After hearing how this book was a "classic" of the fantasy genre, I eagerly grabbed it from my local used book store. After reading it, however, I was left cold and confused. John Bellairs can definitely create unique and haunting imagery, and his "House With a Clock in its Walls" is a fun and spooky children's novel. While that applies to a handful of individual scenes in this book, the overall story never comes together in an interesting or cohesive way. We are introduced to the two primary wizard characters, but never given any understanding of how magic works in this world--which means from scene to scene, what each wizard is capable of seems to vary wildly, breaking a cardinal rule of magic in fiction (we must as readers understand the limits, otherwise magic is nothing but a crutch and/or a deus ex machina)--nor are we given any understanding of these characters' goals, wants or needs. We understand that there is a third magician somewhere out there, casting spooky spells for some reason, but that's literally all the information the characters are going on when then set out on what could generously be called their quest. I marked page 107 out of a 174 page book as the page in which I started to understand at least a little bit of the protagonist and antagonist's motives, but even after that it was no clearer why I was supposed to care. On top of all this, the book's bizarre anachronisms and lack of place just rubbed me the wrong way. We learn a little bit about the mythical North and South kingdoms that the story takes place in, and yet references are made to American presidents and England, without explanation: Is this a parallel world that the wizards can travel to from our own? Do the North/South kindgoms exist somewhere in our own world? It comes across as not at all well-thought-out and just adds to the sense of dissatisfaction with the story's construction. I could understand having a nostalgic fondness for this book if I had read it when I was younger (though I wonder if I'd have been able to follow its non-sequitur filled story) and I did honestly enjoy a few parts, such as Prospero's encounter with a phantom village (even if that had ultimately no impact on the story moving forward), but overall, I'm sure there must be better "classics" out there for me to discover.
This short fantasy--scarcely longer than a novella--is modest in scope, unremarkable in plot; it boasts no epic battles, no wizard wars that topple mountains or cleave continents. Still, in its own delicate way, it displays wizardry at its most uncanny, disarming the reader with humor while it goes about creating an atmosphere of menace. Magic, in the world of Bellairs, is something that is first seen--particularly by the adept who knows what to look for--in a slight alteration of the landscape or at least in the perception of that landscape: the way a particular light falls on a copse of trees, or the uncharacteristic shimmer of a stone on the periphery of vision, or the way a mysterious face may form on a window during a frost.The passage below is not only a good example of Bellairs' technique but also a commentary on it:“There were several travelers there from the North, and they were convinced that witches were at work in their towns. What worried me was the kind of story they told. Not the usual thing of wells poisoned, toads found in bed, ghosts rapping at windows. They talked about signboards creaking in the wind, trees casting odd shadows, dark cellar-ways that used to scare only children. And cloaks fluttering, and moths brushing faces in dark rooms."
What do You think about The Face In The Frost (2000)?
I just reread this old and faithful friend. Oh! the magic mirror! Oh, the tomato coach! I LOVE the way this guy's mind works. In his books, no fairy tale plot device is sacred. He spoofs them all and makes the reader love it. Seriously, this author knows how to twist a tale so engagingly that only a surly sobersides wouldn't grin and giggle. I can't begin to describe his plots, which is good because that way the joy of discovery is yours. This is the premier fairy tale for grown-ups, especially for those who love wordplay. (This author also writes terrific YA and children's books. I have given them to my never-ending supply of nieces and have actually received thank-you notes.) However, you don't have to take my word for it. Just read it yourself and you'll see what I mean. So go! Get on with you!
—Libby
An odd confection. Two wizardly chums are subjected to magical attacks and journey off together to confront their mysterious enemy. Prospero (not that one) and Roger Bacon (yes, that one?) are wizards who hang around in the North and South Kingdoms, but also have access to the lands and history of Earth we are familiar with. Thus the book is peppered with indulgent anachronisms - Prospero tells his talking mirror to shut up and watch some late-night movies, for instance. This whimsical tone is light-hearted without ever quite making it to funny, and was a tad distracting to this reader. I also lost track of the plot a little - not that it's that complicated, but it is a little buried under the wonders, and I spent too long over this short book! My final complaint is that, not knowing the rules and constraints of magic in the depicted world, events appeared to me arbitrary and sometimes unsatisfying.However, above all that is the nature of the enchantment preying on our heroes. Here the author's imagination shines, depicting endless subtle transformations and spooky distortions in the world, such as the face that seems to appear in thawing frost on villagers' window-panes, or the shifting cloak hung in Prospero's cellar. The sense of the entire land becoming ever more bewitched and uncertain is palpable and chilling, reminding me of Algernon Blackwood's stories. For this admirable tapestry of growing supernatural menace, the tale is well worth reading.
—Jason Mills
I've long been a fan of Bellairs' wonderfully creepy novels for children, so when I discovered that early in his career he'd written a fantasy novel (ostensibly for adults), I was eager to check it out.This feels like a first novel, or an early one, and all of the great elements don't always come together into a solid whole. On the other hand, it's marvelously funny, and the wizards herein might remind some readers of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It also has some genuinely creepy moments, and I think had I read it when I was younger, it would have spooked me a bit. Definitely worth reading, especially if you enjoyed The House With a Clock in Its Walls and other classic Bellairs.
—Kirsten
