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The Gateway Trilogy #2
Winter Door: The Gateway Trilogy Book Two
In the midst of the worst winter on record, Rage is beset with worry. Her mother still hasn’t fully recovered from her car accident despite Rage’s successful quest for healing magic. Her stoic uncle seems to be having second thoughts about looking after her. The school bully, Logan, is increasingly malicious. And her only friend, Billy Thunder, is just a dog again. As if that weren’t enough, there’s something wild lurking in the woods around the farm. Do Rage’s dreams hint at a sinister threat to two worlds?
From the Hardcover edition.
From the Hardcover edition.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
1 person is currently reading
502 people want to read
About the author
Isobelle Carmody
104 books1,738 followersIsobelle Carmody began the first novel of her highly acclaimed Obernewtyn Chronicles while she was still in high school. The series has established her at the forefront of fantasy writing in Australia.
In addition to her young-adult novels, such as the Obernewtyn Chronicles and Alyzon Whitestarr, Isobelle's published works include several middle-grade fantasies. Her still-unfinished Gateway Trilogy has been favorably compared to The Wizard of Oz and the Chronicles of Narnia. The Little Fur quartet is an eco-fantasy starring a half-elf, half-troll heroine and is fully illustrated by the author herself.
Isobelle's most recent picture book, Magic Night, is a collaboration with illustrator Declan Lee. Originally published in Australia as The Wrong Thing, the book features an ordinary housecat who stumbles upon something otherworldly. Across all her writing, Isobelle shows a talent for balancing the mundane and the fantastic.
Isobelle was the guest of honor at the 2007 Australian National Science Fiction Convention. She has received numerous honors for her writing, including multiple Aurealis Awards and Children's Book Council of Australia Awards.
She currently divides her time between her home on the Great Ocean Road in Australia and her travels abroad with her partner and daughter.
Librarian's note: Penguin Australia is publishing the Obernewtyn Chronicles in six books, and The Stone Key is book five. In the United States and Canada this series is published by Random House in eight books; this Penguin Australia book is split into two parts and published as Wavesong (Book Five) and The Stone Key (Book Six).
In addition to her young-adult novels, such as the Obernewtyn Chronicles and Alyzon Whitestarr, Isobelle's published works include several middle-grade fantasies. Her still-unfinished Gateway Trilogy has been favorably compared to The Wizard of Oz and the Chronicles of Narnia. The Little Fur quartet is an eco-fantasy starring a half-elf, half-troll heroine and is fully illustrated by the author herself.
Isobelle's most recent picture book, Magic Night, is a collaboration with illustrator Declan Lee. Originally published in Australia as The Wrong Thing, the book features an ordinary housecat who stumbles upon something otherworldly. Across all her writing, Isobelle shows a talent for balancing the mundane and the fantastic.
Isobelle was the guest of honor at the 2007 Australian National Science Fiction Convention. She has received numerous honors for her writing, including multiple Aurealis Awards and Children's Book Council of Australia Awards.
She currently divides her time between her home on the Great Ocean Road in Australia and her travels abroad with her partner and daughter.
Librarian's note: Penguin Australia is publishing the Obernewtyn Chronicles in six books, and The Stone Key is book five. In the United States and Canada this series is published by Random House in eight books; this Penguin Australia book is split into two parts and published as Wavesong (Book Five) and The Stone Key (Book Six).
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 4, 2012
Sequel to Night Gate
, in which I was fascinated by the twelve-year-old heroine's stirrings-of-first-love relationship with Billy Thunder, her dog who turns into an attractive teenage boy when they go to fantasyland together to try to wake her mother from a coma.
Now back in the real world, it turns out that Rage's mom briefly rallied, but is now worse than ever. Oops. To Rage's sorrow, Billy Thunder is a dog again. For the first half of the novel, Rage has brief dreams of fantasyland, but much of the action involves her battle and then friendship with a troubled bully from her school, Logan. A human rival for Billy Thunder, I thought.
But when she finally confides her magical adventures to Logan, he becomes fascinated - even a bit obsessed - with her descriptions of Elle, her dog who became a beautiful blonde girl. For the rest of the book, she and Logan have somewhat random fantasyland adventures while Rage longs for Billy Thunder and Logan longs for Elle. This is the first novel I've ever read in which the romantic quadrangle consists of two humans and two transformed dogs.
, in which I was fascinated by the twelve-year-old heroine's stirrings-of-first-love relationship with Billy Thunder, her dog who turns into an attractive teenage boy when they go to fantasyland together to try to wake her mother from a coma.Now back in the real world, it turns out that Rage's mom briefly rallied, but is now worse than ever. Oops. To Rage's sorrow, Billy Thunder is a dog again. For the first half of the novel, Rage has brief dreams of fantasyland, but much of the action involves her battle and then friendship with a troubled bully from her school, Logan. A human rival for Billy Thunder, I thought.
But when she finally confides her magical adventures to Logan, he becomes fascinated - even a bit obsessed - with her descriptions of Elle, her dog who became a beautiful blonde girl. For the rest of the book, she and Logan have somewhat random fantasyland adventures while Rage longs for Billy Thunder and Logan longs for Elle. This is the first novel I've ever read in which the romantic quadrangle consists of two humans and two transformed dogs.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
February 12, 2012
I love these books. It's official. I'm not even sure why I love them so much, other than they tug on my heart and it's just so much wholesome adventurousness that it makes me do happy dances inside. I do have little issues with them, but they're small, niggling things that don't matter much at all.
What I think I like most about them is the imagination that's put into each one. Winter Door definitely does not disappoint in this aspect. Rage is back at home and Billy is just a dog again, and her mother is still in the hospital. Her uncle is staying with Rage and taking care of her, but he's virtually a stranger that she barely ever talks to. On top of that, the weather is strange. Snow and cold, nonstop. Then the firecat shows up again, strange creatures are roaming the area, and Rage suddenly has the ability to go to the other world in her sleep.
You meet the old characters from the previous book and years have passed (compared to the few months in Rage's world). What was fascinating to read was how different and the same every character is. You could sense that they grew and lived their lives past the last book, and they're slightly different in very good ways. The adventure that Rage and Billy launch themselves into is urgent, but they're brave and everyone is there to help and it just makes you feel rather warm and fuzzy inside.
I do wish we could learn more about some people. Rage's uncle, for instance. The wizard. I'd love to know much more about the Stormlord. Heck, even Rage's mom. But I suppose that's a sign of a good writer, to leave the reader wanting more about everything, even when it's not strictly necessary to the plot.
I enjoyed this book as much as I did the last, if not more so. 4 stars.
What I think I like most about them is the imagination that's put into each one. Winter Door definitely does not disappoint in this aspect. Rage is back at home and Billy is just a dog again, and her mother is still in the hospital. Her uncle is staying with Rage and taking care of her, but he's virtually a stranger that she barely ever talks to. On top of that, the weather is strange. Snow and cold, nonstop. Then the firecat shows up again, strange creatures are roaming the area, and Rage suddenly has the ability to go to the other world in her sleep.
You meet the old characters from the previous book and years have passed (compared to the few months in Rage's world). What was fascinating to read was how different and the same every character is. You could sense that they grew and lived their lives past the last book, and they're slightly different in very good ways. The adventure that Rage and Billy launch themselves into is urgent, but they're brave and everyone is there to help and it just makes you feel rather warm and fuzzy inside.
I do wish we could learn more about some people. Rage's uncle, for instance. The wizard. I'd love to know much more about the Stormlord. Heck, even Rage's mom. But I suppose that's a sign of a good writer, to leave the reader wanting more about everything, even when it's not strictly necessary to the plot.
I enjoyed this book as much as I did the last, if not more so. 4 stars.
July 23, 2008
The Winter Door is the second book in the Night Gate Trilogy and some prior knowledge is assumed. Rage (Rachel Winnoway) has been left to her uncle’s care while her mother recovers from a car accident. Ignored by classmates, Rage and her dog Billy Thunder once again venture into the alternate realm of Valley. Through dream walking, Rage learns that a gate has been opened, thereby flooding Valley and her world with everlasting winter and despair. After becoming friends with the class clown and bully, Rage and Billy try to help their old friends defeat the ruler Stormlord. Themes include: loss, fear, doubt, identity, hope, courage and friendship. Rage is a likeable protagonist whose faults make her an interesting character.
July 6, 2024
Night Gate is my favorite book. Like, I always say I don't have a favorite because I love so many, but I realized that since I reread Night Gate literally every year, it might actually be my favorite.
Winter Door did not disappoint. It is beautiful. Old characters come back, but with obvious growth. New characters are added. The plot builds off of the original world and the original themes, but isn't the same thing again.
It's so beautiful. It says so much about human nature. Sadness, sorrow, joy, despair, being left behind and then doing the leaving. And really trying to understand where all those feelings come from and how to deal with them.
It's just so beautiful in every way.
Winter Door did not disappoint. It is beautiful. Old characters come back, but with obvious growth. New characters are added. The plot builds off of the original world and the original themes, but isn't the same thing again.
It's so beautiful. It says so much about human nature. Sadness, sorrow, joy, despair, being left behind and then doing the leaving. And really trying to understand where all those feelings come from and how to deal with them.
It's just so beautiful in every way.
December 31, 2008
The first two books in the Gateway Trilogy were good. Complex issues are explored with sensitivity. Rage has problems worse than the typical angsty teenage novel heroine. Her mother is desperately ill, her uncle is taciturn and distant, the only friends she has are her beloved dogs, and she's finding school difficult. She has a lot more to worry about than popularity.
I wish Isobelle Carmody would write the third book already! It's been so long now that I'll have to read the first two books again before reading the third, I've forgotten details.
Good, subtle, nuanced fantasy.
I wish Isobelle Carmody would write the third book already! It's been so long now that I'll have to read the first two books again before reading the third, I've forgotten details.
Good, subtle, nuanced fantasy.
August 17, 2012
Enquanto espero e desespero pelos últimos volumes da série Obernewtyn, resolvi ler este. A forma de escrever dela é facilmente reconhecível, com assuntos bem sérios a espreitar em alegorias bem formuladas. Não tão bom como a série Obernewtyn, mas gostei.
March 25, 2009
This was a good book! I likeded it!
January 14, 2010
It is a great seires. I can't wait to read the next book. You really get to know the characters.
March 23, 2016
It ended fine. You can make your own 'ending' since the author never finished the trilogy.
Better book for a 14-15 y.o.
Used to have hard bound. Got rid of March 2016.
Better book for a 14-15 y.o.
Used to have hard bound. Got rid of March 2016.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2011
so far so good.
July 23, 2012
Love it! My only disappointment is that the next book to this trilogy is not available yet.
October 10, 2012
It was interesting to see how Gilbert, Elle and Mr. Walker got along in the other world... as well as how things turned out with Logan.
But oh Billy Thunder... you make my heart ache.
But oh Billy Thunder... you make my heart ache.
November 19, 2016
These were cute and fun books. My only disappointment is I cannot find the last one (Firecat) anywhere to read.
March 16, 2015
I liked it I like Rage and Billy and there new friend Logan.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews