The Figure In The Shadows (2004) - Plot & Excerpts
There are a couple of big problems with this book. It is a sequel so one can't help but compare this book to the original. Now I'm not saying that the original was a masterpiece and this was a drop in quality, rather instead, that the first book established what you were going to get from the series and then the second book didn't deliver any of it. In the first book, the main character's parents die and he comes to live with his lively, caring, magic-wielding uncle and his "friend" who also happens to be a powerful witch. Lewis cries excessively, but you expect this because his parents just died and he's in a new strange place. His relationship with his new guardians and the exploration of the house and the town are the backbone of the story, and it works. It seems that there is some sense of growth to the character, he learns to trust himself and his new family, and he recognizes that they trust him and have faith in his capabilities. So why is it that the character is still such a whiny crybaby? It bogs the story down and makes him unlikeable. To make matters worse he is overwhelmed by a force to make him even more unpleasant. Why do I want to read about this kid any more?Now instead of discovering the fantastic things about the house and his family and the town, he's caught up in mundane repetitive bullying. This is mostly just a school drama and an afterschool special about being a "junkie for magic". I'll skip to the ending, everything worthwhile about the story is pasted on and crammed into the last chapter giving us a cliff notes version of something that we never felt a part of. I wish he'd taken these ideas, elaborated on them and made the characters more of an active part in the story rather than being passive or at best reactive.The reason why supernatural stories work so well is because the main character/characters often can't share their experience with the rest of the world because either no one will believe them, or no one will have the capability of fighting whatever the threat is. It forces a sense of isolationism. The biggest flaw of this book is that Lewis lives in a house of magic and doesn't tell his magic guardians about magic problems. Why would he not tell his guardians? Apparently because they would get mad at him. The only time that they were unhappy with him in the last book was when he didn't tell them about his magic problems. He ultimately saved the world, so there should be some level of trust, right? In this book, we get the introduction of a new friend, the main character feels that relationship with his uncle is one of mistrust so now he confides in her (someone that knows nothing about what he's talking about and has little interest in it). The only reason why I finished this was because it was so short. Ugh. I thought that I was going to enjoy this series, but I'm done with it now. All in all everything that was charming about the first book is gone entirely. Too bad.
My favorite kiddie/YA book, probably one of my favorite books period.Louis Barnavelt lives in 1950's suburban Michigan with his uncle, who is a practicing warlock. The next-door neighbor is a witch, and her granddaughter Rose Rita is Louis' best friend. (This book was written LONG before Harry Potter came on the scene, BTW.) Louis is chubby and fearful, and is beat on by the local bullies, but his home life is great. As a kid, I wanted to move in with Louis and his uncle (I probably still do). The discovery of a Civil-War era good luck charm in an old family trunk helps Louis with his problems for a while, but eventually the charm makes its own demands on Louis and his loved ones.There's a lot of mid-century Americana in this book, which whether real or invented gives the story some real flavor. But this is a story of the supernatural, and it is genuinely creepy at times, probably because it hits some psychological truths quite accurately. I read it when I was 8 or 9 and I'm surprised I made it through. As an adult rereading this book, I couldn't help but be reminded of the "crutches" we sometimes use to help us cope, and the prices we pay for doing so.
What do You think about The Figure In The Shadows (2004)?
The second book about Lewis Barnavelt is still fun and cool. The entrance of Rose Rita as Lewis' only friend is nice and their friendship is fun to read. The shadowy figure is a scary dude (just check out the pictures of him). Mercer Mayer's pictures are cool, but overall just had me wondering how Edward Gorey would have illustrated this book. It also felt like the quirky coolness of The House With a Clock in It's Walls had fallen by the wayside. Bellairs' peculiar, Gorey-esque writing in House was, for me, one of it's most charming aspects. In Figure, Bellairs seemed to move into a more conventional writing style. Course, the story itself had less of the magical wonder of House and more 'real life' situations - school bullies, friendships, etc. - which might partially explain the style shift. Overall it was good, eerie fun.
—Jon
The Figure In The shadows By John Bellairs Me and my partner are very far in this book and we feel that this a book is really great and I feel that it is a good book for kids to read and now I think that this book is funny interesting and very breath taking for the reader. I really like how the can comprehend on the book and feel just like there in the characters shoes. I love and enjoy reading this book because it is breath taking and enjoyable which can grab the reader and they start to love what's happening . So it is really attention-grabbing and interesting a lot in the book. The author is really great with helping the reader be able to visualize what is happening . For example page 5 it explains that Rose Rita is a tomboy out of the blue and I was really shocked because the author makes you think one thing then makes you think something else.
—Kymali
In this second in the Lewis Barnavelt series, a figure comes back from the grave when Lewis enables an old Civil War amulet. In a way, these books are amulets of a sort: they bring the very powerful voice of John Bellairs back from the grave to enable, energize, and strengthen the individualistic muscle in every kid--to fight back against bullies and to accept who they are and how they look. Bellairs is a man who can bridge that gap between childhood and adulthood, and help kids over the rough bits. He would like to warn kids against taking on more "magic" or adult decisions until they are older, but knows he can't stop them if they try. And he will help to undo the damage by sharing antidotes and explaining outcomes.Moments of suspense and terror are interleaved with moments of deepening friendship and understanding among Uncle Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmermann and Lewis and Rose Rita. The fear of bad outcomes is thus couched in the warm embrace of helpmeets. I particularly admire the way Bellairs presented Lewis' confusion and ambivalence after he fought Woody and won--Lewis wasn't at all sure he should feel proud of beating someone bloody, and though he was glad Woody didn't bother him anymore, he felt sorry for Woody. Ah, so. That is the adult teaching the child reader, and guiding him/her to better decision-making. Wish Bellairs could have stuck around: his wonderful imagination seems to get through to kids using humor and fear, warmth and generosity. But we have his books and for that we should be grateful. Do you think kids are too knowledgeable about the world that his books no longer hold as much appeal? Perhaps the ideal reader is getting younger? Do teachers still find Bellairs relevant?
—Trish
