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Liz Kessler

Author of The Tail of Emily Windsnap

38 Works 8,789 Members 129 Reviews 3 Favorited

About the Author

Includes the names: Liz Kessler, by Liz Kessler

Series

Works by Liz Kessler

The Tail of Emily Windsnap (2003) 2,685 copies
A Year Without Autumn (2011) 168 copies
When the World Was Ours (2021) 109 copies
North of Nowhere (2013) 97 copies

Tagged

adventure (93) chapter book (64) children (48) children's (110) children's fiction (43) children's literature (21) Emily Windsnap (73) emily windsnap series (18) F (18) fairies (36) family (41) fantasy (553) fiction (328) friends (22) friendship (44) girls (20) grade 5 (48) historical fiction (18) juvenile (37) juvenile fiction (39) Level S (21) magic (59) magical realism (54) mermaids (365) middle grade (65) mystery (35) Neptune (30) novel (20) ocean (52) own (17) paperback (20) read (37) S-T (41) sea (18) series (127) swimming (30) to-read (169) water (18) YA (69) young adult (48)

Common Knowledge

Birthdate
1966
Gender
female
Places of residence
Cornwall, England, UK

Members

Discussions

Found: YA time travel in elevator in Name that Book (December 2022)

Reviews

Much better than the last few books in terms of plot! I enjoyed the unique take on Atlantis so much that I was able to overlook the occasional cheesy moments (Neptune still being one of them unfortunately). Hopefully the next installments keep getting better!
 
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Myridia | 4 other reviews | Jan 19, 2024 |
After the slightly better writing from book 6 I was hoping for more, but shouldn't have held my breath. Book 7 is a return to the same formula that Kessler seems to love: Emily, who is old enough for a boyfriend but not a survival instinct, dives headfirst into another adventure! Sorry Emily, but recklessness is not cute, especially when it endangers your friends. And even more problematic: the author should not make said friends look like the bad guys when they don't approve of risking their lives every time they hang out!

Unfortunately, because of the first-person POV, the audience only hears Emily's side of the story and is therefore pressured to be against Shona simply because she's sick of Emily's BS. Girl, I was too! Even if Emily discovered an entire group of people in need of saving (a poor segue into a plotline, I might add), it doesn't change the fact that she's got some serious personality issues that make her a terrible friend. Friends are supposed to watch out for each other and not almost get each other killed, right? Or is the definition of friendship different in Windsnap-verse? I wonder if I'd have gotten the wrong message from this rather manipulative storyline if I had read this book as a kid.

Finally, the cheapest ending of all - Shona did a 180 and passionately apologized for not accepting Emily for who she was. (But did anyone emphasize the reverse?) So I guess common sense was the real enemy here and was roundly defeated by Emily's "bravery." PSA: Saving the world isn't for everyone and that should be okay - if everyone's running off on dangerous missions who's left to ensure life hasn't fallen apart by the time they come back? Shona has every right to be the voice of reason, and every right not to be dragged into danger if she doesn't want it. But I guess, in Kessler's fictional world, everyone has to bow down to the spoiled, stupid MC or else.
… (more)
 
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Myridia | 4 other reviews | Jan 19, 2024 |
2.5 - Pretty much the entire conflict after which this book is named could have been avoided if Emily wasn't trying so hard to be a people-pleaser and constantly consumed by her insecurities. She basically puts her entire community in danger because she just has to have her own Pandora's box moment. And then she's surprised her so-called best friend (whom she willfully dragged into the whole situation) is mad at her? That's pretty poor behavior even for a twelve year old. If the third book's plot is anything like this one, I may have to give this series an early burial despite having wanted to finish it when I was younger.… (more)
 
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Myridia | 11 other reviews | Jan 19, 2024 |

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Associated Authors

Natacha Ledwidge Illustrator
Sarah Gibb Illustrator
Katie May Illustrator
Erin Farley Illustrator
Mike Phillips Illustrator
Julia Whelan Narrator, Reader
Kate Reinders Narrator, Reader
Eva C. Riekert Übersetzer
Carla Hazewindus Translator

Statistics

Works
38
Members
8,789
Popularity
#2,723
Rating
3.8
Reviews
129
ISBNs
395
Languages
10
Favorited
3

Charts & Graphs