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The Maze in the Heart of the Castle
He Was Only Sixteen When Tragedy Struck....
His name was Colin, and although he still couldn't believe it, his parents were gone, both dead from the plague. Scared, confused, and angry, he sought out a monk who told him about a haunted castle on Rheembeck Mountain -- and the old, strange wizard who lived there. Perhaps there Colin would find a way to stop his pain....
But instead of answers, the wizard showed him a locked oak door. Beyond it lay an ancient stone maze that led to a mystical land, a place where bandits roamed freely, where people lived within dark caves, afraid of the light, where cruelty was the way of the world, and where beautiful girls were not always what they seemed.
The wizard opened the oak door and invited Colin to enter. If Colin came through this strange place alive, he might indeed be able to ease the pain in his heart. But once inside, there could be no going back....
His name was Colin, and although he still couldn't believe it, his parents were gone, both dead from the plague. Scared, confused, and angry, he sought out a monk who told him about a haunted castle on Rheembeck Mountain -- and the old, strange wizard who lived there. Perhaps there Colin would find a way to stop his pain....
But instead of answers, the wizard showed him a locked oak door. Beyond it lay an ancient stone maze that led to a mystical land, a place where bandits roamed freely, where people lived within dark caves, afraid of the light, where cruelty was the way of the world, and where beautiful girls were not always what they seemed.
The wizard opened the oak door and invited Colin to enter. If Colin came through this strange place alive, he might indeed be able to ease the pain in his heart. But once inside, there could be no going back....
172 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
3 people are currently reading
630 people want to read
About the author
Dorothy Gilman
120 books758 followersDorothy Edith Gilman started writing when she was 9 and knew early on she was to be a writer. At 11, she competed against 10 to 16-year-olds in a story contest and won first place. She attended Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and briefly the University of Pennsylvania. She planned to write and illustrate children's books. She married Edgar A. Butters Jr, in 1945, this ended in divorce in 1965. Dorothy worked as an art teacher & telephone operator before becoming an author. She wrote children’s stories for more than ten years under the name
Dorothy Gilman Butters
and then began writing adult novels about Mrs. Pollifax–a retired grandmother who becomes a CIA agent. The Mrs. Pollifax series made Dorothy famous. While her stories nourish people’s thirst for adventure and mystery, Dorothy knew about nourishing the body as well. On her farm in Nova Scotia, she grew medicinal herbs and used this knowledge of herbs in many of her stories, including A Nun in the Closet. She travelled extensively, and used these experiences in her novels as well. Many of Dorothy’s books, feature strong women having adventures around the world. In 2010 Gilman was awarded the annual Grand Master Award by the Mystery Writers of America. Dorothy spent much of her life in Connecticut, New Mexico, and Maine. She died at age 88 of complications of Alzheimer's disease. She is survived by two sons, Christopher Butters and Jonathan Butters; and two grandchildren.
Series:
* Mrs. Pollifax
Series:
* Mrs. Pollifax
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
February 21, 2025
My search for this was long because it is out of print but for those who know about it, there is deserved hype. It continues to boggle me that Dorothy Gilman is famous for “Mrs. Pollifax”, collected but not yet read; because her less-known segues as fantastic! I'm sorry the masterful author died this year, 2012. There is a biography I must have and her foray into young adult fantasy is extremely well done. “The Maze In The Heart Of The Castle”, 1983 was a fictitious book within “The Tightrope Walker”, 1979. Dorothy clearly decided to compose it for real.
It’s been called metaphoric / symbolic but is a very well established story with distinct people and countries. A teenager grieves his parents. He believes a ‘no-turning-back’ journey through a scarcely whispered about maze, is the only place with answers and relief. Most fans enjoy this as children and adults, noticing something different every time. I store mine at hand in case of emergency. It is that memorable. I have only two critiques. The cage is awful for youths. Brief brutality, or captivity with respite, might pass. Confinement without room to extend a leg for months, eating only what peasants throw; is too much.
Also there’s no information about what’s next, if Colin reaches the impenetrable wizard city ‘Galt’. Otherwise the adventure is intelligent and exciting. I’ve withheld reviewing this novel more than any other, as if taking my time would do it justice. A scene in the first phase is disturbing and striking. Entering the maze, Colin finds people resigned to living there. Acceptance is valiant but he is incredulous they don’t strive harder. As dynamic as famous fantasy: I savoured an all-out battle, magic, thinking on your feet, a season of snow, and plenty of hiding and escapes.
It’s been called metaphoric / symbolic but is a very well established story with distinct people and countries. A teenager grieves his parents. He believes a ‘no-turning-back’ journey through a scarcely whispered about maze, is the only place with answers and relief. Most fans enjoy this as children and adults, noticing something different every time. I store mine at hand in case of emergency. It is that memorable. I have only two critiques. The cage is awful for youths. Brief brutality, or captivity with respite, might pass. Confinement without room to extend a leg for months, eating only what peasants throw; is too much.
Also there’s no information about what’s next, if Colin reaches the impenetrable wizard city ‘Galt’. Otherwise the adventure is intelligent and exciting. I’ve withheld reviewing this novel more than any other, as if taking my time would do it justice. A scene in the first phase is disturbing and striking. Entering the maze, Colin finds people resigned to living there. Acceptance is valiant but he is incredulous they don’t strive harder. As dynamic as famous fantasy: I savoured an all-out battle, magic, thinking on your feet, a season of snow, and plenty of hiding and escapes.
February 8, 2013
**Reread 2/20/2012** I still love this book. I wish that it were still in print so that I could afford tp buy copies for the children in my life. I buy it pretty much every time I find it on Amazon for under $20 and promptly give it away to classroom libraries and kids we know. It makes me kind of sad that more kids don't get to grow with Colin. ***
I first read this book when I was ten years old. It was my introduction to the fastasy genre, as up until then, I'd read primarily The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High.
At the time, I thought Colin was whiny and annoying, but I fell in love with the world he was in. When I read it again a year later as a pre-teen, I related to his heartbreak. Again a year after that, I saw how important it was to keep trying, even when everyone else has given up and try to discourage you so that you can join in their misery.
Colin starts out as a self-centered whiny boy, learns to keep going when others say it's impossible, help those in need, when to fight back and when to run, how to love another, mend a broken heart, and keep sight of a goal. Each group of people that Colin runs into faces a different challenge emotionally... and he grows up as a result.
I loved this book as a child, teen, adult, and now as a parent who recently introduced it to my own nine year old. He loved it for the same reasons I did and insisted that we buy a copy for his school library.
"Everybody should read this one Mom, not just the kids who are already readers."
I first read this book when I was ten years old. It was my introduction to the fastasy genre, as up until then, I'd read primarily The Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High.
At the time, I thought Colin was whiny and annoying, but I fell in love with the world he was in. When I read it again a year later as a pre-teen, I related to his heartbreak. Again a year after that, I saw how important it was to keep trying, even when everyone else has given up and try to discourage you so that you can join in their misery.
Colin starts out as a self-centered whiny boy, learns to keep going when others say it's impossible, help those in need, when to fight back and when to run, how to love another, mend a broken heart, and keep sight of a goal. Each group of people that Colin runs into faces a different challenge emotionally... and he grows up as a result.
I loved this book as a child, teen, adult, and now as a parent who recently introduced it to my own nine year old. He loved it for the same reasons I did and insisted that we buy a copy for his school library.
"Everybody should read this one Mom, not just the kids who are already readers."
May 12, 2018
3.5*
This book reminded me of The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster & I suspect that if I had first read Gilman's book at the same age as when I first read Juster's, it would have become a favorite. Both books are allegorical but I think Juster's book stands up better to adult reading (having more humor & the wonderful illustrations by Jules Feiffer helps!). Gilman's allegory is a touch more heavy-handed, or perhaps just more serious about itself.
Colin, grieving and angry, wants someone to explain to him why such things as his parents' deaths happen. The Grand Oldum (the wizard in the blurb) warns that many who enter the maze never reach the center where answers possibly may be found in his country of Galt.
Once in the maze, Colin first meets the Wos, a group of people who gave up trying to find their way through the maze and created a community in which they "celebrate" their troubles (woes) in turns. This is a good example of the type of allegory found throughout the book (though they aren't all quite so obvious). Through the various tribulations that befall him during his trip, Colin learns that This idea is one that Gilman expressed in several of her non-Pollifax books such as Caravan or The Clairvoyant Countess.
This book reminded me of The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster & I suspect that if I had first read Gilman's book at the same age as when I first read Juster's, it would have become a favorite. Both books are allegorical but I think Juster's book stands up better to adult reading (having more humor & the wonderful illustrations by Jules Feiffer helps!). Gilman's allegory is a touch more heavy-handed, or perhaps just more serious about itself.
Colin, grieving and angry, wants someone to explain to him why such things as his parents' deaths happen. The Grand Oldum (the wizard in the blurb) warns that many who enter the maze never reach the center where answers possibly may be found in his country of Galt.
Once in the maze, Colin first meets the Wos, a group of people who gave up trying to find their way through the maze and created a community in which they "celebrate" their troubles (woes) in turns. This is a good example of the type of allegory found throughout the book (though they aren't all quite so obvious). Through the various tribulations that befall him during his trip, Colin learns that This idea is one that Gilman expressed in several of her non-Pollifax books such as Caravan or The Clairvoyant Countess.
March 18, 2024
When his parents die unexpectedly, Colin goes searching for answers. He hears of a mysterious wise man who guards the entrance to a maze. Colin enters the maze, accepting the challenge to find a new country where his questions will be answered and his grief assuaged. Along an arduous journey, he meets people who have given up in despair, those who have turned to evil, and those who are willing to help him and guide him through the maze. But ultimately, Colin must answer his own heart and find the inner strength to endure.
I loved this beautiful story! It is very intense and emotional, but always full of hope. Colin goes through some terrible ordeals and suffers greatly. He sees others succumb to the darkness, but there is always some little ray of hope to light his way if he just chooses to keep moving forward.
I love how there is an element of allegory to the plot and characters (similar to Pilgrim's Progress), but it is never heavy-handed or too preachy. It feels like a gentle word of encouragement or warning, but the author doesn't beat you over the head with the moral lessons. The focus is more on Colin discovering these lessons through his journey, so the moral lessons feel natural to the story. There are a lot of nuggets of wisdom in this book.
The writing style is excellent! The writing is concise and powerful. The plot moves quickly from one phase of the journey to the next. The author manages to say a great deal with just a few meaningful words. There are so many relatable insights into the human experience.
But it's not all allegory, insight, and moral lessons. The adventure is exciting, the characters are so interesting and complex, and the setting is imaginative and wild! Don't be fooled by the dorky 1970s covers; this book is beautifully written and absolute genius from start to finish!
I had put off reading this book for years, because I had built it up in my mind, and I was worried that the reality would not match my high expectations. I shouldn't have waited so long! This book exceeded my expectations and gave me a lot to think about for many years to come.
I loved this beautiful story! It is very intense and emotional, but always full of hope. Colin goes through some terrible ordeals and suffers greatly. He sees others succumb to the darkness, but there is always some little ray of hope to light his way if he just chooses to keep moving forward.
I love how there is an element of allegory to the plot and characters (similar to Pilgrim's Progress), but it is never heavy-handed or too preachy. It feels like a gentle word of encouragement or warning, but the author doesn't beat you over the head with the moral lessons. The focus is more on Colin discovering these lessons through his journey, so the moral lessons feel natural to the story. There are a lot of nuggets of wisdom in this book.
The writing style is excellent! The writing is concise and powerful. The plot moves quickly from one phase of the journey to the next. The author manages to say a great deal with just a few meaningful words. There are so many relatable insights into the human experience.
But it's not all allegory, insight, and moral lessons. The adventure is exciting, the characters are so interesting and complex, and the setting is imaginative and wild! Don't be fooled by the dorky 1970s covers; this book is beautifully written and absolute genius from start to finish!
I had put off reading this book for years, because I had built it up in my mind, and I was worried that the reality would not match my high expectations. I shouldn't have waited so long! This book exceeded my expectations and gave me a lot to think about for many years to come.
November 20, 2010
Colin is sixteen, and having a difficult time coming to terms with the death of his parents. He is angry and alone, and wants to know why such a thing would happen to him. He travels to a monastery to visit his father's friend, Brother John, and ask him why this terrible thing happened. When Colin refuses to be comforted, Brother John tells him of a magician who lives in an ancient, haunted castle who may offer him something to help answer his questions. Colin finds the castle and the magician, who says he is the keeper of the maze at the heart of the castle. He makes no promises, but offers to let Colin journey through the maze if he wishes. Colin sets out on a journey that will change everything for him.
This is so different from any other Dorothy Gilman book I've read that it's really difficult to compare. If I think of it as a straightforward YA/quest/fantasy/adventure type of story, it is just okay. Nothing spectacular. The kind of story you don't mind reading, but later can't remember much except some vague details. If I think of the book as an allegory, though, with deeper meaning beyond just the surface story, I like it much more. I still don't think it's Dorothy Gilman's best ever, but I'm glad I read it.
I do think Dorothy Gilman meant for us to take more from this book than just the surface story. There are hints scattered throughout the story. This is probably the most crucial one:
"It came to him, standing there, that he could choose for himself what thoughts he might carry down this mountain with him, for if his future lay in the valleys below, then to take his past with him was to walk backward into that future, always looking over his shoulder and stumbling. There had to be something better ahead--there already was, he realized: the first green that he'd glimpsed since he rode out of the forest..."
I like that the above quote came in the middle of the story. Even after that realization, Colin still had hardships to overcome which tested his new ideas and allowed him to learn even more about himself.
This book was featured in another Gilman book, The Tightrope Walker. I need to reread that now that I've read this!
This is so different from any other Dorothy Gilman book I've read that it's really difficult to compare. If I think of it as a straightforward YA/quest/fantasy/adventure type of story, it is just okay. Nothing spectacular. The kind of story you don't mind reading, but later can't remember much except some vague details. If I think of the book as an allegory, though, with deeper meaning beyond just the surface story, I like it much more. I still don't think it's Dorothy Gilman's best ever, but I'm glad I read it.
I do think Dorothy Gilman meant for us to take more from this book than just the surface story. There are hints scattered throughout the story. This is probably the most crucial one:
"It came to him, standing there, that he could choose for himself what thoughts he might carry down this mountain with him, for if his future lay in the valleys below, then to take his past with him was to walk backward into that future, always looking over his shoulder and stumbling. There had to be something better ahead--there already was, he realized: the first green that he'd glimpsed since he rode out of the forest..."
I like that the above quote came in the middle of the story. Even after that realization, Colin still had hardships to overcome which tested his new ideas and allowed him to learn even more about himself.
This book was featured in another Gilman book, The Tightrope Walker. I need to reread that now that I've read this!
December 22, 2009
Gilman, known for her teen novels before she reinvented herself as the author of the Mrs. Pollifax and other mysteries, first mentioned this book in The Tightrope Walker. Clearly, she fell in love with the description of this book and then wrote it! It works by itself but I highly recommend The Tightrope Walker too, in which shy heroine Amelia Jones searches her past for clues to a mystery that now confronts and terrifies her...
October 8, 2017
Cover is false advertising -- at no point does our hero run around with a sword in a castle.
Basically a book about a life philosophy in story form. I enjoyed it, but the plot is episodic with a bit too much deus ex machina for me. Admittedly the deus ex machina aspects are somewhat justified by the didactic point the book is trying to make.
I did not remember it was related to The Tightrope Walker, which I haven't read in decades but remember enjoying. Guess I'd best dig that out next.
Basically a book about a life philosophy in story form. I enjoyed it, but the plot is episodic with a bit too much deus ex machina for me. Admittedly the deus ex machina aspects are somewhat justified by the didactic point the book is trying to make.
I did not remember it was related to The Tightrope Walker, which I haven't read in decades but remember enjoying. Guess I'd best dig that out next.
June 2, 2012
My friend Catherine gave me the book The Maze in the Heart of the Castle by Dorthy Gilman. It ended up in my pile of books and finally resurfaced this week. I am so glad it did. This small book has become one of my all-time favorites.
This book can be read on two levels - the story of a boy on a quest for a far-off land - or as an allegory, much like The Little Prince.
Colin is sixteen when he loses both his parents and finds himself alone in the world. Battling his grief, he begs Brother John to explain the age old question we all eventually ask - why?
Brother John sends him to a castle with a magical maze. By facing the maze, Colin will find his answer. Through Colin's adventures, he learns lessons about the human condition:
Sometimes the endless maze is self-imposed and we may need to climb over the obstacles to find our way out.
Truth cannot be silenced.
Sometimes we must fight for what is right.
Our mind can take us to dark places that incubate us, but we can not stay there without going mad.
Love is worth having, even if the person we love betrays us.
Magic and miracles come to us in our darkest moments.
We become what our thougts allow us to be.
A beautiful book that is easy to read. Like Colin, I am a better person for taking the journey.
This book can be read on two levels - the story of a boy on a quest for a far-off land - or as an allegory, much like The Little Prince.
Colin is sixteen when he loses both his parents and finds himself alone in the world. Battling his grief, he begs Brother John to explain the age old question we all eventually ask - why?
Brother John sends him to a castle with a magical maze. By facing the maze, Colin will find his answer. Through Colin's adventures, he learns lessons about the human condition:
Sometimes the endless maze is self-imposed and we may need to climb over the obstacles to find our way out.
Truth cannot be silenced.
Sometimes we must fight for what is right.
Our mind can take us to dark places that incubate us, but we can not stay there without going mad.
Love is worth having, even if the person we love betrays us.
Magic and miracles come to us in our darkest moments.
We become what our thougts allow us to be.
A beautiful book that is easy to read. Like Colin, I am a better person for taking the journey.
April 20, 2025
This book was written for children, or early teens, but they would not enjoy it now. Now the people who would most enjoy it are old adults who remember when kids books were to built morale and teach one to be a good person. This book does all that. Too bad our children grow up so fast anymore. They have no time to enjoy their childhood.
May 30, 2013
Very good, but I had a lot of questions about name choices and what certain passages symbolized. But more importantly, I'm happy I read a book Carla read when she was 10 and she and I got to discuss it at dinner during our honeymoon. Quite awesome.
June 11, 2021
titular sentence:
p7: "I'm the keeper of the maze that lies in the heart of this castle...."
ocr errors:
p4: "...He was an old man when I met him, but there was something about him--I think he'd been old for a long time, perhaps he was bom old, for I have come to believe that he is neither tramp not ghost but a magician."
p6: He had simply materialized; he was there, an old man, as Brother John had promised, but with startling deep-set eyes as blue as sapphires glittering in the sun, eyes so penetrating they seemed to look at Cohn as though he were transparent.
p8: Stepping back a pace he shouted, "Go home, Black Prince," and gave the horse a slap on .its flanks.
p9: "It happens hke that sometimes," said the Grand Odium, nodding.
p28: They stared at each for a long time, wideeyed, not speaking, and then at the same moment each of them reached for the rock on the floor, and by pushing, pulling, and heaving they sue- ceeded in propping it back in place over the hole before it could tje seen by the guards.
p30: In that sphnter of light coming from somewhere above Cohn saw that he had emerged into an underground lake.
There's a lot more of those ocr errors; and they make for a rather fun reading. Had to slow down to try to decipher the correct word.
This is a rare gem of a book and I'm glad I was able to locate, albeit a rather poor, copy. Totally not what I expected.
p7: "I'm the keeper of the maze that lies in the heart of this castle...."
ocr errors:
p4: "...He was an old man when I met him, but there was something about him--I think he'd been old for a long time, perhaps he was bom old, for I have come to believe that he is neither tramp not ghost but a magician."
p6: He had simply materialized; he was there, an old man, as Brother John had promised, but with startling deep-set eyes as blue as sapphires glittering in the sun, eyes so penetrating they seemed to look at Cohn as though he were transparent.
p8: Stepping back a pace he shouted, "Go home, Black Prince," and gave the horse a slap on .its flanks.
p9: "It happens hke that sometimes," said the Grand Odium, nodding.
p28: They stared at each for a long time, wideeyed, not speaking, and then at the same moment each of them reached for the rock on the floor, and by pushing, pulling, and heaving they sue- ceeded in propping it back in place over the hole before it could tje seen by the guards.
p30: In that sphnter of light coming from somewhere above Cohn saw that he had emerged into an underground lake.
There's a lot more of those ocr errors; and they make for a rather fun reading. Had to slow down to try to decipher the correct word.
This is a rare gem of a book and I'm glad I was able to locate, albeit a rather poor, copy. Totally not what I expected.
June 5, 2018
Free from archive library | Re-read | Since 1983, a book that basically every young reader should experience. It's a wonderful and useful parable, with lessons that actually stay with you in life. The obstacles Colin faces are pretty linear and quick; problem leads to solution right away and then the story moves on. But it never bothered me when I was younger, and I've read the book dozens of times over the years.
March 2, 2015
Oh, dear. What a disappointment.
I really can't give this three stars.
To be honest, maybe if I had read this back in the seventies, when I was about 16, maybe I would have loved it. But I didn't. I read it over the past 2 weeks--far too long a time for a book this short and with so little in it. That's an indication of how un-gripping it was. I kept putting it down and reading other things, and I have finished whole books in between.
I've long been aware of D. Gilman's fascination with mystic religions, meditation etc; it permeates all her work, from A Nun in the Closet to The Clairvoyant Countess and all between, but she usually handles it with a bit more whimsey and humour. This dull tome is far too "philosophical" (inverted commas intended), and she tries to do too much with too little. At first I thought it was a quest story blended with satire; I did enjoy the "Wos" (group therapy, anyone? It won't help much, but it might make you feel better, if you're that sort of person. Personally, I never was. ) and I had high hopes for the rest of the tale. Unfortunately, they were not met. I trudged through about 200 pages only to have the story cut off abruptly the moment Colin gets in sight of his goal. There's no real resolution, no real rounding of the story.
A few odd things I noticed: all the "good guys" have normal, recognisable English or at least European names: Colin, Raoul, Serena etc. The "bad guys" have names that are just sounds. Colin's god is named Hoveh (Jehovah?) and Colin defends himself with a slingshot, like some kind of contemporaneous David figure with his stones and sling, going against the giants. The cover is sooo misleading; magic does not "reign supreme" in the maze or out of it. Apart from the Conjuror, there is none, unless you count what would later morph into the New Age nonsense of "inner power to transform your world."
To be honest, it read like an unfinished draft. Shame she didn't go back and rework it a bit before publishing. 1.5 stars.
I really can't give this three stars.
To be honest, maybe if I had read this back in the seventies, when I was about 16, maybe I would have loved it. But I didn't. I read it over the past 2 weeks--far too long a time for a book this short and with so little in it. That's an indication of how un-gripping it was. I kept putting it down and reading other things, and I have finished whole books in between.
I've long been aware of D. Gilman's fascination with mystic religions, meditation etc; it permeates all her work, from A Nun in the Closet to The Clairvoyant Countess and all between, but she usually handles it with a bit more whimsey and humour. This dull tome is far too "philosophical" (inverted commas intended), and she tries to do too much with too little. At first I thought it was a quest story blended with satire; I did enjoy the "Wos" (group therapy, anyone? It won't help much, but it might make you feel better, if you're that sort of person. Personally, I never was. ) and I had high hopes for the rest of the tale. Unfortunately, they were not met. I trudged through about 200 pages only to have the story cut off abruptly the moment Colin gets in sight of his goal. There's no real resolution, no real rounding of the story.
A few odd things I noticed: all the "good guys" have normal, recognisable English or at least European names: Colin, Raoul, Serena etc. The "bad guys" have names that are just sounds. Colin's god is named Hoveh (Jehovah?) and Colin defends himself with a slingshot, like some kind of contemporaneous David figure with his stones and sling, going against the giants. The cover is sooo misleading; magic does not "reign supreme" in the maze or out of it. Apart from the Conjuror, there is none, unless you count what would later morph into the New Age nonsense of "inner power to transform your world."
To be honest, it read like an unfinished draft. Shame she didn't go back and rework it a bit before publishing. 1.5 stars.
August 9, 2010
The Maze in the Heart of the Castle is written more as an allegory than a novel so many of the people that Colin, the hero of the tale, meets are more symbols than they are characters. So they are not developed very well and lack depth but they serve their purpose and get the point across. The journey Colin goes on is one of self discovery and he must face all the different thing that will stop him if he lets them. And because, once again, things seem to be more symbols than anything else many of the situations he finds himself in develop and end rather quickly. The pared down characters and situations let Colin encounter many things and go on a long journey without having the novel weighed down with lots of details but still giving the reader the ideas of and the feel for them all. The setting is vaguely medieval with transportation by horse and fighting with slingshots and daggers but he had a penknife and a joke book which didn’t seem to fit in with some of the other things so it was hard to get a time period for the book. It isn’t exactly nonstop action but the narrative does keep the plot moving along at a good pace. It can be read as just a quick easy adventure story or, more in keeping with the allegorical feel of the book, you can look for the moral and follow Colin as he deals with his grief, anger and confusion and learn with him what it means to get through the maze at the heart of the castle.
July 27, 2013
It's a testament to a young adult book when you can read it for the first time as an adult and still love every minute of it. This book is pure gold and a downright shame at being so rare. It's quick, compelling, with an excellent main characters. Sure, some of the adventures seem to move a little too quickly (after all, you'd think after participating in a war you might need to rest more than a day) or skills a bit overpowered (that slingshot was so accurate and effective!) but the rest is perfectly paced, each challenge beautiful and unique in it's own way. Love, love, love this!
January 17, 2009
This was a fun adventure story, but parts of it irked me. It seemed like it was written by a new author, who was trying really hard to write something thought-provoking and life lessony but really didn't succeed. Just came out cheesy. She should just stick with Mrs. Pollifax.
Sidenote, if I remember right this book is mentioned in her other book, The Tightrope Walker. And that bugged me too. She gives her self just a bit too much credit for how great this book is.
Sidenote, if I remember right this book is mentioned in her other book, The Tightrope Walker. And that bugged me too. She gives her self just a bit too much credit for how great this book is.
December 11, 2008
One of the first fantasy books I picked up at the library when I was in 6th grade. I still love this book. I "lost" a copy last year so I could add it to my collection. The librarians forgave me as soon as I paid the lost fee :oD
June 11, 2018
I don't know how my wonderful sixth grade teacher made me enjoy this book so much when I was eleven. She must have a sort of magical voice that made us love anything she read to us, because this novel is utter garbage. On the most basic level it isn't even competent. I found typos everywhere as I read, as though it hadn't even been edited. Despite the medieval setting, modern items like treadmills were mentioned in passing. There were no twists and turns, only tired cliches. The simplest solution to any problem was the one that was taken, and on the next page the protagonist would run into another obvious predicament.
It's so drenched in religious symbolism that I just found myself rolling my eyes whenever the protagonist met a new character, knowing that they would just be another representation of some deadly sin or another. The ending was anticlimactic. Even with the obvious Christian overtones, the moral was unclear. The pacing was so fast that the protagonist found a civilization, escaped prison with several other people, introduced democracy, and overthrew the monarchy in the space of 20 pages. And I was still bored. I honestly cannot find anything to like about this. I only bothered to finish it because it's so short. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone--not that anyone was looking to read this obscure thing, anyway.
#ReadDownYourBookshelf verdict: I'm absolutely getting rid of this.
It's so drenched in religious symbolism that I just found myself rolling my eyes whenever the protagonist met a new character, knowing that they would just be another representation of some deadly sin or another. The ending was anticlimactic. Even with the obvious Christian overtones, the moral was unclear. The pacing was so fast that the protagonist found a civilization, escaped prison with several other people, introduced democracy, and overthrew the monarchy in the space of 20 pages. And I was still bored. I honestly cannot find anything to like about this. I only bothered to finish it because it's so short. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone--not that anyone was looking to read this obscure thing, anyway.
#ReadDownYourBookshelf verdict: I'm absolutely getting rid of this.
March 2, 2018
THE MAZE IN THE HEART OF THE CASTLE by Dorothy Gilman is like a youth version of PILGRIM'S PROGRESS, so many challenges and lessons on this journey through heat and cold, water and desert, despair, sloth, anger, cruelty. In what seems a theme in all her books, the protagonist gathers a group of loyal friends, helping one another for the good of all. I recommend this 100%, and since it might be hard to find, I’ll share some of the quotes I typed out for myself, as reminders for life.
“Everything would be up to you.” “It’s a journey, that’s all.” “Carry the sun with you.”
“You give us a choice?” “Of course, let’s take a vote.”
“He could not even feel anger anymore, he had spent it all.”
“Perhaps there are patterns unseen . . . all around us . . .”
“‘Everything here is done for me.’ . . . still he knew he must trust himself and it was a strange feeling to him.” “I’ve let the Despas take away all my strength in the name of safety and comfort, and they’ve nearly murdered the sun inside me.”
“I’m bored by ugly thoughts. I’m desperately tired of them.”
“He had to be emptied before he could be filled.”
“Everyone is on the same journey . . . They think they’ve failed . . . and now they’ve grown attached to their misery.”
“One need only be without to appreciate having.”
“Dark thoughts swarmed into his head like mosquitoes . . . He was trapped.” “like a maze”
“Everything would be up to you.” “It’s a journey, that’s all.” “Carry the sun with you.”
“You give us a choice?” “Of course, let’s take a vote.”
“He could not even feel anger anymore, he had spent it all.”
“Perhaps there are patterns unseen . . . all around us . . .”
“‘Everything here is done for me.’ . . . still he knew he must trust himself and it was a strange feeling to him.” “I’ve let the Despas take away all my strength in the name of safety and comfort, and they’ve nearly murdered the sun inside me.”
“I’m bored by ugly thoughts. I’m desperately tired of them.”
“He had to be emptied before he could be filled.”
“Everyone is on the same journey . . . They think they’ve failed . . . and now they’ve grown attached to their misery.”
“One need only be without to appreciate having.”
“Dark thoughts swarmed into his head like mosquitoes . . . He was trapped.” “like a maze”
March 17, 2020
Depending on cover, it will appeal to different ages. The hero is 16, but the adventures are intense enough that I had trouble reading through them, and yet other reviews say that children of 9 or 10 years appreciate the parable. Well, some children in the old days liked The Pilgrim's Progress too. And some who read this will like The Last Unicorn. I wonder, too, if it might work as a primer for Don Quixote (which I do intend to read someday).
March 19, 2019
This is one of those books from my childhood where I didn't remember the details of the plot, but I remembered the way it made me feel. I was interested whether that feeling would still be there returning to the book nearly twenty years later, but for the most part, it was. It's important to realize that this book is intended to be read as an allegory, and is told in much the same way as a fable or fairy tale. That means the moral drives the storytelling, and the characters are there to make a point, generally not subtly at all. However, if you can step away from expecting your typical fantasy story, this book has some important things to say, especially when you're a kid trying to find your way in the world. 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up because I can say with certainty that this book sticks with you.
July 18, 2019
After reading Dorothy Gilman's The Tightrope Walker, which features a book called The Maze in the Heart of the Castle, I had to look up the title. Turns out Ms. Gilman decided to write the fictional book that she referred to in The Tightrope Walker a few years later. I thought that was very clever of her and instantly wanted to read it.
The book is a quick read. It's allegorical in nature and a bit heavy handed. The lessons that the protagonist learns throughout his adventures in "The Maze" are often spelled right out. The end is a bit New Agey. Overall it was just okay. I wish the characters and settings had been fleshed out more. There were some fun moments, so it was worth the short time it took to read in my opinion.
The book is a quick read. It's allegorical in nature and a bit heavy handed. The lessons that the protagonist learns throughout his adventures in "The Maze" are often spelled right out. The end is a bit New Agey. Overall it was just okay. I wish the characters and settings had been fleshed out more. There were some fun moments, so it was worth the short time it took to read in my opinion.
December 7, 2023
I had read most of the Mrs. Pollifax series and last year decided to read them all and in order. Having enjoyed reading them, they really do take you away, I decided to v read her other works. Once I read "The Tightrope Walker" and they mentioned this book I had to read it.
Love the quote on psgec13 that reads, ".. The important thing is to carry the sun with you, inside of you at every moment, against the darkness."
As I read this book lots of uncertainty was happening in my life so I kept this quote in mind which helped me keep my head up. Such an interesting read!! I loved the deeper meaning of each of the adventures happening in the story.
As an adult I love this book ~ and I think it would be really good for adolescent kids and hopefully take something from it!
Love the quote on psgec13 that reads, ".. The important thing is to carry the sun with you, inside of you at every moment, against the darkness."
As I read this book lots of uncertainty was happening in my life so I kept this quote in mind which helped me keep my head up. Such an interesting read!! I loved the deeper meaning of each of the adventures happening in the story.
As an adult I love this book ~ and I think it would be really good for adolescent kids and hopefully take something from it!
May 31, 2021
"And the name of my country is Galt. John Galt."
After that popped into my mind, it was hard to take the book seriously, although it was a decent YA offering of a boy who does seem to have the weight of the world on his shoulders (and performs acts of derring-do and gets involved with girls both good and bad). The lessons Gilman imparts--having a positive attitude, you are where your thoughts are, empty yourself of the negative so you can be filled with the positive--are being stressed even more today everywhere you look, so the story might not seem fresh and original to today's readers, but it's a nice choice for an introduction to the genre.
After that popped into my mind, it was hard to take the book seriously, although it was a decent YA offering of a boy who does seem to have the weight of the world on his shoulders (and performs acts of derring-do and gets involved with girls both good and bad). The lessons Gilman imparts--having a positive attitude, you are where your thoughts are, empty yourself of the negative so you can be filled with the positive--are being stressed even more today everywhere you look, so the story might not seem fresh and original to today's readers, but it's a nice choice for an introduction to the genre.
October 28, 2020
This is gruesome! I would never give it to a child, I was horrified at her description of 'hell' and disgusted at the cage, which she describes in excruciating detail. I do NOT understand the meaning of the cage, where he gives up all thought and hope. Then there is an abrupt ending. He never actually makes it to the land of the Galts. I adore Dorothy Gilman's other works, but this one, I do not recommend.
December 17, 2022
The main character was 16 years old, but he came off as half that age. The writing didn't work for me (a Goodreads reviewer described it as "an Arthurian tone", so maybe that was it), and the plot didn't hook me (the assumedly 16 year old boy's parents died and a wizard sent him on a quest to try to find the answer to why good people die). I DNFed it after one evening of reading.
December 18, 2019
An interesting tale delving into the process of emotional healing. It is an enjoyable story and the author has a clear grasp of how people can think. The story was a fairy tale even to the end but there were quite realistic parts of it.
May 11, 2017
It was okay, but about half-way through it sort of lost me. The characters and world are interesting but are never described in any real depth. Good read, but not a keeper.
June 6, 2017
Reminded me a bit of The Neverending Story. I wish I had read it when I was younger, I would have appreciated it more as a kid.
February 25, 2018
Coming of age story of Colin who has lost his parents and seemingly everything. On a quest for something more in life he sets out on a journey through a maze to country of Galt. Disappointing.
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