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When she finds the key to a secret passageway leading out of the walled city of Bridewell, twelve-year-old Alexa realizes her lifelong wish to explore the mysterious forests and mountains that lie beyond the wall.Tags
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As fascinating as this book sounded, I can't say that I really enjoyed it. The book as a whole just felt... well, rather passive. There was a lot of telling, a fair amount of summary, and it seemed like most of the action of the story happened outside of the story, either in the background or before the novel's start. On the whole, I liked the ideas, and I wanted to know more about the characters, but there just wasn't a whole lot to engage with -- as if the author gave us the broad strokes of the story, and rather rushed through the parts that involved more than the character sitting and thinking, or talking to others. As a kid, I would have gotten bored and wandered away; as an adult, I found my way to the finish... but more out of show more determination than interest, I'm afraid.
I doubt I'll read the second one, though it's already on my shelf. show less
I doubt I'll read the second one, though it's already on my shelf. show less
This could have been a fairly decent story but the plot is spurred on by too many convenient coincidences which occur at just the most convenient times – a real impediment to believability.
A straightforward fantasy adventure with talking animals, danger and a long awaited quest. Alexa Daley has lived her whole life inside the stone walls that surround Bridewell and all she has ever longed for is to find a way outside. When her friend and the constructor of the walls, Thomas Warvold dies, Alexa is thrust into the middle of a long planned uprising and must solve the puzzles the Warvold family left behind in order to save the day.
This was nothing new in the fantasy adventure genre but enjoyable all the same. There is low angst, a big quest and a mysterious saboteur to be found. The mystery saboteur was a bit obvious now Elephant Worship = Sebastian with a character named Ganesh it wasn't exactly hard but I can't show more remember if I ever made the connection when I read these as a kid. On the other hand I felt like a certified genius upon reread so win. I liked Alexa, she's a daring, headstrong and a reader - so it's really hard not to. The other characters played pretty small parts really but I liked Yipes and the other animals and Alexa's father and Grayson. I enjoyed the details of the quest - like the tunnels and the Jocastas - etched images on gemstones.
There's a little bit of violence but it's all pretty tame - perfect for younger readers. 4 stars. show less
This was nothing new in the fantasy adventure genre but enjoyable all the same. There is low angst, a big quest and a mysterious saboteur to be found.
There's a little bit of violence but it's all pretty tame - perfect for younger readers. 4 stars. show less
I need to preface this with the obvious: Dark Hills Divide is a book for kids. I think if you read other reviews you can figure that out. Okay, so onto the plot. Alexa Daley is twelve years old and is spending a month with her father in the town of Bridewell. Bridewell is no ordinary place as it is surrounded by huge walls that are 42' high and 3' thick. What Alexa wants to know is what is beyond, in the world she cannot see? All her life she has lived behind those thick walls. All she knows is what her mayoral father tells her: that a mysterious man by the name of Thomas Warvold had the walls built by an army of prison convicts. Legend has it, the walls have kept out an unnamed evil.
And so begins the first book of the Land of Elyon show more series. As with any good fantasy book there is a menacing villain, talking animals and one brave-as-all-get-out kid. Pervis Kotcher, Bridewell's head of security and resident bully, will stop at nothing to keep Alexa from seeing what is beyond the walls but like any determined kid, Alexa finds a way out. From there, things get weird and Alexa realizes everyone has secrets and the motto is "trust no one". show less
And so begins the first book of the Land of Elyon show more series. As with any good fantasy book there is a menacing villain, talking animals and one brave-as-all-get-out kid. Pervis Kotcher, Bridewell's head of security and resident bully, will stop at nothing to keep Alexa from seeing what is beyond the walls but like any determined kid, Alexa finds a way out. From there, things get weird and Alexa realizes everyone has secrets and the motto is "trust no one". show less
Alexa had me pinned by the collar until she returned to Bridewell after her foray into the forest. At this point, she was well-armed with crucial information, information she was instructed to tell no one. And how could she? The story she would have to tell in order to relay this information was too fantastical for adults to believe.
But she told them anyway and they believed her.
I suppose this may seem to some as a bonus, but I was horribly disappointed. I was ready to fight with Alexa, to follow her on her journey to save Bridewell with her trusty librarian sidekick and a chattering squirrel. Ah well.
Crumbling plot and character aside, Carmen knows his language and uses it fully. He relies on verbs to pop his writing instead of show more weighing the sentence down with unnecessary modifiers. Also, he does not write down to children. Thank you, Mr. Carmen.
Oh, and the book may look exquisitely bound, but it's just a bunch of faux deckle edged pages pasted to a hardcover. Disappointing.
Rating: 1 star for excellent writing, even if it couldn't keep the story afloat. Half a star for Alexa's HQ being the library. Half a star because I'm a sucker for talking squirrels. show less
But she told them anyway and they believed her.
I suppose this may seem to some as a bonus, but I was horribly disappointed. I was ready to fight with Alexa, to follow her on her journey to save Bridewell with her trusty librarian sidekick and a chattering squirrel. Ah well.
Crumbling plot and character aside, Carmen knows his language and uses it fully. He relies on verbs to pop his writing instead of show more weighing the sentence down with unnecessary modifiers. Also, he does not write down to children. Thank you, Mr. Carmen.
Oh, and the book may look exquisitely bound, but it's just a bunch of faux deckle edged pages pasted to a hardcover. Disappointing.
Rating: 1 star for excellent writing, even if it couldn't keep the story afloat. Half a star for Alexa's HQ being the library. Half a star because I'm a sucker for talking squirrels. show less
Elyon is a land of dark hills, enchanted forests, and great walls that connect and encircle the cities of Lathbury, Turlock, Lunenburg, and Bridewell like spokes in a wagon wheel. On her annual summer trips to Bridewell with her father, the mayor of Lathbury, Alexa Daley spends much of her time dreaming of escape. Having lived within the walls all of her 12 years, she wants nothing more than to explore the uncharted wilderness beyond. But, the walls are heavily guarded, and frightening legends suggest that forests and hills are no place for a child--especially a young girl. When a mysterious conversation and an unfortunate accident put Alexa within reach of a way outside the wall, she must decide--heed the warnings of her elders, or show more satisfy her curiosity and unravel the mysteries of Elyon.
I really enjoyed this book! The plot line is interesting and moves at a very good pace (though too quickly near the end) and is a well illustrated coming of age story which is easy to identify to throughout reading. The tale is suspenseful, enduring, and relatable even to older audiences, one of the greatest feats of this book. I'm definitely encouraged to read the remainder of the series. show less
I really enjoyed this book! The plot line is interesting and moves at a very good pace (though too quickly near the end) and is a well illustrated coming of age story which is easy to identify to throughout reading. The tale is suspenseful, enduring, and relatable even to older audiences, one of the greatest feats of this book. I'm definitely encouraged to read the remainder of the series. show less
Meh. It was okay.l I never really understood why she had this overwhelming desire to find a way outside the wall, not why she was "the chosen one." Kids will like it, though, and it's not bad.
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78+ Works 16,790 Members
Author Patrick Carman was born in Salem, Oregon on February 27, 1966. He received a degree in economics from Willamette University. Before becoming a full-time author, he worked in advertising, game design, and technology. He is the author of The Land of Elyon series, the Atherton series, and Skeleton Creek. (Bowker Author Biography)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Dark Hills Divide
- Original publication date
- 2005-02-01
- People/Characters
- Alexa Daley; Yipes; Pervis Kotcher; Thomas Warvold; Malcolm; Darius, a wolf (show all 9); Sam; Pepper; Murphy
- Important places
- Elyon; The Dark Hills; Bridewell; Mount Norwood
- Epigraph
- At every locality where ocean meets land, there are the cliffs of dark, jagged rocks. If you look over the edge, there lies a mist a few feet below; so thick, you can't see the water. As far as the eye can see, nothing but... (show all) white, puffy mist, as if we hang in the clouds and to step off the edge would leave us falling for days. If not for the violent sound of the waves against the rocks somewhere far below, one might suppose our lands were an island in the sky.
...Alexa Daley, Beyond the Valley of Thorns
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offense.
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That wants it down.
--Robert Frost, "Mending Wall... (show all)" - Dedication
- For Karen
- First words
- "Stop that chattering or we'll have to go back and sit by the fire," said my companion.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Maybe an unscheduled visit to see Yipes with a big bag of tomatoes would be a good idea.
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- Reviews
- 31
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- 7 — English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Turkish, Portuguese (Portugal)
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- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 34
- ASINs
- 10