The Nixie's Song (Beyond The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1) by Tony DiTerlizzi, Holly Black Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Nixie's Song (Beyond The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1)
Book Review: Short and sweet with creepy ominous undertones.
Summary: 5 Stars
I listened to The Nixie's Song by Tony Diterlizzi and Holly Black read by Andrew McCarthy of Pretty in Pink fame. Very good, I'd recommend it to anyone of any age. Short and sweet with creepy ominous undertones. And of course, Mr. Diterlizzi's incredible drawings are alone worth picking up this book for yourself or a small person you might know.
My daughter read it through twice the night we bought it when we went to see the authors. I don't know how many times she has read it since then.
This book with it's Lorax-like theme meant even more to us since our house is in the middle of 6 acres of Florida scrub pine. We used to have 300 acres of wetlands and undeveloped scrub next to us but it was bulldozed for golf courses and townhouses. All the gopher tortoises, barred owls, and I'm not sure what else have been pushed into the only wooded area left, our yard.
This book makes me wonder what else might have moved in. Maybe the dogs aren't just barking at raccoons in the middle of the night;)
Book Review: An outstanding return to the world of Spiderwick!
Summary: 5 Stars
Over the course of a few months, the Grace family - twins Simon and Jared, and their older sister, Mallory - spent much of their time discovering creatures of a netherworld, after they moved into a dilapidated old house that had been in their family for years. Given the sight when they were lucky enough to meet a goblin who spit in their eyes, the three children worked side-by-side day and night, researching mythical creatures in their relative - Arthur Spiderwick's - notes and field guides. It was by doing this that the children were able to locate their missing father, and bring their family back together. Since then, their adventures have been limited. However, they did appear in a series of books known as THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES, which have quickly gained popularity among the masses, looking to believe in something out-of-this-world. Which is how, with the assistance of Arthur Spiderwick's Field, a new generation of believers have entered the picture.
Nicholas "Nick" Vargas is devastated when his father marries Charlene, quickly moving her and her completely off-the-wall daughter, Laurie into their sunny Florida home in Mangrove Hollow. Suddenly, Nick feels more displaced than he ever thought imaginable. Quickly relegated to give up the privacy of his own bedroom, and share the same living space with his older brother Julian "Jules" who does nothing but listen to his iPod, read surfing magazines, and talk about surfing on the phone with his girlfriend, Cindy. Nick is shocked by how quickly his life has been flipped upside down. Each and every box Laurie moves into her new "room," is labeled unicorns, fairies, or books about unicorns and/or fairies. And, to make matters worse, she carries around something titled Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide everywhere she goes. Nick knows that there's no such thing as mermaids, or other mythical creatures. To him, they're all part of a fairytale world that exists only in books. But everything changes for him when he discovers a four-leaf clover. Suddenly, he's able to see things that aren't there for others, even Laurie; and he's convinced that maybe, just maybe, Laurie isn't as whacked out as he originally thought. When Laurie has the chance to develop the Sight, as well; and the two meet a nixie who needs their help, they know that they have to assist her, or risk being tortured forever. But with a giant on the loose, helping one little nixie is proving to be quite a bit harder than they originally thought, and they begin to wonder if they'll be able to muster up the same courage as the Grace children, and accept their newfound duty.
I fell in love with Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi's SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES back when they were first released, and was disheartened when the series came to an end. So you can imagine the surprise and joy I was overcome with when I learned of the release of THE NIXIE'S SONG. Laurie and Nick are wonderful new characters who, while not the Grace children, are just as interesting and fun-loving. Laurie's free-spirit like nature makes her come off like a modern-day fairy herself - what with her lithe limbs, long, flowing skirts, and hippie-esque hair. Her ability to lie her way out of just about anything is unexpected, yet humorous; while her determination to discover something out-of-this-world is admirable. Nick is also quite appealing. His reluctance to accept both Charlene and Laurie is understandable; however, he maintains a fairly diplomatic nature. While he primarily enjoys spending hours at a time working on model boats and playing video games, the fact that he is willing to humor Laurie by accompanying her on various misadventures shows displays a kind side to his nature. The bickering stepbrother/stepsister relationship they share with one another is humorous, and never overshadows the story; and an unexpected appearance by both Jared and Simon presents a tiny bit of nostalgia for the old stars of the show. However, probably the most enjoyable thing about THE NIXIE'S SONG would have to be how Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi introduced themselves as characters in the book, and actually came off as a fraudulent author and illustrator, just out to make a quick buck. This revelation was quite humorous, and added a strange dimension to the storyline, which will certainly give readers a chuckle. An outstanding return to the world of Spiderwick!
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer