Official Review: Children in the Attic by A.M. Overett
Posted: 31 Aug 2020, 01:25
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Children in the Attic" by A.M. Overett.]
Children in the Attic by A.M. Overett ended up being different from what I expected. From the summary given, I expected there to be more action. However, this was still a riveting story about the importance of family and caring about others.
The Royalton family are excited to move into their new home and begin renovating it. 10-year-old Mikaela and 8-year-old Zachary love going into the large attic to play. One day, when the sun is at the right angle, they discover a doorway to a magical world. A world that is revealed to actually be heaven. They meet a woman called Mother Light who teaches them about the Great Light and the darkness that humans live in. Mikaela soon begins to help others to bring them into the light. At the same time, their brother, 16-year-old Jake, discovers a teenage girl, Stella, is living in their basement after running away from home, and he agrees to keep her living there a secret. But is she really who she says she is? Throughout the story, the family faces major obstacles that threaten to tear their family apart. Will they be able to come together, or will they fall apart?
I felt the characters were realistic. Mikaela and Zachary are shown having fun and just being kids, and they generally act their age, like excitedly yelling when they learn to fly during their visits to heaven. Jake is shown acting like a teenager and pulling away from his parents and trying to act like an adult, while his parents try to connect with him. As the plot unfolds, many of the actions the characters take are believable. The only problem I did have was that I felt Mikaela became too mature too quickly. It was nearly immediate as opposed to a more realistic evolution over time. I also wish there had been more revealed about Zachary's thoughts because he often came across as just going along with Mikaela.
One of my favorite parts of the story was the mystery of Stella. She was an intriguing and suspicious character from the beginning. I was constantly on the lookout for hints about who she really was and what she was up to. There was also a nice twist about her at the end of the book in connection with another character.
Along with the few issues I mentioned, this book also has many spelling and punctuation mistakes. However, this was an enjoyable and thought-provoking story overall, and the issues were minor. Therefore, I am giving it 3 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to anyone who likes character and family focused stories. Although there are mild religious tones, there is nothing specific to any religion, except for the use of heaven. Although not graphic, Jake thinks about having sex with Stella and smokes pot, so it is not appropriate for children.
The main message of the story is that people should focus on their family. However, it also gave the message that while women can have careers, the most important thing is for them to become mothers and focus on raising their children. So anyone who believes that women should have careers may want to skip this book.
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Children in the Attic
View: on Bookshelves
Children in the Attic by A.M. Overett ended up being different from what I expected. From the summary given, I expected there to be more action. However, this was still a riveting story about the importance of family and caring about others.
The Royalton family are excited to move into their new home and begin renovating it. 10-year-old Mikaela and 8-year-old Zachary love going into the large attic to play. One day, when the sun is at the right angle, they discover a doorway to a magical world. A world that is revealed to actually be heaven. They meet a woman called Mother Light who teaches them about the Great Light and the darkness that humans live in. Mikaela soon begins to help others to bring them into the light. At the same time, their brother, 16-year-old Jake, discovers a teenage girl, Stella, is living in their basement after running away from home, and he agrees to keep her living there a secret. But is she really who she says she is? Throughout the story, the family faces major obstacles that threaten to tear their family apart. Will they be able to come together, or will they fall apart?
I felt the characters were realistic. Mikaela and Zachary are shown having fun and just being kids, and they generally act their age, like excitedly yelling when they learn to fly during their visits to heaven. Jake is shown acting like a teenager and pulling away from his parents and trying to act like an adult, while his parents try to connect with him. As the plot unfolds, many of the actions the characters take are believable. The only problem I did have was that I felt Mikaela became too mature too quickly. It was nearly immediate as opposed to a more realistic evolution over time. I also wish there had been more revealed about Zachary's thoughts because he often came across as just going along with Mikaela.
One of my favorite parts of the story was the mystery of Stella. She was an intriguing and suspicious character from the beginning. I was constantly on the lookout for hints about who she really was and what she was up to. There was also a nice twist about her at the end of the book in connection with another character.
Along with the few issues I mentioned, this book also has many spelling and punctuation mistakes. However, this was an enjoyable and thought-provoking story overall, and the issues were minor. Therefore, I am giving it 3 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to anyone who likes character and family focused stories. Although there are mild religious tones, there is nothing specific to any religion, except for the use of heaven. Although not graphic, Jake thinks about having sex with Stella and smokes pot, so it is not appropriate for children.
The main message of the story is that people should focus on their family. However, it also gave the message that while women can have careers, the most important thing is for them to become mothers and focus on raising their children. So anyone who believes that women should have careers may want to skip this book.
******
Children in the Attic
View: on Bookshelves
Thank you very much for this amazing review!