The Thirteen Treasures (Thirteen Treasures, #1)

My rating:

add to my books

The Thirteen Treasures (Thirteen Treasures #1)

by Michelle Harrison (Goodreads Author)

3.85 · rating details · 990 ratings · 257 reviews

No one else can see the evil fairies that rouse Tanya from her sleep, torturing her at the slightest mention of their existence, but they are as real to the 13-year-old as anything she's ever known. She cannot rid herself of them, nor can she ignore them. But it is her insistence on responding to them that has her banished to her grandmother's secluded countryside manor.
...more

Hardcover, 355 pages

Published April 12th 2010 by Little Brown and Company (first published January 5th 2009)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

Friend Reviews

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

Lists with This Book

2010 Debut Authors (Young Adult & Middle Grade Literature)

118th out of 254 books — 1,641 voters

Best Faery books ever.

32nd out of 54 books — 84 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 2,625)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Apr 20, 2009

Adele rated it

· review of another edition

Tanya is an average twelve year old with one exception - she's got the second sight. This means she can see faeries, usually ugly, squat creatures that torment her with mischievous acts. After another Tanya versus faeries incident goes awry, her mother (having had enough) sends Tanya to stay with her cold grandmother at Elvesden Manor.

This debut effort won the UK's Waterstone's Prize and is a great little read. The plot was a little uneven at times but the adventures of Tanya and Fab...more

like 8 likes

· see review

Mar 12, 2009

Erika rated it

· review of another edition

By luck, I received the elusive 11th copy from Simon & Schuster’s LJ Giveaway and am so very glad I did! I started reading this book in the evening before bed and got halfway through before forcing myself to find a not so scary part to stop on and put it away until the morning.

Tanya isn’t your average 13-year-old girl (or is she 12? She’s young, let’s leave it at that): she can see fairies. These aren’t the kind to grant you wishes or help clear up acne. The fairies in Michelle H...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 27, 2012

Michelle Isenhoff rated it

Tanya can see fairies. Unfortunately, she can’t explain away the odd things that always seem happen to her because no one else can see them. So Tanya ends up holding the blame each time they cause mischief. And now her mother has had enough. Tanya is being sent on an extended visit to her grandmother’s house. At Grandma’s, however, Tanya becomes entangled in a two hundred-year-old family mystery centered around – you got it – fairies.

I was not crazy about this book, even though i...moreTanya can see fairies. Unfortunately, she can’t explain away the odd things that always seem happen to her because no one else can see them. So Tanya ends up holding the blame each time they cause mischief. And now her mother has had enough. Tanya is being sent on an extended visit to her grandmother’s house. At Grandma’s, however, Tanya becomes entangled in a two hundred-year-old family mystery centered around – you got it – fairies.

I was not crazy about this book, even though it won England’s prestigious Waterston’s Children’s Book Prize. I felt like many of the narrated points were not solidly backed up with action or dialogue. For example, in Chapter One we see only one instance of Tanya’s (or rather, the fairies’) odd behavior. When Mom snaps and sends Tanya away, it feels forced and unsubstantiated, too sudden. What else has happened to cause this reaction? We aren’t given much. Also, Tanya’s friend Fabian is a pretty significant character. He’s described as a trouble-maker. It’s mentioned often, but honestly, I don’t see it. He seems like a pretty nice kid to me. Also, with the exception of the final twist, I guessed every major plot event as if it had been painted for me in neon colors.

Thirteen Treasures does have one huge redeeming quality – its setting. Tanya’s grandmother’s house is a run-down, sprawling mansion built two centuries ago. It has secret passageways, underground tunnels, twisting servant stairways, old paintings and furnishings, loose floorboards with hidey-holes underneath, thick ivy, and a host of resident fairy-creatures. It’s set back against the edge of Hangman’s Woods, a dangerous, thick old forest with sink holes (the Catacombs) and a mysterious past that includes multiple disappearances. It also houses plenty more fairies and an old gypsy woman gifted with second sight. It was this setting alone that build enough intrigue to keep me reading.

If you enjoy fairy stories, you may enjoy 13 Treasures. Ms. Harrison isn’t a terrible writer. Her story moves along easily, it’s creative and mysterious, and the faery lore is interesting. I mean, it did win a major award. It simply wasn’t for me.
(less)

· see review

Dec 17, 2011

Charlotte Phillips rated it

· review of another edition

Fairies are sweet caring and considerate little creatures. Creatures that grant you wishes, protect you and are always there by your side. Pixies are the ones that cause trouble, cause problems and complications. There the ones who make you think your going mad by moving things around your room, or taking things from you when your not looking. Yet, this is not so in this novel. The fairies in this novel are not so nice. Some of them are, some of them are the guardian watching over your shoulder....moreFairies are sweet caring and considerate little creatures. Creatures that grant you wishes, protect you and are always there by your side. Pixies are the ones that cause trouble, cause problems and complications. There the ones who make you think your going mad by moving things around your room, or taking things from you when your not looking. Yet, this is not so in this novel. The fairies in this novel are not so nice. Some of them are, some of them are the guardian watching over your shoulder. But many of them are not. Mnay of them are out stealing and swapping babies over for their own wants and needs. And some of them are granting deeds and promises that will only be regretted later on. This was a wonderful book and I am so pleased that I actually chose to read this one next. I just loved the whole creative imaginative feel to it that just seemed to bring spark to the pages.

It really felt to me like the author had allowed her inner spirit to write the words and that she had allowed herself to become one with the book, almost as if she were the main female character who could see the fairies when no one else could. The motion and movement of the piece just seemed to heighten the imagery that was provided, meaning that more and more you were pulled into the words. I do think that the novel was slightly predictable in some places, but as such this was not a bad thing because it did not kill the engaging itnerest, but rather allowed it to keep flowing in a way that meant the reader just kept on going with it, trying to work out the real enemies and victims within the words.

I loved the fact that the bracelet actually had a lot of meaning to it, yet I still feel that there is a lot within the novel that was not covered. For example what was the bad thing that happened in the babies bedroom, how did the bracelet become the thirteen treasures and why is it so significant? I just feel that there is so much more left to discover with the novel, which is probably why its a good thing that there is a second and third novel to this sega. The male character did kind of annoy me as he seemed to be very snappy and sharp. But the more I think about it the more precise it is. In that a boy can have just a sudden of a mood swing as a female can.

I do feel that the author related to her characters, but I wonder if perhaps the focus was on them too much? Is there more than meets the eyes to her grandmother, to her mother, to warwrick and amos? I would love to just be able to read more about them so that I can discover who they are and what makes them the person that they are. There is just clearly so much more to be read with this book and I think its one to hold onto and to keep grasp of. A powerful write and I look forward to reading the sega.(less)

· see review

Oct 05, 2011

Rachael rated it

Shelves: class-books

13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison, is a fascinating story that features fourteen year old Tanya who lives in London. The story tells about her life, dealing with troublesome fairies. All her life, Tanya has been experiencing the appearances of these creatures that are unseen to the normal human eye. Her mission is to find out why she sees them, and if she is the only one. Because of the disturbances of these fairies, Tanya is sent to stay with her grandmother, at the Elvesden Manor, in the Essex...more

· see review

Jul 29, 2011

Brina rated it

· review of another edition

HÖRBUCH-REZENSION

Die 13-jährige Tanya hat es nicht leicht, denn sie muss sich mit lästigen Elfen herumärgern. Sie hat das Glück, oder vielmehr das Pech, Elfen hören und sehen zu können.
Da ihre Mutter mit ihrem Verhalten nur schwer zurecht kommt, wird Tanya in den Sommerferien zu ihrer ungeliebten Großmutter geschickt, die sich nicht gerade über ihre Anwesenheit zu freuen scheint.
Aber auch hier muss sich Tanya den Elfen stellen, die hier in Scharen in den Wäldern leben.

...moreHÖRBUCH-REZENSION

Die 13-jährige Tanya hat es nicht leicht, denn sie muss sich mit lästigen Elfen herumärgern. Sie hat das Glück, oder vielmehr das Pech, Elfen hören und sehen zu können.
Da ihre Mutter mit ihrem Verhalten nur schwer zurecht kommt, wird Tanya in den Sommerferien zu ihrer ungeliebten Großmutter geschickt, die sich nicht gerade über ihre Anwesenheit zu freuen scheint.
Aber auch hier muss sich Tanya den Elfen stellen, die hier in Scharen in den Wäldern leben.

Als Tanya dann auch noch auf ein Geheimnis stößt, in dem es um verschwundene Menschen geht, wird ihre Neugier und ihr Mut geweckt.
Was hat es mit den vielen Menschen auf sich, die immer wieder in den Wäldern verschwunden sind?

Michelle Harrison hat mit ihrem Debütroman ein tolles, kurzlebiges Buch geschaffen, dass mich von der ersten bis zur letzten Minute begeistert hat. Vor allem hat mir die nötige Spannung gefallen. Durch den flüssigen Erzählstil und den vielen unerwarteten Situationen habe ich mich keine einzige Minute gelangweilt und habe mit meiner Einschätzung oft falsch gelegen.
Diese Geschichte ist absolut unvorhersehbar.

Besonders gefallen hat mir die Darstellung der Elfen. Ich habe bereits viele Bücher über Elfen gelesen, aber selten wurden diese wunderbaren Fabelwesen so dargestellt, wie hier. Hier sind sie sehr vielseitig und unberechenbar. Vor allem die Distanz hat mir gut gefallen.

Aber auch Tanya habe ich sehr schnell ins Herz geschlossen. Trotz ihres jungen Alters geht sie sehr gut mit ihrem Schicksal um, Elfen sehen und hören zu können. Auch ihr Mut ist beispielhaft und wird authentisch dargestellt.

Anna Carlsson hat mir als Sprecherin sehr gut gefallen. Auf sympathische Art und Weise erzählt sie aus Tanyas Sicht die Geschichte. Hierbei kommen weder die Spannung, noch die Betonung zu kurz. Daher ist es besonders schade, dass sie die Fortsetzung nicht mehr spricht.

Die Covergestaltung ist sehr gelungen. Vor allem die Farben sind sehr gelungen und perfekt aufeinander abgestimmt.

Der erste Teil von „Elfenseele“ hat mich sehr positiv überrascht. Eine tolle Fantasygeschichte, die besonders Elfenfans anspricht.(less)

· see review

Apr 09, 2011

Becky rated it

· review of another edition

The 13 Treasures is a wonderful fantasy story which mixes the sinister world of faeries with a contemporary English setting. It makes for a cracking read!

Tanya is gifted with the second sight. She can see the fey folk of the other world. But unfortunately for Tanya she is the only person who can, so you can understand why she feels frustrated when she gets the blame for their misdemeanours. Tanya is feeling isolated at the beginning of the book and also frightened. The faeries ...moreThe 13 Treasures is a wonderful fantasy story which mixes the sinister world of faeries with a contemporary English setting. It makes for a cracking read!

Tanya is gifted with the second sight. She can see the fey folk of the other world. But unfortunately for Tanya she is the only person who can, so you can understand why she feels frustrated when she gets the blame for their misdemeanours. Tanya is feeling isolated at the beginning of the book and also frightened. The faeries are sometimes cruel to her and her mother decides to send her off to stay at Elvesden Manor after the ceiling comes crashing down around Tanya in the middle of the night. Elvesden Manor is a large ancient house and is the home of Tanya’s grandmother and Tanya is far from happy about going to stay with her. She has never been welcomed by her grandmother and the manor’s caretaker Warwick. Plus there is Fabian, the annoying son of Warwick, who tends to latch on to Tanya and never give her any peace.

As soon as Tanya’s mother made the decision to send her away, I was hooked. I completely empathised with Tanya. Her feelings of injustice at being blamed for the faeries’ trouble just leapt off the page. The faeries and all the different finds of fey folk create an atmosphere of magical mystery as well as humour. Some of the creatures do dark and vile things. Others are not so clearly evil but all add to the fantastical flavour to the story.

The plotting of this book was so neat and tight. Harrison left clues and red-herrings all along the way which made a real need to read on. Think dark walks in the wood at midnight. It is enough to scare me before bedtime. I also want to mention the dialogue because the character voices were so clear and individual. It really was a pleasure to read.

The ending of this novel left me feeling completely satisfied. I felt as if Tanya came full circle and there was a secret joy in knowing that. I finally understand why my students love Michelle Harrison so much. She can really capture the imagination. The 13 Treasures is well-crafted, full of mystery and the sinister side of magic and distinctive characters. At times charming, at others funny, this book is one to recommend to every girl age 9 to 90. Actually, there is lots that boys will enjoy in there too! Think gruesome things that faeries do!
(less)

· see review

Mar 24, 2011

Raina rated it

Shelves: faeries, j, not-amerika

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

· see review

Mar 01, 2011

Olivia Q rated it

13 Treasures Education Resource Press, 2010, 355 pp., $15.99
Michelle Harrison ISBN 978-0-316-04148-5

“MISSING GIRL, a hunt was launched yesterday for the daughter of a local reverend who failed to return home yesterday evening. Police are baffled by the disappearance of Morwenna Bloom, age fourteen who vanished after walking in Hangman’s Wood yes...more13 Treasures Education Resource Press, 2010, 355 pp., $15.99
Michelle Harrison ISBN 978-0-316-04148-5

“MISSING GIRL, a hunt was launched yesterday for the daughter of a local reverend who failed to return home yesterday evening. Police are baffled by the disappearance of Morwenna Bloom, age fourteen who vanished after walking in Hangman’s Wood yesterday evening, seemingly without a trace.”
These words were written on a paper dated June 22nd, just over fifty years ago,Tanya, a 13 year old girl, found the paper between two pages of a book in her grandmothers mansion at Trickey End, she is not so joyous to be in that place. Tanya isn’t like any other ordinary 13 year old girl, Tanya can see fairies, something that is called the second sight. She doesn’t tell anyone of her special sight because no one would believe her. Her mother accuses it “this attention seeking of yours,” and Tanya doesn’t appreciate her gift either. Now because of curious Fabian, the son of Tanya’s grandmother’s gardener Warwick, he and Tanya are cracking the case behind Morwenna Bloom’s disappearance. On the way Tanya learns more about the fairies she sees and her grandmother. But, is Morwenna Bloom as innocent as Tanya thought she would be?
13 Treasures is an adventurous mystery with a twist of fantasy. Although it is slow paced, Michelle Harrison does a explosive job on making the visual imagery,characters and dialogue seem real. The characters are all different: there is the person who doesn’t want to do anything who leads to the conflict, there’s the person who is adventurous but sometimes doesn’t make very good decisions, and there’s the person who is not who they say they are.
This book was a fun read. Michelle Harrison took fairies, something you wouldn’t even consider of every day, and turned them into something as real as something you could witness them every day, just like Tanya would. I also love the fact that Michelle Harrison did research on fairy lore. However, there was not much character development as I would have expected or enjoyed. Tanya always seemed to stay the same person. I would recommend this book to mostly girls ages 12-15 and to people who enjoy Mary Downing Hahn, because like most of her books this one discusses a foggy disappearance of a young girl. Except unlike Mary Downing Hahn, the characters were more exciting and colorful. I would also recommend 13 Treasures to people who like adventuring into the woods and fairies who are not even close to being like Tinkerbell.

- Olivia Quinci

(less)

· see review

Feb 01, 2011

Amanda rated it

Shelves: review-copy, series, ya, fantasy

The 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison is the tale of Tanya, a girl who has the ability to see fairies. After one too many misdemeanours, she is sent to spend the summer at her grandmother's house. In Tanya's mind this is an awful punishment, since her grandmother has never seemed to like her, and it means having to see Fabian, the caretaker's son. Over the course of the summer, Tanya and Fabian stumble upon a dark secret, an unsolved mystery spanning back decades. Soon they are facing terrible d...moreThe 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison is the tale of Tanya, a girl who has the ability to see fairies. After one too many misdemeanours, she is sent to spend the summer at her grandmother's house. In Tanya's mind this is an awful punishment, since her grandmother has never seemed to like her, and it means having to see Fabian, the caretaker's son. Over the course of the summer, Tanya and Fabian stumble upon a dark secret, an unsolved mystery spanning back decades. Soon they are facing terrible danger, and it is simply a question of who will survive...

I consider myself incredibly lucky. This book wasn't even on my radar, despite some glowing reviews, when Simon & Schuster sent it through to me. Thanks to them, I've had my eyes opened to a truly thrilling world of the Sidhe courts and mysteries unsolved.

This a beautifully dark little book. I often find myself sceptical about fairies - they seem so do-goody and Tinkerbell-esque, in the most part. In this case, however, Harrison has tapped into folklore and scary fairytales to present us with fairies that have bite. They steal children, commit mischief and cause mayhem on a whim. They are not friendly, or pretty - and I love them all the more for it. The fairy characters in this book truly leap from the pages.

They are not alone in that respect. Harrison writes her human characters just as well - Tanya is resourceful and courageous; Fabian is geeky and intelligent; Red is punky and perfect (seriously want to be reading more about her in the next two books!) Their voices are distinct and they felt fully-fleshed.

At first I found Harrison's prose fairly perfunctory, but it developed well over the course of the novel. This story takes place in the summer and, despite reading it in the cold of winter, I could almost feel the humid darkness of a stormy summer evening. It was beautifully done.

This is a really timeless little book. It has echoes of Enid Blyton, what with the secret tunnels and the planning for adventures in a nearby woodland, and reminded me a little of the Carbonel series by Barbara Sleigh (another children's novel where the magic and mundane collide). I feel as though The 13 Treasures could be picked up and enjoyed by children in years to come, thanks to the ageless feel of the story.

It could be argued that the adults in this novel were poorly presented, what with the secrets that they hid from Tanya, but I suspect they shall come into their own in future books - particularly Warwick. It would be incredibly nit-picky to suggest that this spoilt the story at all for me.

As it is, I can say that I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was easy to read, with a fascinating and mysterious story, peopled by warm and realistic characters. Very much recommended. (less)

like 2 likes

· see review

Jan 13, 2011

Dine rated it

· review of another edition

Auf dem Cover ist ein Mädchengesicht mit stechend grünen Augen zu sehen. Blätter, die in angenehmen Grün- und Rottönen gehalten sind, umringen ihr Gesicht.
Im Vordergrund, in einer schönen, geschwungenen, weißen Schrift, steht das Wort "Elfenseele". Darunter, in Schwarz gehalten, der Titel "Hinter dem Augenblick".

Dieser Roman ist das Debüt von Michelle Harrison und gleichzeitig der Auftakt einer Serie, in der es um Elfen geht.
Was die Schreibweise und Schild...more

· see review

Jan 08, 2011

Miles rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: reviews

They do say that fate often plays a big part in shaping our lives. I’ve always gone through life believing that things happen for a reason or as Doris Day once sang “Que Sera Sera” – whatever will be will be. It has served me well so far and I see no reason to start doubting it now!

I received an invitation from the publishing gang at Simon & Schuster to attend an event promoting future publications next month and to pre-empt the get together they sent a handful of books to whet the app...moreThey do say that fate often plays a big part in shaping our lives. I’ve always gone through life believing that things happen for a reason or as Doris Day once sang “Que Sera Sera” – whatever will be will be. It has served me well so far and I see no reason to start doubting it now!

I received an invitation from the publishing gang at Simon & Schuster to attend an event promoting future publications next month and to pre-empt the get together they sent a handful of books to whet the appetite so to speak – one of them was “13 Treasures” written by Children’s author and illustrator Michelle Harrison.

This is where my inane rambling above starts to makes sense – or at least I hope it does! If I hadn’t received the book from S&S then I can comfortably say I would never have read Harrison’s book – that in itself would have been a travesty. I can’t remember the last time I read a children’s book in its entirety – must have been in the early years of comprehensive school – a fair amount of water has passed under the bridge since then!

I’ve spent the last five months predominately reading Crime Thriller and the odd biography and historical book thrown in for good measure – reading a children’s book about fairies wasn’t part of the plan!

Attacking the book as I do with all others, I gave it my best shot and within 20 pages I knew this was no ordinary book. Aimed at children aged 10+ the book worked on so many levels. It often reminded me of recent animation films where companies like Disney have realised the key to success is to keep adults and children entertained alike – 13 Treasures certainly does that.

The narrative is effortless and the story is told at a reassuring pace – once you embark on Tanya’s magical journey you are along for the ride until the very end. Given the book is aimed at children, the character development is outstanding – I never expected such depth from a children’s novel, Michelle hitting the preverbal nail firmly on its head!

Full Review on my blog http://www.milorambles.com/2011/01/08/13...(less)

· see review

Dec 01, 2010

Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it

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

3.5 stars

I adore this cover as it's what drew me to the book before I knew what it was about. 13 Treasures isn't about the Tinkerbell type faeries, these are the traditional faeries who can't be trusted, can be ruthless and continue their relentless torment on young Tanya. It's the first time the faeries have threatened Tanya from telling anyone she can see them. What Tanya soon finds out, is she's not the only one in her family with second sight.

Tanya's adventure begins whe...more3.5 stars

I adore this cover as it's what drew me to the book before I knew what it was about. 13 Treasures isn't about the Tinkerbell type faeries, these are the traditional faeries who can't be trusted, can be ruthless and continue their relentless torment on young Tanya. It's the first time the faeries have threatened Tanya from telling anyone she can see them. What Tanya soon finds out, is she's not the only one in her family with second sight.

Tanya's adventure begins when she mother sends her to spend a few weeks with her Grandmother. Fearing it's going to be a rather boring experience to stay with a Grandmother she's not close to, in her dreary manor in the middle of the woods, Tanya is in for a big surprise. 13 Treasures has a lot of adventure, faery lore, and mystery that kept me turing the pages. At times I felt some of the story lines ended a little abruptly, especially with Red's story. I'm hoping there will be more to Red's story in the feature. Other times I felt it was a little dragged out, but in the end, the story wrapped up nicely answering some the questions I had, had through the book.

I loved the English setting and enjoyed the characters. Fabian, who lives at her Grandmother's manor, as his father Warwick is the grounds keeper, and Tanya find themselves in quite a few adventures as the faeries, goblins and gnomes cause more than a little trouble for Tanya. There's a something sinister in the woods and no matter how many times they're warned to stay away, something keeps Tanya and Fabian going back to the woods. Tanya's Grandmother, Florence and Fabian's Father Warwick are cold, stern and have many secrets between them, and while I felt the kid's distaste for them through out the story, at the end of 13 Treasures, I came to like these two characters a lot more, as I understood their actions more.

If you enjoy true faery lore, fantasy, and mystery, than I would recommend picking up 13 Treasures! It's not a light and airy read, but one that captures the readers attention and takes them on an adventure they won't soon forget. I think this is a fitting read for both middle grader readers & young adults readers. If there's a sequel, I am really looking forward to reading it.(less)

· see review

Nov 08, 2010

BookKids rated it

Shelves: fantasy, midgrade

In 13 Treasures, Tanya can see fairies. And they aren’t the cute little Tinkerbells that populate the Favorite Character section at BookPeople. These things are the traditional, amoral, fey creatures of legend. They don’t grant wishes. They torment.

And they often torment Tanya.

After a particularly bad night, her mother, who can’t see the creatures, sends Tanya off to stay with her grandmother at her creepy, old, fairy-infested manor. While there, Tanya discovers there is...more

· see review

Aug 18, 2010

Kayla rated it

Shelves: re-read-book

13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison was an amazing book I couldn't put down. All her life she could see faeries and they tourmented her no stop. The adventure in the book is amazing and fun and her dealing with the faeries and the secrets is quite interesting. What I like is that the faeries aren't like tinker bell and all happy and cheery they are different looking and have different personalities and they aren't all good and the book has true faery lore in it like about the 2 courts and changlin...more

· see review

Jul 31, 2010

Eva Mitnick rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, children

This story from a debut author has a fresh voice and an unusual perspective on fairies, for these creatures are far from the exotic, gorgeous, compelling creatures of many a recent teen novel. Rather, they are pesky, odd, sometimes homely, and often downright malicious or even dangerous. Most of the contact between fairies and humans in 13 Treasures is decidedly negative, making it clear that the two realms are separate for a very good reason.

Some of the plot lines are rather abrupt ...more

· see review

Jul 13, 2010

Susan rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile

Before the popular Rainbow Magic series, Disney's Tinkerbell cartoon, and dozens of ill-conceived poses for costumed infants in Anne Geddes photos, the wee folk didn't necessarily come off as all sweetness and light in the old folklore stories, which is why The Spiderwick Chronicles is still a little cool in my book, even with its flaws. Also, books like The Folk Keeper and Melissa Marr's dark Wicked Lovely books...and this one.

When you're a small child, you get let off the hook for ...more

· see review

Jun 17, 2010

Michelle rated it

A fabulous read for middle graders interested in faery tales and fantasy. Not too heavy on either, the mystical history created by Harrison was both realistic and understated. Often times, in my experience, and author gets so drawn into the creation of the other-worldly aspects of this type of story that it can tend to overwhelm. Not so in the case of 13 Treasures. The back story here is light on the faery-land and heavy on the character building. This is not to say that we don’t see the wo...more

· see review

Jun 11, 2010

Empire of Books rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Everyone.

A stunning debut novel that I absolutely devoured. I read this last year and have read it several times since. The writing is top class, beautiful and easy to read, yet at the same time, it doesn’t feel as if the writing has been dumbed down so that younger audiences can keep up. When reading it, there is no doubt as to why it was awarded the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize for 2009.

These are not the fairies you’d associate with Disney. These fairies are dangerous, and torturous. ...more

like 1 like

· see review

May 10, 2010

Madeline Smoot rated it

Shelves: middle-grade

In 13 Treasures, Tanya can see fairies. And they aren't the cute little Tinkerbells. These things are the traditional, amoral, fey creatures of legend. They don't grant wishes. They torment.

And they often torment Tanya.

After a particularly bad night, her mother, who can't see the creatures, sends Tanya off to stay with her grandmother at her creepy, old, fairy-infested manor. While there, Tanya discovers there is more to the fairy/human relations than just her. Othe...more

· see review

Apr 06, 2010

Gail Carriger rated it

Shelves: fantasy, ya

Pleasantly gothic semi-modern story of one girl's struggle to cope with the fairies around us that she sees but no one else does.

Like in Wicked Lovely, the fairies in this series are very evil, creepy, and richly described. They've been bullying Tanya her whole life for no good reason. Yet Tanya has an affection for these creatures which I found very confusing and out of character. After one particularly bad night, Tanya is sent away to live with her grandmother for the summer and b...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Mar 15, 2010

Tasha rated it

Shelves: childrens-books

After being tormented by fairies and waking her mother in the middle of the night, Tanya is sent to stay with her grandmother in her dilapidated manor house. Tanya sees fairies at her grandmother’s house too: they fill the grandfather clock and make mischief in the kitchen. But fairies are nothing compared to the dangers of the woods that surround her grandmother’s house. As Tanya struggles to come to terms with her second sight, she is helped by several unlikely allies, including the local w...more

· see review

Feb 27, 2010

Iffath rated it

· review of another edition

Tanya is your typical girl, with one exception. She can see faeries; courtesy of: the second sight. But these aren’t your average “we’ll grant you your every wish with a smile” faeries, no, they are the opposite. Dark, malicious, repulsive creatures. And they’re determined to keep their sinister existence a secret; by making poor Tanya’s life, a living nightmare.
At the beginning, we are given a group of faeries, who are cautioning Tanya, for writing about them in her diary, regardless of he...more

like 1 like

· see review

Apr 19, 2009

Maria M. rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: owned, 4-stars, 2009, arc, fantasy

Tanya isn't your average girl - she has the second sight. For as long as she could remember, she had been able to see fairies. Unfortunately it wasn't always pleasant, and some of these fairies were decidedly nasty to her, if they thought she was doing something that might lead to their discovery.

Forced to spend the summer vacation with her grandmother, Tanya's life seems to go from bad to worse. Her grandmother doesn't want her around, and neither does the groundskeeper, whose son, ...more

· see review

Oct 07, 2011

Mary rated it

Shelves: middle-school-books, fantasy, fairies

This is a great upper-elementary and middle school fantasy adventure involving fairies. Tanya has been blamed for a great deal of mischief caused by fairies that only she can see, and that she is forbidden to speak of under penalty of personal harm. When her mother finally cannot cope with the mishaps and destruction, she sends Tanya off to stay with her grandmother Florence at Elvesden Manor. Elvesden Manor has been in the family for a long time, but now only Florence, her groundskeeper Warwick...more

· see review

Aug 06, 2011

Tamra rated it

Recommends it for: other people's 9-year-old daughters

Recommended to Tamra by: my 9-year-old daughter

Shelves: read-with-or-for-my-kids

My 9-year-old daughter told me I HAD to read this. I got it for her, on a whim, from the library, and she wouldn't let me take it back until I read it.

I'm happy to say that this is not a cutesy, 25-page fairy book. That means my daughter has graduated into reading real books! Hurray!

This is a great story line with some good character development and a lot of mystery. Some edge-of-your-seat stuff. I like that fairies can be bad, too, which is something a lot of fairy ...more

· see review

Jan 13, 2011

Amanda Harris rated it

Shelves: childrens-chapter-books, childrens

No one else can see the evil fairies that pester Tanya instead of letting her sleep, torturing her at the slightest mention of their existence, but they are real. She cannot seem to get rid of them, nor can she ignore them. But because she responds to their shananigans, Tanya has been banished to her grandmother's secluded countryside manor.

They have been put off limits by her grandmother, but there is much to explore and even more to fear in the woods surrounding the estate. The for...more

· see review

Jan 14, 2012

Jan rated it

· review of another edition

As fairy stories go, this one is wildly different. In the first place, most of the fairies that 13-year-old Tanya struggles with are mean and hurtful. They pinch her and punch her and pull her hair, and break things so that Tanya is blamed. Since no one but Tanya can see them, she is assumed to be clumsy and a troublemaker, and is sent away to live with her grandmother. Of course, that is not the end of the fairies. Irritable magical beings inhabit the clock, the drains, the teapot, and the gard...more

· see review

May 17, 2010

Kerstin rated it

· review of another edition

Kurzbeschreibung:
Nie wieder wollte Tanya ihre Großmutter auf Elvesden Manor besuchen, denn niemand will sie dort haben, nicht ihre Großmutter und nicht die Elfen, die zu Hunderten und Tausenden die Wälder um das alte Herrenhaus bevölkern.
Doch nun liegt ein ganzer Sommer vor Tanya, und während sie versucht, ihrer Großmutter aus dem Weg zu gehen, stößt sie auf ein Geheimnis: Vor fünfzig Jahren ist ein Mädchen im Wald von Elvesden verschwunden und seitdem hat niemand etwas von ihr gehör...moreKurzbeschreibung:
Nie wieder wollte Tanya ihre Großmutter auf Elvesden Manor besuchen, denn niemand will sie dort haben, nicht ihre Großmutter und nicht die Elfen, die zu Hunderten und Tausenden die Wälder um das alte Herrenhaus bevölkern.
Doch nun liegt ein ganzer Sommer vor Tanya, und während sie versucht, ihrer Großmutter aus dem Weg zu gehen, stößt sie auf ein Geheimnis: Vor fünfzig Jahren ist ein Mädchen im Wald von Elvesden verschwunden und seitdem hat niemand etwas von ihr gehört.
Tanya ahnt, dass sie die Einzige ist, die das Rätsel lösen kann. Denn die Elfen scheinen darin eine entscheidende Rolle zu spielen...

Zur Autorin:
Michelle Harrison wurde 1979 geboren. Sie schreibt, seit sie denken kann, und hat schon früh begonnen, ihre Abenteuer in den Wäldern von Essex in spannende Geschichten zu fassen. Michelle sammelt illustrierte Kinderbücher und hat einen Abschluss in Kunstgeschichte. Heute arbeitet sie als Kinderbuchlektorin und lebt mit ihrem Partner Darren und der Katze Pepper in Oxford. "Hinter dem Augenblick" ist ihr erster Roman.

Tanya stand am Waldrand, den Kompass in der Hand, den Eisennagel in der Tasche - und jedes ihrer Kleidungsstücke falsch herum angezogen. Diesmal würde sie kein Risiko eingehen. (Seiten 267/268)

Rezension:
"Hinter dem Augenblick" ist der Auftaktband einer Trilogie, der 2. Band "Zwischen den Nebeln" ist bereits erschienen. Michelle Harrison entführt den Leser in die Welt von Tanya, einem dreizehnjährigen Mädchen, das das sogenannte Zweite Gesicht hat, sie kann Elfen sehen. Da Tanya durch diese Gabe in manch absurde Situation gerät und ihre Mutter dadurch überfordert ist, wird sie in den Sommerferien zu ihrer Großmutter auf deren Landsitz Elvesden Manor in das Dorf Tickey End geschickt.

Dort wird sie zusammen mit Fabian, dem Sohn des düsteren Gutsverwalters Warwick, in einen Entführungsfall verwickelt, der fünfzig Jahre zurückliegt und in dem die Elfen ihre Hände im Spiel zu haben scheinen.

Tanya als Hauptcharakter hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Sie ist hilfsbereit, man kann ihr vertrauen und sie geht sehr respektvoll mit den Elfen um, auch wenn diese ihr nicht immer wohlgesonnen sind. Auch ihre Freundschaft zu Fabian, die sich Stück für Stück aufbaut, ist glaubhaft geschildert und ohne seine Hilfe wäre die Geschichte wohl anders ausgegangen.

Speziell der Rüsselmops, der Abflussbewohner und der Kobold Brunswick sind tolle Nebencharaktere, die etwas Humor in die Geschichte miteinfließen lassen. "Hinter dem Augenblick" ist ein schönes Jugendbuch mit einer manchmal etwas düsteren Geschichte, bei der aber auch der Humor nicht zu kurz kommt. Ich fühlte mich sehr gut unterhalten und freue mich auf den 2. Band.

Zur Gestaltung des Buchs: Der Schutzumschlag ist komplett in Spotlack-Optik gehalten. Dominierend ist die Farbe Grün (passend zu einem Handlungsort des Buches). Jedes Kapitel beginnt mit einem Großbuchstaben, den Michelle Harrison selbst mit sehr schönen Illustrationen gestaltet hat. Abgerundet wird der Gesamteindruck mit einem Lesebändchen.
Fazit: Ein magischer und zauberhafter Debütroman mit sympathischen Charakteren, der neugierig auf die Fortsetzung macht.

Wertung: 4 von 5 Punkten(less)

· see review

Feb 07, 2011

Celia rated it

I really enjoyed Michelle Harrison's take on fairies, which was a bit grittier than most. The story follows Tanya, a 13 year old girl who has the Second Sight, much to her chagrin. Fairies, brownies, goblins...they all seem to get her in trouble, which is why she ends up staying with her grandmother for 2 weeks at Elvesden Manor, which is backed by mysterious woods and full of fairies.
I felt like the fairies in this book were more "historically accurate" (as in, I think the au...more

· see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 87 88 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 (16)

More editions...

Videos About This Book

Add a comment

Genres

Fantasy

96 users

Young Adult

29 users

Paranormal > Fairies

15 users

Childrens > Middle Grade

14 users

Mystery

12 users

Adventure

12 users

Childrens

9 users

Fantasy > Magic

8 users

Childrens > Juvenile

6 users

Young Adult > Teen

5 users

See top shelves...

Readers Also Enjoyed

The Sixty-Eight Rooms
by Marianne Malone
Seven Sorcerers
by Caro King
Drizzle
by Kathleen Van Cleve
Kat, Incorrigible
by Stephanie Burgis
The Night Fairy
by Laura Amy Schlitz

About Michelle Harrison

Michelle Harrison is a former Waterstone's bookseller and assistant editor for Oxford University Press. She now writes full-time. Originally from Grays in Essex, she has a degree in Illustration and lives in Oxfordshire with her partner, Darren, and two cats. Her first novel, THE THIRTEEN TREASURES, won the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize and has sold into sixteen other countries as well as the...more

More about Michelle Harrison...

Books by Michelle Harrison

The Thirteen Curses (Thirteen Treasures, #2)

The Thirteen Secrets (Thirteen Treasures, #3)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Pin It

Trivia About The Thirteen Trea...

1 trivia question

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Thirteen Treasures

“Fabian had succeeded. She caught his eye and the two of them shared a look; it was the kind of look children wear when they know they've gotten away with something. At the same moment, Warwick and Florence also shared a look. Theirs was the kind of look adults wear when they know that somehow they have been well and truly hoodwinked, but are clueless as to the how and why, and know only that there's absolutely nothing they can do about it.” — 12 people liked it

More quotes…

Groups That Shelved The Thirteen Trea...

Mineola Library's 2011/20...

60 members

last activity 10 hours, 46 min ago

shelf: read

Parents of Tweens (9-12)

11 members

last activity 6 hours, 18 min ago

shelf: read

Fantasy/ Realistic Fiction

2 members

last activity Jan 04, 2012 06:45pm

shelf: read

title link	preview: The Thirteen Treasures
avg rating	preview: The Thirteen Treasures Goodreads rating: 3.85 (990 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6581334-the-thirteen-treasures?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1261914440m/6581334.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6581334-the-thirteen-treasures?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Thirteen Treasures by Michelle Harrison[/url]

The Thirteen Treasures (Thirteen Treasures #1)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Readers Also Enjoyed

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website