Tom LlewellynRezensionen

for liitle boys everywhere

review via blog: http://tewigleben.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-shadow-of-seth-by-tom-llewellyn.html

The Shadow of Seth by Tom Llewellyn — A Review
Seth Anomundy is sixteen, and you find out right away his life hasn't been easy. It's him and his mom, living above a boxing gym in a small apartment. He loves his mom, but is easily frustrated with her carefree ways in what doesn't seem a carefree situation. She was young when she had him and continues to be young. She loves her son, but can't quite be that suburban mom next door. The pull of drugs and drink is often too strong.

She goes out to work one evening, cleaning businesses in the area, and never returns alive. All signs point to murder. It seems the cops don't care, no one really cares, so Seth feels it's up to him to figure out what happened to his mother, and why.

I appreciate this as a YA novel. The underlying premise is honest and Seth and his neighborhood friends and caregivers have an aura of authenticity. Despite the premise of this book being a murder mystery, I felt deeply the connection between Seth and his mother. It reminded me of my own childhood, the anger and love you feel towards a parent who isn't what you think parents should be. Growing up too fast, and others not understanding how your early life has shaped your perspective.

Azura, Seth's love interest, was vague, a bit too blind, and her actions silly and not at all the way a rational person should act. I feel like she wasn't as well defined because the author himself couldn't speak to her manner of life except as an outsider, so her character was written as someone looking at her through a lens of a different sort of situation. She was almost a caricature, not a character.

While the mystery was gripping at certain parts, and led me to turn the page on occasion, it fell a little flat at the end. What I found more engaging was Seth and his neighborhood, Ms. Eye and Choo-Choo, the world that was built. I hope that if there are other novels in this series, they build on Seth and his world even more.

*This book was received as a free ARC via Shelf-Awareness from Poisoned Pen Press.

What a wonderful book. A bit strange, a hint of darkness, perfect for young (and older) readers who don't fear adventure lurking in their own homes. A family (Mom, Dad the art curator, two brothers, and Grandpa) move into a strange house they can barely afford with a history and capabilities even stranger than the mysterious man who built it.

There are a number of books about families moving into strange houses built by mad scientists or alchemists that hold secrets, which, of course, the children discover. Of that genre, this is one of the better ones. The secrets are fantastic, like talking rats and a powder that can make living things grow bigger, but at the same time, the fantasy is pretty well grounded in reality, which may appeal to kids who are not really into the sword and sorcery kind of book. The writing is funny, and the characters are nicely drawn. Each chapter is a different adventure, but they all weave together, and many come together in the ending. While I, personally, prefer something more imaginative and fantastic, I still give the book two thumbs up.½

The protagonist Josh solves many of the mysteries inside their families new home. The house used to be owned by a science genius who filled the house with many curiosities including talking rats, invisibility, and growing potion. The book is set in Tacoma, Washington and the author is from the Northwest. This book would be a fun read for 4-5th graders, especially for those who enjoy magic and mysteries. I personally, wish that there had been more strong female characters in this book. The author focused much of the book on action rather than character development, which unfortunately made the characters some what flat.

The back of this book advertises "Page-turning intrigue in the tradition of John Bellairs and Ellen Raskin". Now, I don't like Ellen Raskin, but there is a certain disconnected quality to the mystery that reminds me of her. If you're a Raskin fan, this is a good thing. If you're not....But as for John Bellairs, well, I don't think whoever wrote that cover copy had read any of his works recently. Bellairs' stories begin in an atmosphere of mist and confusion that grows into helpless terror.

Ahem.

So what is this story? Actually, quite good. It begins with the Peshik family, Dad who works in a museum, Mom a school secretary, Josh, and his younger brother Aaron, and Grandpa moving into their first house. Everyone is excited to think they're finally getting out of the cramped apartments they've lived in their whole life...until they see what they can afford. Tilton House is....weird, to put it mildly. The floor tilts, the walls are covered by what seems to be a madman's ravings, and the real estate agent is so scared she barely hangs around long enough to complete the sale. If that weren't bad enough, the neighbors are just as strange. The Talking Man sits on his front porch, lost in his own confusing world. The Purple Door Man steals bikes and is all-around nasty. And what about the neighbors inside the house? There are talking rats, mysteries, and random occurences. There are stories and small triumphs.

Each chapter is a story in itself, often seemingly disconnected to the main plot of the story, which concerns the mysterious past owner of the house. The general plot isn't particularly cohesive, and the rather cliched "find a huge treasure and solve all your problems" ending of the story is exasperating, but the writing is strong and lively and the stories intriguing, with just enough scary elements to keep the reader shivering.

Verdict: A good choice for reluctant readers, or those who want something scary, but not too scary. The short chapters will pull in the reader and let them take the story in bite-size doses and the writing is excellent. I'll wait and see if there are future additions to what appears to be a series before adding to my library though.

ISBN: 978-1582462882; Published June 2010 by Tricycle Press; ARC provided by the publisher at ALA

Tom Llewellyn's _The Tilting House_ follows young Josh Peshik and and his family, who move into an eccentric (literally) house with off-center floors and walls covered with mysterious notes and equations. The plot is loose and mostly episodic, describing the various mysterious adventures Josh encounters as a result of his exploration of his weird new home. An easy but engaging read, _The Tilting House_ is both amusing and intriguing, with diverse, well-drawn characters and situations. I enjoyed it a great deal. Four stars.

When Josh Peshik's family buys and moves into an old house, they discover that all the floors are tilted. It turns out that the house holds many secrets, including talking rats and magical growing powder. A little spooky, and mysterious but with an episodic plot, this should be fun. Would be fine for 3rd graders who can handle small print without illustrations.

After living in a cramped apartment for years, the five member Peshik family decides to buy a house. However, the only one that Mr. & Mrs. Peshik can afford comes with a few eccentricities like floors that are tilted 3 degrees and a dimmer switch that makes the house invisible. The entire town knows that strange things happen at the house known as Tilton House.

Follow along with Josh and Aaron Peshik as they explore Tilton House and all of its fantastical mysteries. There's the talking rat, magical grow powder, a locked box with a miniature key, an old journal, and a mysterious black sack. The fact that every single wall in the house is covered with strange scribbles and equations made by the previous owner adds to the puzzle that is the house itself.

Additionally there's no shortage of peculiar neighbors like the Talker, the old man who lives across the street and talks to no one in particular all day long. Then there's the Purple Door Man, who's suspected of pilfering everything in the neighborhood from bicycles to soccer balls. And we can't forget Lola, the neighbor girl who helps rescue Aaron from an appointment with death. As each mystery is revealed, the secret of Tilton House and its eccentric creator is unraveled. And with a little help from Grandpa, the boys uncover a surprise twist ending. Everyone who reads this book is sure to find something intriguing.

The Bottom Line: "The Tilting House" is a fast-paced and entertaining adventure story. Throw in a few quirky neighbors and mysterious events and you have a winner. Each chapter is like a self-contained short story that can stand alone; however, the chapters are then seamlessly woven together to form a whole. Cool black and white illustrations by Sarah Watts add to the intrigue of this book. Appropriate for kids in middle school; however, sensitive readers may be troubled by the death of a rat in the beginning.

This review also appears in the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog: http://minibookbytes.blogspot.com/

When Josh, his parents, grandfather, and eight-year-old brother move into the old Tilton House, they discover such strange things as talking rats, a dimmer switch that makes the house invisible, and a powder that makes objects grow.

The only way Josh's parents can afford to buy a house is to get one that is, well, unusual. The floors all tilt inwards, and the walls are covered with mysterious writing and equations. Things get really strange when they discover the talking rats and the growing powder. But it isn't until Josh, his brother and their friend Lola find the previous owner's journal that they begin to sort out the mysteries.