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The Black Canary
Jane Louise Curry brings Elizabethan London to life in this remarkable story about music, family, and finding one's place in the world.
Twelve-year-old biracial James has grown up in a musical family. Not only are both of his parents musicians, but his four grandparents are as well. Everyone assumes that James will pursue music, yet he would rather become a newspaper reporter...or an astronomer...or a cook...anything that will let him leave music behind and be his own self.
Everything changes when, on a family visit to London, James discovers a portal that leads to London in the year 1600, then finds himself unable to return to the point in time he had left behind. James is forced to join the Children of the Chapel Royal, a group that performs for the queen of England, and the musical talents he denied are now put to the test and pushed to their limits. In this alternate world James comes to realize that he cannot survive and get back to the twenty-first century without recognizing, understanding, and making the most of his musical gifts.
Twelve-year-old biracial James has grown up in a musical family. Not only are both of his parents musicians, but his four grandparents are as well. Everyone assumes that James will pursue music, yet he would rather become a newspaper reporter...or an astronomer...or a cook...anything that will let him leave music behind and be his own self.
Everything changes when, on a family visit to London, James discovers a portal that leads to London in the year 1600, then finds himself unable to return to the point in time he had left behind. James is forced to join the Children of the Chapel Royal, a group that performs for the queen of England, and the musical talents he denied are now put to the test and pushed to their limits. In this alternate world James comes to realize that he cannot survive and get back to the twenty-first century without recognizing, understanding, and making the most of his musical gifts.
280 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Jane Louise Curry
42 books30 followersJane Louise Curry was born in East Liverpool, Ohio, on September 24, 1932. She is the daughter of William Jack Curry Jr. and Helen Margaret Curry. Curry grew up in Pennsylvania (Kittanning and Johnstown), but upon her graduation from college she moved to Los Angeles, California, and London, England.
Curry attended the Pennsylvania State University in 1950, and she studied there until 1951 when she left for the Indiana State College (now known as Indiana University of Pennsylvania). In 1954, after graduation, Curry moved to California and worked as both an art teacher for the Los Angeles Public School District and a freelance artist. In 1957, Curry entered the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) in order to study English literature, but in 1959 she left Los Angeles and became a teaching assistant at Stanford University. Curry was awarded the Fulbright grant in 1961 and the Stanford-Leverhulme fellowship in 1965, allowing her to pursue her graduate studies at the University of London. She earned her M.A. in 1962 and her Ph.D. in medieval English literature from Stanford University in 1969. From 1967-1968 and, again, from 1983-1984, Curry was an instructor of English literature at the college level. She became a lecturer in 1987. Besides her writings, Curry’s artworks are also considered among her achievements. She has had several paintings exhibited in London, and her works have even earned her a spot in the prestigious Royal Society of British Artists group exhibition. Among the many groups that Curry belongs to are the International Arthurian Society, the Authors Guild, the Children’s Literature Association, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers.
Curry illustrated and published her first book Down from the Lonely Mountain in 1965. This juvenile fiction based on Californian Native American folklore has paved the way for Curry’s expansive literary career. She has penned more than 30 novels, which are mostly based on child characters dealing with a wide variety of subjects. Many of Curry’s writings deal with folklore, such as the Native American folklore that she explores in her novels Turtle Island: Tales of Algonquian Nations and The Wonderful Sky Boat: And Other Native American Tales of the Southeast, and the retellings of famous European folk stories, such as Robin Hood and his Merry Men, Robin Hood in the Greenwood, and The Christmas Knight. Yet she also delves into the genres of fantasy, such as in her novels Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Time and Me, Myself, and I; historical fiction, such as in her novels What the Dickens and Stolen Life; and mystery, such as in her novels The Bassumtyte Treasure and Moon Window.
Curry has been honored with many awards throughout her writing career. In 1970, her novel The Daybreakers earned Curry the Honor Book award from the Book World Spring Children’s Book Festival and the Outstanding Book by a Southern California Author Award from the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People. The Mystery Writers of America honored Curry two years in a row by awarding her the Edgar Allan Poe Award, or the Edgar, for Poor Tom’s Ghost in 1978 and The Bassumtyte Treasure in 1979. Also in 1979, for her complete body of work at that time, the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People presented Curry with the Distingushed Contribution to the Field of Children’s Literature Award.
Curry resides in Palo Alto, California, and London, England.
Curry attended the Pennsylvania State University in 1950, and she studied there until 1951 when she left for the Indiana State College (now known as Indiana University of Pennsylvania). In 1954, after graduation, Curry moved to California and worked as both an art teacher for the Los Angeles Public School District and a freelance artist. In 1957, Curry entered the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) in order to study English literature, but in 1959 she left Los Angeles and became a teaching assistant at Stanford University. Curry was awarded the Fulbright grant in 1961 and the Stanford-Leverhulme fellowship in 1965, allowing her to pursue her graduate studies at the University of London. She earned her M.A. in 1962 and her Ph.D. in medieval English literature from Stanford University in 1969. From 1967-1968 and, again, from 1983-1984, Curry was an instructor of English literature at the college level. She became a lecturer in 1987. Besides her writings, Curry’s artworks are also considered among her achievements. She has had several paintings exhibited in London, and her works have even earned her a spot in the prestigious Royal Society of British Artists group exhibition. Among the many groups that Curry belongs to are the International Arthurian Society, the Authors Guild, the Children’s Literature Association, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers.
Curry illustrated and published her first book Down from the Lonely Mountain in 1965. This juvenile fiction based on Californian Native American folklore has paved the way for Curry’s expansive literary career. She has penned more than 30 novels, which are mostly based on child characters dealing with a wide variety of subjects. Many of Curry’s writings deal with folklore, such as the Native American folklore that she explores in her novels Turtle Island: Tales of Algonquian Nations and The Wonderful Sky Boat: And Other Native American Tales of the Southeast, and the retellings of famous European folk stories, such as Robin Hood and his Merry Men, Robin Hood in the Greenwood, and The Christmas Knight. Yet she also delves into the genres of fantasy, such as in her novels Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Time and Me, Myself, and I; historical fiction, such as in her novels What the Dickens and Stolen Life; and mystery, such as in her novels The Bassumtyte Treasure and Moon Window.
Curry has been honored with many awards throughout her writing career. In 1970, her novel The Daybreakers earned Curry the Honor Book award from the Book World Spring Children’s Book Festival and the Outstanding Book by a Southern California Author Award from the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People. The Mystery Writers of America honored Curry two years in a row by awarding her the Edgar Allan Poe Award, or the Edgar, for Poor Tom’s Ghost in 1978 and The Bassumtyte Treasure in 1979. Also in 1979, for her complete body of work at that time, the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People presented Curry with the Distingushed Contribution to the Field of Children’s Literature Award.
Curry resides in Palo Alto, California, and London, England.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 25, 2018
[Warning: I do vaguely mention how the book ends in this review!]
This book was intriguing, and I liked the authors descriptions of 1600s London. It was an easy, enjoyable read that I would recommend! The ending was a bit different than I expected. While he was in the past, he seemed to begin understanding why his parents loved music so much. I wanted James to come back from the past and resolve the distance between himself and his family, because of all he experienced. In some ways, he did seem happy to be back home (in the present), but he missed the past, too. Instead of the neatly-tied-in-a-bow ending I was expecting, Jane Louise Curry ended it with an almost haunting commentary about the past. James missed the kids he had met in the 1600s, realizing they were all dead now that he was back in the present. But at the same time, he could remember all he had seen, as if the past was a part of the present, too. A thoughtful, interesting book!
This book was intriguing, and I liked the authors descriptions of 1600s London. It was an easy, enjoyable read that I would recommend! The ending was a bit different than I expected. While he was in the past, he seemed to begin understanding why his parents loved music so much. I wanted James to come back from the past and resolve the distance between himself and his family, because of all he experienced. In some ways, he did seem happy to be back home (in the present), but he missed the past, too. Instead of the neatly-tied-in-a-bow ending I was expecting, Jane Louise Curry ended it with an almost haunting commentary about the past. James missed the kids he had met in the 1600s, realizing they were all dead now that he was back in the present. But at the same time, he could remember all he had seen, as if the past was a part of the present, too. A thoughtful, interesting book!
October 18, 2017
The title of the book that I am reading is The Black Canary and the Author's name is Jane louise Curry. This book affected me in a good way because it had a lot of detail and i felt like i was in the book with the boy.
This book is about a twelve-year old boy that comes from a musical family his mom and dad are both musicians, they want him to be one to but he'd rather be a newspaper boy or a cook.
He end up finding this portal that leads to London in the year-1600 and he is not able to return to the present time,the time he left behind. He ends up having to play music for the queen of london, I think you should read The black canary so you can have the experience that i had while reading this book.
This book is about a twelve-year old boy that comes from a musical family his mom and dad are both musicians, they want him to be one to but he'd rather be a newspaper boy or a cook.
He end up finding this portal that leads to London in the year-1600 and he is not able to return to the present time,the time he left behind. He ends up having to play music for the queen of london, I think you should read The black canary so you can have the experience that i had while reading this book.
July 22, 2025
James has no desire to become a musician of any sorts, although he comes from a musical family. A family trip to London takes a strange twist as James steps through a portal, sending him back to 1600 London, where he finds himself forced to join a group that performs for the queen.
March 9, 2017
Time travel intrigues me. It's one of those devices that can either be done well or doesn't work at all. In this book, it doesn't work.
James is spending the summer in London with his workaholic parents when he discovers a time warp to Tudor London. He tries several times to go through the warp for increasingly longer periods of time. He discovers that the longer he spends in the past, the more time has changed when he returns to the present. He soon realizes that there are two of him that are existing the "present" and he doesn't know how to fix the anomaly. Finally, after several weeks in the past, he's able to rectify the duplication.
While it was intriguing to wonder how someone from today's world could handle surviving in the Tudor-era, there wasn't a point to the time travel. By the end of the book I couldn't tell what the point of the novel was. There wasn't a critique on how we live our current lives nor how people lived in the past. James doesn't work things out with his parents. Instead, we are left with a final scene in which James is mourning the London of the past and his friends he made there.
It's a quick read, but not one I'd recommend to anyone.
James is spending the summer in London with his workaholic parents when he discovers a time warp to Tudor London. He tries several times to go through the warp for increasingly longer periods of time. He discovers that the longer he spends in the past, the more time has changed when he returns to the present. He soon realizes that there are two of him that are existing the "present" and he doesn't know how to fix the anomaly. Finally, after several weeks in the past, he's able to rectify the duplication.
While it was intriguing to wonder how someone from today's world could handle surviving in the Tudor-era, there wasn't a point to the time travel. By the end of the book I couldn't tell what the point of the novel was. There wasn't a critique on how we live our current lives nor how people lived in the past. James doesn't work things out with his parents. Instead, we are left with a final scene in which James is mourning the London of the past and his friends he made there.
It's a quick read, but not one I'd recommend to anyone.
March 9, 2017
Time travel intrigues me. It's one of those devices that can either be done well or doesn't work at all. In this book, it doesn't work.
James is spending the summer in London with his workaholic parents when he discovers a time warp to Tudor London. He tries several times to go through the warp for increasingly longer periods of time. He discovers that the longer he spends in the past, the more time has changed when he returns to the present. He soon realizes that there are two of him that are existing the "present" and he doesn't know how to fix the anomaly. Finally, after several weeks in the past, he's able to rectify the duplication.
While it was intriguing to wonder how someone from today's world could handle surviving in the Tudor-era, there wasn't a point to the time travel. By the end of the book I couldn't tell what the point of the novel was. There wasn't a critique on how we live our current lives nor how people lived in the past. James doesn't work things out with his parents. Instead, we are left with a final scene in which James is mourning the London of the past and his friends he made there.
It's a quick read, but not one I'd recommend to anyone.
James is spending the summer in London with his workaholic parents when he discovers a time warp to Tudor London. He tries several times to go through the warp for increasingly longer periods of time. He discovers that the longer he spends in the past, the more time has changed when he returns to the present. He soon realizes that there are two of him that are existing the "present" and he doesn't know how to fix the anomaly. Finally, after several weeks in the past, he's able to rectify the duplication.
While it was intriguing to wonder how someone from today's world could handle surviving in the Tudor-era, there wasn't a point to the time travel. By the end of the book I couldn't tell what the point of the novel was. There wasn't a critique on how we live our current lives nor how people lived in the past. James doesn't work things out with his parents. Instead, we are left with a final scene in which James is mourning the London of the past and his friends he made there.
It's a quick read, but not one I'd recommend to anyone.
March 18, 2014
Brat does not care about anybody or anything. Why should we care about him? Does he finally sees point of parents' work, passion, music? Only when he needs a job in 1600. His only talent is singing.
At 2am, "steady sound of water falling" p 9 draws James "almost thirteen" p 19 four floors down to basement of borrowed London flat, shimmery tingly circle into shadowy world. Dreams do not have cold "shivered in the chilly air" p 18 or manure "whiffs of cow" p 37 "horses he scented" p 38. Jack Garland must hear James sing here to later call down the Queen's Choir to capture the boy.
Unrealistic. James flits around, careless of danger, capture, hurt, transport. Britons are free, but to appease complaints, a shipload of "African servants .. German captain sold them for slaves" p 166.
No logic to timing of time portals, one at river also goes to 1600. Was not Thames then full of sewage? corpses? How does Tom even see nearly naked frozen dark small naked beggar in black water? Not that well off, why would Tom rescue waif? pay to nourish? clothe? escort home?
Does nay-sayer switch tune when musical ability in question? Not until facing rejection does James wake up to hunger, sing best. "If the Master decided not to keep him, how was he going to survive - to eat - in this dazzling, filthy, fascinating, add terrifying all-white world" p 164.
Dialects and accents are ignored, as if U.S. 2000s is universal. Modern Newfoundland native spouts incomprehensible English, like old world. Should be full of thees, thous, abbreviations. Even now cockneys drop Hs. Archaic words and slang change over one century, let alone more.
James sneaks, lies, fakes in present and past. Names too similar. James sees Jack leave school after dark, so James follows Jack, Jack follows brother Tom "Plumed Hat" p 192. Jack is younger, but knows his way around, offers to get James into Clerkenwell, where time portal hides. James lies, lets Jack lie, saves Tom from closing Author's Note, Duke of Essex executed for treason. Bits of history do not redeem book.
Race tacked on. Politically correct? Finally James reads date on news "1600" p 191 where "Blackamoor" stands out. In Pittsburgh "Grandma sweeping in through Hackaday door" p 19 plus "white grandparents' house in Maine" p 5 for summer music camp means James identifies with gran without color. Oh for a Barsoom good green or red Martian.
James is never homesick, does not count passing days, reminded by Jack to try for entrance after "three weeks terror and delight" p 264. On return, trite "I love you .. aloud. Quite loud" wakes Reenie 264, shows boy still selfish, thoughtless, careless.
Before, he hates everything "planned to hate London" p 25 in angry spoilt unappreciative ungrateful snit. After initial "Kwanza .. mama. Her brown skin" p 3, parents always "Phil and Reenie" through to last page. He wants "stillness" p 19. He takes love and care for granted. Musical "he could be", blames from "age four .. took his parents away .. war of resistance" p 22. Spoiler to say after Queen's Choir school and shows, he likes music? theatre? audience? applause?
Jumble goes nowhere. Homage? Why? Reference to "Africa .. anthropophagi there. Men who eat men .. one-leggged folk with a foot so big .. shade from the sun" p 68 took a while to place. T.H. White's Sword in the Stone https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..., not in Once and Future King.
At 2am, "steady sound of water falling" p 9 draws James "almost thirteen" p 19 four floors down to basement of borrowed London flat, shimmery tingly circle into shadowy world. Dreams do not have cold "shivered in the chilly air" p 18 or manure "whiffs of cow" p 37 "horses he scented" p 38. Jack Garland must hear James sing here to later call down the Queen's Choir to capture the boy.
Unrealistic. James flits around, careless of danger, capture, hurt, transport. Britons are free, but to appease complaints, a shipload of "African servants .. German captain sold them for slaves" p 166.
No logic to timing of time portals, one at river also goes to 1600. Was not Thames then full of sewage? corpses? How does Tom even see nearly naked frozen dark small naked beggar in black water? Not that well off, why would Tom rescue waif? pay to nourish? clothe? escort home?
Does nay-sayer switch tune when musical ability in question? Not until facing rejection does James wake up to hunger, sing best. "If the Master decided not to keep him, how was he going to survive - to eat - in this dazzling, filthy, fascinating, add terrifying all-white world" p 164.
Dialects and accents are ignored, as if U.S. 2000s is universal. Modern Newfoundland native spouts incomprehensible English, like old world. Should be full of thees, thous, abbreviations. Even now cockneys drop Hs. Archaic words and slang change over one century, let alone more.
James sneaks, lies, fakes in present and past. Names too similar. James sees Jack leave school after dark, so James follows Jack, Jack follows brother Tom "Plumed Hat" p 192. Jack is younger, but knows his way around, offers to get James into Clerkenwell, where time portal hides. James lies, lets Jack lie, saves Tom from closing Author's Note, Duke of Essex executed for treason. Bits of history do not redeem book.
Race tacked on. Politically correct? Finally James reads date on news "1600" p 191 where "Blackamoor" stands out. In Pittsburgh "Grandma sweeping in through Hackaday door" p 19 plus "white grandparents' house in Maine" p 5 for summer music camp means James identifies with gran without color. Oh for a Barsoom good green or red Martian.
James is never homesick, does not count passing days, reminded by Jack to try for entrance after "three weeks terror and delight" p 264. On return, trite "I love you .. aloud. Quite loud" wakes Reenie 264, shows boy still selfish, thoughtless, careless.
Before, he hates everything "planned to hate London" p 25 in angry spoilt unappreciative ungrateful snit. After initial "Kwanza .. mama. Her brown skin" p 3, parents always "Phil and Reenie" through to last page. He wants "stillness" p 19. He takes love and care for granted. Musical "he could be", blames from "age four .. took his parents away .. war of resistance" p 22. Spoiler to say after Queen's Choir school and shows, he likes music? theatre? audience? applause?
Jumble goes nowhere. Homage? Why? Reference to "Africa .. anthropophagi there. Men who eat men .. one-leggged folk with a foot so big .. shade from the sun" p 68 took a while to place. T.H. White's Sword in the Stone https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..., not in Once and Future King.
February 3, 2012
Pages: 279
Age range: 10 and up
Genre: Novel / Fantasy
Race/Culture/Ethnic Group: African American
Summary: James, while spending the summer in London, discovers a portal which leads to another London, that of the year 1600. When he becomes trapped there, the only way for him to survive becomes singing – something which he had denied in his own time in an effort to differentiate himself from his parents, two very talented musicians.
Evaluation: I picked this novel up because it was a fantasy novel (fantasy is a HUGELY popular genre for kids and young adults and very few of them feature minority main characters) and the plot sounded interesting. Sadly, the novel disappointed me both as a fantasy novel and as a multicultural novel. In general, the text was a bit boring with unnecessary descriptions and slow pacing. From a fantasy standpoint, the time travel portal in which time runs at different rates on either side is a bit tired. James spends much time wondering how the portal works with respect to these time differences, but never solves the puzzle or even thinks very deeply about it.
From a multicultural standpoint, there seems to be little reason for James to be African American other than because the author wanted him that way and because it served to make him stand out even more in 1600 London. Yet, the author made a point of making it clear (through stilted additions to descriptive writing) that James was indeed African American, such as references to his mother’s shining brown face in a photo of her or his grandfathers black fingers when they work on painting miniature soldiers together.
I don’t think I’d recommend this book to anyone, unless they specifically requested a fantasy novel with an African American main character. Even then, I’d probably do some research to find a better written, more engaging book.
Age range: 10 and up
Genre: Novel / Fantasy
Race/Culture/Ethnic Group: African American
Summary: James, while spending the summer in London, discovers a portal which leads to another London, that of the year 1600. When he becomes trapped there, the only way for him to survive becomes singing – something which he had denied in his own time in an effort to differentiate himself from his parents, two very talented musicians.
Evaluation: I picked this novel up because it was a fantasy novel (fantasy is a HUGELY popular genre for kids and young adults and very few of them feature minority main characters) and the plot sounded interesting. Sadly, the novel disappointed me both as a fantasy novel and as a multicultural novel. In general, the text was a bit boring with unnecessary descriptions and slow pacing. From a fantasy standpoint, the time travel portal in which time runs at different rates on either side is a bit tired. James spends much time wondering how the portal works with respect to these time differences, but never solves the puzzle or even thinks very deeply about it.
From a multicultural standpoint, there seems to be little reason for James to be African American other than because the author wanted him that way and because it served to make him stand out even more in 1600 London. Yet, the author made a point of making it clear (through stilted additions to descriptive writing) that James was indeed African American, such as references to his mother’s shining brown face in a photo of her or his grandfathers black fingers when they work on painting miniature soldiers together.
I don’t think I’d recommend this book to anyone, unless they specifically requested a fantasy novel with an African American main character. Even then, I’d probably do some research to find a better written, more engaging book.
December 23, 2010
Age: 3rd-5th grade
Good when combined with supplemental material
James just wants his own identity away from the confines of his parents' own dream lives working in music. While on an unwanted trip to England where his mother begins her European tour as a singer in a band, James stumbles across a mysterious portal to 17th century England. Here he is forced to join the Children of the Chapel Royal, a stage and choir group that performs before the queen.
This book may be good as a classroom novel studying the Elizabethan Era because it introduces several people of that age, architecture, food, and prominent thought of the time. This book is unique in that it presents a biracial (black and white) protagonist. His race is discussed in a genuine way that informs/connects with the reader regarding the attention that it garners. Unfortunately, as soon as it is presented it is not discussed again except to mention the underlying negativity that 17th century English people had against the "blackamoors."
My problem with this book is the confusing storyline that assumes the reader understands what is happening. Also the lengthy description of minor historical location that take up precious space in the book have a detrimental effect. Furthermore, the book dives right into the portal aspect without fully understanding the character and then teeters on the mystery of the portal for another 40 pages. It feels like this book was slaughtered in the editing process in order to get it to a reasonable length for the audience.
Good when combined with supplemental material
James just wants his own identity away from the confines of his parents' own dream lives working in music. While on an unwanted trip to England where his mother begins her European tour as a singer in a band, James stumbles across a mysterious portal to 17th century England. Here he is forced to join the Children of the Chapel Royal, a stage and choir group that performs before the queen.
This book may be good as a classroom novel studying the Elizabethan Era because it introduces several people of that age, architecture, food, and prominent thought of the time. This book is unique in that it presents a biracial (black and white) protagonist. His race is discussed in a genuine way that informs/connects with the reader regarding the attention that it garners. Unfortunately, as soon as it is presented it is not discussed again except to mention the underlying negativity that 17th century English people had against the "blackamoors."
My problem with this book is the confusing storyline that assumes the reader understands what is happening. Also the lengthy description of minor historical location that take up precious space in the book have a detrimental effect. Furthermore, the book dives right into the portal aspect without fully understanding the character and then teeters on the mystery of the portal for another 40 pages. It feels like this book was slaughtered in the editing process in order to get it to a reasonable length for the audience.
November 1, 2010
I was fascinated by THE BLACK CANARY. Never having been there, I struggled with the long descriptions of London, both present day and four hundred years ago. In general I found Jane Louise Curry’s descriptions hard to follow and envision. But I was drawn in by the character, 12 year old James, the biracial son of two musically talented parents, who has gone through life agreeably trying to be what others want him to be, but who doesn’t want to be in London for the summer. And I was drawn in by the story: In episodes that he at first thinks are dreams, James slips through a portal into an era that turns out to be Elizabethan England of 400 years before. I detected, from one sharing of James’s thoughts that didn’t ring quite true, that the author was white. But I still found it refreshing to find a child of color starring in a time travel fantasy. Ultimately, I grew fascinated with 17th century London along with James—enough to explore more about it, and the presence of black people there, via the author’s informative website.
March 23, 2011
I was disappointed in this book. I like that it deals with a bi-racial kid, since there's relatively little children's fantasy that is multicultural. But I found the beginning dull and it was difficult to picture what Curry was describing in terms of getting into the past through some shimmering window in the cellar. The middle of the book--a hundred pages in--was more interesting. But the ending was anti-climactic. Why didn't Curry let James sing for the Queen? That would have been the climax of the book for me. Instead, he leaves to return to the present before he gets to do the thing that has made him understand who he is and what he wants. I also wish Curry had made more of his feelings about being bi-racial. This book is probably best for early middle school readers, btw. The descriptions of the beginning would turn off younger readers, and perhaps older ones as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2014
This book was my historical fiction book for social studies. I didn't enjoy it very much, but I thought it was an interesting and unique topic. The book had a combination of modern and medieval times, connected with a portal. I think the author was very creative in the way that she twisted medieval lives into the life of a 21st century boy. There were a few things that I didn't enjoy though. I think the book switched around in topics frequently and was confusing. It was difficult to follow, especially figuring out when the main character was in dreams, or when he was awake. I would not recommend this book to a classmate but I do think that it's an interesting book.
Read
July 28, 2011What a weird book. The plot was gripping in the beginning, but it became more and more vauge. The character motivations were completely muddled and there was some random thing on the end about sedition that made me go wtf. I still have no idea what the themes or point was. While James was an interesting main character, his actions were not believable and while I rushed through to the end just to see what happens, I wouldn't recommend this book at all. However it is not the worst book I've ever read.
February 19, 2016
An intriguing premise, but poorly executed. There was way too much description of the setting and not nearly enough plot. The story was so slow and boring that I almost quit reading 1/3 of the way through. Normally I love historical fiction set in the Elizabethan era, but nothing interesting happened to the main character beyond the initial time travel. The fact that James was biracial added an interesting dimension, but I didn't think this was explored enough. Not the worst book I've read, but quite disappointing.
September 2, 2011
I love the writing style of this writer, she paints pictures that are almost painfully real. There's lots of adventure, But story fell a bit short, the climax didn't really do it, and I was left wondering where the climax had been. But I really enjoyed it overall.
June 14, 2012
Time to read??? What's that??? Ohhhhh yyeeeaahhh! I remember now! Haven't had time to read in FOREVER! It felt soooo good to have my nose in a book... even though it wasn't that great. Although the end perfectly summaraizes my fasination for anything and everything old.
May 10, 2008
A good coming of age, Sci-Fi historic novel that will take you back into the days of Queen Elizabeth. Quick read.
July 23, 2008
This is my second favorite.
August 3, 2011
The first trip back in time almost made me close the book and quit but I continued on. Glad I did. I enjoyed it.
March 5, 2010
Tried to read this, but i could never get past the middle. It put me to sleep. Don't bother reading this book, it's a waste of time.
October 25, 2013
This time travel book fell into my head. I didn't want the book to end. Definitely a book that's savored rather that quickly read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews