Book Review: "The Seeing Stone" by Holly Black

Note: Because this series has such short books in it, it is more set up like parts of a story. So I am going to review them like they are sections of one story, not a stand-alone story.

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

Now that Simon and Jared have discovered the field guide and their first brownie, they learn more about the world around them. But this leads to trouble, when one gets kidnapped and the others have to mount a rescue mission.

RETURNING CHARACTERS

Jared and Mallory are in the book the most. They have to learn to work together, and they may get along worse than Simon and Jared do. In the first chapter, she makes a snide remark about him getting detention.

NEW CHARACTERS

Thimbletack, the brownie who they met in the end of the last book, returns. He serves a purpose, as he helps them find the seeing stone, which in turn, helps them rescue Simon.

The Troll is huge, creepy monster that lives in the stream. It is presented and later serves a purpose in the climax.

Hogsqueal is a goblin that seems different than the others. His eyes are different, and he has odd teeth. He says that he is a hobgoblin. It remains to be seen if he is trustworthy.

LIKABILITY

Jared still refers to Simon's animals as dumb. I kind of hoped that would stop. But he is still angry and there is still time for him to mature. Mallory yells at her brothers to shut up, which just shows her temper is similar to Jared's. Hopefully, she will change, seeing how the story is still in it's infancy.

THEME

Again, not a theme. But a genre. It's basically the first adventure the kids go on. The first time they have to work together to solve a problem.

CLIMAX-SPOILERS

I think the climax of their first confrontation was done well. We see Simon's compassion for animals get them in trouble, while at the same time Jared uses his cleverness to trap the goblins and turns a previous enemy into a temporary ally.

CONCLUSION

The story is well paced and it was nice to see Mallory and Jared have to work together. I give “The Seeing stone” three and a half stars.