Review by marcfelx -- Will of The Hill by Marshall Cobb

[marcfelx]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Will of The Hill" by Marshall Cobb.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I believe one measure of success of a children’s book rests on it being an enjoyable read for an adult audience as well. Marshall Cobb does precisely that. His Will of The Hill flows smoothly, with a witty style and an entertaining story which portrays a challenging world through the eyes, worries and emotions of an ordinary child.

Indeed, ten-year-old Will is by all means an average boy, living in what is clearly not an average town. Between school buses propelled by rocket engines and softball games played with a square ball, he has to face a series of intricate problems when he would rather just sit down reading comics with his best friend. The appearance of the first signs of puberty, both for his friends and for himself, add further complications to his adventure.

There are two main merits to Cobb’s work. The first is his ability to paint a vivid picture of each character without engaging in long descriptions; profiles such as that of an austere teacher or of a malicious schoolmate emerge effortlessly in the reader’s mind. The second is that his writing style strikes you all along as both funny and clever, the kind that makes you giggle mildly inside.

Conversely, there is not really an aspect I can say I did not like. If I had to identify what I liked least, that would be the mention of the entire titles of the comic books Will reads; still, they appear only occasionally and they do not affect the reading experience in any major way.

The book is also very well edited, so all in all I cannot but assign 4 out of 4 stars to Will of The Hill. It is a recommended read to children and adults alike, one that is fast, light and pleasantly ironic. It would suit best an audience that appreciates an elegant yet compelling prose.

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Will of The Hill
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