it was ok. i liked the way the secrets and family truths are revealed. the birds womens were so scary that when i slept after reading this book,a couple minutes after,i woke up screaming-i had to hange bedrooms. i have never slept in that bedroom ever since.it was not what i expected but it was worth it. it had a circle of adventures but it was unfortunately not my time. i was expecting a bit of magic and something modern like a teenagers adventure gone wrong. i have hated ravens ever since. i liked it and i recommend it to kids aged between 10 to 14. in a way,it is boyish.good luck! *Edit*‘Immortal Amarant, A flower which once in paradise, fast by the tree of life began to bloom but soon for man’s offence. To heaven removed where first it grew, there grows, and flowers aloft shading the fount of life.‘ - Paradise Lost, John Milton Mortlock is an interesting story of illusions and dark magic. It has a stunning story line and well described situations. The story is in the perspective of the third person, and although the book can confuse, it will not disappoint creative minds. Do be warned that this genre is horror, so some people might find descriptions with a gruesome appeal. Three main characters are described throughout the whole story, one of them only being introduced at the end, which helps bind the story together. The main character introduced in the beginning is a girl named Josie. Another character, named Alfie is introduced later in the story as her twin. The two might be twins but in reality they have almost completely different personalities. Josie is strong yet she shows some elegance, while Alfie is less squeamish yet he has less of a dominant role. The entire book is the conflict of character against character, It begins with Josie being described as a circus act, capable of throwing knives without missing her mark. It continues as her uncle is thrown into the picture, the third person perspective describing his tempers and his unknown past. Throughout the story Josie struggles to figure out the truth about her father and her uncle’s past. The story of Mortlock has a semi non-fiction twist; The book is based on a flower known as the amarant, which is short for amaranth. The author, Jon Mayhew was creative enough to use the myth of amarant. It was distinguished as a flower of immortality because of its long blossom, which is brought into further detail in the story of Mortlock. This stunning arrangement is my favorite thing about the book, for it shows the creativity and possibilities in writing. Another interesting aspect of the book is the actual topic of Mortlock, which only makes sense at the ending of the story. My two favorite scenes include some of the most interesting conflicts that are represented in the story. The first was during the prologue, where Mortlock and his companions discover the amarant. When discovering the amarant, the three men had to witness the attacks of demonic creatures. Warnings and signs to leave the amarant were portrayed by the actions of the forest. They decide that for their own sakes, they must leave and promise to never return. My second favorite scene was when Josie and Alfie come across the mysterious Lorenzo’s circus. The scene was described cheerfully yet the author made note that there was something strange about the circus that wasn’t clear. As you continue into the book, more citation to the mysterious behavior and appearance to Lorenzo’s Circus.Overall the book was a great debut and had interesting features. Its theme was related to finding the power that you would have as an individual and courage for thats probably the main aspect that the characters had to adjust to.
What do You think about Mortlock (2010)?
I enjoyed this book, but I felt there was far too much build up for such a quick ending.
—maggiebear66
