The Song of Pentecost

Pentecost #1

by W.J. Corbett

Recounts the many harrowing adventures of a group of mice and their leader Pentecost who set out to help Snake regain his inheritance and find a new home for themselves in the Lickey Hills.

Genres: Animals, Fiction, Fantasy, Childrens

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

Reviews

[[ J o ]]

[Short review from memory until I re-read and re-review at a later date:

A little bit Watership Down, but I don't recall anything else. Not great, obviously, from the rating, buuut I'm sure it had it's charming moments.]

[Cecilia]

Loses the reader's interest at times but overall a delightful book that is not afraid to confront issues of deceit, death, sacrifice and the inherent injustices of life - themes that childrens' novels often shy away from.

[David Ellery]

I remember loving this when I was younger, but coming back to it, decidedly underwhelming. It's too familiar in its framework and story beats and shallow in its characters to really engage. Aside from the occasional flourish of prose, there's nothing to really distinguish it. A pleasant little read, but nothing more, though I will admit the disinterest in destiny narratives I've developed since first reading this may well be colouring my impressions of it.

[Rosalind Fisher]

Many people obviously loved this book and it has had good reviews elsewhere, so I was looking forward to reading it. Sad to say, I was intensely bored by it. I found the writing dull and the characters uninspiring, though I'd say the fault is more in the dullness of the writing than the characters themselves. The potential for a really good story is there but - oh, for me it was SO dull. What a shame.

[FBI]

Considering I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, it turned out to be a really good one.

[Meghan]

This fantastic story follows a group of mice moving from a soon-to-be-bulldozed garbage dump to their new home. Along the way, they meet a cast of devious characters including a lying frog, a selfish snake, a double-agent insect, and eventually an owl who eats.... you guessed it.

I read this book when I was in Jr. High and kept it- it sits on my shelf waiting for my own children to be old enough to read.

It's hard to put my finger on what I love so much about this book- the characterizations are wonderful- deep, believable (for talking animals), and interesting. The settings are well thought out. The pace of the story is perfect.

As an adult, during an almost-read to my daughter (she isn't quite old enough yet, though), I got strains of commentary about human pollution, but I certainly didn't get that as a child. The theme that stuck with me was one about the importance of all of us- how we are good and evil, selfish and caring, and how even the smallest of 'people' has an important role to play.

Just a wonderful book for kids- and right now (when most YA seems to involve too much drug use, abuse, or death), this book still climbs to the top of my gotta-share list.

[Arska-täti]

Kerrassaan ihastuttava fantasiasatu pienestä käärmeenpoikasesta, joka jää orvoksi hänen isänsä kuoltua solmuleikissä. Käärmeenpoikanen joutuu toisen käärmeen huijaamaksi ja menettää kotinsa. Alkaa suuri seikkailu käärmeenpoikasen yrittäessä löytää keinon kotinsa takaisin saamiseksi.

[Maria]

I loved this book when I was small, like a nicer version of Watership Down. I think it'd probably still be good to read as an adult.

[Tim]

This was one of my favourite children's books growing up, and reading again as an adult I still enjoyed it.