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Knightley Academy #1
Knightley Academy
Henry Grim is a servant boy at the Midsummer School—until he passes the elite Knightley Academy exam and suddenly finds himself one of the first commoners at the Academy, studying alongside the cleverest and bravest—and most arrogant—young aristocrats in the country. They thwart Henry’s efforts to become a full-fledged Knight of the Realm, but he and two commoner classmates are determined to succeed. In the process, the boys uncover a conspiracy that violates the Hundred Years’ Peace treaty—and could lead to war! Can Henry manage to save his school and country from their enemies—and continue to study at the Academy?
468 pages, Hardcover
First published March 9, 2010
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3422 people want to read
About the author
Violet Haberdasher
5 books288 followersAuthor of "Knightley Academy" and 'The Secret Prince" (Knightley Academy #2). Pseudonym of Videoblogger Robyn Schneider.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
April 22, 2010
I really liked this tale of mystery and adventure set in an alternate-history Victorian England, just before 1900. It's Harry Potter-like in the best ways. There's an appealing orphan boy (named Henry Grim) who unexpectedly finds himself accepted into an elite school; on the train he meets a couple of likable boys who become his friends; and at the school he encounters bullies and hostility, plus an unpleasant, Snape-like professor.
But author Violet Haberdasher (a pseudonym for Robyn Schneider, an American writer who lives in London) makes this story her own. There's no magic here. The school trains modern-day knights, who will become the country's leaders, police, detectives, royal guards and the like. There are plenty of lively characters, likable and unlikable, one of the best being the intelligent, rebellious daughter of the headmaster. There's also a menacing, warlike country just north of England, the Nordlands, that is intolerant of racial, ethnic and religious minorities and forbids education for girls.
On the whole, it's a well-told, entertaining story that's hard to put down and, like the Potter series, has a cheerful, upbeat tone despite all the obstacles Henry and his friends face. There's a happy ending, but enough loose ends are left for the promised sequels, which I am eagerly awaiting.
But author Violet Haberdasher (a pseudonym for Robyn Schneider, an American writer who lives in London) makes this story her own. There's no magic here. The school trains modern-day knights, who will become the country's leaders, police, detectives, royal guards and the like. There are plenty of lively characters, likable and unlikable, one of the best being the intelligent, rebellious daughter of the headmaster. There's also a menacing, warlike country just north of England, the Nordlands, that is intolerant of racial, ethnic and religious minorities and forbids education for girls.
On the whole, it's a well-told, entertaining story that's hard to put down and, like the Potter series, has a cheerful, upbeat tone despite all the obstacles Henry and his friends face. There's a happy ending, but enough loose ends are left for the promised sequels, which I am eagerly awaiting.
August 20, 2019
Very fun book! It has the “orphaned boy is enrolled in special school” theme that is so beloved in Harry Potter, but the school is for knights instead of wizards. Also like Harry Potter, it’s an Academy story, of boys who want to solve a mystery and also to do The Right Thing. Harry Potter was not the first book to have these themes (just the most famous!), I generally enjoy this type of book, I found Knightley Academy to be an entertaining and satisfying read!
Henry Grim is a lowborn commoner, who is a servant at a school. He’s always known about the Knightley Academy, which the students can only attend if they pass a rigorous exam—and no one from his school has passed the test in 5 years. People think that perhaps this school is cursed! Then Henry discovers a loophole that lets him take the exam—and he is the first student admitted in half a decade.
Henry and his two roommates (Adam, the lone Jewish boy at the Academy, and Rohan, an Indian boy who was adopted into a wealthy, upper class family) are bullied, but still believe in the Code of Chivalry. There are many people who don’t think that commoners belong in the Academy, and at least one of them seems determined to prevent Henry and his friends from succeeding.
The characters are well developed, the plot is engaging, Henry and his friends are likable, the villains are enjoyably despicable—what’s not to like? I would recommend to anyone who loved Harry Potter, or anyone who enjoys Academy stories, or anyone who likes Tamora Pierce’s books. I already ordered the next book in the series!
Henry Grim is a lowborn commoner, who is a servant at a school. He’s always known about the Knightley Academy, which the students can only attend if they pass a rigorous exam—and no one from his school has passed the test in 5 years. People think that perhaps this school is cursed! Then Henry discovers a loophole that lets him take the exam—and he is the first student admitted in half a decade.
Henry and his two roommates (Adam, the lone Jewish boy at the Academy, and Rohan, an Indian boy who was adopted into a wealthy, upper class family) are bullied, but still believe in the Code of Chivalry. There are many people who don’t think that commoners belong in the Academy, and at least one of them seems determined to prevent Henry and his friends from succeeding.
The characters are well developed, the plot is engaging, Henry and his friends are likable, the villains are enjoyably despicable—what’s not to like? I would recommend to anyone who loved Harry Potter, or anyone who enjoys Academy stories, or anyone who likes Tamora Pierce’s books. I already ordered the next book in the series!
May 3, 2010
Henry Grim, 14, was a servant at the exclusive Midsummer School up until recently. When one of the Midsummer professors caught him borrowing textbooks, he decided to tutor him instead of reporting him to school administrators for theft. Henry Grim then became one of the most promising students Midsummer School never had the privilege of teaching! Encouraged by his tutor to take the entrance exams for Knightley Academy, Henry became the first commoner ever to be accepted as a student. His acceptance paves the way for 2 other unique first years – Adam (who is Jewish), and Rohan (who is of East Indian descent) – who become his roommates and best friends. While the boys study chivalry, military history, medicine, fencing, languages and other disciplines related to knighthood, they must put up with their classmates ridicule and scorn. As the pranks played on them become more serious, however, the boys begin to suspect that someone else is behind them – someone who will do anything (even committing murder) to get them out of Knightley. Will Henry be able to survive the year without landing in an early grave?
This was reminiscent of Harry Potter – but, without the magic.* It’s set in modern times in a world that’s similar to ours (there are different countries/cities, but races and religions are the same). Modern knights are more like police, or detectives, or doctors (depending on their specialties). The characters will easily win readers’ hearts, and a sequel is almost certainly in the works (war with the Nordlands is inevitable). I’m quite looking forward to more from Violet Haberdasher.
* Harry Potter parallels:
Henry = Harry Potter
Adam = Ron Weasley
Rohan & Frankie = Hermione (Rohan doesn’t like to break rules, but will if there’s a good cause, and Frankie is ‘the girl’ – she’s fearless, but more of a tomboy than Hermione)
Lord Havelock = Professor Snape (hates the commoner students and wants them gone)
Valmont = Draco Malfoy (also from Midsummer School – failed the exam, but is Lord Havelock’s nephew and is somehow accepted at Knightley anyway – hates Henry with a misguided passion, but they gradually begin to understand one another, which is possibly a bit more realistic than Harry/Malfoy’s relationship)
Knightley Academy = Hogwarts (both boarding schools)
Professor Stratford = Hagrid/Dumbledore (Professor Stratford is the one who looks out for Henry and wants the best for him)
The big evil they all face is the Nordlands, which may be key in bringing the Knightley students together.
This was reminiscent of Harry Potter – but, without the magic.* It’s set in modern times in a world that’s similar to ours (there are different countries/cities, but races and religions are the same). Modern knights are more like police, or detectives, or doctors (depending on their specialties). The characters will easily win readers’ hearts, and a sequel is almost certainly in the works (war with the Nordlands is inevitable). I’m quite looking forward to more from Violet Haberdasher.
* Harry Potter parallels:
Henry = Harry Potter
Adam = Ron Weasley
Rohan & Frankie = Hermione (Rohan doesn’t like to break rules, but will if there’s a good cause, and Frankie is ‘the girl’ – she’s fearless, but more of a tomboy than Hermione)
Lord Havelock = Professor Snape (hates the commoner students and wants them gone)
Valmont = Draco Malfoy (also from Midsummer School – failed the exam, but is Lord Havelock’s nephew and is somehow accepted at Knightley anyway – hates Henry with a misguided passion, but they gradually begin to understand one another, which is possibly a bit more realistic than Harry/Malfoy’s relationship)
Knightley Academy = Hogwarts (both boarding schools)
Professor Stratford = Hagrid/Dumbledore (Professor Stratford is the one who looks out for Henry and wants the best for him)
The big evil they all face is the Nordlands, which may be key in bringing the Knightley students together.
January 1, 2012
This is a hard one to review because so many of the reviews are very eager to do all the Harry Potter comparisons (not without good reason), but that doesn't entirely do the book justice. So I guess I'll get the Harry Potter stuff out of the way first and quickly. This book totally has a Draco Malfroy as well as a Snape. It also has a trio of friends that go on their adventures.
Okay, so what this book really is is an interesting alternate history story where all of Britain is at peace with itself. This was accomplished through a treaty that insisted that all nations cease training their citizens in combat. Since there was no longer any needs for Knights they took on different roles, those of police/detectives and so on. There is no magic here. It's all "real world" skills that our main character is learning. He's learning how to heal wounds, history, languages, diplomacy and all of that.
The major plot of the story revolves around the fact that he is one of three students who come from outside of the aristocracy. This is the first time any commoners were allowed to go to Knightley Academy. There is a lot about class warfare in this book and the way societies deal with socioeconomic stuff.
The biggest problem I have with this book is the comparison it draws to the evil society that has abolished class system. The book seems to be saying that if you don't have a class system then you'll have some bizarre anarchy that keeps classes done in a different way. For a brief moment I thought it was going to go more into the fallacy of both of these systems and ways of thinking, but it kind of just brushes past it. This book would've benefited greatly from a third style of government.
Overall I think it's still a very enjoyable young adult book that would benefit greatly if people would review it as it was instead of comparing it so heavily to Harry Potter.
Okay, so what this book really is is an interesting alternate history story where all of Britain is at peace with itself. This was accomplished through a treaty that insisted that all nations cease training their citizens in combat. Since there was no longer any needs for Knights they took on different roles, those of police/detectives and so on. There is no magic here. It's all "real world" skills that our main character is learning. He's learning how to heal wounds, history, languages, diplomacy and all of that.
The major plot of the story revolves around the fact that he is one of three students who come from outside of the aristocracy. This is the first time any commoners were allowed to go to Knightley Academy. There is a lot about class warfare in this book and the way societies deal with socioeconomic stuff.
The biggest problem I have with this book is the comparison it draws to the evil society that has abolished class system. The book seems to be saying that if you don't have a class system then you'll have some bizarre anarchy that keeps classes done in a different way. For a brief moment I thought it was going to go more into the fallacy of both of these systems and ways of thinking, but it kind of just brushes past it. This book would've benefited greatly from a third style of government.
Overall I think it's still a very enjoyable young adult book that would benefit greatly if people would review it as it was instead of comparing it so heavily to Harry Potter.
December 10, 2015
This was a fun read with a really neat idea. I was expecting something more medieval - I mean, we are talking about a training school for knights - but it was actually much more modern. We've fast-forwarded a few centuries to a time when chivalry is dying in the general public. However, the few young noblemen able to pass the entrance exams can still earn their knighthood at Knightley Academy. But this year, a loophole is created so that commoners may attempt the exam. Henry, a young servant boy, passes with one of the highest scores in recent history. But just because he, and two other commoners, get in doesn't mean they are to be well received...
I enjoyed this unique take on modern knighthood. It was fast-paced and exciting. I think it will really keep the attention of some of my more reluctant readers!
I enjoyed this unique take on modern knighthood. It was fast-paced and exciting. I think it will really keep the attention of some of my more reluctant readers!
July 8, 2013
Characters were complete cliché. You had your Cinderella character in Henry, your new money character in Adam, your token person of color character in Rohan, and your tomboy girl in Frankie. If you were rich, aristocratic, white, and male, you were a bad guy and hated Henry and his friends because they dared to be different and strayed from their social status. Sure, not all were bad guys, but they were few and far between, aberrations basically. The one bad guy who was not one-dimensional was the evil mastermind. What did he was wrong, but I totally understood why he turned into an extremist. Barring that villain, character development was not deep.
The world building oversimplified and exaggerated the turn of the century setting and its social changes. The pointing out of how people back then were awfully bigoted could not have been more shoved in the readers’ face. I would have minded this less if the pointing out did not feel kind of meaningless and worked against the complexity the book tried to build.
However, while these things were problematic, they did not frustrate me. What frustrated me was the plot, the unaddressed issue of bullying, and the naive politicians.
+ the issues
Despite their attempts, Henry and his friends never successfully wrestled control of the situation and beat the bad guys like I hoped. The plot threw one setback after another at our heroes like there was no tomorrow which made for a steadily depressing read. When they finally discovered the identity of the evil mastermind at the climax — disappointingly by a convenient accident as opposed to an investigation — they were backed into a corner. Only by the grace of fortune and oily mercy of another villain did our adolescent heroes prevail.
On the second issue, characters never confronted the issue of bullying like they should have, especially when they regularly made a big deal about of the Code of Chivalry, Knightley Academy's code of conduct, where disobedience meant expulsion. Valmont and Theobold, the bullies, never faced the consequences like I wanted. I did not like the lack of challenge to the insinuation, however unintended, that keeping silent about bullying was more important than speaking out about bullying, that speaking out was equated as the dishonorable act of tattle-telling.
Oddly enough, the plot and the unaddressed issue of bullying brought the book to a high level of realism. In other words, if this happened in real life, it would have all too believable because kids don’t go around fighting evil masterminds and issues of bullying are rarely addressed, let alone resolved. However, I would have preferred things to be less realistic in lieu for an entertaining book.
Plus, I didn’t think the book intended to be so realistic given how cliché the characters were and how some of them acted inherently paradoxically of their role. To elaborate, the elderly aristocratic politicians who served as members of Knightley Academy’s school board were unbelievably naive. I could not believe these men needed heavy persuasion that Northlands, their rival nation, might dare to defy the peace treaty and reignite the old war. Politicians, naive — WTF? If anything, their first reaction should have been the very opposite, i.e. a quick belief in the treachery of their enemies.
In Conclusion
I rate Knightley Academy 2-stars for it was okay. The book was not entertaining as it could have been. The book played the heroes like a cat to a mouse. While the book is a couple steps above a decent read, I still do not recommend it because the trilogy seems to be on an indefinite hiatus. Book 3 should have been released already a few years ago.
The world building oversimplified and exaggerated the turn of the century setting and its social changes. The pointing out of how people back then were awfully bigoted could not have been more shoved in the readers’ face. I would have minded this less if the pointing out did not feel kind of meaningless and worked against the complexity the book tried to build.
However, while these things were problematic, they did not frustrate me. What frustrated me was the plot, the unaddressed issue of bullying, and the naive politicians.
+ the issues
Despite their attempts, Henry and his friends never successfully wrestled control of the situation and beat the bad guys like I hoped. The plot threw one setback after another at our heroes like there was no tomorrow which made for a steadily depressing read. When they finally discovered the identity of the evil mastermind at the climax — disappointingly by a convenient accident as opposed to an investigation — they were backed into a corner. Only by the grace of fortune and oily mercy of another villain did our adolescent heroes prevail.
On the second issue, characters never confronted the issue of bullying like they should have, especially when they regularly made a big deal about of the Code of Chivalry, Knightley Academy's code of conduct, where disobedience meant expulsion. Valmont and Theobold, the bullies, never faced the consequences like I wanted. I did not like the lack of challenge to the insinuation, however unintended, that keeping silent about bullying was more important than speaking out about bullying, that speaking out was equated as the dishonorable act of tattle-telling.
Oddly enough, the plot and the unaddressed issue of bullying brought the book to a high level of realism. In other words, if this happened in real life, it would have all too believable because kids don’t go around fighting evil masterminds and issues of bullying are rarely addressed, let alone resolved. However, I would have preferred things to be less realistic in lieu for an entertaining book.
Plus, I didn’t think the book intended to be so realistic given how cliché the characters were and how some of them acted inherently paradoxically of their role. To elaborate, the elderly aristocratic politicians who served as members of Knightley Academy’s school board were unbelievably naive. I could not believe these men needed heavy persuasion that Northlands, their rival nation, might dare to defy the peace treaty and reignite the old war. Politicians, naive — WTF? If anything, their first reaction should have been the very opposite, i.e. a quick belief in the treachery of their enemies.
In Conclusion
I rate Knightley Academy 2-stars for it was okay. The book was not entertaining as it could have been. The book played the heroes like a cat to a mouse. While the book is a couple steps above a decent read, I still do not recommend it because the trilogy seems to be on an indefinite hiatus. Book 3 should have been released already a few years ago.
October 24, 2017
Okay, well as other's have said, this is copied off of, or even a rip-off of Harry Potter.
I've read a few other books that have been considered a rip-off of Harry Potter, but none of them come as close as this.
First I'd say that there is very little character building and world building.
The characters are all two dimensional, and not very convincing.
This could have been a promising book, with a promising story, if the plot had not stuck so much with ideas stolen off of Harry Potter.
Here are the ideas stolen off of Harry Potter, I've not gone into more details as don't want to spoil the plot of the book, but those who have read Harry Potter will understand where I'm coming from:
1) Henry Grim, the main character, who is an orphan and whose life is more or less miserable before entering Knightley Academy...Harry Potter also an orphan whose life is more or less miserable before entering Hogwart's.
2) Adam Beckerman...Ron Weasley
3) Rohan Metha who comes from a well to do family...sort of like Ron Weasley being a pure blood.
4) Lord Havelock...Severus Snape
5) Professor Stratford...Rubeus Hagrid
6) Valmont/Theobold...Draco Malfoy
7) Partisan school...Durmstrang
8) The 'Tournament' against Partisan...Triwizard Tournament
9) Head Master Winter...Albus Dumbledore
10) Partisan school & it's beliefs or actions...Lord Voldemort & the Death Eaters
11) Henry & friends face expulsion from school...Harry's situation in Order of the Phoenix
12) Henry and friends are not believed regarding certain aspects in the story...Harry is not believed when he tells others that Voldemort is back
13) Henry and friends attend Knightley to train to become knights...Harry & friends attend Hogwart's to train to become Wizards or Witches
14) Adam starts having feelings for a female-and he's the only one in the entire book...Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger
15) Edmund...Neville Longbottom
The story itself doesn't flow smoothly, there is a lot of jumping from one scene or thought to another, then the bullying aspect-well things like this do happen, but they seem to be put into the book, in order to progress the story.
Adam's favourite word is 'mate', which he uses a hell of a lot throughout the book, yeah sure people use 'mate' but not for almost every friggin sentence!
I didn't like Adam's character, it seemed as if Haberdasher was trying way too hard to make him like the person he is in the book, why even Ron Weasley, who Adam is based on was likeable as he was far more convincing.
Now I know that first books in a series are not always as good as the ones in the next few books, but to steal so much from Harry Potter, and change a few things here and there, without developing the world or characters is a complete waste of time.
There is hardly any originality, the book could stand on its own, had the world that Henry and friends were part of, were not mainly stolen from Harry Potter.
I wonder how much of the story we would have if all the Harry Potter ideas were taken away from this book...
I've read a few other books that have been considered a rip-off of Harry Potter, but none of them come as close as this.
First I'd say that there is very little character building and world building.
The characters are all two dimensional, and not very convincing.
This could have been a promising book, with a promising story, if the plot had not stuck so much with ideas stolen off of Harry Potter.
Here are the ideas stolen off of Harry Potter, I've not gone into more details as don't want to spoil the plot of the book, but those who have read Harry Potter will understand where I'm coming from:
1) Henry Grim, the main character, who is an orphan and whose life is more or less miserable before entering Knightley Academy...Harry Potter also an orphan whose life is more or less miserable before entering Hogwart's.
2) Adam Beckerman...Ron Weasley
3) Rohan Metha who comes from a well to do family...sort of like Ron Weasley being a pure blood.
4) Lord Havelock...Severus Snape
5) Professor Stratford...Rubeus Hagrid
6) Valmont/Theobold...Draco Malfoy
7) Partisan school...Durmstrang
8) The 'Tournament' against Partisan...Triwizard Tournament
9) Head Master Winter...Albus Dumbledore
10) Partisan school & it's beliefs or actions...Lord Voldemort & the Death Eaters
11) Henry & friends face expulsion from school...Harry's situation in Order of the Phoenix
12) Henry and friends are not believed regarding certain aspects in the story...Harry is not believed when he tells others that Voldemort is back
13) Henry and friends attend Knightley to train to become knights...Harry & friends attend Hogwart's to train to become Wizards or Witches
14) Adam starts having feelings for a female-and he's the only one in the entire book...Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger
15) Edmund...Neville Longbottom
The story itself doesn't flow smoothly, there is a lot of jumping from one scene or thought to another, then the bullying aspect-well things like this do happen, but they seem to be put into the book, in order to progress the story.
Adam's favourite word is 'mate', which he uses a hell of a lot throughout the book, yeah sure people use 'mate' but not for almost every friggin sentence!
I didn't like Adam's character, it seemed as if Haberdasher was trying way too hard to make him like the person he is in the book, why even Ron Weasley, who Adam is based on was likeable as he was far more convincing.
Now I know that first books in a series are not always as good as the ones in the next few books, but to steal so much from Harry Potter, and change a few things here and there, without developing the world or characters is a complete waste of time.
There is hardly any originality, the book could stand on its own, had the world that Henry and friends were part of, were not mainly stolen from Harry Potter.
I wonder how much of the story we would have if all the Harry Potter ideas were taken away from this book...
March 21, 2011
[from the my blog, Creativity's Corner] When I first saw this book on someone else's blog, I didn't know what to think. The post was a guest post from the author, explaining what "Harry Potter Inspired Novel" meant as the term had been used in describing the book. Basically, she explained, Knightley Academy was what came from having practically grown up reading Harry Potter, and desperately wanting something similar to read next. No wands, no magic, none of that stuff, but still Harry Potter inspired. This explanation made me a little worried. How could anyone even try to compare to Harry Potter? I mean, I read fanfics and all, but I didn't know what to expect from a novel that wasn't really fanfic at all. That didn't stop me from checking it out, of course. The chance that it really was just as great as Harry Potter was too much to pass up.
I shouldn't have worried. From the time I picked up the book, I could hardly put it down. For the first few pages I spent a lot of time just finding the similarities, but before long I was so busy following the story that I didn't even notice! In fact, by the end of the book, the thing that stood out to me the most was how unlike Harry Potter it was - and yet how I felt so much like I did when I finished a Harry Potter novel. Books always give me a certain feeling, depending on the type of book, and this one was like reading Harry Potter all over again. It was so wonderful to experience that feeling again! It made me wonder why we haven't seen more of these "Harry Potter Inspired Novels." There's plenty of Twilight inspired type novels after all.
But possibly the best thing about this novel is that it addresses a very serious issue; prejudice. Henry and the other two "common" boys are accepted to a school that is normally reserved for the rich and important and they are bullied because of it. They aren't the only case of prejudice either: The neighboring country is trying to liberate themselves from class prejudice, but they aren't going about it the right way. It certainly makes you think really hard about our belief systems and why we govern ourselves the way we do.
In short, this isn't just a book that is inspired by Harry Potter, it's a book that is in the best tradition of the Harry Potter story. It is a wonderfully entertaining tale that nods towards its predecessor, but stands on its own two feet with a message that makes you think. Definitely give this one a shot!
I shouldn't have worried. From the time I picked up the book, I could hardly put it down. For the first few pages I spent a lot of time just finding the similarities, but before long I was so busy following the story that I didn't even notice! In fact, by the end of the book, the thing that stood out to me the most was how unlike Harry Potter it was - and yet how I felt so much like I did when I finished a Harry Potter novel. Books always give me a certain feeling, depending on the type of book, and this one was like reading Harry Potter all over again. It was so wonderful to experience that feeling again! It made me wonder why we haven't seen more of these "Harry Potter Inspired Novels." There's plenty of Twilight inspired type novels after all.
But possibly the best thing about this novel is that it addresses a very serious issue; prejudice. Henry and the other two "common" boys are accepted to a school that is normally reserved for the rich and important and they are bullied because of it. They aren't the only case of prejudice either: The neighboring country is trying to liberate themselves from class prejudice, but they aren't going about it the right way. It certainly makes you think really hard about our belief systems and why we govern ourselves the way we do.
In short, this isn't just a book that is inspired by Harry Potter, it's a book that is in the best tradition of the Harry Potter story. It is a wonderfully entertaining tale that nods towards its predecessor, but stands on its own two feet with a message that makes you think. Definitely give this one a shot!
May 3, 2016
1.5 stars. This is the longest book (460ish pages) that I never wanted to finish. I read it as a bedtime story to my sons (13 and 10), and although two of us wanted to quit it early on, the 10-year old insisted on continuing the reading. So we did, and boy was I SO HAPPY when it ended.
The comparisons to Harry Potter have to be inevitable, right? After all, the main character is an orphan with a gift for learning that gets accepted, against all odds, into Kinghtley Academy, where he's always dreamed of attending. So, okay, they make knights instead of wizards. And here we have 3 boys and 1 girl instead of 2 boys and 1 girl. But the evil/good/? teachers remain similar, as well as many other things. Many times during this aloud reading I wished I was reading Harry Potter instead.
The thing that struck me the most after the HP rip-offs was the overuse of the word "said". Maybe it was just because I read it aloud, but I do not think characters' dialogue needs to be designated (along with an adverb) 90% of the time. Such as "Adam said wearily." Reading this sort of thing repeatedly made it feel awkward and out of place, and when I returned to another book I'm reading aloud to the 10-year old, The Amulet of Samarkand, I pointed out how much better the author handles the dialogue, such that I am never annoyed by the whole "he said, he said, she said, he said" thing. Ugh!
While HP has the Mudbloods versus the Purebloods, this title goes straight for religious and ethnic differences, with plenty of class warfare also thrown in. We have a Jewish character, an Indian boy, and the main character was a servant boy before being admitted to the school. So they are all persecuted due to their differences, and that is also what helps bind them together. There are adventures and skirmishes, mysteries and surprises, and some "humor" thrown in, but I didn't like any of it.
Glad to be done!
The comparisons to Harry Potter have to be inevitable, right? After all, the main character is an orphan with a gift for learning that gets accepted, against all odds, into Kinghtley Academy, where he's always dreamed of attending. So, okay, they make knights instead of wizards. And here we have 3 boys and 1 girl instead of 2 boys and 1 girl. But the evil/good/? teachers remain similar, as well as many other things. Many times during this aloud reading I wished I was reading Harry Potter instead.
The thing that struck me the most after the HP rip-offs was the overuse of the word "said". Maybe it was just because I read it aloud, but I do not think characters' dialogue needs to be designated (along with an adverb) 90% of the time. Such as "Adam said wearily." Reading this sort of thing repeatedly made it feel awkward and out of place, and when I returned to another book I'm reading aloud to the 10-year old, The Amulet of Samarkand, I pointed out how much better the author handles the dialogue, such that I am never annoyed by the whole "he said, he said, she said, he said" thing. Ugh!
While HP has the Mudbloods versus the Purebloods, this title goes straight for religious and ethnic differences, with plenty of class warfare also thrown in. We have a Jewish character, an Indian boy, and the main character was a servant boy before being admitted to the school. So they are all persecuted due to their differences, and that is also what helps bind them together. There are adventures and skirmishes, mysteries and surprises, and some "humor" thrown in, but I didn't like any of it.
Glad to be done!
January 17, 2012
Knightley Academy is a fictional fantasy, but the setting is England 1800s, just without exact names. Storyline: Servant boy gets accepted into Knightley Academy . . . and . . . politics happen . . . . and . . . not much else . . . Oh, nuts, now that you know the servant kid gets accepted into Knightley Academy you'll be bored the first four chapters! On the good side of the book, it's very clean and there are one or two good moments. However I was expecting more "dry wit" (Tamora Pierce reviewed the book and said it was packed with it). I found about four instances. If you're looking for dry wit, pick up Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Anyways, the plot seems like it could have a few good twists, but whenever I got excited because I thought something exciting was going to happen, the storyline fell flat again. I felt like I was trying to fly a kite with no wind, reading this book. The only points I'd give it are for cleanliness.
October 15, 2017
I know that some of you might be a bit hesitant to read this book because it has knights in it and stuff like that. This book does but retells it in a better way. The writing is superb and the characters are just plain awesome (especially Frankie who I like a lot). Some people might say that this is a similarity to Harry Potter. In some ways yes it is, such as the main character being bullied because he works as a servant in a school but is secretly educated by a professor at the school.
This book is fantastic! I do wish however that the author wrote a continuation for this series because at book two I thought there was going to be a third one but nope there isn't. Finger's crossed that the autos will someday write a third.
This book is fantastic! I do wish however that the author wrote a continuation for this series because at book two I thought there was going to be a third one but nope there isn't. Finger's crossed that the autos will someday write a third.
April 8, 2011
I'd rather rate this about 2 1/2 stars. It began extremely derivative, with an orphaned boy who miraculously gets into an exclusive school. With a chapter title like "the boy who passed," and a chapter beginning "It is a truth universally acknowledged. . .", I felt as though I had read all of this before, and frankly better written. Henry Grim (the main protagonist) is friends with 3 misfits, has his own Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy, at least at the beginning. The book gets better with time and feels a little less borrowed, but I'm still not sure I care enough about anyone to continue on with the next book.
March 8, 2014
It's like Harry Potter without magic. Definitely needs a bit more world building. But THANK YOU for a really great POC character (who actually refrains from pork/bacon). Really, thank you.
Read
October 31, 2013Bookworms, I’ll tell you upfront: I’m going to have a lot of trouble reviewing KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY for you. I’m not sure how to describe the magical way the story snuck beneath my skin and consumed me. I feel like if I describe it one way, I’ll pigeon-hole it and you’ll think it’s a book that it isn’t. Even though it’s similar to other works in some ways, it’s also unlike anything I’ve read, in a class of its own. Unputdownable. A perfect blend of reality and fantasy for children, teens, and adults alike.
Ignore the title of this book: If KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY brings up images of knights in shining armor and damsels in distress, you’re WRONG. You’re also not alone: That’s the type of novel I thought I was getting, too. I thought this novel was going to be about a school that taught students how to be a knight. I was hoping for the next RANGER’S APPRENTICE by John Flanagan or SONG OF THE LIONESS (or PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL) series by Tamora Pierce. While this novel IS about knights, it’s not about *knights.* When I first started reading and saw the word “car,” I thought, “What…? Dashing knights in our world?” And then I kept reading. It takes place at the turn of the century, when electricity is still new and cars are used only by a select few. I grew even more confused. But then I realized how brilliant author Violet Haberdasher (nom de plume) is. Because this world is our world, but it’s *not* our world. At one point, there were real knights of old. Eventually, the various countries signed The Longsword Treaty with one another, creating peace and eliminating the need for combat and true knights. Instead, Knights of the Realm now train to be detective knights, police knights, and secret service knights. They might also work in prestigious office positions or for famous families.
KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY also holds a vague similarity to HARRY POTTER, albeit without the use of any magic. The novel centers around an orphaned boy named Henry Grim who has dreamed of one day attending Knightley Academy. Alas, without a proper status or position in life, he has no chance of getting in...until the entrance exams allow all residents at the school where he works to apply. There are a couple of characters reminiscent of beloved members of the POTTER family, as well as a few nuances here and there. Haberdasher wrote a particularly lovely guest post earlier this year on Bookalicio.us about her goals in creating KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY. She wanted a series to fill in the hole left when the POTTER series concluded for fans such as herself who grew up with the novels, something with a similar texture to them. But she didn’t want the magic, or a boy who knew nothing about the school he was about to attend, and resolutions that never occurred in the best-selling series. In the guest post, she states, “The hero is the cleverest scholar in his year, hopeless at sports and destined for nothing. And yet…there is something undeniably Potterish about my storytelling.” The result is a series with a similar flavor, but different enough that the two truly can’t be compared to one another.
In KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY, danger lurks on the horizon. The newspapers all buzz about how the Nordlands are doing medical experiments on their citizens, and talk about how women are refused education to the extent that people who break the law are prosecuted. But if these rumors are true, then London is about to go to war for the first time since The Longsword Treaty was set in motion...and knights are no longer trained for combat. It’s a dangerous time to be a young man. London is changing as well: For the first time, Knightley Academy is admitting commoners to its elite knight program due to the discovery of a brilliant young servant named Henry Grim. In addition to accepting Henry into training, the school opens two more spots and admits Adam Beckerman and Rohan Mehta. The three students become roommates and are ostracized by their peers, Henry because he was a servant, Adam because he’s Jewish, and Rohan due to his dark skin. This is hardest on Rohan, who, while orphaned early on, was adopted by a wealthy family and feels equal to the other boys at school despite his appearance. The first year students are too afraid to reach out to the three “common” students due to two students who delight in tormenting them, the pompous Theobold Archer IV and his lackey, Fergus Valmont, with whom Henry is previously acquainted (and not in a pleasant way). The boys must suffer through school, making friends only with Francesca “Frankie” Winter, the Headmaster’s teenage daughter. Soon, terrifying accidents start to occur, and it becomes clear that either someone wants to remove the three common boys from Knightley and restore the school to its superior roots or something more sinister is at play.
KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY is full of adventure, mystery, and intrigue. I had a lot of trouble putting it down and delved right into book two, THE SECRET PRINCE (launching June 28, 2011). The books are currently set to be a trilogy, but they don’t have cliffhanger endings. Rather, they hit the end of term the way the POTTER books due, with the first novel ending as winter break approaches and the second one starting off with second term. Unless the series is extended, the books won’t follow Henry and his friends throughout their years at Knightley, for reasons that will become apparent in book two. KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY was fantastic, and THE SECRET PRINCE is even better. I’ll post a review tomorrow. If you’re looking for a new series that hits your sweet spot and doesn’t leave you frustrated for several years, this is a series you don’t want to miss.
Ignore the title of this book: If KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY brings up images of knights in shining armor and damsels in distress, you’re WRONG. You’re also not alone: That’s the type of novel I thought I was getting, too. I thought this novel was going to be about a school that taught students how to be a knight. I was hoping for the next RANGER’S APPRENTICE by John Flanagan or SONG OF THE LIONESS (or PROTECTOR OF THE SMALL) series by Tamora Pierce. While this novel IS about knights, it’s not about *knights.* When I first started reading and saw the word “car,” I thought, “What…? Dashing knights in our world?” And then I kept reading. It takes place at the turn of the century, when electricity is still new and cars are used only by a select few. I grew even more confused. But then I realized how brilliant author Violet Haberdasher (nom de plume) is. Because this world is our world, but it’s *not* our world. At one point, there were real knights of old. Eventually, the various countries signed The Longsword Treaty with one another, creating peace and eliminating the need for combat and true knights. Instead, Knights of the Realm now train to be detective knights, police knights, and secret service knights. They might also work in prestigious office positions or for famous families.
KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY also holds a vague similarity to HARRY POTTER, albeit without the use of any magic. The novel centers around an orphaned boy named Henry Grim who has dreamed of one day attending Knightley Academy. Alas, without a proper status or position in life, he has no chance of getting in...until the entrance exams allow all residents at the school where he works to apply. There are a couple of characters reminiscent of beloved members of the POTTER family, as well as a few nuances here and there. Haberdasher wrote a particularly lovely guest post earlier this year on Bookalicio.us about her goals in creating KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY. She wanted a series to fill in the hole left when the POTTER series concluded for fans such as herself who grew up with the novels, something with a similar texture to them. But she didn’t want the magic, or a boy who knew nothing about the school he was about to attend, and resolutions that never occurred in the best-selling series. In the guest post, she states, “The hero is the cleverest scholar in his year, hopeless at sports and destined for nothing. And yet…there is something undeniably Potterish about my storytelling.” The result is a series with a similar flavor, but different enough that the two truly can’t be compared to one another.
In KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY, danger lurks on the horizon. The newspapers all buzz about how the Nordlands are doing medical experiments on their citizens, and talk about how women are refused education to the extent that people who break the law are prosecuted. But if these rumors are true, then London is about to go to war for the first time since The Longsword Treaty was set in motion...and knights are no longer trained for combat. It’s a dangerous time to be a young man. London is changing as well: For the first time, Knightley Academy is admitting commoners to its elite knight program due to the discovery of a brilliant young servant named Henry Grim. In addition to accepting Henry into training, the school opens two more spots and admits Adam Beckerman and Rohan Mehta. The three students become roommates and are ostracized by their peers, Henry because he was a servant, Adam because he’s Jewish, and Rohan due to his dark skin. This is hardest on Rohan, who, while orphaned early on, was adopted by a wealthy family and feels equal to the other boys at school despite his appearance. The first year students are too afraid to reach out to the three “common” students due to two students who delight in tormenting them, the pompous Theobold Archer IV and his lackey, Fergus Valmont, with whom Henry is previously acquainted (and not in a pleasant way). The boys must suffer through school, making friends only with Francesca “Frankie” Winter, the Headmaster’s teenage daughter. Soon, terrifying accidents start to occur, and it becomes clear that either someone wants to remove the three common boys from Knightley and restore the school to its superior roots or something more sinister is at play.
KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY is full of adventure, mystery, and intrigue. I had a lot of trouble putting it down and delved right into book two, THE SECRET PRINCE (launching June 28, 2011). The books are currently set to be a trilogy, but they don’t have cliffhanger endings. Rather, they hit the end of term the way the POTTER books due, with the first novel ending as winter break approaches and the second one starting off with second term. Unless the series is extended, the books won’t follow Henry and his friends throughout their years at Knightley, for reasons that will become apparent in book two. KNIGHTLEY ACADEMY was fantastic, and THE SECRET PRINCE is even better. I’ll post a review tomorrow. If you’re looking for a new series that hits your sweet spot and doesn’t leave you frustrated for several years, this is a series you don’t want to miss.
November 6, 2021
Review: 2.5 stars
The start was amazing, brilliant, Henry best boy. But then it just got too.. em, Idk, plain. The summary of this book is Henry and his friends fighting with a kid named Valmont, which is fun till certain point and then it's just annoying.
The start was amazing, brilliant, Henry best boy. But then it just got too.. em, Idk, plain. The summary of this book is Henry and his friends fighting with a kid named Valmont, which is fun till certain point and then it's just annoying.
August 10, 2010
Alrighty. So generally, after reading a book by an author I'm unfamiliar with, I jump online and have a look-see. This is when astounding things like sequels, come to my attention, or in this case... that an author isn't a real person but a pseudonym.
Here I was, thinking Knightley Academy was a debut authors first novel. And I suppose, in a way it is, since Violet Haberdasher only started to exist when this book went to print.
Weird right?
I mean outside of Lemony Snicket how many Middle School authors hide behind a pseudonym? Anywho, after beating around trying to find a Violet Haberdasher website I finally came to the realization that Violet Haberdasher (I guess it's kind of a weird name, come to think of it) is really Robyn Schneider. I also discovered Simon and Schuster (or Robyn Schneider) really aught to update the Knightley Academy site; seriously, I can't pre-order a published book and the extras page says access forbidden until March 9 2010....uh? isn't it August 2010??
Outside of these oddities I can tell you two things, this book is an entertaining read, and although it's not commented on anywhere that I can find it is surely a series, likely 4 books long.
Henry Grim is an orphan working as a servant in an upper class school, studying on the sly, when he is suddenly given the chance of a lifetime. The prestigious Knightley Academy, for the first time ever, is letting commoners test for entry, and Henry is the first to gain admission. Along with his three new commoner roommates and the daughter of the Headmaster, Henry spends an exciting yet stressful first year at Knightley. Can he come out on top? Or will his first year prove to be his last?
Strikingly similar story arc to Harry Potter (orphan Henry, admission to a school he would never dream of attending, a teacher who seems to be plotting against him, a fellow group of outsiders to befriend, a lurking greater threat outside of school), the Knightley Academy is original while being totally unoriginal. Which is to say I liked it, but there was a familiarity to it that I found disconcerting. Henry's group of friends are fun, especially Frankie the Headmaster's daughter, and the action is largely enjoyable. What I would truly like to see in the next books is for Violet/Robyn to pull away from the Harry Potter story arc and build her own non-referencing world. Honestly, no story which mimics Harry Potter will end up coming out well in the comparison so I wouldn't recommend it.
Since I can't find any further information on her site or the Knightley site about a second book we'll just have to wait and see if I stumble into it down the road. This has the potential to become a really good story, but I have to say the Harry Potter leanings will have to end to be so.
Here I was, thinking Knightley Academy was a debut authors first novel. And I suppose, in a way it is, since Violet Haberdasher only started to exist when this book went to print.
Weird right?
I mean outside of Lemony Snicket how many Middle School authors hide behind a pseudonym? Anywho, after beating around trying to find a Violet Haberdasher website I finally came to the realization that Violet Haberdasher (I guess it's kind of a weird name, come to think of it) is really Robyn Schneider. I also discovered Simon and Schuster (or Robyn Schneider) really aught to update the Knightley Academy site; seriously, I can't pre-order a published book and the extras page says access forbidden until March 9 2010....uh? isn't it August 2010??
Outside of these oddities I can tell you two things, this book is an entertaining read, and although it's not commented on anywhere that I can find it is surely a series, likely 4 books long.
Henry Grim is an orphan working as a servant in an upper class school, studying on the sly, when he is suddenly given the chance of a lifetime. The prestigious Knightley Academy, for the first time ever, is letting commoners test for entry, and Henry is the first to gain admission. Along with his three new commoner roommates and the daughter of the Headmaster, Henry spends an exciting yet stressful first year at Knightley. Can he come out on top? Or will his first year prove to be his last?
Strikingly similar story arc to Harry Potter (orphan Henry, admission to a school he would never dream of attending, a teacher who seems to be plotting against him, a fellow group of outsiders to befriend, a lurking greater threat outside of school), the Knightley Academy is original while being totally unoriginal. Which is to say I liked it, but there was a familiarity to it that I found disconcerting. Henry's group of friends are fun, especially Frankie the Headmaster's daughter, and the action is largely enjoyable. What I would truly like to see in the next books is for Violet/Robyn to pull away from the Harry Potter story arc and build her own non-referencing world. Honestly, no story which mimics Harry Potter will end up coming out well in the comparison so I wouldn't recommend it.
Since I can't find any further information on her site or the Knightley site about a second book we'll just have to wait and see if I stumble into it down the road. This has the potential to become a really good story, but I have to say the Harry Potter leanings will have to end to be so.
July 3, 2011
I really enjoyed this book.
I picked it up because it was recommended to Harry Potter lovers, but I actually don't think that it has that much in common with Harry Potter.
Yes, the lead character is named Henry, who is an orphan and who has had a rather difficult life so far, and the setting is a boarding school, but that is as far as it goes. There is no magic, no personal vendettas, just school yard bullying, lessons, mean and nice teachers, pranks and rule-breaking which is common in all boarding school books (I was at some points reminded of Enid Blyton's St. Clare’s).
On the other hand it still has a fantastic feel because it is "knights". I love knight stories. The Song of the Lioness and The Protector of the Small quartets by Tamora Pierce are my favourites, but this one is quite different because of the setting. You have the feeling that, if history had developed a little differently, this could really have happened in the 1930s(?).
The writing style is nice, too, it was easy to read. In the beginning the author uses an 'omniscious narrator' (which I thought quite weird and I distinctly remember thinking: "If this keeps up I'll have a hard time reading this"), but it ended quite abruptly and gave way to the "third person" style I prefer. The omniscious narrator didn't make an reappearance at the end, though, which I would have expected to give the book a more 'rounded' feel (also, that would have been a nice way to include some foreshadowing)
The story itself is interesting, the characters are well developed and unique, but there is a sad lack of girls , which kinda is to be expected at an all-boys-school, I know. :)(I remember 1 making a regular appearance next to Frankie in the later part of the book)
There are only 2 (and a half) things I don't like about this book, but it has nothing to do with the story. First of all I think the print is way too big. When I picked the book up it looked so big and I expected a very long story, but the print relativated it. I know this book is more geared towards younger readers, but seriously? One or two sizes down would have been nice.
I'm also not a fan of the cover. It is not really ugly, but I don't think it is pretty either. It looks gloomy and foreboding and doesn't really fit with the story.
Lastly, and this is just a personal thing, I really don't like book jackets. They slip and get banged up very easily and I don't want to take them off either because then the book looks boring. I would have preferred a book cover á la Harry Potter :)
I pre-ordered the next one and can't wait to read it.
I picked it up because it was recommended to Harry Potter lovers, but I actually don't think that it has that much in common with Harry Potter.
Yes, the lead character is named Henry, who is an orphan and who has had a rather difficult life so far, and the setting is a boarding school, but that is as far as it goes. There is no magic, no personal vendettas, just school yard bullying, lessons, mean and nice teachers, pranks and rule-breaking which is common in all boarding school books (I was at some points reminded of Enid Blyton's St. Clare’s).
On the other hand it still has a fantastic feel because it is "knights". I love knight stories. The Song of the Lioness and The Protector of the Small quartets by Tamora Pierce are my favourites, but this one is quite different because of the setting. You have the feeling that, if history had developed a little differently, this could really have happened in the 1930s(?).
The writing style is nice, too, it was easy to read. In the beginning the author uses an 'omniscious narrator' (which I thought quite weird and I distinctly remember thinking: "If this keeps up I'll have a hard time reading this"), but it ended quite abruptly and gave way to the "third person" style I prefer. The omniscious narrator didn't make an reappearance at the end, though, which I would have expected to give the book a more 'rounded' feel (also, that would have been a nice way to include some foreshadowing)
The story itself is interesting, the characters are well developed and unique, but there is a sad lack of girls , which kinda is to be expected at an all-boys-school, I know. :)(I remember 1 making a regular appearance next to Frankie in the later part of the book)
There are only 2 (and a half) things I don't like about this book, but it has nothing to do with the story. First of all I think the print is way too big. When I picked the book up it looked so big and I expected a very long story, but the print relativated it. I know this book is more geared towards younger readers, but seriously? One or two sizes down would have been nice.
I'm also not a fan of the cover. It is not really ugly, but I don't think it is pretty either. It looks gloomy and foreboding and doesn't really fit with the story.
Lastly, and this is just a personal thing, I really don't like book jackets. They slip and get banged up very easily and I don't want to take them off either because then the book looks boring. I would have preferred a book cover á la Harry Potter :)
I pre-ordered the next one and can't wait to read it.
January 27, 2011
Before reading the first sentence of this novel, I had heard quite a bit about this novel. I heard it was good, I heard it was alright, I heard it was like Harry Potter, etc. Even when I had heard all of this, I hadn't fully grasped what this book was truly about and what it entailed. (also, I found this book in the Children's section at Books-a-million.)
Knightley Academy is about this school that decides to open their entrance exam to commoners this year. The three main characters come from very humble backgrounds and are lucky to even survive their stay at Knightley Academy. Someone is after them, out to get them expelled. This novel follows Henry Grim on his journey to solve this mystery and to bring things back to normal. Even for a little while.
I thought the writing was fantastic. Not only was the grammar perfect, but so was the content. Violet introduces these political ideas without it reading like some ploy to brainwash the reader. She talks about class and war and other such important things in the novel with grace and logic. I feel like she accurately described how people at the time were being treated. The scenes were written quite well. I felt like I was in the Knightley Academy, walking around with the students, walking into the Headmaster's house, the offices, the armory.
The storyline was quite original, with the mysterious plot to get Henry and his friends kicked out and all of the crazy things that kept happening to them.
The characters were pretty good. Some of them, like Lord Havelock, surprised me by being so nice in the end. I liked Henry, Rohan, and Adam all the way through. I'm glad to say I was never really annoyed with any of the characters. I thought Frankie was a nice addition and gave a lot of good outside perspective to her friendship with the three boys.
This was quite an enjoyable novel. It wasn't too crazy with how the mystery played out, but it played out realistically. At least what I think would be realistically in a Victorian-era knight academy. I don't think I was on the edge of my seat as much as I thought I would be, but it lead up to the climax very well and resolved in a nice place.
Knightley Academy is about this school that decides to open their entrance exam to commoners this year. The three main characters come from very humble backgrounds and are lucky to even survive their stay at Knightley Academy. Someone is after them, out to get them expelled. This novel follows Henry Grim on his journey to solve this mystery and to bring things back to normal. Even for a little while.
I thought the writing was fantastic. Not only was the grammar perfect, but so was the content. Violet introduces these political ideas without it reading like some ploy to brainwash the reader. She talks about class and war and other such important things in the novel with grace and logic. I feel like she accurately described how people at the time were being treated. The scenes were written quite well. I felt like I was in the Knightley Academy, walking around with the students, walking into the Headmaster's house, the offices, the armory.
The storyline was quite original, with the mysterious plot to get Henry and his friends kicked out and all of the crazy things that kept happening to them.
The characters were pretty good. Some of them, like Lord Havelock, surprised me by being so nice in the end. I liked Henry, Rohan, and Adam all the way through. I'm glad to say I was never really annoyed with any of the characters. I thought Frankie was a nice addition and gave a lot of good outside perspective to her friendship with the three boys.
This was quite an enjoyable novel. It wasn't too crazy with how the mystery played out, but it played out realistically. At least what I think would be realistically in a Victorian-era knight academy. I don't think I was on the edge of my seat as much as I thought I would be, but it lead up to the climax very well and resolved in a nice place.
September 11, 2010
Why I read this: It's a debut novel this year and it really looked interesting when I read the summary of it online one day.
Plot: Let's just say that I think it rivals that of Harry Potter. It has that same friendship interaction, forms of bullying, and the underlying evil plot that will hopefully bring everyone together by the end of the series. I think this is the next big thing. It's epic enough, involving enough and it has the diversity that every series needs. I have a big thing for underdogs getting what they deserve in life and this book is it.
Definitely check this book out if you want nearly 500 pages of engaging YA literature that will keep you thinking for days.
Characters: I said this a bit up there a bit - but the characters are diverse and they're underdogs. I really enjoyed how well they teamed up and got along, helping each other out of sticky situations. Definitely characters I want to get to know and root for throughout this series.
Relatability: If you've been an underdog, felt like one, or just really like rooting for them - you'll love this book. OR if you have a fascination with Knights... :-D
Cover Commentary: I really like it, gives it the epic feeling that this book deserves.
Plot: Let's just say that I think it rivals that of Harry Potter. It has that same friendship interaction, forms of bullying, and the underlying evil plot that will hopefully bring everyone together by the end of the series. I think this is the next big thing. It's epic enough, involving enough and it has the diversity that every series needs. I have a big thing for underdogs getting what they deserve in life and this book is it.
Definitely check this book out if you want nearly 500 pages of engaging YA literature that will keep you thinking for days.
Characters: I said this a bit up there a bit - but the characters are diverse and they're underdogs. I really enjoyed how well they teamed up and got along, helping each other out of sticky situations. Definitely characters I want to get to know and root for throughout this series.
Relatability: If you've been an underdog, felt like one, or just really like rooting for them - you'll love this book. OR if you have a fascination with Knights... :-D
Cover Commentary: I really like it, gives it the epic feeling that this book deserves.
February 22, 2011
I'm not usually one to read young adult fiction (it's just not my demographic) but this was definitely a great exception. I'm also a little disappointed with the reviews on Amazon that claim this is a Harry Potter knock-off... sure it's about an orphaned young boy who goes to a school for things one doesn't normally go to school for, but that's where the similarity ends, and if that's enough to make it a knock-off, they're both knock-offs of Oliver Twist anyway.
Regardless, this is a quality book that addresses the issue of tolerance pretty solidly, I would say. It's about a young servant of a boys' school who is given the chance to attempt the test to enroll in Knightley Academy, a prestigious school in which boys are trained to become knights. There is an uproar, as the school had never accepted commoners, and the new headmaster decides to take the risk of accepting two more commoners to clearly label his new regime at the school. It's a big risk, but the school accepts a Jewish boy and an Indian boy, for both of whom those qualities were the only things previously barring them from admission. There is hostility, friendship, tolerance, and all sorts of fun and drama.
In short, definitely worth the read!
Good job, Robyn :)
Regardless, this is a quality book that addresses the issue of tolerance pretty solidly, I would say. It's about a young servant of a boys' school who is given the chance to attempt the test to enroll in Knightley Academy, a prestigious school in which boys are trained to become knights. There is an uproar, as the school had never accepted commoners, and the new headmaster decides to take the risk of accepting two more commoners to clearly label his new regime at the school. It's a big risk, but the school accepts a Jewish boy and an Indian boy, for both of whom those qualities were the only things previously barring them from admission. There is hostility, friendship, tolerance, and all sorts of fun and drama.
In short, definitely worth the read!
Good job, Robyn :)
April 9, 2010
I loved this book so much that I bought a second copy and gave it to my son's principal (she likes similar middle grade books) for her to read and then donate to the school library. I felt this book had a lot of good moral undertone to a very well written plot. I am also excited to read more in this series. I really like the fact that Robyne did not use her real name so these younger readers would not search on her name and find her other books that would not be suited for middle grade readers. It says alot about this author. Henry is a relateable character and is face with teasing and bullying that many young kinds (unfortunately) can relate to. I feel his approach to dealing with it shows how he matures using the guides of the code to maintain his self worth and make him a better knight. Frankie, Adam and Rohan made the perfect companions and the author draws them with a fine tip detail. The several antagonist in this book are equally intriguing and well written. Read it and see what I mean.
May 24, 2010
When a loophole in the rules allows Henry Grim, an orphaned serving boy at Midsummer School, to take the entrance exam for Knightley Academy, he jumps at the chance to better his lot. He is admitted as a sort of social experiment; traditionally the Academy was limited to the aristocracy, but some trustees feel that the turn of the century will bring changes in social structure as well as technology. At the Academy, Henry is paired with two other misfits (one Jewish, one East Indian) and befriends the headmaster’s headstrong daughter. They have some laughs as they struggle to fit in, but the pranks that target the trio start to become more pointed until they risk expulsion. Is there something more sinister at work, and is it related to the rumors about the new totalitarian government in the Nordlands? This rather unoriginal story clearly sets the foundation for further investigation into the matter. The four main characters each have specifically delineated strengths, the better to work together against the threat of the Nordlands, which is sure to come back into play.
January 28, 2011
A couple of quotes I marked ...
"Curses, as surely you remember, are meant to be broken. And once they break, unlike satchel straps or pairs of spectacles, they do not need to be fixed. However, to break something has consequences, and curses are no exception." (p 71)
Only don't let that quote make you think this is a fantasy. It's just talking about the "curse" on a school where no one has passed a test in a while.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that the problem with new shoes is that they are never as comfortable as the ones the are meant to replace." (p 86)
That one just made me laugh.
Really enjoyed this one until ... oh, about the last fourth. Then the pacing and resolution just seemed kind of off. Like maybe they got tired of editing and the book was already 400+ pages and they just needed to finish.
"Curses, as surely you remember, are meant to be broken. And once they break, unlike satchel straps or pairs of spectacles, they do not need to be fixed. However, to break something has consequences, and curses are no exception." (p 71)
Only don't let that quote make you think this is a fantasy. It's just talking about the "curse" on a school where no one has passed a test in a while.
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that the problem with new shoes is that they are never as comfortable as the ones the are meant to replace." (p 86)
That one just made me laugh.
Really enjoyed this one until ... oh, about the last fourth. Then the pacing and resolution just seemed kind of off. Like maybe they got tired of editing and the book was already 400+ pages and they just needed to finish.
September 20, 2015
I picked-up this book thinking there would be battles and etc. but there weren't, save for a few fencing matches(At least in this first book in the series). Despite that, I still enjoyed reading the book not just because I can really be a sucker for boarding school stories, but because of the memorable characters in the story and the way they interacted. I also like the humor in the book. Adam's comments made me laugh several times. It also has a decent dose of mystery and suspense. The book also presented some serious ideas/issues that are worth some serious thought. I liked the way the author incorporated those ideas in the story.
It was a good and fun read. I hope that the characters and their relationships develop further in the next book and that there would also be more action. But I don't really find anything bad in the book, just needs a bit more of something I guess. I'm looking forward to the next book!
It was a good and fun read. I hope that the characters and their relationships develop further in the next book and that there would also be more action. But I don't really find anything bad in the book, just needs a bit more of something I guess. I'm looking forward to the next book!
September 27, 2011
I absolutely loved this book!
I've noticed that many other reviews on here talk about how similar Knightly Academy is to Harry Potter, and while there are some similarities, they are two very different stories, in my opinion anyway!
I liked the Harry Potter books (the ones I've read) but I like Knightly Academy more. I think the reason for this is because I love the setting of Knightly Academy, it's Victorian and sort of steam punk, which I find interesting and unique. I also love the characters. All of the main characters in this book have to work really hard to be respected and do not have any easy time because they are different. The struggles they face and how they handle their challenges made me really feel for them. Especially Henry, who shows his critics that an orphaned servant boy can be just as clever and much stronger then a spoiled aristocrat!
I can not wait to read book two!
I've noticed that many other reviews on here talk about how similar Knightly Academy is to Harry Potter, and while there are some similarities, they are two very different stories, in my opinion anyway!
I liked the Harry Potter books (the ones I've read) but I like Knightly Academy more. I think the reason for this is because I love the setting of Knightly Academy, it's Victorian and sort of steam punk, which I find interesting and unique. I also love the characters. All of the main characters in this book have to work really hard to be respected and do not have any easy time because they are different. The struggles they face and how they handle their challenges made me really feel for them. Especially Henry, who shows his critics that an orphaned servant boy can be just as clever and much stronger then a spoiled aristocrat!
I can not wait to read book two!
July 24, 2014
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
The was an easy and enjoyable Summer read - great for kids or adults as well. There was a lot of the mystery not explained (why the academy was created, etc.) and I look forward to how these will unfold in future volumes. The alternate history of turn of the century Victorian England is also very interesting and a perfect setting for the story. And that was a huge plus for me - that historical events are interwoven into the story rather than the story seeming to take place in its own world.
Likely there will be many comparisons to Harry Potter - but I felt the story held its own just fine and I'm looking forward to future installments in the series.
Reviewed from an ARC.
July 29, 2010
As I was cleaning up the newshelf at our library my eye was caught by this little gem. This story is about a servant/orphan boy named Henry Grim who works at a posh school for boys called Midsummer School. Here he is secretly tutored in numerous languages, culture and history by Professor Stratford. Henry is encouraged by him to sit the Kightley Academy exam (a school for future Knights) in which no commoner has ever done before. With flying colors he passes the exam and is brought to Knightly Academy where he makes two friends who also come from "decidedly un-Knightley backgrounds." All three boys become the victims of a plot to sabotage their chances at continuing at this fine academy and it is up to them to solve the mystery. This is definately a book that in my opinion, will become a series as the ending was left very open ended.
December 14, 2012
I am pretty optimistic when it comes to my reading. As an aspiring author myself, I am always open to finishing a book, but I was a little disappointed that this had reached publishing. I wish the writer all the best, but she needs a better editor and a better publisher. This book had a fun enough story, but the grammar, spelling, and flow grew so tedious that I just couldn't take it any longer.
As I said, I'm optimistic, so if you don't mind a few issues, read it, it had a very enjoyable protagonist, but I don't recommend it as I think the word choice is poor and would only encourage poor word choice. Every book has the capability to educate and this book needs help before it can educate anybody. I think I have gone on enough. This is one of two books I've given up on. Who knows I may come back to it one day.
As I said, I'm optimistic, so if you don't mind a few issues, read it, it had a very enjoyable protagonist, but I don't recommend it as I think the word choice is poor and would only encourage poor word choice. Every book has the capability to educate and this book needs help before it can educate anybody. I think I have gone on enough. This is one of two books I've given up on. Who knows I may come back to it one day.
December 20, 2010
I truly feel sorry for any author nowadays who wants to place a young character at any kind of school or camp where they learn special powers because they are often accused of copying J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter. However, this book IS a copy. The main character's name is Henry, he's an orphan, he passes a test to attend this prestigious knight school (one of the chapters is "The Boy Who Passed"...just like "The Boy Who Lived" in Harry Potter), he has 2 buddies at school, one a stickler for rules and studying, the other a goofball, there's an inter-school tournament, there's a professor who is a carbon copy of Professor Snape, and the list goes on. Probably a fun read for my daughter but just so-so for me.
May 21, 2011
This was overall too juvenile for me - however, I get that the target audience was not a 32 yr old woman! Even though it was too juvenile, it definitely had some good moments and I did like Henry Grim and Frankie. Adam was too much like a copycat of Ron Weasley but fell way too short. There was a clear Snape copy as well. The mystery component was both too Hardy Boys in it's little scope but yet oddly paired with an international mystery that seems too farfetched to be handled by a few outcast boys. However, having said all that, it had it's moments, it wasn't targeted to me and if I were a 12 yr old boy I'd probably have loved it.
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