What do You think about The Moonspinners (2003)?
Bought for a bit of silly light reading. It took me dreadfully long to get round to it, despite that, because I had such a long period where I didn't feel like reading at all. I think it's well-broken now, though: I ate up The Moonspinners in less than a day. It's a ridiculous story, really: I think I said of one of Mary Stewart's other books, Touch Not the Cat, or maybe The Gabriel Hounds, or both, that it's really The Famous Five for adults, with a dash of romance and some exotic scenery. Since I knew that, that's what I read it for, though, and so I enjoyed it quite a bit. It does get genuinely exciting, as long as you can buy into it, and while the mystery is solved fairly easily, the tension holds.
—Nikki
I don't know if my review of this book would be the same if I was just reading it for the first time. This is one of my favorites from when I was younger, so I don't know if that's skewed my perception of it. It does have a few slow parts and it may be a bit old-fashioned, but it's just a fun read. I think I originally read it after seeing the Disney movie version with Hayley Mills that was made in the 60s. I generally liked Hayley Mills movies as a kid and I liked this movie okay, but frankly they changed a lot of the plot and Hayley just wasn't cute enough for the lead actor, who I had a huge crush on. The movie had a bit more action than the book, but I like the heroine better in the book. (Sorry, am I reviewing the book or the movie? I digress.)
—Jill Hill
The ending…! What an ending! For those of you who have see the movie, I think it should be said that they are Completely Different. Other than Mark and Nicola having the same personalities in the movie as in the book, everything else is off. I still like them both though, (movie verses book) and the tale of The Moonspinners is one of my favorite parts in the book, that and the stunning scenery. That's what this book abounds in, descriptions. Eloquent, sparkling descriptions. "I came near to a corner and saw it. Here the wall of gorge was broken, as a small stream came in from above. It fell in an arrowy rush right across the path, where it swirled round the single steppingstone, to tumble once again, headlong, towards the river. I didn't cross it. I left the path, and clambered, not without difficulty, up the boulders that edged the tributary stream, towards the sunlight of open ground at the edge of the ravine.If a few minutes I had found what I was looking for. I climbed a tumble of white stones where poppies grew, and came out on a small, stony alp, a level field of asphodel, all but surrounded by towering rocks. Sounthwards, it was open, with a dizzying view down towards the now distant sea." page 20 of the omnibus.That is how it starts, peaceful, balmy, tropically beautiful and perfect. Till all that changes and Nicola is on the run for not just her life, but the lives of Mark, Lambis and Colin, who for all they know could already be past saving. I enjoyed this book a lot, more than Airs above the Ground and just as much as The Ivy Tree. Wildfire at Midnight and Nine Coaches Waiting are still my favorites, but this is a good comfort read. My only complaint is that the suspense didn't suspend me in fear; cozy it was. The middle lags a little, I felt that not much happened, at least, it didn't progress. But when all's said and done, I liked it, I enjoied it and I would read it again. G rating as for once there wasn't as much smoking or drinking or swearing either.
—Tweety
