Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
Rating: *****
In this great fantasy, Robert O'Brien captivates by writing of one widowed housewife looking for a safe place for herself and her children. Mrs.Frisby, a widowed mouse with four children, finds out that her safe winter quarters are soon going to be destroyed when the field is plowed. Resourceful, she seeks the help of a crow who owes her a favor, and learns of the existence of a most extraordinary group of neighbors. These neighbors are the rats of NIMH, bigger and far more intelligent than any rats that had come before, and they come up with an elegant solution to her problem. However, the adventure lies not just in Mrs.Frisby adventure, but in the story of how the rats of NIMH came to be. Creating a story that is at once both fantastic and utterly believeable, this novel shows us the side of scientific experimentation that can captivate both adult and young audience alike.
The Will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce
Rating: ****(1/2)
In this ninth novel based on a group of four young mages, Tamora Pierce returns to one of her most popular series with this first novel in "The Circle Reforged". In the "Circle of Magic" and the "Circle Opens", Pierce introduced Sandry, Tris, Daja, and Briar as four prodigal mages, powerful on their own, and made more powerful by a magical bond. However, years have passed, and the four have grown apart. Tris, Daja, and Briar have been traveling for years far beyond where many go, witnessing wars, betrayals, and new kinds of magic. Sandry stayed behind, with her own trials, helping to run the large estates of her uncle. Finally reunited at the age of 18, the four have grown so far apart that recreating their former intimate friendships seems impossible.
Under political and financial pressures, Sandry is asked to journey to her mother's homeland to take care of her own inherited estates in the neighboring empire of Namorn. Her friends reluctantly accompany her. There however, Sandry encounters her cousin the Empress, a formidable woman who sees everyone as pawns for her own ends. Sandry and her friends quickly learn that the Empress does not plan on allowing Sandry to journey home again, but instead intends to marry her and keep her as a political and finanical ally within the empire. The four embark on a journey of growth and self-discovery, and Pierce's writing remains strong. The tension between the young adults is real, and the political writing is flawless. A defintely more adult tone is taken in this book than previous ones in the series, respecting perhaps the original audience has also grown. Overall, this book is excellent, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
Feel free to make recommendations!
Enjoy your reading. :)
-Care
Upcoming Reviews:
'salem's Lot by Stephen King
We Don't Live Here Anymore by Andre Dubus
The Oracle's Queen by Lynn Flewelling
The Woad to Wuin by Peter A. David
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and some guy
Hope's War by Stephen Chambers
In the Belly of the Bloodhound by L.A. Meyer
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