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Lewis Barnavelt #2
小懈谢褍褝褌 胁 褌械薪懈
袛械褋褟褌懈谢械褌薪懈泄 袥褜褞懈褋 胁褋械谐写邪 屑械褔褌邪谢 卸懈褌褜 胁 薪邪褋褌芯褟褖械屑 褋褌邪褉懈薪薪芯屑 芯褋芯斜薪褟泻械, 锌芯谢薪芯屑 褌邪泄薪褘屑懈 锌褉芯褏芯写邪屑懈, 褋泻褉褘褌褘屑懈 锌褘谢褜薪褘屑懈 泻芯屑薪邪褌邪屑懈 懈 芯谐褉芯屑薪褘屑懈 屑褉邪屑芯褉薪褘屑懈 泻邪屑懈薪邪屑懈. 袠 锌芯褋谢械 褌褉邪谐懈褔械褋泻芯泄 谐懈斜械谢懈 褉芯写懈褌械谢械泄 芯薪 芯泻邪蟹褘胁邪械褌褋褟 懈屑械薪薪芯 胁 褌邪泻芯屑 写芯屑械 鈥� 锌褉懈薪邪写谢械卸邪褖械屑 械谐芯 写褟写械 袛卸芯薪邪褌邪薪褍. 袣芯谐写邪 屑邪谢褜褔懈泻 胁褘褟褋薪褟械褌, 褔褌芯 褔褍写薪芯泄 懈 写褉褍卸械谢褞斜薪褘泄 写褟写褟 鈥� 褋邪屑褘泄 薪邪褋褌芯褟褖懈泄 胁芯谢褕械斜薪懈泻, 芯薪 褋 褌褉褍写芯屑 褍写械褉卸懈胁邪械褌褋褟 芯褌 褌芯谐芯, 褔褌芯斜褘 薪械 蟹邪锌褉褘谐邪褌褜 芯褌 胁芯褋褌芯褉谐邪. 袨写薪邪泻芯 褉邪写芯褋褌褜 薪械褋泻芯谢褜泻芯 锌芯褍褌懈褏谢邪, 泻芯谐写邪 袥褜褞懈褋 褍蟹薪邪谢, 褔褌芯 锌褉械写褘写褍褖懈泄 胁谢邪写械谢械褑 芯褋芯斜薪褟泻邪 - 褌芯卸械 胁芯谢褕械斜薪懈泻, 锌褉邪胁写邪, 芯褔械薪褜 蟹谢芯泄 鈥� 褋锌褉褟褌邪谢 谐写械-褌芯 胁 褋褌械薪邪褏 写芯屑邪 褔邪褋褘, 芯褌褋褔懈褌褘胁邪褞褖懈械 胁褉械屑褟 写芯 泻芯薪褑邪 褋胁械褌邪. 袠 褋 泻邪卸写褘屑 写薪械屑 懈褏 斜芯泄 褉邪蟹写邪械褌褋褟 胁褋械 谐褉芯屑褔械 懈 褔邪褖械. 袣芯薪械褑 褋胁械褌邪 薪械芯褌胁褉邪褌懈屑芯 锌褉懈斜谢懈卸邪械褌褋褟 鈥� 械褋谢懈 褌芯谢褜泻芯 袥褜褞懈褋 薪械 褋褍屑械械褌 芯褋褌邪薪芯胁懈褌褜 褔邪褋褘! 袣薪懈谐邪 芦孝邪泄薪邪 写芯屑邪 褋 褔邪褋邪屑懈禄, 芯褌泻褉褘胁褕邪褟 褋械褉懈褞 芯 锌褉懈泻谢褞褔械薪懈褟褏 屑邪谢褜褔懈泻邪 袥褜褞懈褋邪 袘邪褉薪邪胁械谢褜褌邪, 褋褌邪谢邪 泻谢邪褋褋懈泻芯泄 邪屑械褉懈泻邪薪褋泻芯泄 写械褌褋泻芯泄 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉褘. 袚芯褌懈褔械褋泻邪褟 胁芯谢褕械斜薪邪褟 褋泻邪蟹泻邪 斜褘谢邪 锌械褉械胁械写械薪邪 薪邪 写械褋褟褌褜 褟蟹褘泻芯胁, 薪芯 锌褉械卸写械 薪械 懈蟹写邪胁邪谢邪褋褜 胁 袪芯褋褋懈懈. 协褌邪 邪褌屑芯褋褎械褉薪邪褟, 懈褉芯薪懈褔薪邪褟 懈 褌褉芯谐邪褌械谢褜薪邪褟 懈褋褌芯褉懈褟 芯斜 芯写懈薪芯泻芯屑 屑邪谢褜褔懈泻械, 械谐芯 褔褍写邪泻芯胁邪褌芯屑 写褟写械 懈 芯锌邪褋薪芯褋褌褟褏 锌褉芯褕谢芯谐芯 锌褉懈写械褌褋褟 锌芯 胁泻褍褋褍 胁褋械屑 写械褌褟屑, 芯斜芯卸邪褞褖懈屑 锌褍谐邪褞褖懈械 懈褋褌芯褉懈懈 (泻芯褌芯褉褘械 薪械锌褉械屑械薪薪芯 蟹邪泻邪薪褔懈胁邪褞褌褋褟 褏芯褉芯褕芯!).
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
134 people are currently reading
2086 people want to read
About the author
John Bellairs
71听books551听followersJohn Bellairs (1938鈥�1991) was an American novelist. He is best known for the children's classic The House with a Clock in its Walls (1973) and the fantasy novel The Face in the Frost (1969). Bellairs held a bachelor's degree from Notre Dame University and a master's in English from the University of Chicago. He later lived and wrote in Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 241 reviews
November 11, 2017
This is the sequel to The House With a Clock in its Walls. The Figure in the Shadows is just as good, and for many of the same reasons.
There's a good level of scary, the characters come across as real, with their own quirks and difficulties. The addition of Rose Rita to Lewis' circle of friends is brilliant.
These books have been around for more than a quarter of a century. You might think they'd be badly dated, but with a diverse cast of empowered characters, I think they read very well today.
Important to me, both the magic and real world difficulties that Lewis faces are handled in a way that admits that real world problems with a bully can be just as frightening as dark magic!
There's a good level of scary, the characters come across as real, with their own quirks and difficulties. The addition of Rose Rita to Lewis' circle of friends is brilliant.
These books have been around for more than a quarter of a century. You might think they'd be badly dated, but with a diverse cast of empowered characters, I think they read very well today.
Important to me, both the magic and real world difficulties that Lewis faces are handled in a way that admits that real world problems with a bully can be just as frightening as dark magic!
November 7, 2013
John Bellairs' series featuring the adventures of young Lewis Barnavelt and his friend Rose Rita is a surprisingly gray and realistic offering, despite the magic and tenderness. in my mind, it is what elevates it: even kids' lit shouldn't always be glowing, romantic wish fulfillment. fiction for children can sometimes have heroes full of self-hate and and reluctance and duplicity. it can have magic that is threatening and that is less of a toy and more of window into a terrible world that kids should never go through. it can have situations that are not ever fully understood by its protagonists, experiences that are not even understandable until adulthood. this is a series that features addiction and self-loathing, the waning of power and the waxing of evil with age, shadowy figures of great menace, small journeys that can change a life, and yet that life goes on as normal... and it is a series that is gentle in heart and warm in spirit. a child doesn't always become a wizard; sometimes it is triumph enough that they become a person who understands even a little of the complexity of the world around them.
January 4, 2019
I flew home from my holiday today and this was the perfect book to read on the plane. I was able to finish it in one sitting.
This is the second book in the Lewis Barnavelt series. Lewis has made a friend in tomboy Rose Rita. They make a good pair. Lewis needs Rose to help him grow up a bit. Lewis is mostly a coward and he has weight issues. He is still, a likable character. Rose Rita is tough and stands up to bullies.
Lewis is given his Grandfathers 'magic coin' and he believes it will make him brave. When he figures out it has turned him into a puppet, he gets scared and he needs all the help he can get.
I really enjoy reading these books. John Bellairs has an amazing style. He is good at setting mood and his characters are different. There is more magic and sorcery in this book. The setting is winter from October to Christmas and they do exchange presents. I love all the snow in the book. I have not seen any this year, so it was nice to read about weather we should be having.
This is the second book in the Lewis Barnavelt series. Lewis has made a friend in tomboy Rose Rita. They make a good pair. Lewis needs Rose to help him grow up a bit. Lewis is mostly a coward and he has weight issues. He is still, a likable character. Rose Rita is tough and stands up to bullies.
Lewis is given his Grandfathers 'magic coin' and he believes it will make him brave. When he figures out it has turned him into a puppet, he gets scared and he needs all the help he can get.
I really enjoy reading these books. John Bellairs has an amazing style. He is good at setting mood and his characters are different. There is more magic and sorcery in this book. The setting is winter from October to Christmas and they do exchange presents. I love all the snow in the book. I have not seen any this year, so it was nice to read about weather we should be having.
August 31, 2019
Gosh, this was no 鈥淭he House With A Clock In Its Walls鈥�! I know you can鈥檛 duplicate discovering the house and magic for the first time. However, an author ought to continue the ingredients that thrill us. Since reading it, I loved the film that came out, starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett. As a favourite story, can you imagine how much I looked forward to 鈥�The Figure In The Shadows鈥�? I searched a few years to obtain it. Finally, I opened.... a book all about bullying. I was appalled that Lewis鈥� magic Uncle, formidable Mrs. Zimmerman, and teachers did nothing. Being 1948 was no excuse.
Sure, Lewis needed to handle whatever he could; not fear every aggressive person. Unfortunately, Lewis is so weepy, sympathy is scarce. How can this be the sequel to a creative boy who saved the world? Lewis knew the peril of keeping secrets in his last ordeal. He contributed nothing to the resolution, this time. When the magical component did arise, you might enjoy it if you were unfamiliar with the first Johnny Dixon novel: 鈥淭he Curse Of The Blue Figurine鈥�. The plot about getting possessed by an old object and freaked-out by a shadow is identical! I wasn鈥檛 elated about that novel either but Johnny鈥檚 suspense, adventure, and history of his figurine are superior.
Anti-bullying work is important. However, when you choose the magical and paranormal for entertainment; you shouldn鈥檛 get the plight of peer-harassment. What misplaced focus: it should have been a predominantly magic adventure, with bullying as a side topic. I appreciated being introduced to a story about Great-Grandfather Barnavelt but his connection was minor. This disappointing outing received three stars because I am a fan of this series, environment, and characters. I have no doubt I will love the other novels.
Sure, Lewis needed to handle whatever he could; not fear every aggressive person. Unfortunately, Lewis is so weepy, sympathy is scarce. How can this be the sequel to a creative boy who saved the world? Lewis knew the peril of keeping secrets in his last ordeal. He contributed nothing to the resolution, this time. When the magical component did arise, you might enjoy it if you were unfamiliar with the first Johnny Dixon novel: 鈥淭he Curse Of The Blue Figurine鈥�. The plot about getting possessed by an old object and freaked-out by a shadow is identical! I wasn鈥檛 elated about that novel either but Johnny鈥檚 suspense, adventure, and history of his figurine are superior.
Anti-bullying work is important. However, when you choose the magical and paranormal for entertainment; you shouldn鈥檛 get the plight of peer-harassment. What misplaced focus: it should have been a predominantly magic adventure, with bullying as a side topic. I appreciated being introduced to a story about Great-Grandfather Barnavelt but his connection was minor. This disappointing outing received three stars because I am a fan of this series, environment, and characters. I have no doubt I will love the other novels.
October 6, 2011
I read this book as a child. In fact, it was one of my favorite books. It was one of the few books which made the short list of books I read over and over again. I remember that it was the second in a series, and once I found the first in the series (The Clock in the Walls) and read it, but the first book didn't stick in my memory as much as this one did.
I ordered a copy of it online, once I remembered the title, and recently re-read it to see if it was still as good as I remembered, and moreover, to figure out what it was about it that I liked.
The main character is a chubby, nerdy 11-year-old orphan named Lewis, who lives with his uncle Jonathan, who happens to be a wizard. The fact that Jonathan is a wizard is kind of a throwaway fact about him at first, which was my only clue as a child that this was the second in a series. Jonathan's next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, is a witch who is even better at magic than Jonathan is, and she often comes over to cook for Jonathan and Lewis.
The house that Jonathan and Lewis live in is a sprawling mansion-like house in a small town set someplace exotic (as a child, exotic meant anywhere that got snow) like New England. I loved that they had farms and abandoned wells and mansions and Masonic temples--all things nonexistent in the Southwestern suburb I grew up in. The time had its own exoticisms for me. Lewis was allowed to come home for his lunch hour (we got something like 17 minutes to eat) and he was always worried about the bully beating him up. I never saw bullies at school, at least, not physical bullying. (Girls generally bullied with psychological torture, which is harder to prosecute. The idea that you could combat your tormenters by hitting them was a refreshing novelty.)
Most of all, I liked Lewis's best friend Rose Rita. Rose Rita was like an idealized version of me. She's fierce and brave, and asserts her independence. She's also, like Lewis, a little nerdy. The two of them spend time making a Roman War Galley (complete with Latin motto) and neither of them find this overly nerdy or weird. When I was 11, I knew that if Rose Rita and Lewis had been real people, I would have been their friends.
Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman are good characters too. They're not exactly parents to Lewis, being an uncle and his neighbor, they they provide parental support without being overbearing. Lewis takes comfort in their presence, but since he's an orphan, he also isn't sure how far this tolerance and love will extend. When he gets into trouble, he doesn't automatically turn to them to solve it.
The plot revolves around a lucky three cent piece that Lewis gets from his grandfather's trunk of old things. He hopes it is a magic amulet, but his uncle and Mrs. Zimmerman test it and say it's not. Still, Lewis isn't so sure. As soon as he gets it, it starts to change him. It makes him feel brave and aggressive, for one, and strange things begin to happen.
The first thing is when a card mysteriously appears in the mail slot. The card is blank on one side, but when he flips it over and back again, a word appears "Venio" which Lewis knows is Latin for "I come." To me, that was awesome, both that a word appeared, and that it was in a foreign language, and that it was in a foreign language that an 11 year old boy might actually know. (This could be the scene that made me choose to study Latin in High School.) Lewis' personality, and the strange sightings of the figure in the shadows intensify, until he gets so scared he tells Rose Rita about it.
Rose Rita offers to take the coin, and Lewis agrees, but then he changes his mind and she has to fight him for it. He's at first grateful, but as time goes on, he feels the urge to get the coin back, and concocts a scheme to steal it from Rose Rita.
There were a couple of things which struck me, reading this as an adult, that I didn't notice as a child. While the point of view hops a few times, I didn't notice or care when I read this as a child. Now it's been pounded into my head that POV switches without scene changes are a no-no, but I'm starting to think that this is a current fashion, rather than an inviolate rule. Also, at a certain point Lewis needs to be rescued, and it's up to Rose Rita, Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman to rescue him. Mrs. Zimmerman does most of it, providing the means and the knowledge of where and when they need to go. If I were looking at this critically, with a fresh eye, I might suggest that we have a little more foreshadowing of who and what the figure was. Having Mrs. Zimmerman provide a parlour-room "this is what happened" scene struck me as another one of those writing conventions that people don't use so much anymore. It's also a wee bit Deus Ex Machina, that Mrs. Zimmerman both knows where to go, what to do, and has the tools (to give Rose Rita) to solve the problem.
Still, as a child, none of these bothered me. I didn't need to know where Mrs. Z got the magic nasal spray, only that Rose Rita had to wield it. I guess I loved that the girl rescues the guy, and that the old woman is smarter and more powerful than the old man (and that both of them are pretty much okay with that.) I loved the gothic spookiness of it, and the matter-of-fact way that magic is presented. I also loved that the adults treat the children like people, people with their own problems and strengths and personalities and motives.
And last, but not least, the fact that it was illustrated by Mercer Meyer didn't hurt anything.
I'm glad that this book didn't suffer from the Gilligan's Island syndrome, where something beloved as a child sucks now that you view it with adult eyes. I'm also glad that I'm able to figure out what I liked about it so that I can hopefully replicate some of these elements in my own work.
I recommend this book for 4th to 6th grade children who want something a little spooky, and will be intrigued by (rather than put off by) the fact that it's set in the 20th century.
I ordered a copy of it online, once I remembered the title, and recently re-read it to see if it was still as good as I remembered, and moreover, to figure out what it was about it that I liked.
The main character is a chubby, nerdy 11-year-old orphan named Lewis, who lives with his uncle Jonathan, who happens to be a wizard. The fact that Jonathan is a wizard is kind of a throwaway fact about him at first, which was my only clue as a child that this was the second in a series. Jonathan's next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman, is a witch who is even better at magic than Jonathan is, and she often comes over to cook for Jonathan and Lewis.
The house that Jonathan and Lewis live in is a sprawling mansion-like house in a small town set someplace exotic (as a child, exotic meant anywhere that got snow) like New England. I loved that they had farms and abandoned wells and mansions and Masonic temples--all things nonexistent in the Southwestern suburb I grew up in. The time had its own exoticisms for me. Lewis was allowed to come home for his lunch hour (we got something like 17 minutes to eat) and he was always worried about the bully beating him up. I never saw bullies at school, at least, not physical bullying. (Girls generally bullied with psychological torture, which is harder to prosecute. The idea that you could combat your tormenters by hitting them was a refreshing novelty.)
Most of all, I liked Lewis's best friend Rose Rita. Rose Rita was like an idealized version of me. She's fierce and brave, and asserts her independence. She's also, like Lewis, a little nerdy. The two of them spend time making a Roman War Galley (complete with Latin motto) and neither of them find this overly nerdy or weird. When I was 11, I knew that if Rose Rita and Lewis had been real people, I would have been their friends.
Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman are good characters too. They're not exactly parents to Lewis, being an uncle and his neighbor, they they provide parental support without being overbearing. Lewis takes comfort in their presence, but since he's an orphan, he also isn't sure how far this tolerance and love will extend. When he gets into trouble, he doesn't automatically turn to them to solve it.
The plot revolves around a lucky three cent piece that Lewis gets from his grandfather's trunk of old things. He hopes it is a magic amulet, but his uncle and Mrs. Zimmerman test it and say it's not. Still, Lewis isn't so sure. As soon as he gets it, it starts to change him. It makes him feel brave and aggressive, for one, and strange things begin to happen.
The first thing is when a card mysteriously appears in the mail slot. The card is blank on one side, but when he flips it over and back again, a word appears "Venio" which Lewis knows is Latin for "I come." To me, that was awesome, both that a word appeared, and that it was in a foreign language, and that it was in a foreign language that an 11 year old boy might actually know. (This could be the scene that made me choose to study Latin in High School.) Lewis' personality, and the strange sightings of the figure in the shadows intensify, until he gets so scared he tells Rose Rita about it.
Rose Rita offers to take the coin, and Lewis agrees, but then he changes his mind and she has to fight him for it. He's at first grateful, but as time goes on, he feels the urge to get the coin back, and concocts a scheme to steal it from Rose Rita.
There were a couple of things which struck me, reading this as an adult, that I didn't notice as a child. While the point of view hops a few times, I didn't notice or care when I read this as a child. Now it's been pounded into my head that POV switches without scene changes are a no-no, but I'm starting to think that this is a current fashion, rather than an inviolate rule. Also, at a certain point Lewis needs to be rescued, and it's up to Rose Rita, Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman to rescue him. Mrs. Zimmerman does most of it, providing the means and the knowledge of where and when they need to go. If I were looking at this critically, with a fresh eye, I might suggest that we have a little more foreshadowing of who and what the figure was. Having Mrs. Zimmerman provide a parlour-room "this is what happened" scene struck me as another one of those writing conventions that people don't use so much anymore. It's also a wee bit Deus Ex Machina, that Mrs. Zimmerman both knows where to go, what to do, and has the tools (to give Rose Rita) to solve the problem.
Still, as a child, none of these bothered me. I didn't need to know where Mrs. Z got the magic nasal spray, only that Rose Rita had to wield it. I guess I loved that the girl rescues the guy, and that the old woman is smarter and more powerful than the old man (and that both of them are pretty much okay with that.) I loved the gothic spookiness of it, and the matter-of-fact way that magic is presented. I also loved that the adults treat the children like people, people with their own problems and strengths and personalities and motives.
And last, but not least, the fact that it was illustrated by Mercer Meyer didn't hurt anything.
I'm glad that this book didn't suffer from the Gilligan's Island syndrome, where something beloved as a child sucks now that you view it with adult eyes. I'm also glad that I'm able to figure out what I liked about it so that I can hopefully replicate some of these elements in my own work.
I recommend this book for 4th to 6th grade children who want something a little spooky, and will be intrigued by (rather than put off by) the fact that it's set in the 20th century.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2011
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.
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.
July 7, 2023
Apparently, this is the second book in the series. I happened to get this on the cheap and figured I'd read it before buying the first book in the series, The House with a Clock in it's Walls.
The Figure in the Shadows
Lewis, an overweight 11 year old who is always being picked on, comes across a lucky curio in his grandfather's old trunk. With his best friend Rose-Rita, who always stands up for Lewis when push comes to shove, they unlock the secret of this mysterious item. Rose Rita is arguably the stronger and more memorable character here. The topics of bullying and gender roles are strong in this one.
My daughter (7) and I fell in love with these characters. Admittedly, I tend to like stories that have strong female protagonist. That's not to say Lewis wasn't well written. I could relate to this wimpy preteens more than I'd like to admit.
Anyway, now we have to go read the first in the series!
The Figure in the Shadows
Lewis, an overweight 11 year old who is always being picked on, comes across a lucky curio in his grandfather's old trunk. With his best friend Rose-Rita, who always stands up for Lewis when push comes to shove, they unlock the secret of this mysterious item. Rose Rita is arguably the stronger and more memorable character here. The topics of bullying and gender roles are strong in this one.
My daughter (7) and I fell in love with these characters. Admittedly, I tend to like stories that have strong female protagonist. That's not to say Lewis wasn't well written. I could relate to this wimpy preteens more than I'd like to admit.
Anyway, now we have to go read the first in the series!
January 18, 2019
This was my first time reading The Figure in the Shadows, even though I'm a HUGE John Bellairs fan, there are still quite a few of his books I haven't read and this was one of them. It was fun, scary, and kept me on the edge of my seat during the last pages as do most Bellairs books do. Since this is the sequel/companion to The House with a Clock in its Walls, I'm thinking they might try to adapt this to a movie since the first one did so well in theaters, if so I think it will be a pretty cool and creepy movie. :)
- Richard
- Richard
May 31, 2022
As a special treat Uncle Jonathon opens up Grandpa Barnavelt's old trunk. In it they find his old 1859 lucky coin and Lewis gets to keep it - only after Mrs Zimmerman has checked that it's not magical of course. But as soon as Lewis starts to wear it, strange things start to happen; letters arrive in the dead of night, he's finally brave enough to stand up to the awful bully, Woody Mingo and then a mysterious dark figure seems to be following him. What's happening to him? Does it have anything to do with the coin?
Book 2 in the Lewis Barnavelt series. It can be easily read as a standalone though. What I liked most about this book is that we meet Rose-Rita. As a young girl reading these back in the 80s, she was always my favourite - feisty and tough and always standing up for the weaker Lewis. It's the usual magical mystery, filled with unease and dark shadows and a wonderfully climatic ending. I've said it before, I'll say it again, John Bellairs was so ahead of his time and it's wonderful to see his books getting republished now.
And now it's nearly time for book 3 - The Letter, the Witch and the Ring - my absolute favourite as a kid. Let's hope it lives up to my memories!
Book 2 in the Lewis Barnavelt series. It can be easily read as a standalone though. What I liked most about this book is that we meet Rose-Rita. As a young girl reading these back in the 80s, she was always my favourite - feisty and tough and always standing up for the weaker Lewis. It's the usual magical mystery, filled with unease and dark shadows and a wonderfully climatic ending. I've said it before, I'll say it again, John Bellairs was so ahead of his time and it's wonderful to see his books getting republished now.
And now it's nearly time for book 3 - The Letter, the Witch and the Ring - my absolute favourite as a kid. Let's hope it lives up to my memories!
April 10, 2012
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.
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.
December 7, 2008
This was a great second effort from Bellairs, following the stories of Lewis and Rose Rita through yet another story. As mentioned in other reviews, I think I would have enjoyed the illustrations more if edward Gorey had done them, like he did in the first book. Otherwise, while Mercer Mayer is great, (he illustrated so many of my favorite books, INCLUDING the Great Brain series) he's just not as dark and gothic as Gorey.
November 30, 2019
3.25
Segunda parte de la serie 芦 La casa del reloj de la pared鈥�. Ha pasado un a帽o desde que Lewis se ha mudado a vivir con su t铆o Jonathan y descubrir que la magia existe de verdad. Ha conocido gente nueva y ahora tiene que afrontar el nuevo curso escolar.
No me ha gustado tanto como la primera parte. En cuanto a los personajes tampoco se ve un claro desarrollo salvo en su protagonista, Lewis. Por otro lado, el libro sigue teniendo partes oscuras pero que no llegan a dar miedo. Yo creo que todo se debe a que este libro est谩 destinado a un p煤blico m谩s infantil.
A pesar de todo esto, disfrut茅 mucho de la lectura. Ha sido como un descanso entre libros densos.
Segunda parte de la serie 芦 La casa del reloj de la pared鈥�. Ha pasado un a帽o desde que Lewis se ha mudado a vivir con su t铆o Jonathan y descubrir que la magia existe de verdad. Ha conocido gente nueva y ahora tiene que afrontar el nuevo curso escolar.
No me ha gustado tanto como la primera parte. En cuanto a los personajes tampoco se ve un claro desarrollo salvo en su protagonista, Lewis. Por otro lado, el libro sigue teniendo partes oscuras pero que no llegan a dar miedo. Yo creo que todo se debe a que este libro est谩 destinado a un p煤blico m谩s infantil.
A pesar de todo esto, disfrut茅 mucho de la lectura. Ha sido como un descanso entre libros densos.
November 26, 2018
7 de 10*
鈥淥 Mist茅rio do Talism茫 M谩gico鈥� d谩 continuidade 脿 hist贸ria de Lewis Barnavelt, Jonathan e a Sra. Zimmerman que j谩 conhecemos no primeiro livro, 鈥淥 Mist茅rio da Casa do Rel贸gio鈥�. Na minha opini茫o faz todo o sentido ler os dois livros em sequ锚ncia, mas este livro tem refer锚ncias suficientes 脿 hist贸ria passada para ser compreendido isolado.
Lewis, o menino que perdeu os pais e foi viver com um tio muito especial, feiticeiro, segue a sua vida normal, de estudante, em busca do seu lugar na escola. Mas Lewis 茅 um pouco gordinho e por isso n茫o s贸 n茫o consegue fazer amigos como 茅 gozado e provocado constantemente.
Coment谩rio completo em:
鈥淥 Mist茅rio do Talism茫 M谩gico鈥� d谩 continuidade 脿 hist贸ria de Lewis Barnavelt, Jonathan e a Sra. Zimmerman que j谩 conhecemos no primeiro livro, 鈥淥 Mist茅rio da Casa do Rel贸gio鈥�. Na minha opini茫o faz todo o sentido ler os dois livros em sequ锚ncia, mas este livro tem refer锚ncias suficientes 脿 hist贸ria passada para ser compreendido isolado.
Lewis, o menino que perdeu os pais e foi viver com um tio muito especial, feiticeiro, segue a sua vida normal, de estudante, em busca do seu lugar na escola. Mas Lewis 茅 um pouco gordinho e por isso n茫o s贸 n茫o consegue fazer amigos como 茅 gozado e provocado constantemente.
Coment谩rio completo em:
October 22, 2018
This is a fine follow-up to The House With a Clock in Its Walls, and at least as good. Tomboy Rose Rita is a delightful addition to the cast of characters.
October 29, 2019
Don't care for this new too cutesy cover and illustrations but still enjoy reading aloud the series. Will just be on the look out for older editions of the other books in the series.
March 10, 2022
AMAZING 馃槺馃槺馃槬馃槏馃槏馃槄
December 9, 2018
Es la segunda parte de una saga (La casa del reloj en la pared) aunque se pueden leer por separado perfectamente. Como ya sab茅is, estos son libros muy cortitos y bastante infantiles, pero yo adoro este tipo de libros y como el primero me gust贸... Este me ha gustado mucho tambi茅n, pero le veo el mismo fallo que el primero, no se centra en el tema principal hasta estar bastante m谩s de la mitad del libro. La trama me gusta much铆simo, pero veo que no explica mucho del tema principal hasta el final... Y me hubiese gustado saber m谩s de la historia que hay detr谩s del problema. Es entretenido y lo he disfrutado mucho, pero el final es muy precipitado (esto es algo que tambi茅n ocurre en el primero). No obstante, la forma de escribir del autor, su cercan铆a y su forma de enganchar al lector es algo que me ha fascinado. Es por ello que pienso seguir leyendo esta saga. 驴Vosotros sois de leer estos tipos de libros? 驴Cu谩les son vuestros favoritos?
January 21, 2013
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?
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?
March 7, 2010
I was a little sad that this book isn't illustrated by Edward Gorey like The House with a Clock in Its Walls was. This book is the sequel to that one, and introduces us to Lewis Barnavelt's friend, Rose Rita Pottinger, who was mentioned briefly near the end of the first book. Rose Rita is a tomboy who's brash where Lewis is scared; the two are in sixth grade together and the first thing we hear about Rose Rita is that she's been kept after school for "sassing" the teacher. Lewis, meanwhile, is overweight and self-conscious and worried about bullies. Oh, Lewis: "Lewis was fat and moon-faced. In his brown sweater and baggy corduroy trousers, he looked like a balloon ascension. At least, that's what his mean Aunt Mattie had said about him once, and the phrase "balloon ascension" had gotten stuck in Lewis's mind" (p 4).
I liked this book a little less than The House with a Clock in Its Walls, maybe in part because it feels like some of the quirkiness and whimsy of that book is missing, maybe because part of what was appealing to me in that book was that it was mostly about a kid spending his time with the grown-ups in his life, whereas this book has less of that and more of Lewis-at-school and Lewis-with-Rose-Rita. But I still liked it, and I'm still planning to read the next one.
I liked this book a little less than The House with a Clock in Its Walls, maybe in part because it feels like some of the quirkiness and whimsy of that book is missing, maybe because part of what was appealing to me in that book was that it was mostly about a kid spending his time with the grown-ups in his life, whereas this book has less of that and more of Lewis-at-school and Lewis-with-Rose-Rita. But I still liked it, and I'm still planning to read the next one.
April 21, 2018
Quick and creepy and I loved it. I intend to make my way through the entire Lewis Barnavelt series. I love Lewis and his struggles in dealing with bullies and his insecurities and how he works so hard to overcome these in all the wrong ways. I identify with Lewis. Here is a passage to give a sense of Lewis in all his Lewis-ness.
"The next morning when Lewis got up, he decided that he was going to get thing and tough like Woody. He got down on the floor and tried to do ten pushups, but he could only do three before he collapsed. Then he tried sit-ups, but when he lay down flat on his back, he couldn't struggle up to a sitting position unless he thrashed around and used his elbows. He stood up and tried to touch his toes without bending his knees, but he couldn't do it. Trying made his head ache. Finally he tried jumping jacks. They were fun because you could clap your hands over your head when you did them. But the flab on Lewis's thighs clapped too, when his legs came together, and this sound depressed him. Also, he was afraid of bringing down the plaster in the room below. So he gave up and went downstairs to eat breakfast."
Yep. I can touch my toes but other than that, I totally identify with Lewis...
"The next morning when Lewis got up, he decided that he was going to get thing and tough like Woody. He got down on the floor and tried to do ten pushups, but he could only do three before he collapsed. Then he tried sit-ups, but when he lay down flat on his back, he couldn't struggle up to a sitting position unless he thrashed around and used his elbows. He stood up and tried to touch his toes without bending his knees, but he couldn't do it. Trying made his head ache. Finally he tried jumping jacks. They were fun because you could clap your hands over your head when you did them. But the flab on Lewis's thighs clapped too, when his legs came together, and this sound depressed him. Also, he was afraid of bringing down the plaster in the room below. So he gave up and went downstairs to eat breakfast."
Yep. I can touch my toes but other than that, I totally identify with Lewis...
November 18, 2018
Classifica莽茫o: 3,5 em 5 猸愶笍
Achei imposs铆vel conseguir dar melhor classifica莽茫o ao segundo livro do que ao primeiro. Ao contr谩rio do livro 鈥淥 Mist茅rio da Casa do Rel贸gio鈥� neste n茫o senti problema algum com o facto de n茫o ser o meu g茅nero. Talvez por ter lido os dois de seguida, ou mais provavelmente porque finalmente conseguir gostar da personagem principal.
Neste segundo livro conseguimos ver que a personagem tornou-se mais madura, o facto disso ter alterado de um livro para o outro foi mais um incentivo para continuar a ler. Li-o r谩pido, mas novamente quis ler devagar para apreciar.
Houveram muitos momentos aborrecidos, foi isso que influenciou a n茫o dar exatamente 4 estrelas. Com mais um pouco chegava as 5 estrelas. Se a continua莽茫o for publicada c谩 em Portugal talvez continue a leitura. Logo veremos.
Achei imposs铆vel conseguir dar melhor classifica莽茫o ao segundo livro do que ao primeiro. Ao contr谩rio do livro 鈥淥 Mist茅rio da Casa do Rel贸gio鈥� neste n茫o senti problema algum com o facto de n茫o ser o meu g茅nero. Talvez por ter lido os dois de seguida, ou mais provavelmente porque finalmente conseguir gostar da personagem principal.
Neste segundo livro conseguimos ver que a personagem tornou-se mais madura, o facto disso ter alterado de um livro para o outro foi mais um incentivo para continuar a ler. Li-o r谩pido, mas novamente quis ler devagar para apreciar.
Houveram muitos momentos aborrecidos, foi isso que influenciou a n茫o dar exatamente 4 estrelas. Com mais um pouco chegava as 5 estrelas. Se a continua莽茫o for publicada c谩 em Portugal talvez continue a leitura. Logo veremos.
December 24, 2019
3,75猸�
"Una figura en las sombras" es la segunda entrega de la serie de libros sobre Lewis Barnavelt, m谩s conocido por el libro "La casa del reloj en la pared".
En 茅sta historia, Lewis encuentra una moneda en un viejo ba煤l que pertenec铆a a su abuelo. Desde ese momento, Lewis queda convencido de que se trata de un amuleto que le ayudar谩 a hacer frente al abuson del colegio, qui茅n dedica todo su tiempo en hacerle la vida m谩rtir.
Sin embargo, esa moneda esconde algo mucho m谩s amenazante....
Pese a ser libros infantiles, ya coment茅 en su d铆a que me encantan. La se帽ora Zimmermann es mi favorita, aunque en este tomo apenas ha tenido apariciones. Exactamente igual pasa con el t铆o Jonathan. La inclusi贸n Rose Rita no ha estado mal, seguramente coja m谩s fuerza en los siguientes libros.
Si bien, me gust贸 mucho m谩s el primero (m谩s misterioso y creepy), ambos han resultado ser una lectura refrescante y tierna, as铆 qu茅 seguir茅 con los siguientes muy pronto.
"Una figura en las sombras" es la segunda entrega de la serie de libros sobre Lewis Barnavelt, m谩s conocido por el libro "La casa del reloj en la pared".
En 茅sta historia, Lewis encuentra una moneda en un viejo ba煤l que pertenec铆a a su abuelo. Desde ese momento, Lewis queda convencido de que se trata de un amuleto que le ayudar谩 a hacer frente al abuson del colegio, qui茅n dedica todo su tiempo en hacerle la vida m谩rtir.
Sin embargo, esa moneda esconde algo mucho m谩s amenazante....
Pese a ser libros infantiles, ya coment茅 en su d铆a que me encantan. La se帽ora Zimmermann es mi favorita, aunque en este tomo apenas ha tenido apariciones. Exactamente igual pasa con el t铆o Jonathan. La inclusi贸n Rose Rita no ha estado mal, seguramente coja m谩s fuerza en los siguientes libros.
Si bien, me gust贸 mucho m谩s el primero (m谩s misterioso y creepy), ambos han resultado ser una lectura refrescante y tierna, as铆 qu茅 seguir茅 con los siguientes muy pronto.
November 11, 2017
Out of the first three Lewis Barnavelt stories this might be the weakest, although it's still interesting, and it carries maybe the most character development for Lewis himself. I don't remember having a problem with this as a child, but the adult characters aren't really characters as much as they are part of the setting, not fully developed with personalities and mostly out of the way when they need to be. Then again, from the perspective of children, are adults much more than that anyway? ;)
One thing that is nice about the series is how it captures the feel of a decades-ago northern midwest. There are descriptions of places, and people, and ways of doing things that feel different from where I grew up, and I appreciate these stories as a bit of a window into that time and place.
One thing that is nice about the series is how it captures the feel of a decades-ago northern midwest. There are descriptions of places, and people, and ways of doing things that feel different from where I grew up, and I appreciate these stories as a bit of a window into that time and place.
July 10, 2018
Episode 2 in the series about a misfit orphan who moves in with his Uncle Jonathan who just happens to be a wizard with a witch for a neighbor.
I love Lewis, a fat kid who has trouble with bullies and his best friend Rose Rita, a tomboy who's tough enough for ten kids. In this story, Lewis finds a magic talisman which leads him down a dark path and his friends have to come to the rescue.
Thank goodness for YA favorites from childhood. I reread these to escape from our current reality which is dark and depressing.
Highly recommended.
I love Lewis, a fat kid who has trouble with bullies and his best friend Rose Rita, a tomboy who's tough enough for ten kids. In this story, Lewis finds a magic talisman which leads him down a dark path and his friends have to come to the rescue.
Thank goodness for YA favorites from childhood. I reread these to escape from our current reality which is dark and depressing.
Highly recommended.
September 22, 2018
I can鈥檛 believe I read this scary stuff in elementary school! Very legitimate horror. (For kids. Delightful still to this grownup.)
September 1, 2023
Entretenida /entertaining
June 18, 2021
袛懈褌褟褔邪 褨 锌褉芯褋褌邪, 邪薪褨卸 锌械褉褕邪. 袗谢械 泻芯褉芯褌泻芯, 褌芯屑褍 褔懈褌邪褌懈屑褍 褋械褉褨褞 写邪谢褨.
October 31, 2022
A beloved book from childhood, this one remains a great read - spooky and cozy, perfect for this time of year.
November 29, 2018
I feel like Bellairs doesn't give enough depth of detail - historical, magical (even if you just make it up, let it feel well-developed), characters.
Mercer Mayer's illustrations seemed too 1970s for me. I just don't buy Uncle Jonathan looking like a shaggy hippie.
Mercer Mayer's illustrations seemed too 1970s for me. I just don't buy Uncle Jonathan looking like a shaggy hippie.
October 16, 2007
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.
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