Spellbound (Dale novel)

Spellbound
Author Anna Dale
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre fantasy, magic
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date
 2008
Media type Print (Hardback and paperback)
Pages 280 pp
ISBN 978-0-7475-9479-6

Spellbound is a 2008 fantasy/magic novel for children and the 3rd to have been written by British author Anna Dale, the author of Whispering to Witches and Dawn Undercover.[1]

Spellbound is used by the University of Winchester as an example of a book produced by an alumnus of their Creative Writing program who has gone on to become a successful author.[2]

Plot

12-year-old Athene Enright is bossy and cruel to her cheery, 6-year-old brother, Zach. On their family summer holiday she encounters a separate species from humans called the Humble Gloam. When she makes best friends with two of them, Humdudgeon and Huffkin, Athene learns about the Low Gloam and their prisoners. Is this a perfect way to get rid of Zach?

However, before long Athene starts to see how much her brother really means to her and so with Humdudgeon and Huffkin she begins an unforgettable journey to save her brother and all the prisoners from the dreaded Low Gloam.

Characters

  • Athene Enright: clever but bossy and very moody. Athene loaves her little brother, Zach, but does she really?
  • Zachery Enright: Zach for short, he is happy-go-lucky and adores his sister despite her hatred for him.
  • Humdudgeon: Athene's humble Gloam friend, kind and wise, but hides behind the lie of his injured leg.
  • Huffkin: Athene's other humble Gloam friend, she is friendly and fun with a great personality.

Reception

On publication the novel was generally well received. Anna Gannon of Inis magazine said she saw "parallels to Alice in Wonderland". .[3] American reviewer Usha Reynolds called the book "charming and funny".[4] Books for Keeps' Huw Thomas described it as a "beautifully crafted tale."[5]

The book has been recommended as an example of magical storytelling by the Daily Telegraph's Toby Clements.[6] Other reviewers have said it reminds them of the works of Enid Blyton and C. S. Lewis.[7][8]

5 editions of the book have been published between 2008 and 2010.[9]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.swonlibraries.org/clear-reviews?a=displayreview&id=1030
  2. ↑ http://www.writingatwinchester.com/alumni.html Alumni, Creative Writing, University of Winchester
  3. ↑ http://www.inismagazine.ie/reviews/book/spellbound The Children's Book Magazine, Inis #36, Winter 2011 (originally appeared #26, Winter 2008)
  4. ↑ http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/9781599900063.asp www.Kidsreads.com
  5. ↑ http://booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/173/childrens-books/reviews/spellbound Books for Keeps Issue 173, November 2008
  6. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/fictionreviews/3556284/Childrens-books-Fantasy.html Daily Telegraph 12 July 2008
  7. ↑ http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=Spellbound_by_Anna_Dale Bookbag, book review site
  8. ↑ http://www.thetruthaboutbooks.com/book_review/anna_dale/spellbound.html?PHPSESSID=da99c690d3e3648f33d3e7c49b2767bc Truth about Books, book review site
  9. ↑ http://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n2003-54817 World Library Catalogue
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