Fablehaven

5 Responses to “Fablehaven”

1. Jennifer says:

   May 3, 2010 at 11:24 am

   I selected up this book last week. I thought it would be a fun read, so I took a chance. Within a few pages, it occurred to me that I had selected up something less than terrific. I can’t aver to be an avid reader, but I can and will aver to have excellent taste. I’m not of the “Da Vinci Code” variety, nor am I flipping through my collection of Milton as I verbally look down my glasses at “Fablehaven”, but I do have a thing or two to say about it.

   I establish “Fablehaven” to be unimaginative generally, but to be honest, there were some parts that I really did like a lot. But, I mostly just felt as if Brandon Mull was standing on a book shelf, waving his arms frantically at me trying to get me to notice that he can, in fact, use huge words. I am certainly an advocate of being intelligent and all of that, but I establish that most of the time, it was unnecessary for a book like “Fablehaven” to use words that have small or no meaning to the all-purpose public. Now, if he were writing to a more advanced audience, I could accept his verbal diarrhea as intelligence, but he did not write it for a more advanced audience, so therefore it came out more as an abnoxious plea for attetnion more than anything else.

   The characters seemed very “blah” to me. The one character that I establish myself enjoying was Seth. He was courageous but fool hardy. He had a lot of courage, even when the temperature had risen. He was a hero, and in stark contrast, Kendra was cowardly and self righteous. The obvious prodding toward this theme of obedience was not completely thought through, and so therefore it lost meaning — although I do judge that obedience is the key to happiness. I felt that Brandon Mull’s allusions to the concept were diluted by his own arrogance as a writer. In additional words, it was obvious what he was hinting at, but not obvious why. His characters were inconsistent and poorly developed. His writing style was very much the same. Most of Brandon Mull’s concepts and thoughts left me thinking, “Did he run out of thoughts?” and “was this really all he could reflect of?” I am not usually cynical, but I couldn’t help myself with this book. Mostly, I kept reading because as an English major, I wasnted some hard proof on what not to do.

   In fleeting, I like excellent literature. And it would be unfair to classify “Fablehaven” as lilterature — but that’s just my opinion. I know that different people see different things, and that’s OK. But my opinion stands unchanged — I was not a fan of the book, nor would I recommend it to anyone to read. If you want to read something gorgeous, meaningful, fun, and exciting, look elsewhere. Sorry Brandon Mull, but I don’t reflect J.K. Rowling is giving any writing lessons this year.
   Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
2. D. Hadden says:

   May 3, 2010 at 12:21 pm

   Some parents might be concerned with this book if they would rather be the ones to teach their children about death and how we should view death. In the first chapter, the protagonist of the tale, Kendra, is being transported with her brother to their paternal grandfather’s house by their parents who are going on a 17-day cruise to Norway. Kendra has a terrible attitude and even judges a “stout lady” at the gas station. Kendra doesn’t know why she has to stay with her grumpy ancient paternal grandfather for 17 days, but in her mind she is adage it’s because her motherly grandparents “asphixiated”. This is the word that Kendra rehearses in her mind as the cause of her motherly grandparents’ tragic death. She had to have learned this word and it’s cold association to her dear grandparents death from a name because most normal children don’t reflect this way.

   Then Kendra reflects on the dreadful way her grandparents looked in their caskets and the horrible make-up job done by the funeral home.

   When I read this book, I was wondering if there was something incorrect with me. Having lost three grandparents in six weeks, when I was a teenager I reflect I have some experience with how children view death. I don’t reflect Kendra’s response is normal. Nor do I reflect it is healthy. I keep shaking my head, wondering why no one sees anything incorrect with the way Kendra’s grandparents’ death is handled. In my mind it is dark, and sinister, and most of all unnecessary.

   A few days ago I got a picture of how death should be handled with children as I held my national’s dog who was going through the dying process, and I can’t speak of the details of her death anywhere close to the disrespectful manner it is handled in this book. A police officer, who was with me when the dog died, ordered my kids in the house because he wanted to protect the innocence of my children. He would not even let them out to see her after she died. So, I do have hope that some people in this society respect the innocence of children and the process of death besides touchy me.

   I nonstop to read Fablehaven after I got over my shock, and the tone of the book improved, and the portrayal of the grumpy grandfather also improved.

   I just wanted to add this caution for parents like me who are still living in the dark ages before our children became enlightened and desensitized.

   If you have innocent children who have been protected from gorey details and respect the process of death and adage excellent-bye to loved ones, skip over the first chapter, at least.

   You can just tell the kids to skip over the first chapter and the kids got to their grandfather’s house, so that their parents could place them in their time of healing and grieving to go on a cruise. By the way, the leader proposed for you to assume that the cruise was weeks after the funeral, but it is not indicated and your children may draw a conclusion that parents abandon their children a few days after the tragic death of their grandparents. If you can clarify to the children not to worry, it was weeks after, they will feel more secure with the tale, that is, if you have sensitive children like mine. If not, then you don’t have to worry about it, I guess.
   
   Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5
3. Lex says:

   May 3, 2010 at 1:13 pm

   bought the book for my daughter. she seems to delight in the tale. she is reading it now and is nearly done.
   Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5
4. Akethan says:

   May 3, 2010 at 1:48 pm

   Likeable book – passed on to me by my nephew. Not reasonably as complex as Harry Potter (which is really charming) – but not as spell-binding as the Spiderwick books. I do really like Kendra’s sensibility & spirit – and while the rambunctious scenery of her brother Seth is an expectation for a boy his age – his completely spastic inability to contain himself repeatedly to his own detriment is over the top. It tempers as the book goes on – but is disappointing for reasonably a while. The formula of this book is well-worn by a growing number of authors lately – it’s permanently odd to see that Obert Skye is on the front of the book with a dull quip, “it’s a lucky book that can hold this kind of tale” when he is out there concurrently shilling his own take on this same formula. Although he does have a point – Fablehaven is a excellent find in a book. I still wish the older Alan Garner series could have a resurgence – if anything as a next step to show that you can depict that the main characters are kids/brother/sister but that they can be clever and smart, too. Like a next step into Charles DeLint… Fablehaven gets its own voice and might in Kendra’s spirited awakening near the book’s end – where she has to stop holding back and hesitating and take action and rescue her family tree and Fablehaven alone. I am moving on to the 2nd book now…
   Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5
5. Bun says:

   May 3, 2010 at 2:51 pm

   Where simply … is the Like in this book ? – Sorry, this may sound empty and hollow, but nevertheless for us (two so-called ‘adults’ reading aloud to our 8 1/2 yr.ancient daughter) this axiom really hits the spot here. Like not as romance or sexuality, but as a compelling force, a cohesiveness, a light bright. For example, that the brother Seth and the sister Kendra are regularly at odds or teasing each additional is not what disturbed us about this book, but that the two seemed to be missing any depth of feeling at all, for each additional in all-purpose, for a trapped and pleading fairy, for a brother grotesquely transformed. And not only these two characters seemed to be missing the depth of Like. Grandpa and Lena also seemed to be more out of cardboard, clay or metal than human, even though they each had moments showing some feelings.
   
   Where this special ingredient is missing, everything feels flat and not reasonably resonating. Characters (as persons of L.Alexander, C.S.Lewis etc.) draw us in … and soon we are in like with them … in a certain way even with the ‘terrible’ guys. But here it just didn’t take place … we never felt that the leader was really identifying himself with them … or – better – that he LOVED to write about them.
   
   We also missed this Like for the whole place Fablehaven … this most magical, wondrous place of precious creation. We did not read the book to the end. Even as a certain measure of curiosity compelled us to about middle through, we stopped, realizing that we would much rather re-read ANY of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia books, for example, than continue with this one. It was a fantastic relief to place this book down.
   
   Why two stars and not just one ? – because the book itself, as a Hardcover is really nicely done and very pleasant to have in hand. Here … we could feel the Like … some one had place into play.
   Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5