Jewel and Thorn

The Book of Lowmoor #1

by Richard Poole

On his sixteenth birthday, Thorn Jack steals a curious crystal from the Treasury of a neighbouring settlement in his coming of age rite-of-passage. Returning home, he finds that his younger sister has been kidnapped. He sets out to find her with Racky Jagger, an enigmatic but wordly-wise individual. Their way leads through Judy Wood, a place of mystery and ill-repute.

When fifteen-years-old Jewel Ranson's father, a travelling draper, is murdered at a fair, she sets out to avenge him. Accompanied by Rainy Gill, a juggler, she journeys to Harrypark where she becomes involved in a bloodthirsty wager. As she travels, Jewel discovers that she has been gifted with unusual powers.

After many colourful adventures and encounters, their separate quests lead Thorn and Jewel to a momentous meeting - and the discovery of a common enemy...

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Childrens, Young Adult, Romance

391 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2006

About the author

Richard Poole was born and grew up in Bradford, Yorkshire. He studied at the University of North Wales, and was Tutor in English Literature at Coleg Harlech for many years. He has been a freelance writer for several years, and is a published poet and biographer, but the Lowmoor books are his first for children. He is married with one son and lives near Harlech.

Reviews

[Nicole Westen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The over all plot is decent and interesting, but the pacing is very slow. It takes the entire novel for the main characters to meet, and when they do, the story ends rather abruptly. There are two other books in the series, so it isn't as though the story ends, but there is very little closure at the end of the first which is annoying.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has been on my shelves for about 20 years, I'm trying to read all my unreads so this one got picked up.
The characters in the book are little people - they use mice and rats to pull their carts and fish and other creatures are a real threat. The funny thing is as you are reading that idea gets a bit lost at times and I had to remind myself that they are so small.
It is told in dual narrative - alternating chapters between Jewel and Thorn. Jewel witnesses her father's murder at a market fair and decides to hunt down his killers. Thorn returns from his 'coming of age mission' to discover that his sister has been kidnapped so he sets out to track her down.

Both come across adversary, violence and trouble, but find friends on the way to help them.
They don't actually meet each other until the very end and it felt to me like this whole book was just a long set up for book 2.
It was enjoyable enough but a bit slow - i found myself skim reading parts of it.
Will read book 2 to see where it leads but not holding much hope.

[Doris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jewel is a teenager who suffers due to the murder of her father. Thorn is a teenager who is searching for his abducted sister. This is a story about each of these teens, but not about 'them' as in searching and recovering in a shared tiimeline.

For that reason, I didn't think highly of it.

I did appreciate all the ways that it reminded me of the "The Borrowers" , series from long ago. Like the Borrowers, the 'humans' in "Jewel and Thorn" are only about 6 inches tall. They also live by, or near, human artifacts. They call our version of humans "giants" and, like the Borrowers, repurpose 'giant' articles for other purposes, although they borrow the entire building, not just items such as thimbles or books.

I have books 2 and 3 waiting for me, and a daughter who wants my opinion, so I will read on.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun YA book. It seems like fantasy but underlying the main story, it's post apocalyptic. Intrigued. Waiting for the second one to come in the mail.

[Stevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because I had a $30 Angus and Robertson gift voucher I had received from school. I didn't know how i was going to take to this series but I started reading and after I had worked out that the characters were a mere 2 inches tall I got over my confusion and really into the story. I love how, throughout the series, Jewel and Thorn balance eachother out. Jewel opens Thorns mind to magic and Thorn keeps Jewel grounded and stops her from getting carried away on a power trip. Among the fictional story there are also a number of real and honest questions. Where did we come from? Does God exist? What seperates good people from bad people? are we humans becoming too powerful for our own good? and the fact that the people of the book are so small compared to the enviroment around them demonstrates just how, in the grand scheme of the universe, we are tiny and yet, as demonstrated by the "Giants" who destroyed the world, we can have a massive impact on the earth. A wonderful fairytale that deals with a lot of very real questions.

[Kuz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fully reccomend this book! If you're going to read it (which I'm sure you are after reding this) you need to know that the people are about two inches tall. This caused me a bit of confusion before I read the back.... To save everyone else from my stupidity I might-as-well tell you now. It is a great story, and once you've fallen in love with this one, be sure to read the sequel- "The Brass Key". =]

[Amelia Loken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this, but with some of the other stuff going on in my life, it wasn't a compelling read. Never finished before it was due back at the library and I didn't renew. Perhaps another time.

Think Borrowers with out the Big people around. Interesting, but kinda historical/Fantasy and sometimes it became easy to forget how small the protaganists were.

[Mella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical fantasy story with danger and quest. The characters were alright. I liked Jewel and Rainy. Thorn was alright. Overall fun read.

But I'm freaked out by the idea of humans being giants and Jewel and Thorn and that being tiny ants. So I won't be continuing with the series.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Poole is amazing this well written fantasy

[Colonel Roy Mustang (er...Bean.) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved it i couldnt put it down

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only book I've read where someone actually goes to the bathroom (in a chamber pot no less...)

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good book, but I hate cliff-hanger endings. They're really annoying.

[Miss Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Pretty decent. World-building. Setting the stage. Jewel and Thorn have POV's, but they are on separate journeys the entire book until they meet up at the very end.

[Roshan · Rating 4 out of 5]

quite confusing at the beginning. you don't really know whether they are real life sized humans or actually smaller beings