OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "House of Massan" by Karl Loveridge.]

Title: House of Massan
Author: Karl Loveridge

We are pulled into young Micah's world right from the start. The reader is taken into this adventure, full of magic, time travel, friends, foes, and family. Micah is unaware of what will happen in the world around him, but even before the book's first quarter is read, he finds himself in a world of the supernatural.

Micah has lost his sister, Mariam, and is grieving. He discovers a locket, which he recognises as belonging to her, and sees a ship or galleon (these ships were used to transport enslaved people in the seventeenth century), and the story begins to take form. At this point, we meet Penelope and Twitch, the crows.

As I have mentioned, the book is full of magic and time travel, which will conjure up colourful images in any child's mind, so I found it a tad underwhelming in atmosphere. There was an opportunity to exemplify the supernatural and magic with fantastic descriptive prose and take the reader to dizzy heights of imagined thoughts and imaginings, but I was a little disappointed. Never mind, the book is still an exciting read for youngsters. I am thinking of stories such as 'Fantastic Beasts' and the Harry Potter books. There could have been some full-page colour illustrations. It would be good for a child to know what a galleon ship looks like, or what the school might have looked like in the early twentieth century when it was built.

I found the editing fine. Karl Loveridge has a talent for writing this book genre, and it draws the reader in right from the start. It develops well, with more and more aspects added as it goes along, creating a heightened magical atmosphere. The prose was kept simple and nonverbose, which is easy for an older child to read.

Despite having a few suggestions, I enjoyed this book and will award it five out of five stars.

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House of Massan
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This story immerses readers in young Micah's magical adventure, blending time travel, friendship, and the supernatural. Grieving the loss of his sister, Mariam, Micah discovers her locket featuring a seventeenth-century galleon. As the mystery unfolds, he encounters intriguing characters, including Penelope and Twitch, the crows, setting the stage for a thrilling journey.

I'm probably old for this kind of story but this novel seems perfect for young readers who like to get immersed in fictional worlds full of adventure and magic and follow well-developed characters. Thank you for your great review!

Bruddah, dis review got me curious about dis book House of Massan. Da story sound like one thrillah of an adventure, wit magic, time travel, and mystical creatures. Da main character, Micah, go through loss and start discovering some mysterious tings. Da reviewer mention da book could've had more descriptive language and illustrations, but still give um five out of five. So, I tink dis book gonna be one fun read, and I give 'em five coconuts too. I can't wait to dive into dis magical world! Authentic dialogue, felt natural and realistic.

The story of Micah, grieving the loss of his sister and discovering a magical world, seems like an engaging adventure filled with time travel and supernatural elements. While the magical atmosphere could have been further enhanced with more vivid descriptions, it still sounds like an exciting read for younger readers, especially with its simple prose and engaging development. Given the enjoyable plot and solid editing, I would be open to reading this book, particularly if I’m looking for a straightforward, magical adventure for kids.