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231st out of 336 books
—
2,049 voters
The Jewel and the Key
An earthquake and the discovery of a mysterious antique mirror unleash forces that jolt sixteen-year-old Addie McNeal back to 1917 Seattle, just as the United States is entering World War I. Addie finds herself shuttling back and forth between past and present, drawn in both times to the grand Jewel Theater. In both decades the existence of the Jewel is threatened and war...more
Hardcover, 472 pages
Published
August 29th 2011
by Clarion Books
(first published July 11th 2011)
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review via Cracking the Cover
“The Jewel and the Key” is a surprising book. The plot is layered in sophisticated way one would not initially expect. Nor would one expect the magical, time-traveling elements to be so simple. Author Louise Spiegler doesn’t go into the mechanics of time travel, rather she uses it as a way to get Addie where she needs to be in order to move the story forward.
Addie is a modern girl who values the past and that shows in her everyday actions. She appreciates vintage clo...more
“The Jewel and the Key” is a surprising book. The plot is layered in sophisticated way one would not initially expect. Nor would one expect the magical, time-traveling elements to be so simple. Author Louise Spiegler doesn’t go into the mechanics of time travel, rather she uses it as a way to get Addie where she needs to be in order to move the story forward.
Addie is a modern girl who values the past and that shows in her everyday actions. She appreciates vintage clo...more
Almost 4 stars. Didn't realize this was a YA book until it came in on my hold shelf from the library. Still worth the read, and I would recommend it as a refreshing read for YA. I was originally attracted to the book because it is set in my home town of Seattle and involves time travel [back to the beginnings of WWI]. The central character, Addie, is someone who should appeal to young women who are passionate about the theatre, intelligent, compassionate, and not immune to falling a bit in love...more
Fabulous I loved it, I liked how Addie was able to travel back an forth through time with the mirror. I was a little confused by both Whaley and Reg, I didn't see how they could be the same person, unless Reg was transported through time too when he looked into the mirror. But Addie had said that he was found sleeping on a bench and his step mom didn't want anything to do with him. Perhaps that was just a story to tell people because he didn't know what else to say when he found himself 100 year...more
Kind of like Revolution, by Jennifer Donnelly, this story has some time-bending elements that allow Addie, a modern girl, to travel back to WWI era Seattle via a magic mirror. Addie really wants to be an actress, but the people in her high school drama club don't recognize her talents. When she discovers some old costumes that belonged to a historic theater, she gets involved in efforts to raise money to resurrect the old Jewel. She also finds a mirror that takes her back to the theater's glory...more
I really do not consider myself a true lover of historical fiction, but, I loved this book!
The storyline was great! All the twists and turns right up until the end. Can you imagine looking into a mirror and then being transported to another time? I felt bad for Addie for falling for Reg and had high hopes of her and Whaler getting together. A few times, it was mentioned how much Reg reminded her of Whaler. I guess they truly were like brother and sister.
I really enjoyed the look back to World Wa...more
The storyline was great! All the twists and turns right up until the end. Can you imagine looking into a mirror and then being transported to another time? I felt bad for Addie for falling for Reg and had high hopes of her and Whaler getting together. A few times, it was mentioned how much Reg reminded her of Whaler. I guess they truly were like brother and sister.
I really enjoyed the look back to World Wa...more
Fabulaous I loved it, I liked how Addie was able to travel back an forth through time with the mirror. I was a little confused by both Whaley and Reg, I didn't see how they could be the same person, unless Reg was transported through time too when he looked in the mirror. But Addie had said that he was found sleeping on a bench and his stepmom didn't want anything to do with him. Perhaps that was just a story to tell people because he didn't know what else to say when he found himsef 100 years i...more
This review was first posted on http://www.rubysreads.com.
I'm not known for my love of time travel books. I tend to dislike them (though there have been exceptions) because they often feel like an excuse for an author to have a character act modern morals while keeping the historical setting. I can't accuse Spiegler of this. She has a very specific reason for sending the main character, Addie, back to 1917 and it totally and completely makes sense given the story she crafted. The problem for m...more
I'm not known for my love of time travel books. I tend to dislike them (though there have been exceptions) because they often feel like an excuse for an author to have a character act modern morals while keeping the historical setting. I can't accuse Spiegler of this. She has a very specific reason for sending the main character, Addie, back to 1917 and it totally and completely makes sense given the story she crafted. The problem for m...more
Jun 04, 2011
Cinnamon
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
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2011,
young-adult,
historical-fiction,
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This review may also be found on A Thousand Little Pages.
It was definitely the mirror and the earthquake that started it all. One moment, Addie is strolling through the crumbling streets and frantic crowds of Seattle; and the next, she is amongst weirdly dressed people who apparently make a habit of injuring each other with bricks. It is in this parallel world that Addie meets Reg and discovers the Jewel, a professional theater and any budding actress’s dream. When she is offered a job as assist...more
It was definitely the mirror and the earthquake that started it all. One moment, Addie is strolling through the crumbling streets and frantic crowds of Seattle; and the next, she is amongst weirdly dressed people who apparently make a habit of injuring each other with bricks. It is in this parallel world that Addie meets Reg and discovers the Jewel, a professional theater and any budding actress’s dream. When she is offered a job as assist...more
The Jewel and the Key is one of those rare books where I finished it, and still don't know how I feel about it. Did I like it? Well, I can say I didn't dislike it. Did I love it? No. Did I feel for the characters? Certain ones, sometimes. Did I take anything from the story? Not really.
I would have given it a neutral 3 stars, but I use 3 stars too often to differentiate a 4-star book from a not-quite-4-star book. This one gets a 2, but it really is just a neutral opinion that I have of the novel...more
I would have given it a neutral 3 stars, but I use 3 stars too often to differentiate a 4-star book from a not-quite-4-star book. This one gets a 2, but it really is just a neutral opinion that I have of the novel...more
Promising concept. A girl who loves theatre finds herself traveling back and forth in time to an old theatre during WW1, just as her contemporary Seattle faces the beginning of a war. But the vagueness with which Spiegler tried to avoid placing the modern day in a specific time got annoying for me, and Addie's character wasn't as well developed as I might have hoped.
I really liked the cover of this book - but it was totally different from what I was expecting. The historical elements were pretty well done, but I never felt fully drawn into the story. I would have liked a better connection with Addie. I saw all the things that happened to her, but I didn't really have any feelings for her. The romantic elements felt a little forced, but it didn't bother me too much - kind of because I was a little apathetic towards the story. I wasn't a big fan of the ending...more
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Set in Seattle! Historical fiction, time traveling adventure. Anti-war stuff, drama/theater stuff, a tiny bit of romance, and lots of really great/fun Seattle/WA history particularly union history. Sounds super heavy but it’s not. Good for local teens, anyone interested in theater, and local history, lefty teens etc.
I was disappointed that the initial tension (would Addie get a role in the upcoming high school production, or would the "drama divas" win again?) was completely ignored by the time we were 1/4 in to the book. The time travel to WWI-era Seattle and the parallels between the people's feelings about the war then and the contemporary wars was interesting, particularly as many history classes don't cover that era and the IWW/Wobblies in as much depth as they used to. However, Addie's traveling betwe...more
I loved it so much!! it took awhile to read though
A wondrfl, romntc, time trvel story. Why dosn't this book have a highr scre?
Reviewing for Booklist
3.5 stars.
Neat take on World War I history with the focus on the anti-war movements and protests. I also liked how the time travel concept was handled. Plus, finally a YA book without a love triangle - how refreshing!
Neat take on World War I history with the focus on the anti-war movements and protests. I also liked how the time travel concept was handled. Plus, finally a YA book without a love triangle - how refreshing!
Jun 18, 2013
Brianna Rae
marked it as to-read
Jun 14, 2013
Seth
marked it as to-read
Jun 14, 2013
Blake
marked it as to-read
Jun 13, 2013
Oda Lyngstad oltedal
marked it as to-read
Jun 10, 2013
Mary
marked it as to-read
Jun 02, 2013
Areeba
marked it as to-read
Jun 01, 2013
Maricrystal/Century
marked it as to-read
May 30, 2013
Jade Casey
marked it as to-read
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I grew up in Buffalo, New York with my parents, two brothers and a dog, named Tigere, on the mistaken assumption that this was French for “tiger”. I started writing when I was twelve, or perhaps even younger, publishing my first (and last) poem in a fourth grade newsletter.
I studied International Politics at Johns Hopkins University, and learned a lot about grass-roots organizing from veteran Bal...more
More about Louise Spiegler...
I studied International Politics at Johns Hopkins University, and learned a lot about grass-roots organizing from veteran Bal...more
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