Review: Mrs. Frisby And The Rats Of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

Title: Mrs. Frisby And The Rats Of NIHM
Author: Robert C. O'Brien
Published: 1971
Source: Purchased
Genre: Children's Fantasy
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Caution: May contain spoilers

There's something very strange about the rats living under the rosebush at the Fitzgibbon farm. But Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with a sick child, is in dire straits and must turn to these exceptional creatures for assistance. Soon she finds herself flying on the back of a crow, slipping sleeping powder into a ferocious cat's dinner dish, and helping 108 brilliant, laboratory-enhanced rats escape to a utopian civilization of their own design, no longer to live "on the edge of somebody else's, like fleas on a dog's back."

This unusual novel, winner of the Newbery Medal (among a host of other accolades) snags the reader on page one and reels in steadily all the way through to the exhilarating conclusion. Robert O'Brien has created a small but complete world in which a mother's concern for her son overpowers her fear of all her natural enemies and allows her to make some extraordinary discoveries along the way. O'Brien's incredible tale, along with Zena Bernstein's appealing ink drawings, ensures that readers will never again look at alley rats and field mice in the same way.

My Thoughts:

I read this back when I was still in school and it was, by far, one of my favorite childhood reads. I read it multiple times. Before I even reread it this year, I could remember the story like it was yesterday. It's amazing how certain things just stick with you like that.

The story of the rats of NIMH, their journey past and present, is one that cannot be matched. The world building alone is phenomenal. Like the synopsis says, it is an unusual novel, but that's what makes it so amazing. A group of rats that escaped the National Institute of Mental Health with exceptional intelligence? Insane. And how Mrs. Frisby fits into the story of the rats is nothing short of brilliantly played. I felt as if I was walking through it as Mrs. Frisby herself. Learning all these things about her late husband's ties to the rats and learning how to find the strength within herself to do what needs to be done.

The details contained within describing the surroundings were so vivid. I could picture all the different rooms and halls the rats built in my mind. The background of the rats gets told by Nicodemus to Mrs. Frisby to explain how they knew her husband and how it was possible for them to do what they do. I always loved that part of the story. And Justin, one of the rats. How is it possible that his personality is just so lovable?

Mrs. Frisby And The Rats Of NIMH is, in my opinion, one of the greatest stories written. I absolutely adored it, even more so now. As I was reading it, I couldn't help but feel like I was transported back to my childhood, sitting there with my eyes glued to the page in wonder and joy. What's amazing is that it's not just the story itself, it's also the emotions tied to it that make it all the more powerful. The book is much better than the movie, even though I still love the movie (I'll be reviewing the movie tomorrow). If you're ever in the need for a great chapter book to make you feel like a kid again, this is absolutely the one you need to pick up.

My Rating:

Review: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

Title: The Last Unicorn
Author: Peter S. Beagle
Published: 1961
Source: Purchased
Genre: Childrens Fantasy
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The Last Unicorn is one of the true classics of fantasy, ranking with Tolkien's The Hobbit, Le Guin's Earthsea Trilogy, and Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Beagle writes a shimmering prose-poetry, the voice of fairy tales and childhood:
The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night. But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea.

The unicorn discovers that she is the last unicorn in the world, and sets off to find the others. She meets Schmendrick the Magician--whose magic seldom works, and never as he intended--when he rescues her from Mommy Fortuna's Midnight Carnival, where only some of the mythical beasts displayed are illusions. They are joined by Molly Grue, who believes in legends despite her experiences with a Robin Hood wannabe and his unmerry men. Ahead wait King Haggard and his Red Bull, who banished unicorns from the land.

This is a book no fantasy reader should miss; Beagle argues brilliantly the need for magic in our lives and the folly of forgetting to dream. --Nona Vero

My Thoughts:

I have heard so much about this story from people in real life and also many of the My Little Pony friends of mine on forums. It was one of those books I really wanted to get to, especially before I saw the movie, although I was tempted to watch the movie before reading it a few times. I am glad I read the book first though.

I had a completely different vision going in to this one. I didn’t imagine the Magician and Molly and the other cast of characters. I thought it was going to be an animal journey, no humans, or at least, not that many. It was still interesting the way it progressed, and how the unicorn interacted with humans and animals. I loved the poetic writing and the lines that the unicorn said about life and reality, making everything come into focus, crystal clear.

I was a little off put by the way it ended. Not that it wasn’t well done, because it was (it REALLY was), but I didn’t expect that. Or to be so torn by the departure of everyone, and the pain faced by each. It’s a mixed emotion.

The Last Unicorn was inspiring and bizarre. I can see why it is beloved by so many. The story itself was a maze of brilliance and beauty. Peter S. Beagle created an amazing world and a timeless classic. Now to watch the movie.

My Rating:

Review: Rapunzel Untangled by Cindy C. Bennett

Title: Rapunzel Untangled
Author: Cindy C. Bennett
Published: February 12th 2013
Source: NetGalley
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
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Caution: May contain spoilers

Rapunzel is not your average teenager. For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is. Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.

My Thoughts:

After having read two of Cindy C. Bennett’s novels before, I knew I had to request this new gem of hers. As much as I loved her other works, I had a good feeling that this one would be just as great. It is one of the most enchanting stories I’ve read!

Our lovely Rapunzel has been locked away due to a sickness. If she would ever leave the safety of her room, she could risk losing her life. Of course, she can’t help but be curious about the world she could have been in if she wasn’t confined to her home. She discovers Facebook, and decides to friend request Fane. Upon his acceptance of this request, he starts to send her messages. This daily routine ends up making them want to meet. So Rapunzel takes a risk and allows him to come over while her mother is away.

When the two of them meet, it was just amazing. I loved the dynamic between them. There was so much innocence about it, coupled with a sense of wonder about life on the outside. As time goes on, Rapunzel begins to question why on everything. Her mother doesn’t like this one bit but Rapunzel still wants to know. So she and Fane set out to find out why…

Rapunzel Untangled was wonderful. I thought it was ingenious to mash the original tale into a modern day representation. Rapunzel was a lovely heroine, and Fane was adorably charming. The plot was built perfectly with the right amount of mystery and intrigue to keep me guessing where it will all lead to in the end. Cindy C. Bennett wowed me with this cleverly woven epic. I could read it again and again.

My Rating:

Review: The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Title: The Princess Bride
Author: William Goldman
Published: 1973
Source: Purchased
Genre: Classic Fantasy
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A tale of true love and high adventure, pirates, princesses, giants, miracles, fencing, and a frightening assortment of wild beasts - The Princess Bride is a modern storytelling classic.

As Florin and Guilder teeter on the verge of war, the reluctant Princess Buttercup is devastated by the loss of her true love, kidnapped by a mercenary and his henchmen, rescued by a pirate, forced to marry Prince Humperdinck, and rescued once again by the very crew who absconded with her in the first place. In the course of this dazzling adventure, she'll meet Vizzini - the criminal philosopher who'll do anything for a bag of gold; Fezzik - the gentle giant; Inigo - the Spaniard whose steel thirsts for revenge; and Count Rugen - the evil mastermind behind it all. Foiling all their plans and jumping into their stories is Westley, Princess Buttercup's one true love and a very good friend of a very dangerous pirate.

~synopsis from Goodreads

My Thoughts:

Here’s my story about how I didn’t discover The Princess Bride until I was an adult. When I was a kid (I’m guessing I was 11 at the time), I was at a friend’s house and we wanted to watch something. She wanted to watch The Princess Bride and I wanted to watch Kratt’s Creatures. I can’t remember what we ended up watching, but it wasn’t The Princess Bride or Kratt’s Creatures. I heard off and on about the movie, but never ended up seeing it until I was 22. Another friend was talking about it and I decided that it was necessary for me to watch the movie. So I did. And I loved it.

True story.

I’ve probably only seen the movie all the way through 6 or 7 times total, but my family and I join in with the rest of the lovers of The Princess Bride in quoting various lines that have become iconic. Of course, my watching it only those little over a handful of times limits my quoting ability. It just means I need to watch the movie more.

But I digress… This is supposed to be about the book. And my thoughts on the book: FREAKING AMAZING. Even though I knew what was coming, I still got sucked into the world of Florin and the love of Buttercup and Westley. The lines and scenes not included in the movie were splendid. At one point early on, I found myself laughing out loud and running to the computer to post a quote on Facebook. Here it is:

"I am your Prince and you will marry me," Humperdinck said.
Buttercup whispered, "I am your servant and I refuse."
"I am your Prince and you cannot refuse."
"I am your loyal servant and I just did."

Throughout the whole thing, you can’t help but fall in love with everything. William Goldman was actually the person who wrote the screenplay and he did a fantastical job at it. A lot of the lines from the book are word for word in the movie. It was all the necessary ones, I can’t think of much that was left out that should have been there to tell the story. And the story really was an epic tale of everything that makes a good book all rolled into one: action and love and honesty and humor.

The Princess Bride is by far one of the best books written. While William Goldman didn’t pen the original story (it was written by S. Morganstern in an enormous volume had so much back story, as Goldman states in the foreword), he did an amazing job putting together the “good parts” version. Which is what writers have to do sometimes--omit all the extensive details that aren’t pertinent to the story and keep it interesting. The bottom line with this book is that it is a must read. If you don’t think you can handle the book and haven’t seen the movie, at the very least watch the movie. After you do, you probably will want to read the book.

It’s just that good.

My Rating:

Exceptional: Stay up until at least 1 AM