certainly buy more books from this author. Brilliant debut!

(from my blog)
This book was beautifully written. The story was beautiful, the descriptions were beautiful the relationship between Max and his owl and yes, even Rose was beautiful.

This story was also creepy in a way that I was not expecting. Guess what? I stumbled into yet another dystopian novel and didn’t even know it! I was just so happy that my crappy library had this book when none of the stores near me were stocking it! It was one of the first books I added to my Debut Author Challenge list and I couldn’t get my hands on a copy. Imagine my surprise when I was looking through my library’s almost microscopic English sector and found this book. I was beyond thrilled.

I get the feeling this is a middle grade book based on the characters and their dialogue (Max himself is eleven up to the end of the book on his 12th birthday). I am not entirely sure how old Rose is. Maybe a year older than Max?

I thought this book was going to be more of a fantasy novel, not realizing it takes place in the future after the Great Destruction of 2o66 and now the world is ruled by the High Echelon and people are being forced to live in domed communities, all books have been destroyed, there is no television, no libraries and the only books allowed are either comic books about superheros who promote the domed communities or the textbooks issued by the Government.

I have to say this book gave me the shivers more than once. I am not good with this type of scenario, but I was able to keep my creeped out factor to a minimum as I was so enthralled in the building relationship between Max and Rose and their quest to find the Owl Keeper and escape the Echelon.

The little silver owl won my heart quickly as well. And she wasn’t even the main focus. I so totally want a little owl now.

This brilliant debut novel is a must-read. It might be a little too dark and creepy for 12 year olds, but I don’t know. Twelve-year olds are a different breed than I was at that age. Even now I had nightmares caused by this book when I wen to bed last night and it was still on my mind when I woke up so I picked up the book and finished it before breakfast! It’s a deep, intricate book that is not dumbed down for kids at all. I even found the dialogue fitting for 11 & 22 year olds who are trying to impress the other by what they know and what they can do. The voices were very real in my mind.

Rose sort of reminded me of Pipi Longstockings at times (in a good way) with her bold, bossy and exaggerating nature. I didn’t think I was going to like her much but she most certainly grew on me as the story unfolded. Max’s caretaker and his doctor scared me to death and I felt suffocated when they were around as if I would never get away from them.

The ending of the novel leads me to believe there may be a sequel in the future, although I don’t know if there will be. It is a rather open ending where you can come to your own conclusions about what happens next, or have a second book to tell you. I’m not sure which I’d rather. I do know that if there is a sequel, I’ll be picking it up right away!(less)

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Jan 15, 2012

L. Gibbs rated it

Recommends it for: YA readers

I read this book at my daughter's request. It reminds me of The Giver and 1984 with a positive twist and is clearly written for the YA market. Though it seemed a bit slow right on into the middle of the book, it still held my attention for I was caught up enough to expect any moment for the things to go very wrong for Maxwell. There were several times I was wondering why the main character didn't just leave home, but how often do children feel they can just up and leave, especially when they ...more

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Sep 07, 2010

Danika Dinsmore rated it

Shelves: mg-ya, dystopia

I was really drawn to this book by the concept. It sounded so original. A boy living in a post-apocalyptic world who is allergic to the daylight and in search of The Owl Keeper. A combination dystopia - fantasy, two of my favourite genres.

I was a bit disappointed, though. I couldn't get emotionally invested in the main characters, who were underdeveloped. Max was an extremely passive protagonist. Instead of deducing and investigating and discovering and being ingenious, he coincident...more

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May 11, 2010

Teeyanna rated it

It was one of the weirdest books I have ever read in my life! But....................I loved it. I really loved this book. How you didn't know if the two main characters would make a love story,or just a classic friendship one. It was very good. The suspense will eat you up. Especially the parts when you find out something that you never knew. Its a big deal.

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May 29, 2010

Kate (I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!) rated it

THE OWL KEEPER, by Christine Brodien-Jones, is an adventure tale that takes place in another time and place. I really wanted to read this book because the synopsis looked interesting. But for a couple reasons I could not finish it. I feel like the book was too "young" for me, I think the middle-grade genre had a lot to do with it. Also at times it was confusing. I wanted to like it but I found my mind wandering while reading.

I did enjoy the new place that Brodien-Jones crea...more

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Nov 14, 2011

Val rated it

I so wanted to love this book. The idea for the story was great but the stilted dialog and under developed plot really made it lack. I can see younger readers who might not care too much about the little details, enjoying this book. However, as a librarian I was very disappointed in how the author failed to resolve or describe some of the side stories and the reason as to why the world was in such turmoil. Where did the High Echelon come from in the first place?? Why were they imprisoning childr...more

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May 13, 2010

Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it

Shelves: books-i-own, 2010-100-book-challenge, mundie-kids-book-reviews, mundie-moms-review

I am so captivated by the cover. It's beautiful. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter are just as intriguing. Get ready to be swept away into an amazing world where nothing is what it seems, and as the darkness is taking over the world, the hope of many rests on two eleven and twelve year olds.

Max and Rose live in a world that has been taken over by The High Echelon. They have destroyed everything that was good in the world, and have killed off most of the animals, alt...moreI am so captivated by the cover. It's beautiful. The illustrations at the beginning of each chapter are just as intriguing. Get ready to be swept away into an amazing world where nothing is what it seems, and as the darkness is taking over the world, the hope of many rests on two eleven and twelve year olds.

Max and Rose live in a world that has been taken over by The High Echelon. They have destroyed everything that was good in the world, and have killed off most of the animals, altered the weather, which destroyed much of the world and in the year 2066 they are now altering people. Books have all been burned, people go missing, families aren't what they used to be, and people's memories are fading. Now The High Echelon is about to destroy the last hope anyone has to fight the darkness, Max. Except for Max doesn't know that he's the last hope. At least not yet anyway.

Max misses his lovely Gran who unexpectedly died when he was 7. When she died, so did the stories about the Silver Owls, and his favorite story about the Owl Keeper, who'd come in times of darkness and would unite the owls and sages together. He misses their talks about nature and the way the world was before the Destruction, the late night walks through the forest, all of her books and the warmth, love and comfort he felt when he was with her. Now the parents he used to be close to are forced to work 6 days a week in factory and he's guardian Miss Crumlin, a cold lady who's destroyed all but one of his Grandmother's books and treats Max with little regard. There's something that doesn't feel right about Miss Crumlin. She's a cold person, who's always reminding Max how sick he is and giving him medicine, even if he feels fine.

Max's has always loved the night, which is the only time he can go out doors. He's been raised to believe he's allergic to the sun and if the sun touches any part of his skin he can die. Now Max goes out by himself, but only to his Owl Tree. He reminds himself about the stories of the Silver Owls, fierce protectors that no longer exist. The High Echelon has killed them all, or at least that's what they claimed. There tucked up in the high branches of his beloved Owl Tree, Max is hiding his very own Silver Owl. He's keeping the message he found in her beak a secret, along with her existence. One night he meets a mysterious girl under his Owl Tree. She can see his Silver Owl.

It took me just a little bit to get into the book and once I did, I couldn't put it down. The world Christine built is fascinating and only gets more and more intriguing as we go on a journey with Max and Rose to find the Owl Keeper. The beginning of the book builds up to everything Max has been taught his whole life. When Rose enters his life, she'll challenge everything he's been told. Nothing he's been told is the truth. When Rose starts to show him things are not what they seem, he discovers a very dark secret and what his fate is about to be, unless he can change it. Confiding in each other, they both learn they have the mark of the Owl, they're night seers. When The High Echelon come looking for them, they flee. Their journey is to find The Owl Keeper and Max's Silver Owl will lead them to where The Owl Keeper is at.

The Owl Keeper is one of those books that keeps you guessing at who's the bad guy and what's really happening, until you learn the truth. It's full of adventure and wonderful characters set in a fascinating, not so distant time. With the destruction of the world, and all the wonderful things it holds, Max and Rose are the last hope and when they arrive at their destination, only then will they learn what their their true destiny will be. I'm really looking forward to a sequel. I think readers will really love Max and Rose's characters and definitely recommend this book to those 10 yrs old and up.
(less)

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Apr 02, 2010

Jennifer rated it

Having no idea what to expect, I enjoyed The Owl Keeper - it's the first time I read a book about Owl's and it kept me entertained, and turning pages.

I am hoping there's more to come with the Owl Keeper...Christine Brodien-Jones has a writing style all her own, with amazing use of imagery – Imagining Max's world was almost like being brought into a dream, everything was there...details galore and feelings abound.

I want to learn more about Max, and about Rose – not to men...more

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Jun 28, 2011

Reading Vacation's Mom rated it

Max grew up listening to his gran spin marvelous stories about life before the Destruction. She would tell of a time before the darkness, before the frozen zone and the High Echelon existed, a time when there were plenty of books and silver owls. She also shared stories of the Owl Keeper, who united owls and sages in peace. Then, one day, gran was gone.

Shy and quiet Max is a sort of accidental hero. He doesn’t set out to do anything special, but it seems this is his destiny. When Max...more

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Jun 26, 2010

Lisa Eggers rated it

This book really grabbed me right away. It was written in a very unique voice and the mix of dystopian, fantasy and the real world was really intriguing. I loved the first third of the book. It was really cool to see the the world that Maxwell lived in come into focus, and to see him start to figure things out with the help of Rose. I like all that conspiracy theory comes true stuff. That was very nicely done. But then it got into the "action" part of the story, where there was a l...more

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Mar 20, 2011

Crystal rated it

Move over Harry Potter! No, but seriously ...this is a kid's book. An absolutely amazing kid's book that feature a dystopian society where all the world's animals have been killed off and what's left of humans are being moved into giant domes to live. While this is a kid's book, the topics are ones that an adult would still be able to tolerate and thoroughly enjoy. I don't normally pick up a lot of kid's books to read but I saw the cover which was beautifully illustrated and had to see what it w...more

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Aug 19, 2010

Emily rated it

Shelves: first-reads, read-in-2010

I was fortunate enough to win a signed copy from good reads and I am SO GLAD I did! This was a really entertaining and enjoyable book. The plot line and characters are well developed, the descriptions really sink you into the land. I love the sci/fi almost post apocalyptic era it is set in, never would I imagine a world with out horses, elephants or other common animals. It was interesting to see what would be missing next or what was so different from now. This book is geared for age 9 to 12 a...more

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Jul 22, 2011

Bluerose's Heart rated it

Shelves: favorites, clean, fantasy, young-reader-8-12, young-adult-12-and-up

I just adored this story!! It’s very clean and appropriate for all ages. A great thing about this book is, it’s great for boys, too. Sometimes it seems like there’s more options for girls to read. This is a book that will go on my son's book shelf for when he gets older. I loved it enough, that I’m sure I’ll be borrowing it from him to read again.
I loved that the author was able to “sneak in” little bits of educational facts into the story. I don’t know if she did this intentionally, but I...more

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Jul 23, 2010

Sarah S (An Abundance of Books) rated it

Shelves: fantasy, middle-grade, reviewed-on-blog

I was super excited about this book; dystopia/fantasy for Middle Grade, what could be better? After reading Uglies about a year ago I have been reading all the dystopic, futuristic YA I can find, but I haven't really found many Middle Grade dystopias. So as soon as I heard about The Owl Keeper I knew I had to read it.

Brodien-Jones has crafted a beautiful, exciting, action-filled story perfect for middle graders. I couldn't put it down; I had to keep reading to see what was going to ha...moreI was super excited about this book; dystopia/fantasy for Middle Grade, what could be better? After reading Uglies about a year ago I have been reading all the dystopic, futuristic YA I can find, but I haven't really found many Middle Grade dystopias. So as soon as I heard about The Owl Keeper I knew I had to read it.

Brodien-Jones has crafted a beautiful, exciting, action-filled story perfect for middle graders. I couldn't put it down; I had to keep reading to see what was going to happen to Max next. Middle grade boys will love the pacing and excitement of this book and want to keep turning the page. Max, Rose, and all the other main characters are all delightfully quirky and interesting. I loved Max and Rose right from the beginning. Even the villains are more than just "bad guys." They're odd and quirky too.

The world creation was one of my favorite parts. It's so important for futuristic and fantastical novels to create worlds that make sense, that the reader can picture, that draw you in. Brodien-Jones does an amazing job of this. The intricacies of the world are revealed slowly throughout the novel as Max comes to realize the true nature of the society he lives in. She doesn't spend an excessive amount of time in the beginning explaining and setting up the world, she jumps right into the story -- right into Max's life -- and lets the world create itself around him. Perfectly done.

A brief comment on the art. Maggie Kneen's spot illustrations that begin each chapter are lovely. I don't know why I like this type of illustration, especially in Middle Grade books, so much but I do. It's a nice pause in action, an added visual. I also really like the cover. It sets the mood quite nicely and gives sets up the novel's emphasis on darkness well.

As far as I know this is a stand-alone novel -- I do feel the story resolved itself nicely in the end -- but I love this world and its cast of characters and would definitely love to read any other future companion novels.(less)

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Jun 29, 2010

Miss Clark rated it

Recommends it for: Middle Graders

Shelves: adventure, children-s, fairytale-fantasy-sci-fi-mythology

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 2.5 stars

Maxwell Unger is a boy trapped in his house all day long with a creepy caretaker. He cannot go outside and play. He cannot go to school. In fact, he never is allowed anywhere because he has a rare disease. If any sunlight touches him, he'll die. The world is a bleak and gloomy place. The High Echelon, greedy and grasping, tried to control the weather and ended up causing a mini-apocolypse in the year 2066. Their experiments ended up shifting the earth's axis, altering tides ...more

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May 21, 2010

Nikki (Wicked Awesome Books) rated it

Shelves: ya, read-in-2010, arc, own

Years in the future, the world we all know has been transformed and the High Echelon is in charge of everything. The citizens are assigned to jobs and lives and the once beautiful land and wildlife is nonexistent. The silver owls that once roamed the skies are said to be extinct and both their song and their magic is gone. Max Unger is an often scared, frail eleven year old boy who has lived much of his life in the dark. Max is told that he is allergic to sun particles, so the majority of his ti...moreYears in the future, the world we all know has been transformed and the High Echelon is in charge of everything. The citizens are assigned to jobs and lives and the once beautiful land and wildlife is nonexistent. The silver owls that once roamed the skies are said to be extinct and both their song and their magic is gone. Max Unger is an often scared, frail eleven year old boy who has lived much of his life in the dark. Max is told that he is allergic to sun particles, so the majority of his time is spent indoors. His nights give him freedom and he roams the land around his home. One night, Max discovers a beautiful silver owl. Several nights later, a bossy, wild-looking girl by the name of Rose comes into Max’s life and changes it forever. Max and Rose set out on an adventure that tests their character and hope.

The Owl Keeper is an exquisite story of the hope that children can cling to. The start is a little slow, but once I hit page 70 or so, the action was non-stop and I couldn’t even put the book down. The beginning really builds the story and since there is so much to know about this world that Max is living in and the mythology surrounding it, the build up is necessary. Once the lore is set in place, we begin to see the cracks in the High Echelon's society turn into fissures. Max quickly realizes that maybe all is not as it seems and he begins to blossom as a character. It is impossible not to love Max and I was completely devoted to everything he is going through. When Max was younger, he did everything with his grandmother and that’s how he discovered his love for the night. He used to go exploring with his Gran and spend hours learning about the silver owls, but when Max is 7, his Gran dies and everything changes. Little things remind Max of his Gran and you can really feel that loss and despair radiating off of him.

Rose is the complete opposite of Max. She’s fearless and outspoken and a rough and tumble kind of girl. She drives Max crazy, but he still adores her and the reader will too. Their friendship grows so much throughout the novel and their layers are peeled away perfectly. The world of The Owl Keeper is expertly crafted with so many interesting creatures and places. Christine Brodien-Jones has created an entirely new world with mythological creature and prophecies. It is absolutely absorbing and a refreshing dystopian novel. I will say that it feels much more like a MG novel than a YA novel, but I still loved it. The ending leaves it open for a sequel, but could also be an open ending that lets the reader imagine what could follow.

Opening line: “When Max first saw the girl that night, standing beneath the owl tree, he thought she was ghost or a vision, or maybe a comic-book character come to life.” ~ pg. 1

Favorite line: “Absolute Dark, he realized, was here.” ~ pg. 117(less)

· see review

Jun 13, 2010

Kari rated it

Shelves: not-released, to-read-teen

Though this is a middle grade novel with a main character who is 11, close to 12, this book is certainly not written on a elementary level. The writing is strong and the descriptions thorough, giving a great overall image and making it enjoying for readers of all ages. Particularly for this book, the age choice works beautifully, pulling the story in a way it wouldn't otherwise go if the main character was even just a few years older.

Max leads a unique life even in this d...more

Though this is a middle grade novel with a main character who is 11, close to 12, this book is certainly not written on a elementary level. The writing is strong and the descriptions thorough, giving a great overall image and making it enjoying for readers of all ages. Particularly for this book, the age choice works beautifully, pulling the story in a way it wouldn't otherwise go if the main character was even just a few years older.

Max leads a unique life even in this dystopian setting, confined inside during the daytime because he has an especially rare genetic disease that renders him allergic to sun particles. Any sunlight will kill him, making him a creature of the night and cut off from school and therefore, most friends. As a result, his primary interaction is with his caretaker, seeing his parents only in the evenings after work. Naturally, this effects his personality and his view on things but after the introduction of Rose, a runaway girl about his age who is certainly unique and quarky, Max's eyes begin to open.

This is where his age plays such a central role. Still more boy than teenager and holding a certain level of inherent immaturity, Max has to wrestle with plenty of questions- and any sort of upstart and betrayal will shake his world far more drastically than it would a teenager. Also with this age, however, is a certain desire to be brave and grown up, still harboring some of the childlike drive to grow up too fast yet also lacking the know it all attitude of an early teenager. It is a very refreshing mix, creating a strong central character who a reader of any age will come to like quickly and effectively.

As the story progresses, the full extent of the world Brodien-Jones has created is slowly developed and exposed, blindsiding the reader sometimes as strongly as Max himself. Secrets are kept, being revealed to the reader sometimes at the same time as the characters, showing Brodien-Jones' strong writing and crafting skills are. The owl aspect of this book is especially intriguing, as it makes the entire world incredibly unique. While some elements can be seen in other novels and the other idea of an overcontrolling government is common, the reasons and motivation behind this particular government's action is refreshing and original.

Though owls have shown up in books before, they play a different role in this book and the entire interaction and connection throughout keeps the reader involved. Max and Rose face some very unsettling situations, instilling fear in them both and though Max was relatively whiny, it is certainly to be expected in an 11 year old thrust into some of these scenarios. Brodien-Jones did a fantastic job creating a young character that was bold and brave but still true to an 11/12 year old.

With stunning takes and variations on elements present in modern times, strong and well crafted writing, and a young but fantastically developed main character, Brodien-Jones has made an amazing addition to the dystopian genre. She certainly raises many questions and shifts frames of mind throughout the book, keeping the mystery and intrigue strong right until the last page.
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Apr 10, 2011

Jennifer Wardrip rated it

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com

Set in the future, Max lives in a post-apocalyptic world that is ruled by the High Echelon. He is told he is allergic to the sun, so he goes out at night to sit under a tree and reminisce about the stories his grandmother used to tell him about the Owl Keeper.

His only friend is a silver owl that lives in the tree, an owl which the High Echelon says is evil.

One night, Max meets a mysterious girl under this tree. Her name is...more

· see review

Jul 11, 2010

Audrey rated it

Shelves: 2010_publish, young-adult, 2010-debut-author-challenge

Maxwell Unger sneaks out at night to explore, since he's been told he's allergic to sunlight. There he finds a rare silver owl, rare since the government has sworn to kill all that remain. Max knows that owl's are symbols of goodness, power, and hope, things they need to overcome the dark times that have befallen his world. Max meets a new friend, Rose, and after dramatic events, they take off on an adventure to find the Owl Keeper, a mythical hero who is said to return when the world most ne...more

· see review

Nov 10, 2010

Chris Scott rated it

Half way through on first day of reading.....i don't usually read so much in one day but just cant seem to put this down....after about 10 pages i was hooked!
Just want to know what is going to happen next... really like the style of writing....keeps you interested and wanting to know more....

Love it....wish it was 500 pages longer!!

Now it's done I really hope there is an Owl Keeper 2 ????

· see review

Aug 31, 2010

Vicki rated it

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, science-fiction, j-science-fiction, j-fantasy

Actually, I'd give this a 3.5 but that's not an option. Choppy writing style, with way to much introduced to the storyline for a kids book that needs to be wrapped up in 300 pages. An interesting concept in this "after we've wrecked the planet, here's what might happen..." story. Loved the owls. The villains need work.

· see review

Sep 25, 2011

Trista Siegel rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

I love owls so this book was definitely a great choice for me in the beginning. The greatest thing was that I didn't regret choosing the book by it's cover. This book is amazing. I am 22 and I loved it. There was so much action and twists. No one knows who to trust anymore.

I can say with true honesty that this book could possibly be the next Harry Potter. Now, I don't mean that the stories are the same because Christine's story isn't the same. What I am saying is that kids will fall in...more

· see review

Dec 19, 2011

Paige E rated it

A boy's grandmother tells him stories of hunters setting trapes to trap owls for there feathers... but during the night a magical owl, an owl that has never been seen in person before, un-locks the trapes and sets the owls free.
The boy soon forgets about all of those stories that his grandmother told about soon after aee died, until a mysterious girl moves into town.

· see review

Jan 22, 2011

Patience Mason rated it

This was one of those books that seemed like it was written by someone who had never run anywhere, been outside in the woods, or had any adventures. I felt used. Fantasy for me needs to have an element of reality...

· see review

Feb 26, 2011

Becx rated it

Shelves: amazing, dystopia, fantasy

I loved this book. The writing style drew me in and made me fall in love with the characters their struggles and their triumphs. With a twisting plot line this coming of age tale leaves you wanting more!

· see review

Jun 04, 2011

Maggie rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: own

I loved this story. It was definitely written for the young adult or even juvenile readers. The language was easy and the flow of the story was fast paced. Some of the action scenes moved a little too fast for "believablity" but the story overall was intriguing and kept me wondering what happened next. There were a few things that were left hanging at the end of the book so I am really hoping for a next book to wrap up the story. I love owls.

· see review

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About Christine Brodien-Jones

I've always been drawn to the mysterious “other worlds” that we inhabit as children: the invisible secret worlds adults never seem to notice. Much of my childhood in upstate New York was spent immersed in books (the library around the corner was my second home) and tramping around the neighborhood thinking up magical tales. I wrote my first story at age seven about a small girl and a dragon—and I’...more

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