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Thirteen Treasures #1
The Thirteen Treasures
The first instalment in the fairy-filled Thirteen Treasures trilogy, full of fairies, magic and pure adventure from Waterstones Children's Book Prize winner Michelle Harrison.
While visiting her grandmother's manor house, an old photograph leads Tanya to an unsolved mystery. Fifty years ago, a girl vanished in the woods nearby – a girl Tanya's grandmother will not speak of.
Fabian, the caretaker's son, is tormented by the girl's disappearance. His grandfather was the last person to see her alive and has lived under suspicion ever since. Together, Tanya and Fabian decide to find the truth. But Tanya has her own the ability to see fairies. And, after disturbing an intruder in the night, it emerges that someone else shares her gift. . .
The manor's sinister history is about to repeat itself. Can Tanya and Fabian solve the mystery before it's too late?
The perfect series for fans of Katherine Rundell and Sophie Anderson!
While visiting her grandmother's manor house, an old photograph leads Tanya to an unsolved mystery. Fifty years ago, a girl vanished in the woods nearby – a girl Tanya's grandmother will not speak of.
Fabian, the caretaker's son, is tormented by the girl's disappearance. His grandfather was the last person to see her alive and has lived under suspicion ever since. Together, Tanya and Fabian decide to find the truth. But Tanya has her own the ability to see fairies. And, after disturbing an intruder in the night, it emerges that someone else shares her gift. . .
The manor's sinister history is about to repeat itself. Can Tanya and Fabian solve the mystery before it's too late?
The perfect series for fans of Katherine Rundell and Sophie Anderson!
Audible Audio
First published January 5, 2009
418 people are currently reading
8927 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Harrison
49 books1,209 followersMy first children's novel, THE 13 TREASURES, won the Waterstone's Children's Book Prize. THE OTHER ALICE won the Calderdale Book of the Year Award. A PINCH OF MAGIC won a Dutch Bronze Pen Award. My books have been translated and sold in 25 territories worldwide.
My latest novel is a sequel to TWICE UPON A TIME, publishing in Spring 2026 in the UK. My second picture book, THERE'S A SHARK IN MY PANTS! publishes in the UK in July 2025 and is illustrated by the incredible David Tazzyman.
Before becoming a full-time writer I worked in publishing as an editor, and before that, as a bookseller. Prior to that, I worked in bars, a bakery, and a second-hand record shop to make ends meet while trying to get my first book deal. I live in Essex and have a son, Jack, and two cats, Widdershins and Lucky.
The best place to get in touch with me is via my website or Instagram (@michelleharrisonauthor).
My latest novel is a sequel to TWICE UPON A TIME, publishing in Spring 2026 in the UK. My second picture book, THERE'S A SHARK IN MY PANTS! publishes in the UK in July 2025 and is illustrated by the incredible David Tazzyman.
Before becoming a full-time writer I worked in publishing as an editor, and before that, as a bookseller. Prior to that, I worked in bars, a bakery, and a second-hand record shop to make ends meet while trying to get my first book deal. I live in Essex and have a son, Jack, and two cats, Widdershins and Lucky.
The best place to get in touch with me is via my website or Instagram (@michelleharrisonauthor).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,179 reviews
February 25, 2020
Tanya can see fairies - except they're not the kind that we usually admire in typical children's stories of today. These fairies are the original trickster kind and they hate that Tanya has the second sight, so they cause havoc in her life, causing her to live with her grandmother at Elvesden Manor. More events happen and Tanya is embroiled in a mystery of a disappearance years before and there are fairytale creatures galore.
Oh how I loved this and how I wish I read it sooner (and I don't know why I didn't). 'A Pinch of Magic' is one of my all-time favourite children's books so it was quite a trip to read Harrison's debut, 'The Thirteen Treasures'. I love that we have the hallmark Harrison traits - the creepy atmosphere, the superb writing that knows how to execute tension and suspense, and there are quite a few twists along the way!
Tanya is a likeable protagonist and it's hard not to feel for her. I love how smart she becomes over the novel, learning how to outsmart goblins and converse with fairies. Harrison's spin on these creatures is Grimm-esque and it helps build a gorgeous world in 'Thirteen Treasures'. The changeling aspect of this novel is also well-done and only adds to the intrigue - and oh, this series can go in a million places and I cannot, cannot, cannot WAIT to discover more of the magic.
Diving back to Harrison's debut only solidifies her stance as one of my favourite children's authors of all-time!
Oh how I loved this and how I wish I read it sooner (and I don't know why I didn't). 'A Pinch of Magic' is one of my all-time favourite children's books so it was quite a trip to read Harrison's debut, 'The Thirteen Treasures'. I love that we have the hallmark Harrison traits - the creepy atmosphere, the superb writing that knows how to execute tension and suspense, and there are quite a few twists along the way!
Tanya is a likeable protagonist and it's hard not to feel for her. I love how smart she becomes over the novel, learning how to outsmart goblins and converse with fairies. Harrison's spin on these creatures is Grimm-esque and it helps build a gorgeous world in 'Thirteen Treasures'. The changeling aspect of this novel is also well-done and only adds to the intrigue - and oh, this series can go in a million places and I cannot, cannot, cannot WAIT to discover more of the magic.
Diving back to Harrison's debut only solidifies her stance as one of my favourite children's authors of all-time!
June 4, 2012
At first, I didn't want to read this book, although I bought a copy of it. My friends told me that it was a great book, so I decided to read it. This book is about Tanya, a girl who can see fairies, and what happens to her during her stay at her grandmother's manor. She soon finds out the reason why she can see fairies, and more mysteries like the secret passages in the manor, Hangman's Wood and the girl who disappeared there over fifty years ago, and more with the help of Fabian, the last person she would've told her secret to. My favorite quote in the story was, "I happen to like puzzle books...I dont know why everyone finds that so amusing." by Mad Morag, who was supposed to be a witch. I thought this quote was really funny because I never thought a "witch" would own something so normal. I guess Tanya and I had the same thoughts about that. I thought it was simply weird. Michelle Harrison's vivid descriptions made the book more realistic and interesting to me. It made me feel like I was in the book, along with the characters. I also loved how she included poetry in some parts to help solve and create more mysteries for the characters.I would recommmend this book to people who are fond of fairies and fantasy. I think people who love solving mysteries might like this book too.
June 24, 2021
Tanya has a second sight which means that she can see faeries that are always up to no good and always get her in trouble. After having enough of Tanya's mischief, she sends Tanya and her dog to live with her grandmother at her Elvesden manor near the dark woods.
When she arrives at her grandmother's manor, her grandmother isn't exactly friendly. She meets the groundskeeper's son, Fabian whom she befriends. One day, she finds a secret room or is it a dungeon? She finds out more secrets and mysteries there and all of them shocking. Tanya and Fabian start unlocking the mystery from some fifty years ago.
This was an engaging read. From the very start, I liked Tanya. She did annoy me a little but I can overlook that as the positives outweigh negatives by miles. She was a strong, stubborn (I mean in a good way), determined character. I also liked Fabian a lot. I was a little slow to like him but by the end I liked him a lot. I loved their friendship. Michelle Harrison's writing gave me chills. This is a very dark read and I was on an edge the entire time. For a middle-grade read, this was a bit too creepy but I loved it.
4 stars
When she arrives at her grandmother's manor, her grandmother isn't exactly friendly. She meets the groundskeeper's son, Fabian whom she befriends. One day, she finds a secret room or is it a dungeon? She finds out more secrets and mysteries there and all of them shocking. Tanya and Fabian start unlocking the mystery from some fifty years ago.
This was an engaging read. From the very start, I liked Tanya. She did annoy me a little but I can overlook that as the positives outweigh negatives by miles. She was a strong, stubborn (I mean in a good way), determined character. I also liked Fabian a lot. I was a little slow to like him but by the end I liked him a lot. I loved their friendship. Michelle Harrison's writing gave me chills. This is a very dark read and I was on an edge the entire time. For a middle-grade read, this was a bit too creepy but I loved it.
4 stars
April 20, 2009
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 Fabian in investigating the disappearance of Morwenna Bloom was vastly entertaining. There is a mystery that involves both of their families, a boatload of magic and a lot of intrigue. While the narrative is nicely wrapped up and can be considered self-contained, there is definitely a lot of room to pursue a series here. I really enjoyed the idea that faeries are plentiful in our world and usually with evil motivations and a lot of hate. These faeries are a far cry from Tinkerbell, clapping in this book will only serve to incite a biting incident.
Tanya is very isolated from humans in this novel. Her mother dumps her with her old, frosty grandmother, cantankerous groundskeeper and his precocious and supremely annoying son, Fabian. Yet Tanya's whole world is tolerating and surviving the ever presence of faeries that refuse to leave her alone. The story is grim and grotty - the odours and grot that permeate this book are always felt by the reader. There is a definite atmosphere that has been created with expertise.
I really enjoyed this novel, it took awhile to get going but once it did I was captivated. It's a little darker than one might expect but I suspect that's why kids would like it. It doesn't condescend or talk down to the read, instead creates well rounded characters, a vivid setting and an intriguing plot.
Definitely worth the read if only for the mention of a faerie hunter!
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 Fabian in investigating the disappearance of Morwenna Bloom was vastly entertaining. There is a mystery that involves both of their families, a boatload of magic and a lot of intrigue. While the narrative is nicely wrapped up and can be considered self-contained, there is definitely a lot of room to pursue a series here. I really enjoyed the idea that faeries are plentiful in our world and usually with evil motivations and a lot of hate. These faeries are a far cry from Tinkerbell, clapping in this book will only serve to incite a biting incident.
Tanya is very isolated from humans in this novel. Her mother dumps her with her old, frosty grandmother, cantankerous groundskeeper and his precocious and supremely annoying son, Fabian. Yet Tanya's whole world is tolerating and surviving the ever presence of faeries that refuse to leave her alone. The story is grim and grotty - the odours and grot that permeate this book are always felt by the reader. There is a definite atmosphere that has been created with expertise.
I really enjoyed this novel, it took awhile to get going but once it did I was captivated. It's a little darker than one might expect but I suspect that's why kids would like it. It doesn't condescend or talk down to the read, instead creates well rounded characters, a vivid setting and an intriguing plot.
Definitely worth the read if only for the mention of a faerie hunter!
May 18, 2014
Perhaps if I had read this when I was actually the target age, I would have liked it better. But I'm not a preteen anymore, and that probably has a great deal to do with why I ended up being less than thrilled with this book. It's shame, because the cover is beautiful, and I liked the idea of a book with malevolent fairies.
It isn't a bad book. Harrison does a great job with setting her scenes. I get a definite sense of the place this is set in, and I appreciate that. I also like that she allows her fairies to be menacing, but not uniformly so. And there's enough variety in the fairies she describes to be interesting. There's also a few wrinkles in the story that I hadn't expected.
Where this book fails for me is with the main character, Tanya. I really do think that if I were still twelve, I would like her better. But she's stubborn past the point of reason, and oddly slow on the uptake. She knows that the fairies will torment her if she, in any way, speaks or writes about them. So there's nothing to gain from writing in and burying journals, especially when she has nothing terribly interesting to say. And if she's been tormented by fairies all her life, why in heaven's name has she never researched them? It's not like there's a lack of material for her to read.
I think that if I'd liked Tanya better, I would have really enjoyed this book. There's some very good thoughts and some good writing represented here, so it's a shame that I just didn't like the main character.
It isn't a bad book. Harrison does a great job with setting her scenes. I get a definite sense of the place this is set in, and I appreciate that. I also like that she allows her fairies to be menacing, but not uniformly so. And there's enough variety in the fairies she describes to be interesting. There's also a few wrinkles in the story that I hadn't expected.
Where this book fails for me is with the main character, Tanya. I really do think that if I were still twelve, I would like her better. But she's stubborn past the point of reason, and oddly slow on the uptake. She knows that the fairies will torment her if she, in any way, speaks or writes about them. So there's nothing to gain from writing in and burying journals, especially when she has nothing terribly interesting to say. And if she's been tormented by fairies all her life, why in heaven's name has she never researched them? It's not like there's a lack of material for her to read.
I think that if I'd liked Tanya better, I would have really enjoyed this book. There's some very good thoughts and some good writing represented here, so it's a shame that I just didn't like the main character.
October 23, 2022
where do i begin? when you meet your old friend for the first time in forever, you sit down for a cup of coffee and bunch of soft but crunchy salted caramel cookies with salt on top that have you dreamily sigh because of how good it is, and you talk to your friend for hours and you wish you could live the day over and over again. your old friend hugs you and its warm and homey, you love the energy and you love the vibe. you feel cared, loved and appreciated. that is what this book is TO ME!
first time i read it i was 11 years old and i wasnt good in english back then so i read the book translated in finnish. i fucking loved it. i reread it so many times as i could until someone borrowed it and never returned it to the library. hey, if that's you... i get it. it was a dream of mine to buy the book but it was very expensive and i just didnt have the courage to ask anyone to buy it for me :(
during these 13 years, i havent touched or read 13 treasures... until now (dramatic sound effects) i visited london a few months ago, and it was lovely, i stepped into waterstones bookstore. i saw 13 treasures with the prettiest red cover i have ever fucking seen. It's RED! (iykyk). PLUS it has a sticker on top of the cover that says "SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR" i fucking yelled.not literally but i did. i snatched the book and behind it, was the second book of the trilogy '13 curses' and i said 'yes why not? i loved that book as much as i love the first one'. i bought them!
i know 11 year old me would be screaming of joy from the top of her lungs.
now the actual review:
13 treasures is a children's book, no doubt about that (although, sometimes it doesn't feel like it). to me it is like how harry potter series is to the adults.
Tanya, 14, can see fairies. not the AWW kind of fairies but the ugliest fucked up awful little bitch kind of fairies. i love tanya and what's important to me is that michelle harrison, the author, knows how to write 14 year olds who act like 14 year olds. tanya is such a dear character to me.
Fabian, 14, is a smug little shit and i LOVE him. 11 year old me had a huge crush on a nerd who calls his dad by his name. 🔥 a bad boy alert (who is a huge nerd)🔥
he's obsessed with science and his room is described as "a hybrid of a science laboratory and a small museum". that was something i wanted my room to be. he's an amazing and loveable character.
Red also can see fairies. i adore her so much. i always thought how badass she is and most of my own female characters (in my own stupid silly stories) has a little bit of her. i used to want to be her. she's smart, strong and brave.
the story and the adventure is exciting, thrilling and exhilarating. the mysteries and the characters bring so much joy to the readers. it's as if i actually dove inside their world and helped them solve the magical unsolved mystery.
TLDR: i love 13 treasures and you should read it!
first time i read it i was 11 years old and i wasnt good in english back then so i read the book translated in finnish. i fucking loved it. i reread it so many times as i could until someone borrowed it and never returned it to the library. hey, if that's you... i get it. it was a dream of mine to buy the book but it was very expensive and i just didnt have the courage to ask anyone to buy it for me :(
during these 13 years, i havent touched or read 13 treasures... until now (dramatic sound effects) i visited london a few months ago, and it was lovely, i stepped into waterstones bookstore. i saw 13 treasures with the prettiest red cover i have ever fucking seen. It's RED! (iykyk). PLUS it has a sticker on top of the cover that says "SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR" i fucking yelled.
i know 11 year old me would be screaming of joy from the top of her lungs.
now the actual review:
13 treasures is a children's book, no doubt about that (although, sometimes it doesn't feel like it). to me it is like how harry potter series is to the adults.
Tanya, 14, can see fairies. not the AWW kind of fairies but the ugliest fucked up awful little bitch kind of fairies. i love tanya and what's important to me is that michelle harrison, the author, knows how to write 14 year olds who act like 14 year olds. tanya is such a dear character to me.
Fabian, 14, is a smug little shit and i LOVE him. 11 year old me had a huge crush on a nerd who calls his dad by his name. 🔥 a bad boy alert (who is a huge nerd)🔥
he's obsessed with science and his room is described as "a hybrid of a science laboratory and a small museum". that was something i wanted my room to be. he's an amazing and loveable character.
Red also can see fairies. i adore her so much. i always thought how badass she is and most of my own female characters (in my own stupid silly stories) has a little bit of her. i used to want to be her. she's smart, strong and brave.
the story and the adventure is exciting, thrilling and exhilarating. the mysteries and the characters bring so much joy to the readers. it's as if i actually dove inside their world and helped them solve the magical unsolved mystery.
TLDR: i love 13 treasures and you should read it!
March 13, 2009
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 Harrison’s 13 Treasures are dark, malevolent, and sometimes hideous creatures with foreboding agendas and secretive movements, determined to keep their existence a secret from bumbling mortals and make life miserable for those, like Tanya, with the Second Sight. The ability to see fairy folk has been a negative experience for Tanya.
Part One opens with a group of three fairies, Raven, Gredin, Feathercap, and a squat toadish thing Tanya dubs Mizhog, scolding our protagonist for having written about them in her diary. Despite having buried it, the fairies discovered her mistake and threaten Tanya least she slip again. To insure the lesson’s learned, the fairies wreak havoc in her room and leave before Tanya’s mother is alerted once more to what she believes are her daughter’s tiresome antics. Finally fed up, she sends Tanya and her dog, Oberon (a lovely, slightly plump doberman), away to live with her maternal grandmother for two weeks at Elvesden Manor, an enormous family property well outside London on the outer edges of Hangman’s Wood.
Tanya is resigned to her fate: her grandmother seems to find any and all reason to avoid her and when she doesn’t, never fails to act distant and cold; the groundskeeper’s son Fabian is a nosy, bothersome boy around the same age as Tanya. Sure that the next two weeks are going to be a boring, irritating, and insufferable existence Tanya is surprised when she discovers a door downstairs normally kept locked, like most other rooms in the Manor, opened. Peering inside and finding no one to deter her curiosity, Tanya steps inside to discover Florence (her grandmother) has a library. Inside are dozens of books on magic and fairies. Unable to resist, Tanya makes a stack and just as she’s about to leave, flips through a copy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream when a newspaper clipping left inside catches Tanya’s eye: a girl named Morwenna Bloom disappeared in Hangman’s Wood under mysterious circumstances fifty years ago and was never found.
Florence startles Tanya out of her musings and before she can get away, is shocked when her grandmother gives her some jewelry that had been stashed in the desk: a silver bracelet with 13 charms dangling off the metal. Taking her unexpected gift and stealing a copy of Myth and Magic Through The Ages, Tanya makes her way back to her room hoping to find in its pages more insights into fairies and why she in particular can see them when it seems no one else can.
What follows is the dark adventures of Tanya and Fabian working together to discover the truth behind Morwenna’s disappearance, unlock mysterious doors, travel hidden passageways, all while avoiding the suspicious, watchful eyes of Florence and Fabian’s father and grandfather, Warwick and Amos.
Harrison writes a wonderfully scary tale of love, family, and friendship with none of what I would have expected. The protagonist is a strong female figure who relies on her wits and strengths, unafraid to ask for help from those around her and thankfully, does not fall in love with anyone. It was such a relief to read a YA book that didn’t involve a romantic coupling with the female protagonist. Rather, the romance in the book was as dark and menacing as the fairies themselves.
I really enjoyed Fabian’s character and hope to see him explored a little more in the sequel, as well as, now that the events of 13 Treasures are wrapped up, Warwick and Florence. The surprise twist ending that revealed the true relationship between Warwick and his employer was perfect! I never would have guessed it on my own.
I also am impressed with Harrison’s interpretation of the fey folk and their magical world, even though I’ve heard a lot of it before, but her execution was especially pleasing; their interaction with the mortal world was as seamless and charming (or frightening) as I could have hoped for.
There isn’t too much I want to go into because I do feel this is such an amazing find, you really need to go out and read it for yourself.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of fairies or wants a fun, dark, and easy read. But if you’re anything like me, and your imagination gets the better of you, don’t read this before you go to bed. Read it in a well-lighted room, or outside, in daylight even, with people around and lots of reassuring, life-affirming things surrounding you. The Crooked Man from The Book of Lost Things really creeped me out. There’s a lot in this book that gave me the same skin-crawly feel. As sinister as it was, I can’t believe I was lucky enough to get a free copy. If you liked Holly Black’s Tithe books (I’ve only ever read the first and am clueless on the name of the trilogy), you may like Michelle Harrison’s 13 Treasures. Albeit intended I think for a slightly younger crowd, the book manages to appeal to an older audience with its dark turns and unexpected revelations. I think it comes out in the US later this year, but if you’re in the UK, get yourself a copy!
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 Harrison’s 13 Treasures are dark, malevolent, and sometimes hideous creatures with foreboding agendas and secretive movements, determined to keep their existence a secret from bumbling mortals and make life miserable for those, like Tanya, with the Second Sight. The ability to see fairy folk has been a negative experience for Tanya.
Part One opens with a group of three fairies, Raven, Gredin, Feathercap, and a squat toadish thing Tanya dubs Mizhog, scolding our protagonist for having written about them in her diary. Despite having buried it, the fairies discovered her mistake and threaten Tanya least she slip again. To insure the lesson’s learned, the fairies wreak havoc in her room and leave before Tanya’s mother is alerted once more to what she believes are her daughter’s tiresome antics. Finally fed up, she sends Tanya and her dog, Oberon (a lovely, slightly plump doberman), away to live with her maternal grandmother for two weeks at Elvesden Manor, an enormous family property well outside London on the outer edges of Hangman’s Wood.
Tanya is resigned to her fate: her grandmother seems to find any and all reason to avoid her and when she doesn’t, never fails to act distant and cold; the groundskeeper’s son Fabian is a nosy, bothersome boy around the same age as Tanya. Sure that the next two weeks are going to be a boring, irritating, and insufferable existence Tanya is surprised when she discovers a door downstairs normally kept locked, like most other rooms in the Manor, opened. Peering inside and finding no one to deter her curiosity, Tanya steps inside to discover Florence (her grandmother) has a library. Inside are dozens of books on magic and fairies. Unable to resist, Tanya makes a stack and just as she’s about to leave, flips through a copy of A Midsummer Night’s Dream when a newspaper clipping left inside catches Tanya’s eye: a girl named Morwenna Bloom disappeared in Hangman’s Wood under mysterious circumstances fifty years ago and was never found.
Florence startles Tanya out of her musings and before she can get away, is shocked when her grandmother gives her some jewelry that had been stashed in the desk: a silver bracelet with 13 charms dangling off the metal. Taking her unexpected gift and stealing a copy of Myth and Magic Through The Ages, Tanya makes her way back to her room hoping to find in its pages more insights into fairies and why she in particular can see them when it seems no one else can.
What follows is the dark adventures of Tanya and Fabian working together to discover the truth behind Morwenna’s disappearance, unlock mysterious doors, travel hidden passageways, all while avoiding the suspicious, watchful eyes of Florence and Fabian’s father and grandfather, Warwick and Amos.
Harrison writes a wonderfully scary tale of love, family, and friendship with none of what I would have expected. The protagonist is a strong female figure who relies on her wits and strengths, unafraid to ask for help from those around her and thankfully, does not fall in love with anyone. It was such a relief to read a YA book that didn’t involve a romantic coupling with the female protagonist. Rather, the romance in the book was as dark and menacing as the fairies themselves.
I really enjoyed Fabian’s character and hope to see him explored a little more in the sequel, as well as, now that the events of 13 Treasures are wrapped up, Warwick and Florence. The surprise twist ending that revealed the true relationship between Warwick and his employer was perfect! I never would have guessed it on my own.
I also am impressed with Harrison’s interpretation of the fey folk and their magical world, even though I’ve heard a lot of it before, but her execution was especially pleasing; their interaction with the mortal world was as seamless and charming (or frightening) as I could have hoped for.
There isn’t too much I want to go into because I do feel this is such an amazing find, you really need to go out and read it for yourself.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who’s a fan of fairies or wants a fun, dark, and easy read. But if you’re anything like me, and your imagination gets the better of you, don’t read this before you go to bed. Read it in a well-lighted room, or outside, in daylight even, with people around and lots of reassuring, life-affirming things surrounding you. The Crooked Man from The Book of Lost Things really creeped me out. There’s a lot in this book that gave me the same skin-crawly feel. As sinister as it was, I can’t believe I was lucky enough to get a free copy. If you liked Holly Black’s Tithe books (I’ve only ever read the first and am clueless on the name of the trilogy), you may like Michelle Harrison’s 13 Treasures. Albeit intended I think for a slightly younger crowd, the book manages to appeal to an older audience with its dark turns and unexpected revelations. I think it comes out in the US later this year, but if you’re in the UK, get yourself a copy!
September 19, 2011
Such a wonderful book! I seriously enjoyed it and can't wait to read 13 Curses! A great adventure. It had me hooked on the first page! A MUST read for children, teens and adults :) Well done! A+++
June 11, 2010
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. They hate that Tanya can see them, and so want to make her life hell. There are many stories about fairies out there, but what is magical about The Thirteen Treasures is that it feels completely original. One of the fairies stood out more for me and that is Brunswick, an ugly little goblin, who suffers beatings from his fellow goblins. Something I loved so much about the goblins was how they talk in rhyme and cannot understand anything said unless it rhymes. This I thought added real character, and also showed that a lot of thought went into the characters.
Tanya, the main character is entirely likable. In some books, there are characters that have annoying traits in their personality, and do silly things, but with Tanya, everything about her is anything but annoying. Fabian, another main character, is equally as excellent. His dedication to Tanya is very admirable. What I liked about this book is that there are some heroes that have to go it alone completely, wheras in The Thirteen Treasures, friendship and loyalty are very important.
Overall, The Thirteen Treasures is an excellent read. Compelling and beaurifully writte, it will be appreciated by people of all ages, male and female (although the cover is a bit of a deterent to male readers). And what with the second book in the series, The Thirteen Curses published last month (January 2010), and a third book titled The Thirteen Wards due next year, Harrison’s career in literature looks set to flourish.
These are not the fairies you’d associate with Disney. These fairies are dangerous, and torturous. They hate that Tanya can see them, and so want to make her life hell. There are many stories about fairies out there, but what is magical about The Thirteen Treasures is that it feels completely original. One of the fairies stood out more for me and that is Brunswick, an ugly little goblin, who suffers beatings from his fellow goblins. Something I loved so much about the goblins was how they talk in rhyme and cannot understand anything said unless it rhymes. This I thought added real character, and also showed that a lot of thought went into the characters.
Tanya, the main character is entirely likable. In some books, there are characters that have annoying traits in their personality, and do silly things, but with Tanya, everything about her is anything but annoying. Fabian, another main character, is equally as excellent. His dedication to Tanya is very admirable. What I liked about this book is that there are some heroes that have to go it alone completely, wheras in The Thirteen Treasures, friendship and loyalty are very important.
Overall, The Thirteen Treasures is an excellent read. Compelling and beaurifully writte, it will be appreciated by people of all ages, male and female (although the cover is a bit of a deterent to male readers). And what with the second book in the series, The Thirteen Curses published last month (January 2010), and a third book titled The Thirteen Wards due next year, Harrison’s career in literature looks set to flourish.
January 13, 2015
I loved this children's book. Great start to the first in the trilogy. I was always afraid Oberon the Doberman would get killed but he did not :-) Tanya has the second sight and can see fairies but not all is as it seems. I can't say much as it will spoil the book, but there is a great mystery involved and I'm looking forward to see what the author does in the next two books. I wonder if Red gets saved and what happened to the baby. There is a lot more to the story. This is a good read for anyone that loves fairies and you have the good and evil ones of course :-) Enjoy
September 25, 2019
The book 13 treasures is interesting and mysterious. The two main characters Tanya and Fabian were clearly good partners. Tanya was really brave and smart. Whenever weird things happened around her, she always thinks wisely and gets the problem solved quickly. It reminds me of the other character in the book"The Blackthorn Key". Both of them knew how to solve problems using their knowledge and braveness. The main character Fabian was wise and a good partner but some times he is a bit nervous. When Tanya and Fabian worked together they use their specialty to help each other, and they always get things done quickly and successfully.
December 5, 2019
It's great how fairies are in the story, because it makes you wonder whether they do exist! And they do! But it makes it hard to believe because no one has ever seen a fairy before... Except for Tanya! With her extraordinary second sight!
This is a true adventure-fantasy book, that includes the thrills and the chills! And it is followed by another 2 books that build on this story. The Thirteen Curses, and The Thirteen Secrets! And i cannot wait until i get the next two!
An exciting adventure soon unfolds! Read it for yourself and find out!
This is a true adventure-fantasy book, that includes the thrills and the chills! And it is followed by another 2 books that build on this story. The Thirteen Curses, and The Thirteen Secrets! And i cannot wait until i get the next two!
An exciting adventure soon unfolds! Read it for yourself and find out!
October 2, 2024
Ох, блин, сколько ожиданий у меня было на эту книгу. Я с огромным удовольствием читала серию историй о трех сестрах у этой авторки и очень влюбилась в ее простой, но захватывающий стиль письма. Эта же книга как будто не имеет с ним ничего общего.
Главная героиня — девочка Таня, которая может видеть и общаться с фейри, а те очень портят ей жизнь. Мама думает, что она странная, и вместо того, чтобы просто поговорить с ней, упрекает ее во всех грехах на свете. Таню отправляют к бабушке, в дом у леса, где ей тоже никто не рад. Здесь она проводит свои скучные дни: в окружении неприветливой бабушки, ее смотрителя дома Уорика и его пожилого не совсем в уме отца, а также мальчишки Фабиана.
Возникает ощущение, что здесь все друг друга ненавидят. Только иногда Таня и Фабиан находят общий язык, вдохновленные тайной их крошечного городка о пропаже юной девушки из прошлого. В остальное время все ссорятся, кричат, взрослые пренебрегают детьми, а настроение Тани скачет от страницы к странице. Понятное дело, что тут не нравится абсолютно никто. Разве что Фабиан, но как только проникаешься к нему чувствами, он уже орет на Таню, и они снова скандалят.
Мне очень нравится цикл о сестрах именно из-за теплых отношений их семьи. Она не идеальная, но все они поддерживают и переживают друг за друга. Здесь же атмосфера как в тюрьме.
Читается быстро, но меня ужасно бесила главная героиня. Сталкиваться с ее плохим настроением каждую главу — нет, спасибо. Я даже не знаю, как это можно читать с детьми, тут из хорошего и доброго только последняя глава и эпилог.
Обещанная магия в книге присутствует только в концепте фейри. Здесь не найти ни уютного волшебства, ни темных делишек. Мораль книги в том, что фейри плохие, но вроде бы и есть хорошие. Приключения кажутся интересными, пока Таня снова не принимается собачиться со всеми.
Мое впечатление очень испортила эмоциональная составляющая. Как идея, даже такая простая, — супер, подойдет для детско-подросткового хэллоуинского фильма. Но когда начинаешь зачитываться, раздражаешься из-за злых персонажей и истеричных отношения внутри семьи. Даже не знаю, хочу ли я познакомиться с другими книгами в этой серии. Главная персонажка невыносимая, и жизнь ее ничему не учит.
Главная героиня — девочка Таня, которая может видеть и общаться с фейри, а те очень портят ей жизнь. Мама думает, что она странная, и вместо того, чтобы просто поговорить с ней, упрекает ее во всех грехах на свете. Таню отправляют к бабушке, в дом у леса, где ей тоже никто не рад. Здесь она проводит свои скучные дни: в окружении неприветливой бабушки, ее смотрителя дома Уорика и его пожилого не совсем в уме отца, а также мальчишки Фабиана.
Возникает ощущение, что здесь все друг друга ненавидят. Только иногда Таня и Фабиан находят общий язык, вдохновленные тайной их крошечного городка о пропаже юной девушки из прошлого. В остальное время все ссорятся, кричат, взрослые пренебрегают детьми, а настроение Тани скачет от страницы к странице. Понятное дело, что тут не нравится абсолютно никто. Разве что Фабиан, но как только проникаешься к нему чувствами, он уже орет на Таню, и они снова скандалят.
Мне очень нравится цикл о сестрах именно из-за теплых отношений их семьи. Она не идеальная, но все они поддерживают и переживают друг за друга. Здесь же атмосфера как в тюрьме.
Читается быстро, но меня ужасно бесила главная героиня. Сталкиваться с ее плохим настроением каждую главу — нет, спасибо. Я даже не знаю, как это можно читать с детьми, тут из хорошего и доброго только последняя глава и эпилог.
Обещанная магия в книге присутствует только в концепте фейри. Здесь не найти ни уютного волшебства, ни темных делишек. Мораль книги в том, что фейри плохие, но вроде бы и есть хорошие. Приключения кажутся интересными, пока Таня снова не принимается собачиться со всеми.
Мое впечатление очень испортила эмоциональная составляющая. Как идея, даже такая простая, — супер, подойдет для детско-подросткового хэллоуинского фильма. Но когда начинаешь зачитываться, раздражаешься из-за злых персонажей и истеричных отношения внутри семьи. Даже не знаю, хочу ли я познакомиться с другими книгами в этой серии. Главная персонажка невыносимая, и жизнь ее ничему не учит.
December 19, 2018
This was one of the most boring books that I've ever read. In this edition, there are 326 pages and it only starts to pick up in the last 40 pages.
What really annoyed me about this book is that Tanya isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Not only that but she's in the "terrible twelve" stage. I wanted to bang my head against the wall!
If fairies punish you every time you try to reveal their existence (Tanya writes and buries her diaries in hope of them being discovered), you would stop doing it. If like Tanya, you feel that the punishments are so bad that they make you cry, then you would accept it and move on. And yet Tanya still kept on poking the bear with a stick!
You would also do a little thing called, I don't know, research! Tanya has observed the behaviour and traits of certain fairies but she doesn't look for information. Sure, she stumbles across a book but surely she would have known some of the information already if she had researched fairies? Tanya must have had access to a library, books, documentaries and the internet at one point.
I'm sorry, but I'm not going to feel sympathy for someone like Tanya.
I admit that there were a couple of good, suspenseful moments but it doesn't actually lead you anywhere. Fabian and Tanya talk and run around but they don't actually do anything until the last 40 pages.
Which leads me to the villain. I can't tell you how disappointed I was! Basically, the bad guy is a Disney villain wannabe. I'm not joking. I think the motive should have been strengthened as it was rather light.
Unfortunately, I bought the sequel in a charity shop just a few weeks ago. I really don't want to read it so I'll be donating it to charity.
I'm really surprised that this is a children's book. I know for certain that this wouldn't have kept my attention if I was a child. All dialogue and no action makes a very boring book.
What really annoyed me about this book is that Tanya isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Not only that but she's in the "terrible twelve" stage. I wanted to bang my head against the wall!
If fairies punish you every time you try to reveal their existence (Tanya writes and buries her diaries in hope of them being discovered), you would stop doing it. If like Tanya, you feel that the punishments are so bad that they make you cry, then you would accept it and move on. And yet Tanya still kept on poking the bear with a stick!
You would also do a little thing called, I don't know, research! Tanya has observed the behaviour and traits of certain fairies but she doesn't look for information. Sure, she stumbles across a book but surely she would have known some of the information already if she had researched fairies? Tanya must have had access to a library, books, documentaries and the internet at one point.
I'm sorry, but I'm not going to feel sympathy for someone like Tanya.
I admit that there were a couple of good, suspenseful moments but it doesn't actually lead you anywhere. Fabian and Tanya talk and run around but they don't actually do anything until the last 40 pages.
Which leads me to the villain. I can't tell you how disappointed I was! Basically, the bad guy is a Disney villain wannabe. I'm not joking. I think the motive should have been strengthened as it was rather light.
Unfortunately, I bought the sequel in a charity shop just a few weeks ago. I really don't want to read it so I'll be donating it to charity.
I'm really surprised that this is a children's book. I know for certain that this wouldn't have kept my attention if I was a child. All dialogue and no action makes a very boring book.
March 25, 2010
Let me just start off by saying that whatever I say won't do this book justice. So please just go read it yourself!
In the spirit of Harry Potter, Michelle Harrison takes us on a wild ride full of mystery with her unlikely main character Tanya. See, Tanya has a bit of a uncommon condition. She can see fairies. Not cute Tinker Bell fairies but vengeful devious fairies. When the fairies play a trick on Tanya it's the last straw for Tanya's Mom. She sends her away to live with her grandmother. This is a terrible turn of events in Tanya's world but when clues start popping up in a 50 year old mystery Tanya may just get some of her question answered.
I had heard some really great things about this book so when the chance came to read it of course I took it. I was not disappointed! 13 Treasures is full of mystery. There was never a dull moment! When I wasn't reading this, I wanted to be reading this.
All of the characters were very very well written! I loved Tanya. She was mature and confident when other 13 year olds would have run screaming. All the secondary characters were great too. I loved Fabian and his Dad. I Loved the fairies also!
There are tons of books out there about girls who see fairies. This one was no different but somehow it stood out! I really loved it. It read like a movie. I actually see this being made into a movie in the near future. I had a lot of fun reading this and I plan on buying the sequel from Book Depository because there's no way I'm waiting until the American release date!!
In the spirit of Harry Potter, Michelle Harrison takes us on a wild ride full of mystery with her unlikely main character Tanya. See, Tanya has a bit of a uncommon condition. She can see fairies. Not cute Tinker Bell fairies but vengeful devious fairies. When the fairies play a trick on Tanya it's the last straw for Tanya's Mom. She sends her away to live with her grandmother. This is a terrible turn of events in Tanya's world but when clues start popping up in a 50 year old mystery Tanya may just get some of her question answered.
I had heard some really great things about this book so when the chance came to read it of course I took it. I was not disappointed! 13 Treasures is full of mystery. There was never a dull moment! When I wasn't reading this, I wanted to be reading this.
All of the characters were very very well written! I loved Tanya. She was mature and confident when other 13 year olds would have run screaming. All the secondary characters were great too. I loved Fabian and his Dad. I Loved the fairies also!
There are tons of books out there about girls who see fairies. This one was no different but somehow it stood out! I really loved it. It read like a movie. I actually see this being made into a movie in the near future. I had a lot of fun reading this and I plan on buying the sequel from Book Depository because there's no way I'm waiting until the American release date!!
December 29, 2020
I'd give this book twenty stars if Goodreads could let me.
I have not been enthralled or captivated by a book in a very long time
& I'd like to thank Michelle Harrision for writing this book.
I love that Michelle didn't hold back on gruesome moments, or decrease the amounts of blood just because this is a middle-grade novel. Children are exposed to worse everyday, why shield them from realistic events? Michelle has also inspired me, as an author not to hold back on things that may be too YA or Adult for middle-grade readers. THANK YOU MICHELLE!! I cannot wait to devour the rest of the trilogy & join Tanya on her next fantastic adventure.
- R.D.
I have not been enthralled or captivated by a book in a very long time
& I'd like to thank Michelle Harrision for writing this book.
I love that Michelle didn't hold back on gruesome moments, or decrease the amounts of blood just because this is a middle-grade novel. Children are exposed to worse everyday, why shield them from realistic events? Michelle has also inspired me, as an author not to hold back on things that may be too YA or Adult for middle-grade readers. THANK YOU MICHELLE!! I cannot wait to devour the rest of the trilogy & join Tanya on her next fantastic adventure.
- R.D.
April 17, 2021
The final 100 pages of this was really good, but it did take a while for me to get into. 3 stars is a GOOD rating, but this didn't blow me away. I don't think it helps that I'm looking back retrospectively for a book written in 2009 - a lot of the explanations of faeries and the seelie/unseelie courts would've been so 'new' and interesting back then, but by now it has been done many times so it wasn't told in some ground-breaking way. Does that make any sense?
October 14, 2024
Την τελευταία διετία έχω ανακαλύψει πως, αν και δεν θα το φανταζόμουν ποτέ, γοητεύομαι ιδιαίτερα από ιστορίες με νεράιδες, ξωτικά και άλλα παρεμφερής γενετικής, πλάσματα. Οι εκδόσεις Λιβάνη, κατέχουν τα ηνία στην κατηγορία αυτή, με την τριλογία των "Trylle" και την τετραλογία του "Φτερά" να έχουν κερδίσει μεγάλη μερίδα του αναγνωστικού κοινού της χώρας μας. Δύο σειρές που ναι μεν έχουν κοινά στοιχεία, βασίζονται σε έναν παρόμοιο άξονα ωστόσο, τελικά, είναι πολύ διαφορετικές και τις αγαπάμε γι' αυτό. Η σειρά εκείνη την οποία δεν είχα ανακαλύψει, και φέρει επίσης την υπογραφή των εκδόσεων, είναι εκείνη των "13 Θησαυρών" όπου μια πολλή καλή φίλη, με προέτρεψε να την διαβάσω. Και δεν θα το κρύψω, αρχικά, είχα κάποιους ενδοιασμούς γιατί ψάχνοντας πληροφορίες για το βιβλίο διαπίστωσα πως απευθύνεται περισσότερο στη μέση παιδική ηλικία, παρά σε ενήλικους. Παρ' όλα ταύτα, το τόλμησα και ξέρετε κάτι; Δεν μετάνιωσα καθόλου!
Η Τάνια είναι ένα δεκατριάχρονο κορίτσι το οποίο, έχει να αντιμετωπίσει περισσότερα προβλήματα σε σχέση με τα παιδιά της ηλικίας της και αυτό οφείλεται στο ότι η Τάνια, είναι διαφορετική. Από τότε που άρχισε να καταλαβαίνει, συνειδητοποίησε πως μπορούσε να δει πράγματα που οι άλλοι αδυνατούσαν. Ξωτικά, νεράιδες, ακόμα και καλικάντζαρους, πλάσματα για τα οποία, δεν επιτρέπεται να μιλήσει σε κανέναν. Όταν η μητέρα της την εξορίζει ουσιαστικά για κάποιο διάστημα στο σπίτι της γιαγιάς της στην εξοχή, θα εκνευριστεί και θα αγανακτήσει, αφού η γιαγιά της δείχνει να τη μισεί και ο γιος του επιστάτη του αρχοντικού, Φαμπιάν, την περιτριγυρίζει συνεχώς, όμως σύντομα, μια μυστηριώδης υπόθεση χρόνων στην οποία ποτέ δεν δόθηκε λύση και απαντήσεις, θα της τραβήξει το ενδιαφέρον. Γιατί στο δάσος που απλώνεται γύρω από το σπίτι της γιαγιάς της, πριν πενήντα χρόνια, μια κοπέλα εξαφανίστηκε χωρίς να αφήσει ίχνη πίσω της και ποτέ κανείς δεν έμαθε τι της συνέβη, παρά που υπήρχαν φήμες πως της έκανε κακό ο παππούς του Φαμπιάν, Έιμος, που ήταν ερωτευμένος μαζί της. Τα δύο παιδιά, αποφασίζουν να ανακαλύψουν την αλήθεια και μπλέκονται σε επικίνδυνες περιπέτειες.
Πρώτα απ' όλα πρέπει να ξεκαθαρίσω πως ναι, το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο, κατ' εξοχήν, απευθύνεται σε παιδιά μέχρι το στάδιο της προεφηβείας τους. Ωστόσο, αυτό δεν σημαίνει κάτι το ιδιαίτερο. Προσωπικά, ως ενήλικη, το διάβασα με μεγάλη ευχαρίστηση και με μιαν ανάσα, χωρίς να σκεφτώ ούτε για μια στιγμή στη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης πως στα χέρια μου κρατούσα ένα παιδικό βιβλίο. Για μένα, οι ταμπέλες αυτές, χρησιμοποιούνται αποκλειστικά και μόνο για κατηγοριοποιήσεις στα ράφια των βιβλιοπωλείων και η χρησιμότητα ή η αντιπροσωπευτικότητά τους, σταματάει κάπου εκεί. Γιατί αν ένα βιβλίο σε διασκεδάζει, σε ψυχαγωγεί, σε ταξιδεύει και πάνω απ' όλα, σε κάνει να ξεφεύγεις έστω και για λίγες ώρες από την μίζερη πραγματικότητα, τι σημασία έχει σε ποιες, θεωρητικά, ηλικίες απευθύνεται; Άλλωστε, όλοι μας κρύβουμε ένα παιδί μέσα μας αρκεί να υπάρχει η κινητήριος δύναμη που θα το ωθήσει να βγει προς τα έξω και βιβλία όπως αυτό, πετυχαίνουν τον προαναφερόμενο στόχο και με το παραπάνω.
Η ιστορία της Harrison είναι ιδιαίτερη και για το είδος της, αρκετά πρωτότυπη θα τολμούσα να πω. Η συγγραφέας, δεν αρκείται στο να χρησιμοποιήσει τα πλάσματα αυτά με την χαριτωμένη και χαρισματική μορφή της. Ορισμένα από αυτά είναι καλά, ως προς τον χαρακτήρα τους κάποια άλλα όμως, είναι ολότελα κακά. Φυσιογνωμικά, δεν είναι όμορφα και χαριτωμένα αλλά έχουν κάθε λογής σχήμα και μορφή καθιστώντας ορισμένα από αυτά γοητευτικά και κάποια άλλα τρομακτικά και αηδιαστικά. Παίζει δηλαδή με τις δύο όψεις του νομίσματος και αυτό, είναι συναρπαστικό. Από 'κει κι έπειτα, δεν μένει μόνο στο παραμύθι και η πρόθεσή της, διόλου ρομαντική δεν είναι. Αντιθέτως, μας προσφέρει μια περιπέτεια μυστηρίου, γεμάτη αγωνία και δράση, πλημμυρισμένη από σκοτεινά μυστικά που σταδιακά βγαίνουν στο φως για να φτάσουν τελικά στην κορύφωση του φινάλε, κάνοντάς μας να συνειδητοποιήσουμε πως τίποτα δεν είναι όπως φαίνεται και πως αν δεν έχουμε τα μάτια και την καρδιά μας ανοιχτά, μπορούμε να χάσουμε τα πάντα.
"Οι 13 Θησαυροί" είναι ένα συναρπαστικό παραμύθι για μικρούς και μεγάλους, που μας ταξιδεύει σε μέρη μαγικά και γοητευτικά ενώ παράλληλα, μας προσφέρει ένα ταξίδι γνώσης, συνειδητοποίησης και αποκάλυψης μιας καλά συγκαλυμμένης αλήθειας, οδηγώντας μας από τις πρώτες μέχρι και τις τελευταίες σελίδες με κομμένη την ανάσα, σε μια κλιμάκωση η οποία, χάρη στην ανατρεπτική της υπόσταση, μας κάνει να θέλουμε να διαβάσουμε όσο πιο σύντομα μπορούμε, την συνέχεια της ιστορίας αυτής. Καλογραμμένο, με καλοδουλεμένη πλοκή που κρύβει μύριες ανατροπές κι εκπλήξεις, άλλοτε γοητευτικό και άλλοτε τρομακτικό, συνδυάζοντας ιδιόμορφα και μπερδεμένα συναισθήματα με τη μοίρα, το καθήκον και το πεπρωμένο, που όλα μαζί συναντάνε το μονοπάτι της δράσης που οδηγεί σε μια περιπέτεια επικίνδυνη στην οποία όμως δεν μπορείς να αντισταθείς, σίγουρα είναι ένα βιβλίο που θα σας κρατήσει καλή συντροφιά και αν μη τι άλλο, θα σας διασκεδάσει.
Η Τάνια είναι ένα δεκατριάχρονο κορίτσι το οποίο, έχει να αντιμετωπίσει περισσότερα προβλήματα σε σχέση με τα παιδιά της ηλικίας της και αυτό οφείλεται στο ότι η Τάνια, είναι διαφορετική. Από τότε που άρχισε να καταλαβαίνει, συνειδητοποίησε πως μπορούσε να δει πράγματα που οι άλλοι αδυνατούσαν. Ξωτικά, νεράιδες, ακόμα και καλικάντζαρους, πλάσματα για τα οποία, δεν επιτρέπεται να μιλήσει σε κανέναν. Όταν η μητέρα της την εξορίζει ουσιαστικά για κάποιο διάστημα στο σπίτι της γιαγιάς της στην εξοχή, θα εκνευριστεί και θα αγανακτήσει, αφού η γιαγιά της δείχνει να τη μισεί και ο γιος του επιστάτη του αρχοντικού, Φαμπιάν, την περιτριγυρίζει συνεχώς, όμως σύντομα, μια μυστηριώδης υπόθεση χρόνων στην οποία ποτέ δεν δόθηκε λύση και απαντήσεις, θα της τραβήξει το ενδιαφέρον. Γιατί στο δάσος που απλώνεται γύρω από το σπίτι της γιαγιάς της, πριν πενήντα χρόνια, μια κοπέλα εξαφανίστηκε χωρίς να αφήσει ίχνη πίσω της και ποτέ κανείς δεν έμαθε τι της συνέβη, παρά που υπήρχαν φήμες πως της έκανε κακό ο παππούς του Φαμπιάν, Έιμος, που ήταν ερωτευμένος μαζί της. Τα δύο παιδιά, αποφασίζουν να ανακαλύψουν την αλήθεια και μπλέκονται σε επικίνδυνες περιπέτειες.
Πρώτα απ' όλα πρέπει να ξεκαθαρίσω πως ναι, το συγκεκριμένο βιβλίο, κατ' εξοχήν, απευθύνεται σε παιδιά μέχρι το στάδιο της προεφηβείας τους. Ωστόσο, αυτό δεν σημαίνει κάτι το ιδιαίτερο. Προσωπικά, ως ενήλικη, το διάβασα με μεγάλη ευχαρίστηση και με μιαν ανάσα, χωρίς να σκεφτώ ούτε για μια στιγμή στη διάρκεια της ανάγνωσης πως στα χέρια μου κρατούσα ένα παιδικό βιβλίο. Για μένα, οι ταμπέλες αυτές, χρησιμοποιούνται αποκλειστικά και μόνο για κατηγοριοποιήσεις στα ράφια των βιβλιοπωλείων και η χρησιμότητα ή η αντιπροσωπευτικότητά τους, σταματάει κάπου εκεί. Γιατί αν ένα βιβλίο σε διασκεδάζει, σε ψυχαγωγεί, σε ταξιδεύει και πάνω απ' όλα, σε κάνει να ξεφεύγεις έστω και για λίγες ώρες από την μίζερη πραγματικότητα, τι σημασία έχει σε ποιες, θεωρητικά, ηλικίες απευθύνεται; Άλλωστε, όλοι μας κρύβουμε ένα παιδί μέσα μας αρκεί να υπάρχει η κινητήριος δύναμη που θα το ωθήσει να βγει προς τα έξω και βιβλία όπως αυτό, πετυχαίνουν τον προαναφερόμενο στόχο και με το παραπάνω.
Η ιστορία της Harrison είναι ιδιαίτερη και για το είδος της, αρκετά πρωτότυπη θα τολμούσα να πω. Η συγγραφέας, δεν αρκείται στο να χρησιμοποιήσει τα πλάσματα αυτά με την χαριτωμένη και χαρισματική μορφή της. Ορισμένα από αυτά είναι καλά, ως προς τον χαρακτήρα τους κάποια άλλα όμως, είναι ολότελα κακά. Φυσιογνωμικά, δεν είναι όμορφα και χαριτωμένα αλλά έχουν κάθε λογής σχήμα και μορφή καθιστώντας ορισμένα από αυτά γοητευτικά και κάποια άλλα τρομακτικά και αηδιαστικά. Παίζει δηλαδή με τις δύο όψεις του νομίσματος και αυτό, είναι συναρπαστικό. Από 'κει κι έπειτα, δεν μένει μόνο στο παραμύθι και η πρόθεσή της, διόλου ρομαντική δεν είναι. Αντιθέτως, μας προσφέρει μια περιπέτεια μυστηρίου, γεμάτη αγωνία και δράση, πλημμυρισμένη από σκοτεινά μυστικά που σταδιακά βγαίνουν στο φως για να φτάσουν τελικά στην κορύφωση του φινάλε, κάνοντάς μας να συνειδητοποιήσουμε πως τίποτα δεν είναι όπως φαίνεται και πως αν δεν έχουμε τα μάτια και την καρδιά μας ανοιχτά, μπορούμε να χάσουμε τα πάντα.
"Οι 13 Θησαυροί" είναι ένα συναρπαστικό παραμύθι για μικρούς και μεγάλους, που μας ταξιδεύει σε μέρη μαγικά και γοητευτικά ενώ παράλληλα, μας προσφέρει ένα ταξίδι γνώσης, συνειδητοποίησης και αποκάλυψης μιας καλά συγκαλυμμένης αλήθειας, οδηγώντας μας από τις πρώτες μέχρι και τις τελευταίες σελίδες με κομμένη την ανάσα, σε μια κλιμάκωση η οποία, χάρη στην ανατρεπτική της υπόσταση, μας κάνει να θέλουμε να διαβάσουμε όσο πιο σύντομα μπορούμε, την συνέχεια της ιστορίας αυτής. Καλογραμμένο, με καλοδουλεμένη πλοκή που κρύβει μύριες ανατροπές κι εκπλήξεις, άλλοτε γοητευτικό και άλλοτε τρομακτικό, συνδυάζοντας ιδιόμορφα και μπερδεμένα συναισθήματα με τη μοίρα, το καθήκον και το πεπρωμένο, που όλα μαζί συναντάνε το μονοπάτι της δράσης που οδηγεί σε μια περιπέτεια επικίνδυνη στην οποία όμως δεν μπορείς να αντισταθείς, σίγουρα είναι ένα βιβλίο που θα σας κρατήσει καλή συντροφιά και αν μη τι άλλο, θα σας διασκεδάσει.
December 1, 2010
Have you ever wondered if there is another world that is right next to you with different creatures? Well in 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison, it is about a girl Tanya and her friend Fabian.
Tanya has moved to her grandmother’s house. Tanya has moved there because she has been getting in trouble because she has the second sight. Her mother doesn’t know that, so that what gets Tanya to move to her grandmother’s house. She has to live there temporarily. In the house Tanya’s so called friend Fabian lives there with his father and grandfather. That is were their journey begins to find who Morwenna Bloom is. She is a missing girl from 50 years ago. They start finding these clues that appear everywhere. It all started when Tanya had found a flyer in the library of a missing girl. Everybody knew the story behind it when Tanya and Fabian mentioned it, but nobody wanted to tell. This is when Tanya and Fabian go and find out the truth themselves and when they even find it up close.
This book really grabs me into the story. When you read more and more different doors open up. This book is an adventurous mystery. There are different feelings and actions that guide you throughout the book. I really like how the author described the book specifically. You can picture what is happening. What I disliked was the beginning of the book. When I first started reading it was boring and confusing to me. There wasn’t anything so special and interesting to me. I couldn’t understand what the author was trying to say, but when you give it a try you will be happy that you did. I recommend this book to everyone. I rate this book a 5 star.
Tanya has moved to her grandmother’s house. Tanya has moved there because she has been getting in trouble because she has the second sight. Her mother doesn’t know that, so that what gets Tanya to move to her grandmother’s house. She has to live there temporarily. In the house Tanya’s so called friend Fabian lives there with his father and grandfather. That is were their journey begins to find who Morwenna Bloom is. She is a missing girl from 50 years ago. They start finding these clues that appear everywhere. It all started when Tanya had found a flyer in the library of a missing girl. Everybody knew the story behind it when Tanya and Fabian mentioned it, but nobody wanted to tell. This is when Tanya and Fabian go and find out the truth themselves and when they even find it up close.
This book really grabs me into the story. When you read more and more different doors open up. This book is an adventurous mystery. There are different feelings and actions that guide you throughout the book. I really like how the author described the book specifically. You can picture what is happening. What I disliked was the beginning of the book. When I first started reading it was boring and confusing to me. There wasn’t anything so special and interesting to me. I couldn’t understand what the author was trying to say, but when you give it a try you will be happy that you did. I recommend this book to everyone. I rate this book a 5 star.
February 18, 2013
My frist problem with this book was the title. The story had nothing to do with 13 treasures. There was a bracelet with 13 treasures and a brief mention of story connected to the treasures but, the main plot was about the mystery of a girl who dissappeared and the lead character trying to discover what happened. A more accurate title would have been The Mystery of Morwenna Bloom.
Anoter problem I had was it took a long time to get to the main problem which was what happened to Morwenna Bloom. The frist problem you are introduced to at the beginning is Tanya's problem with faries. The faries are tied to the Morwenna story but, that is not clear at first. Morwenna is not mention until page 41 and there is still some wondering to do before it is clear that the Morwenna is the main problem.
The story was also lengthed by the old dynamc that no one is being honest with each other. A turism of life. Three hundred and forty eight pages though is a long time to keep everyone locked in with they own secrets.
That is the main problem with the story. You really have to be careful if a story especially a children's story goes beyond 250 pages. Yes, Harry Potter managed to do that but, this is no Harry Potter.
It was an okay read and I have read worse. I just would have perfered a tighter book or at least a clearer sign as to where the story was headed. It would be a choice for strong fantasy readers though it is classified as mystery. However with the internet generation I don't think it will grab too much atttention.
Anoter problem I had was it took a long time to get to the main problem which was what happened to Morwenna Bloom. The frist problem you are introduced to at the beginning is Tanya's problem with faries. The faries are tied to the Morwenna story but, that is not clear at first. Morwenna is not mention until page 41 and there is still some wondering to do before it is clear that the Morwenna is the main problem.
The story was also lengthed by the old dynamc that no one is being honest with each other. A turism of life. Three hundred and forty eight pages though is a long time to keep everyone locked in with they own secrets.
That is the main problem with the story. You really have to be careful if a story especially a children's story goes beyond 250 pages. Yes, Harry Potter managed to do that but, this is no Harry Potter.
It was an okay read and I have read worse. I just would have perfered a tighter book or at least a clearer sign as to where the story was headed. It would be a choice for strong fantasy readers though it is classified as mystery. However with the internet generation I don't think it will grab too much atttention.
April 6, 2010
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 begins to uncover a great mystery of the past that will explain her own special abilities as well as her grandmother's personality disorder and her friend's grandfather's madness.
The setting is a little confusing, I'm not sure if it's meant to be entirely contemporary or not. The book has some Tom's Midnight Garden overtones. Tanya is TSTL on more than one occasion. To the point that, when Tanya asks the question of herself, "Why hadn't she seen it sooner?" I actually said, "Because you're an idiot?" That said, changeling mythology is introduced half way through the book and suddenly the story gets very exciting despite Tanya.
I enjoyed the Tam Lin overtones and the obviously well thought up fairy world, but if you want to read a book that handles both the concepts with true elegance and brilliance, try The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope.
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 begins to uncover a great mystery of the past that will explain her own special abilities as well as her grandmother's personality disorder and her friend's grandfather's madness.
The setting is a little confusing, I'm not sure if it's meant to be entirely contemporary or not. The book has some Tom's Midnight Garden overtones. Tanya is TSTL on more than one occasion. To the point that, when Tanya asks the question of herself, "Why hadn't she seen it sooner?" I actually said, "Because you're an idiot?" That said, changeling mythology is introduced half way through the book and suddenly the story gets very exciting despite Tanya.
I enjoyed the Tam Lin overtones and the obviously well thought up fairy world, but if you want to read a book that handles both the concepts with true elegance and brilliance, try The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope.
July 28, 2020
Wow.
This book is incredible. Some may hear ‘fairies’ and think it, perhaps childish or tame. If you do, you’re wrong.
This book has such an incredible atmosphere, likeable characters and some heavy storylines. Things are not all rosy and magical, and Tanya and her family have been through some intense moments.
The ending (which I will not spoil) left me feeling some serious emotion, and very much looking forward to the next instalment!
This book is incredible. Some may hear ‘fairies’ and think it, perhaps childish or tame. If you do, you’re wrong.
This book has such an incredible atmosphere, likeable characters and some heavy storylines. Things are not all rosy and magical, and Tanya and her family have been through some intense moments.
The ending (which I will not spoil) left me feeling some serious emotion, and very much looking forward to the next instalment!
August 13, 2014
Ωραία περιπέτεια, γεμάτη μυστήρια και αινίγματα που είναι δύσκολο να μαντέψει κανείς τις απαντήσεις. Εκπληκτική, σκοτεινή ατμόσφαιρα και αρκετά μελαγχολικό ύφος που σπανίζει σε παιδικά- εφηβικά βιβλία. Το βρήκα απρόσμενα καλό.
November 16, 2024
4.5 rounded down, only because the ending felt a bit rushed & unsatisfying. endings were good prevails and evil is defeated without any nuance are probably a feature of middle grade fiction, but still, bringing out the phrase "rotten to the core" was a bit much. in that vein, i still dont see what morwena did to deserve all that. wasn't she too young and inexperienced ? there wasn't a solid enough argument to justify her demonization, so she really isn't the villain in my eyes. she's js a girl backed into a corner thus resulting in terrible decisions being made. overall, lovely book. surprisingly good writing, pacing, & character depiction! would read again if i had a physical copy tbh
November 29, 2020
Book #10 for Believathon III! I picked this one for its beautiful cover, which will earn me my tenth clue: The Hand Mirror. Granted, the audiobook cover is not great, but the red paperback cover with the big "13" is GORGEOUS!
March 28, 2024
This was really good! Impressively eerie for a middle grade. I don't think I'll personally continue the series but I'd definitely recommend it for older elementary kids who enjoy fantasy.
March 14, 2021
**Originally posted on www.bunnycates.com **
I loved 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison! So much so, that I read it in one day even though it was nearly 400 pages long. If you take nothing else away from this review, please take away that this story is amazing. I loved it, and I can’t wait for Sis to venture out of Judy Moody and Junie B Jones so that she can love this one too. Because I know that she will, love it I mean. It’s just THAT good.
I’ve been staring at this page for days. Trying to decide what to say and not say in this review. I want to tell you enough that you WILL pick up this book. Without telling you so much that there is no need to. It’s a fine line reviewers walk, and I hate it. Spoilers. To tell or not to tell? As a reader, I hate reading them, so as a book blogger – I hate including them. So here I sit, staring at a blank page, wondering what I can type here to make you pick up this series.
Lets start with the world Michelle Harrison has created. I loved it. So descriptive, and real. I could smell the dusty musk and old cat inside Elvesden Manor. I could feel the damp sticky thickness of the air in Hangman Wood. I didn’t even have to close my eyes and try. It just felt that real. I loved, no – I absolutely loved, that the fairies in this story are not the sweet little Tinkerbell fairies. Brian Froud is one of my favorite illustrators, and his faeries are just amazing. Scary, and tricksie, and spiteful, and sarcastic, and… those are the faeries we find in this story. The world was amazing.
I said on Goodreads that I felt like I was reading Spiderwick, but with girls. I loved Spiderwick! Everything was magical and felt real.
For the characters, omgosh.
Tanya, the main character, a little girl who nobody “gets” (because she could see faeries) and because of it keeps getting shuffled around to give her mum a break. I so connected with her, right from page one. Heck, I was HER. No, I don’t see faeries. But I was that kid that got shuffled around. That was me. So from page one, I got Tanya, and I cared for her.
Fabian, guh. He totally brought out the 13 year old girl in me. He got on my nerves, made me roll my eyes, and in the end made me cry. Stupid boys. =D
I loved Warwick. A) Warwick is the actor of one of my favorite movie characters of all time! WILLOW anyone?! B) He totally reminded me of my Pepaw. Understated, grunting and growling instead of speaking sentences… LoL. I really liked him, even though I wasn’t supposed to. In my head, I totally saw Joaquin Phoenix as Warwick. I know, I know, just hear me out. Not hot sexy, I’d leave my husband for, SIGNS and THE VILLAGE, Joaquin. No, no. Scary, dirty, sad, but underneath we know there is something amazing, I’M A RAPPER, Joaquin. *sigh* yes, even through his nasty phase, I probably would have still left my husband for him. shhhhh… thats just between us though. haha.
Red, omgosh, Red. I loved her. LOVED her. She made me think of the little girl they saved in Aliens. All crazy looking and in the end the smartest one in the bunch and steps up to the plate to save the day. She was just awesome.
And as for the story…
Faeries are tricksie! Bottom line, and I don’t want to say much more than that.
Well, that and I loved this book.
I loved 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison! So much so, that I read it in one day even though it was nearly 400 pages long. If you take nothing else away from this review, please take away that this story is amazing. I loved it, and I can’t wait for Sis to venture out of Judy Moody and Junie B Jones so that she can love this one too. Because I know that she will, love it I mean. It’s just THAT good.
I’ve been staring at this page for days. Trying to decide what to say and not say in this review. I want to tell you enough that you WILL pick up this book. Without telling you so much that there is no need to. It’s a fine line reviewers walk, and I hate it. Spoilers. To tell or not to tell? As a reader, I hate reading them, so as a book blogger – I hate including them. So here I sit, staring at a blank page, wondering what I can type here to make you pick up this series.
Lets start with the world Michelle Harrison has created. I loved it. So descriptive, and real. I could smell the dusty musk and old cat inside Elvesden Manor. I could feel the damp sticky thickness of the air in Hangman Wood. I didn’t even have to close my eyes and try. It just felt that real. I loved, no – I absolutely loved, that the fairies in this story are not the sweet little Tinkerbell fairies. Brian Froud is one of my favorite illustrators, and his faeries are just amazing. Scary, and tricksie, and spiteful, and sarcastic, and… those are the faeries we find in this story. The world was amazing.
I said on Goodreads that I felt like I was reading Spiderwick, but with girls. I loved Spiderwick! Everything was magical and felt real.
For the characters, omgosh.
Tanya, the main character, a little girl who nobody “gets” (because she could see faeries) and because of it keeps getting shuffled around to give her mum a break. I so connected with her, right from page one. Heck, I was HER. No, I don’t see faeries. But I was that kid that got shuffled around. That was me. So from page one, I got Tanya, and I cared for her.
Fabian, guh. He totally brought out the 13 year old girl in me. He got on my nerves, made me roll my eyes, and in the end made me cry. Stupid boys. =D
I loved Warwick. A) Warwick is the actor of one of my favorite movie characters of all time! WILLOW anyone?! B) He totally reminded me of my Pepaw. Understated, grunting and growling instead of speaking sentences… LoL. I really liked him, even though I wasn’t supposed to. In my head, I totally saw Joaquin Phoenix as Warwick. I know, I know, just hear me out. Not hot sexy, I’d leave my husband for, SIGNS and THE VILLAGE, Joaquin. No, no. Scary, dirty, sad, but underneath we know there is something amazing, I’M A RAPPER, Joaquin. *sigh* yes, even through his nasty phase, I probably would have still left my husband for him. shhhhh… thats just between us though. haha.
Red, omgosh, Red. I loved her. LOVED her. She made me think of the little girl they saved in Aliens. All crazy looking and in the end the smartest one in the bunch and steps up to the plate to save the day. She was just awesome.
And as for the story…
Faeries are tricksie! Bottom line, and I don’t want to say much more than that.
Well, that and I loved this book.
May 3, 2011
Let's face it, I'm starting to get fed up by bad YA fantasy novels, which seem to resemble a virus pandemy and start to exponentially replicate in the moment! Thankfully, there are still some specimens of the "almost" extinct tribe of authors, who really think a storyline through till the end and construct an original world within their own mind. This is certainly true for this book. When I finally held it in my hands, I certainly thought "oh no, it's another one of those fairy-theme books according to the wellknown and used formula!", however the story starts different from others in that the two main characters don't get along that well and only start to become friends near the end of the book. There's also no romantic plot and friendly fairy to be found, which was really something else compared to other books in this genre! No, the fairies depicted here are wilful and spitful characters with their own agenda and although Tanya has the second sight she doesn't interact that much with them and rather tries to avoid their company. Also, her relationships with her mom, who almost seems to abandon her in the beginning to the care of her grandma, who is an enigma herself, are quite unique and complex. Then there is "Red", a runnaway girl with branded fairywings on her back due to the punishment of the fairies, whose parents died in a carcrash and she's on the quest to save her stolen baby brother from the fairy realm, which immediately picked my interest. I liked the fact, that this seems to play in a world there tragedy, accidents, and death are as well a part as love, hope, family and the book doesn't paint fairies as cute little flying girls with pink dresses, but more like we are: individuals with their own dreams and agendas. Also, the ending suits the storyplot and I can't wait to read "Red's" story in the sequel.
November 27, 2024
This is the best childrens’ series and you won’t change my mind. I grew up in an evangelical household with ridiculously arbitrary rules about media consumption that lasted until I was roughly 12 (when my parents and I weirdly all deconstructed both separately and at once to atheism (me), New Age spirituality (mom), and non-evangelical Christianity (father)), which is to say that for a while there Thirteen Treasures was my Harry Potter.
Unlike a lot of Christians who take issue with the magic aspect, I was not allowed to read Harry Potter because it “got too dark”. My parents never had issues with fairies or magic, and were more than happy to put this series about magic in my hands, probably not realizing it wasn’t the lighthearted kind. Book one details fairies splattered on windshields, fairies eaten alive by cats, descriptions of changelings that still give me the shivers as an adult, a teenage girl kidnapping babies and living in underground tunnels, fairies described in absolutely repulsive ways, a horrific Mother Gothel style death, and more. The second book is also far more brutal.
It’s a good thing I didn’t read HP & The Sorcerer’s Stone until I was 15. That might have been scary.
These books go hard and focus heavily on my favorite variety of fairy/magical lore; the kind where they’re largely nasty little demons and not beautiful helpful fey. Re-reading these has been such a treat so far, and I’m really happy they hold up. There are definitely a few things I could pick at with the plot, but it’s so much fun that it’s never really mattered to me. Highly recommended, though I’m sure I don’t know many people looking for their next great middle grade read lol.
Unlike a lot of Christians who take issue with the magic aspect, I was not allowed to read Harry Potter because it “got too dark”. My parents never had issues with fairies or magic, and were more than happy to put this series about magic in my hands, probably not realizing it wasn’t the lighthearted kind. Book one details fairies splattered on windshields, fairies eaten alive by cats, descriptions of changelings that still give me the shivers as an adult, a teenage girl kidnapping babies and living in underground tunnels, fairies described in absolutely repulsive ways, a horrific Mother Gothel style death, and more. The second book is also far more brutal.
It’s a good thing I didn’t read HP & The Sorcerer’s Stone until I was 15. That might have been scary.
These books go hard and focus heavily on my favorite variety of fairy/magical lore; the kind where they’re largely nasty little demons and not beautiful helpful fey. Re-reading these has been such a treat so far, and I’m really happy they hold up. There are definitely a few things I could pick at with the plot, but it’s so much fun that it’s never really mattered to me. Highly recommended, though I’m sure I don’t know many people looking for their next great middle grade read lol.
February 27, 2010
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 her burying it to erase her actions. They then punish her by causing chaos in her bedroom, which leaves Tanya’s tired mother no choice but to send Tanya, and her dog Oberon, off to live with her grandmother, Florence, at Elvesden Manor, for two weeks.
But while Tanya is there, she is left to her fate, and after a series of events, she begins her quest to discover the truth about Morwenna Bloom, a girl who disappeared in Hangman’s Wood fifty years ago, and was, mysteriously, never found.
Accompanying her in her research is a silver charm bracelet, given to her by Florence, and which she later finds out is based on the thirteen treasures and includes little (fake) replicas of each of the treasures. There is also a stained, brass compass, with a fascinating purpose, a silky red scarf, and an interfering, mischievous boy, mixed altogether with a cauldron of spine-tingling mysteries.
I really enjoyed this book; it was captivating, intriguing, and simply magical. There is a definite mood that has been fashioned with skill.
At the beginning, we are given a group of faeries, who are cautioning Tanya, for writing about them in her diary, regardless of her burying it to erase her actions. They then punish her by causing chaos in her bedroom, which leaves Tanya’s tired mother no choice but to send Tanya, and her dog Oberon, off to live with her grandmother, Florence, at Elvesden Manor, for two weeks.
But while Tanya is there, she is left to her fate, and after a series of events, she begins her quest to discover the truth about Morwenna Bloom, a girl who disappeared in Hangman’s Wood fifty years ago, and was, mysteriously, never found.
Accompanying her in her research is a silver charm bracelet, given to her by Florence, and which she later finds out is based on the thirteen treasures and includes little (fake) replicas of each of the treasures. There is also a stained, brass compass, with a fascinating purpose, a silky red scarf, and an interfering, mischievous boy, mixed altogether with a cauldron of spine-tingling mysteries.
I really enjoyed this book; it was captivating, intriguing, and simply magical. There is a definite mood that has been fashioned with skill.
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