Basic Reason for Beginning: Series reread I'd planned! (Actually, I should have waited until tomorrow - Midwinter - with starting it, but it was snowing and that was such an appropriate occasion given events in the book that I caved. (Also, I've been having trouble finishing new-to-me books I've started lately. Something tried and true seemed a better choice.)
Basic Reason for Finishing: I was going to stop after the first section! I was! I swear! I was going to read this section before Midwinter and the rest on the days the book actually happens. And then before I knew it I was well beyond the Christmas Day chapters/sections and, yeah, that idea kind of went down the drain... What can I say? When something grabs you, it grabs you.
Texture: Uff, if I knew this I'd give myself a medal. I think it's a little bit of everything. (All the snow and cold and everything is throwing.)

Full review here.

Book Rereadability: This is a reread. You tell me if it has reread value.
Author Rereadability: I am happily acquiring Cooper's work, if only slowly.
Recommendation: Aaaaand, here you've got me. See, I don't know. Odd book. ( )

This is the second book in the series and won the Newberry Award. Most of my strongest memories of the series are buried in this book, in particular an out of time Twelfth Night sequence that represents a Christmas season I've always wished I had.

The Drew children aren't in this book. Instead, we are introduced to Will Stanton, an Old One who has come into his own on his 11th birthday. Will is wonderfully well-written, somehow managing to combine that funny intelligence of all 11 year olds with the wisdom of someone who is ageless. There is snow (lots of snow), a dark rider, a mysterious tramp, and seven signs to be found in a limited amount of time.

I love this book and especially love the beautiful pictures it put into my head. There is a wonderful and very real family here and a diverse and believable community. There is the Light and there is the Dark. There is adventure and choices and merrymaking and sorrow. This is what good books are all about. ( )

On his eleventh birthday, Will Stanton discoveres that he is the last of the Old Ones, destined to seek the six magical Signs that will enable the Old Ones to triumph over the evil forces of the Dark. ( )

This book scared the living daylights out of me. You should know that I first read it in my early twenties. Cooper has a capacity to write apprehension into her scenes better than many fantasy writers. She makes you feel her scenes around you and literally draws you into her characters' fears of the dark. Her writing style is astutely simple and never cliched. Though perhaps the story itself is a bit disappointing, in that events seem to happen to the character without his having to do much or figure out much on his own, it is still a great read and a classic in its own right. ( )

I enjoyed this book. It is action packed, and fun. There's not much in the way of character development, just an exciting adventure.

However, to me, it seems like the book hasn't entirely aged well, particularly the language, as it feels somewhat old-fashioned. I am just not really sure a child reading it today would be as enthralled as I know many adult fans of this book were.

http://archthinking.blogspot.com/2009... ( )