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    Wildwood
    Wildwood
    Wildwood
    Audiobook15 hours

    Wildwood

    Written by Colin Meloy

    Narrated by Amanda Plummer

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    For fans of the Chronicles of Narnia comes the first book in the Wildwood Chronicles, the New York Times bestselling fantasy adventure series by Colin Meloy, lead singer of the Decemberists.

    Wildwood captivates readers with the wonder and thrill of a secret world within the landscape of a modern city. It feels at once firmly steeped in the classics of children's literature and completely fresh.

    In Wildwood, Prue and her friend Curtis uncover a secret world in the midst of violent upheaval—a world full of warring creatures, peaceable mystics, and powerful figures with the darkest intentions. And what begins as a rescue mission becomes something much greater as the two friends find themselves entwined in a struggle for the very freedom of this wilderness. A wilderness the locals call Wildwood.

    The bestselling trilogy from Colin Meloy consists of Wildwood, Under Wildwood, and Wildwood Imperium.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateAug 30, 2011
    ISBN9780062047052
    Author

    Colin Meloy

    Colin Meloy is the author of The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid and the New York Times bestselling Wildwood Chronicles as well as two picture books, The Golden Thread: A Song for Pete Seeger and Everyone’s Awake. He is also the singer and songwriter for the indie rock band the Decemberists. Colin lives in Oregon with his wife and frequent collaborator, illustrator Carson Ellis, and their sons.

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    Reviews for Wildwood

    3.5/5

    83 ratings58 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title a wonderful read, full of suspense and adventure. It is a magical book that invites you into a world of magic and intense mystery. The narration by Amanda Plummer is a bit lacking at times, but overall, it is recommended for those who love fantasy, whimsy, and adventure.

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Absolutely a wonderful read. Suspense and adventure the whole time. I love that it is a husband and wife that did this together.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I was excited to see a book out by Colin Meloy because I've long been a big fan of the Decemberists. A song is like a poem- it's short, so its stories and ideas are distilled. A book's ideas are stretched out, and the prose could be a bit heavy and took a while to get into. I think the tipping point where I really went at it was about half way through- that's when I started to become really eager to know how things would sort themselves out. Now I've got to get ahold of the next book in the series.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Mythic to a large degree this is an interesting read. Prue goes after her brother who has been kidnapped by crows into the Wildwood where no-one goes in Portland, but she finds that she can go, and her friend Curtis comes with her, they both find that everything is not as they assumed and that things will never be as they were before.The illustrations added to the enjoyment. And while I enjoyed it I'm not sure where it's supposed to go, it's a bit long for a kid's book and a little childish for an adult. Still I'm looking forward to the next one

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      See full review @ The Indigo Quill

      Are you a forest dweller at heart? Do you love adventure, unexpectedly personified animals, and The Decemberists? Wildwood is definitely your jam. If you don't know, the author is the lead singer of the indie folk rock band, The Decemberists whose lyrics are unique, whimsical, and storytell through folklore and actual historical events. They are definitely worth checking out if you haven't, and if you enjoy something in a complete league of its own, then you'll also enjoy Wildwood.

      Everyone in town knows that the Impassable Wilderness is off limits. No one needs to ask questions, it's just common knowledge. And everyone respects that unspoken rule, until Prue's baby brother is taken into the forest by a murder of crows. Yes, that's right, the little black winged beasties are baby snatchers! Prue's friend Curtis joins in the search to retrieve Prue's brother and they are faced with the most unexpected things: the world as they know it is not quite what it seems. Animals can walk, talk, and even run their own government in this whimsical tale of furry high-society. There are many things to love about this book.

      Colin Meloy's ability to use sophisticated language doesn't fail in this book. Not only is the cover designed in an amazing woodsy design by his partner in crime, Carson Ellis, but the entirety of the book has a folksy tone to it that will seem fresh and magical, like an impassable wilderness all of its own. The possibilities are endless.

      I, personally, do not mind long books. However, I can see how this one could seem long and drawn out to a middle grader. It moves kind of slowly for someone who gravitates toward fast-paced books with a lot of action and movement. So if you're looking for a book to just get through, this may not be the book for you. If you're looking for a book where you can take your time, sit back, and enjoy the journey, then this is definitely worth checking out.
    • 4/5
      The thing that will draw you into this enormous book are Carson Ellis's gorgeous illustrations. However, if you like sprawling fantasy books like Lord of the Rings, the story will keep you reading.Prue McKeel is an ordinary kid living in Portland. She rides her bike, does her homework, and watches after her little brother Mac. Then one day, out of nowhere, a murder of crows swoops down and kidnaps Mac, carrying him off to the vast stretch of forest known to Portlanders as The Impassable Wilderness. Determined to get Mac back, Prue and her friend Curtis venture into the forest, and find a world of magic, talking animals, and betrayal known as Wildwood. There, they get caught up in a struggle for power that threatens every living thing there.Meloy crafts the fantasy element out of his talking animals and flashes of magic, but he grounds the basic narrative in bureaucratic parody. There are ineffective governors, lazy diplomats, and silly laws that shrewd readers will recognize as a gentle satire. What the story lacks is a basic point to all of this rigmarole. Perhaps its because this is first part in a trilogy, but I kept waiting to find out what the theme was, what I could learn from the characters. This is not the first time someone has mocked the adult world in a fantasy way (Phantom Toolbooth, anyone?), but Meloy does not entirely successfully explain how the Impassable Wilderness came to be the way it is by the time Prue and Curtis get there.This is definitely a book for your more advanced readers. There are some scenes of violent battles, but nothing too gory. This novel is long, full of conspiracy plots and twists, and SAT words galore. Honestly, it probably could have been 200 pages shorter, but kids who get drawn into the story won't care. Prue is an engaging character (if you can stand how much of a hipster she is), as are some of the inhabitants of Wildwood. With some additional series, this may be a solid entry into the fantasy canon.For ages 10 and up.
    • 4/5
      Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book. It promised to be lovely from the very beginning, and the writing was delicious. It was very obviously written by Colin Meloy - in fact, too much so. The writing was sometimes so beautiful that it was distracting (something I never expected to say). Otherwise, (but mostly therefore,) it was an excellent read and I'm looking forward to the next.
    • 3/5
      I really couldn't get into this one. I only read about 50 pages of it and then put it down because it was so predictable and nothing about it was interesting enough to keep me going. Another lesson to writers: you may have a unique and fabulous ending, but if the beginning is weak then your readers won't stick with you that long.
    • 4/5
      This was a delightful book that I read straight through in several hours. All the elements are familiar but the author, Decemberists singer and songwriter Colin Meloy, puts them together in an appealing way. There are also lovely illustrations by Carson Ellis – some black and white cutouts, others that are detailed shaded drawings, and several beautiful color plates. While I had a few criticisms, I would happily read the next books in the planned series.Prue McKeel is an ordinary 7th grader who lives with her parents and baby brother Mac in Portland. While babysitting Mac one day, Prue is horrified to see a murder of crows fly off with him into the Impassable Wilderness, a forest that is shunned by children and that Prue’s parents awkwardly avoid mentioning. Prue goes to rescue him and is joined by her classmate, nerdy social misfit Curtis. They are soon separated and in parallel narratives both navigate the treacherous woods which are inhabited by useless bureaucrats, independent birds, a vicious coyote army, a group of rebellious bandits and mellow tree-loving mystics. Prue and Curtis try to reunite and find Mac but they can’t avoid getting drawn into a civil war. The plot moves along quickly. There’s always some little question to be answered or a mystery to clear up though the middle section sags a bit. Prue has a lot more to do than Curtis until the last third of the book. Also, in the first 2/3 there was a dearth of female characters – pretty much Prue, the heroine, and the main antagonist, the beautiful but evil Alexandra. I found the plot absorbing and enjoyed reading about the characters. One thing that sets this book apart is all the local color – Portland being recognized for its liberal, bookish, green-local-organic concerned population. Prue is a vegetarian who eats granola and gorp and rides her bike everywhere (the bike plays an important role at points). Superhero-obsessed, Kurosawa-watching, socially awkward nerds like Curtis are at home in the Pacific Northwest. I looked for parallels between Portland and the countries of the Impassable Wilderness – bustling metropolis South Wood, the breakaway Avian Principality, the untamed Wildwood and the easygoing North Wood. The busy South Wood is framed by a riot of trees, like the perennially green Portland. The mystics of North Wood could be your average nature-loving pagan/Wiccan/spiritual-but-not-religious hippies, just with extra powers (at one point Alexandra insults one by calling her godless – but who’s her god??) while the bandits are the more militant, anarcho-libertarian type with a bit of socialist rhetoric thrown in (plus they could be on a neverending camping trip). No one needs to get in touch with nature here – animals live side by side with people, trees are houses or touchstones or a way to be evil. There were other nice things also – the importance of bridges in the plot reflects the city’s separation by a river, the sought-after poppy beer made me think of Portland’s microbreweries.I enjoyed Wildwood but I could see if others found it derivative. My mind kept going to other books or movies that had similar characters, plot points or tropes and I’m not that well-read in current middle grade fantasy. Some of the characterizations seemed a bit easy – while the South Wood politicians and Alexandra were two-faced, the generous birds, principled thieves and easygoing North Wood inhabitants were mainly just good, with some having individual quirks. The prose was funny and readable except for Alexandra’s dialogue - she had a seemingly limitless supply of evil villain clichéd phrases at hand. Also I thought the satire of inefficient corrupt bureaucrats has been done better elsewhere (though maybe hasn’t been covered as much in children’s literature). But all the issues didn’t really distract from my enjoyment of the book and I didn’t feel irritated when I’d finished it as occasionally happens when I read a book quickly for plot. The book is long so Meloy has enough time to get in the weirdness, the humor, the views of places and people. The book wrapped up nicely but there was enough left open for sequels.
    • 3/5
      A bit of a slow start gave way to a beautifully imagined, deliciously described world of wonders living parallel to our own. It was fanciful and interesting, keeping close to the middle grade perspective of the two main characters. I will be glad to read the next installment and see what is in store for Prue and Curtis.
    • 4/5
      great adventure in this fantastical new fantasy
    • 3/5
      Originally posted on A Reader of Fictions.

      I finally finished! I had been so looking forward to a nice swift read. I mean, middle grade novels go so quickly. Not this one, mostly because I don't really think it's a middle grade novel at all, despite the publishers marketing of it to ages 8 . This book has been on my radar for ages because of my Decemberists obsession. My blog's name is even a paraphrase of a line from one of their songs. For those who don't know, Colin Meloy is the lead singer. While, I did like the book, I definitely prefer his music.

      First, I must address my assertion that this does not strike me as a book for the average eight year old. While I am sure that some enterprising eight year olds might appreciate Wildwood, most would be exceedingly confused. Meloy uses eloquent, occasionally old-fashioned language, and I suspect that the book would be abandoned for lack of understanding. Few kids commit to books if a dictionary is required for comprehension. Some reviewers found the language overblown and thought it read as though Meloy had closely befriended a thesaurus during the novel's construction. I felt that it had a natural flow, but do still think it will scare away many readers. I just don't think a kids' book would use the word 'apocryphal' in the first couple of chapters without any explanation. There is also quite a bit of violence and animal death that might scar younger readers.

      The plotting struck me as a cross between the cult classic Labyrinth and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The book opens with the theft of a much younger sibling from the daughter who spends a lot of time babysitting. Unlike Jennifer Connelly's character, Prue loves her baby brother and was not being particularly inattentive. A murder of crows swoops down and absconds with him before she can do anything, taking him off to the evil leader in the forest.

      Prue wants to head after him immediately, but in an oddly rational move decides to wait for the morning, pretending to her parents that her brother is there and asleep. She ventures out early the next morning, leaves a note saying she and Mac, her brother, have gone for another bike ride, and sets off into the creepy forest (the Impassable Wilderness). She gains a companion in Curtis, the nerdy kid in class who won't stop drawing superheroes even though, at 12, he should be beyong that now. Curtis follows her, even when she orders him not to. This was a bit awkward, as there seemed little reason for him to be so concerned with accompanying her, other than perhaps desperation for friendship with someone.

      Once in Wildwood, the two kids become embroiled in the political drama of this hidden world. The borders of the forest are supposed to prevent entry, but these kids are special, of course. Curtis and Prue are separated, when Curtis is captured by coyote soldiers. Prue continues on alone, now needing to rescue both her brother and classmate. As in Narnia, an evil ruler attempts to take over via nefarious plan. Also like Narnia, there are humans and talking, clothes-wearing animals living in company. At least there's no allegory in this one!

      Sadly, the characters did not enliven the story either. They do an awful lot of monologuing and info-dumping. On top of that, people and animals lack depth. I just no so little even about Curtis and Prue, who I should know best. I know what they like to draw and how they react in crises. Did they have no other interests? There's a large cast and, while I was fairly entertained, I didn't care about any creature, human or otherwise.

      What really ticked me off were the parents. First off, I find it highly suspect that, even when things were normal, Prue, age 12, spent all day watching her brother, and, not babysitting at home, but pulling him along in a red wagon behind her bike. Would parents really allow there baby to be out all day? Then, later, Prue does return for a little bit, and, when she says she's going back, they don't stop her or even try to go with her. What the hell is that? This isn't like Narnia where you've hardly missed any time. Parenting job #1: Do everything you can to protect your child. I just could not handle any of this.

      Nothing felt especially original to me, but Wildwood was still entertaining. Given its length, though, only the most determined will likely make it through. I will be listening to the next one on audio, as it's narrated by Colin himself, and I hope for a bit more verve and innovation.
    • 5/5
      One of the amazing advantages of working at Books A Million is that our store is sent advanced reader copies (ARCs) of books on a regular basis. While we do have to fight amongst ourselves for them, so far I seem to be the only employee who has an obsession with kids’ and teen fiction. Our truck that arrived the second week of August brought with it a few ARCs. Since my coworker and I were primarily sorting the truck, we got first dine on them. I pretty much instantly snatched Wildwood off of the counter because the cover art is just so intriguing. My first move was to flip it over and read the description. At this point, I was really excited because it seemed like it was going to be an awesome book. My coworker then asked me who the book was written by. Not really caring because I was already hooked by this point, I slowly turned the book over and saw the words “Colin Meloy.” If you don’t know who Colin Meloy is, you should spend some time learning about his band, The Decemberists. If you do, you understand why I immediately freaked out over my awesome find.In Wildwood, Prue’s baby brother Mac is abducted by a murder of crows. She ventures into the Impassable Wilderness to retrieve him and is followed by her classmate, Curtis. They become separated and quickly learn that the IW is a place of civil unrest and corruption. The Dowager Governess (the evil witch of this fairy tale) feels she has been wronged and is plotting a terrible revenge.Wildwood is being categorized and promoted as “children’s fiction”, but is an excellent book for readers of all ages. It is part one in a three part series written by Colin Meloy and illustrated by Carson Ellis. Though it does contain magic and some darker elements (an evil witch who will kill to get what she wants and some awesome battle scenes), any child who has read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire or beyond would be more than emotionally equipped for the darker parts of the story. It is an adventure fantasy story reminiscent of Narnia minus the religious backdrop. It deals well with the idea that right and wrong are not always easy to see black and white issues. One of my favorite aspects of the story is that it really has two protagonists, Prue and Curtis, one male and one female. Wildwood appeals to children, teens, and adults, girls and boys, men and women alike.I can see it being turned into a fantastic movie and I absolutely cannot WAIT for the next book! The Wildwood Chronicles: Wildwood is available in store on 8/30/11. READ IT!!!!
    • 4/5
      A cautious four stars, maybe four and a half, until I read it again. I rather enjoyed it but, well, that was only once through. I hope to get back to it.
    • 4/5
      A lovely book. I love that it is written to challenge young readers. Abstract ideas, corrupt governments, power struggles and family problems all taking place in a beautiful fantasy world. It's something that kids cannot only relate to, but learn from. Loved it.
    • 5/5
      Much more substantive than The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland.... I was surprised to read that people---human and animal---died in battles, but this is a serious book, albeit a most enjoyable read. It is not light reading; the book is, in fact, bulky and it might be nice if the three parts could be physically split with the entire work in a slipcase!Two children, Prue and Curtis, each about twelve-years-old, try to rescue Prue's year-old brother, who has been carried off by crows, and do much better than the adults around them. I was especially disappointed in the behavior of Prue's parents. This is yet another young adult book in which the children do better than the adults.The writing is intelligent and even the descriptive bits (usually my least favorite part of stories) are interesting. The children are smart and knowledgeable. Curtis, for example, likes Kurasawa. There are different government structures and social organizations---this is a detailed world. Except for a baby being carried off by crows, the book starts out very realistically. Not all questions are answered by the end of the book, but the primary story is resolved.A favorite quote:"My dear Prue, we are the inheritors of a wonderful world, a beautiful world, full of life and mystery, goodness and pain. But likewise are we children of an indifferent universe. We break our own hearts imposing our moral order on what is, by nature, a wide web of chaos. it is a hopeless task." [p. 380]
    • 3/5
      Could have been a minor classic but for one fatal flaw. The Parents. Basically they leave their 12 year old daughter, Prue, to care for and raise their baby son. And when the baby is kidnapped? And Prue goes to rescue him? The parents' reaction? Well, they have Prue, let it be. They were lucky to have her. Don't risk herself. They don't want to lose two kids. WHAT? I understand the author wanting to give his heroine every chance to prove herself heroic but writing in parents who aren't gung ho & willing to risk all to rescue their baby? Who don't want their daughter to do so either? What kind of message is that for kids to read? This is kidlit! And then they are all happily re-united at the end. Totally unreal and jarring. I'm 100% onboard with artistic license but that is totally incongruent in any reality. Either the parents are admirable people who act admirably and so one desires to come home. Or they are weak, irresponsible, uncaring people about whom one must have reservations about from that point on. I can only assume that the author has no children. Or that he forgets how much children need parents they can rely on.
    • 3/5
      This book ended up being slower going for me than I would have liked. Toward the middle I started getting bored, and I feel like it dragged on for 100 pages too long.

      Wildwood is the story of Prue McKeel, a 12-year-old girl living in Portland with her parents and brother. In Prue's version of Portland, there is a forested area known as the Impassible Wilderness, and Prue was told to never go there, and for the most part she obliged.

      That is, until the day her brother is taken by crows and led into the Impassible Wilderness, causing Prue to have to follow them. What results is Prue discovering the Impassible Wilderness is its own country known as Wildwood, and she will have to make friends with a menagerie of people and talking animals to save her brother.

      Along the way, her friend Curtis follows her in and gets caught up in his own adventure, almost becoming the enemy.

      Hoo boy. I figured since this was a middle grade level novel, I would breeze right through it since it's lower fare than I'm used to (Last time I read a middle grade novel was about 20 years ago). As it turns out, the pacing ended up being so slow for me that I had to put is down at times and read something else. I get that it's fantasy and fantasy books need world building, but there were parts later in the book (party scenes, downtime scenes, etc.) that needed to be cut short. It also took far too long to get to the final fight scenes, and I felt like the entire last chapter needed to go.

      It you like fantasy, especially books like A Series of Unfortunate Events and Chronicles of Narnia, give this book a shot. I think the exposition of these kinds of books just makes them drag for me.
    • 4/5
      I was very excited to find this book, first because I love the illustrations and second because the authors are from Portland where I used to live. And to top that off, one of the authors is in the band the Decemberists. Ok, so I've never heard them but, cool! I was not disappointed. It's a really fun read. A little bit derivative of CS Lewis. But hey! It's about time somebody tried to write books as good as the Narnia Chronicles. The characters are great. The world building, awesome. Best of all is the illustrations--full color illustrations with those old timey captions as well as black and white illustrations. So gorgeous, I could look at them for hours. And it's very entertaining to read about Portland landmarks like Pittock Mansion and Sauvie Island and St Johns Wood mixed in with the fantasy land. There were a few things I didn't find super believable (the parent's behavior mostly--the fantasy world, totally believable to me.) But overall I greatly enjoyed this. I also enjoyed the fact that these are obviously super progressive "crunchy" authors. There's a little political allegory, meditation, and bicycle riding thrown in. Very Portland!
    • 4/5
      Where to start? I put off reading the book, mainly because I'm a slow methodical reader (it's 560 pages). Then after reading the first page I knew this would be a book that I would pause and reread sentences just to hear the music, so again I put it off. This book is not only lyrical at times, I hear music crescendoing off the page. It didn't surprise me...after all the author is Colin Meloy vocalist and songwriter of the Decemberists. I love the "Impassible Wilderness" that Meloy creates and the fact that it's just outside Portland. The animals and adventures are tangible enough to make me wonder if "IM" actually exists. The breadth of the story brings on a sense of a timeless classic. I thoroughly enjoyed Prue and all the quirky Portland-like characters. (Of course, I'm a huge Portlandia Fan.) I suppose it could have been a bit shorter, but then again, I'm not sure what I would have cut. I recommend this great NW read as the perfect read-aloud to kids, boys and girls! It will have them begging for one more page, please?See complete review at soimfifty.blogspot.com
    • 3/5
      Actually a 2.5 if half-stars existed. Rounding up to a three because the book got off to SUCH a strong start, and Meloy's eloquent language has to count for something. The book reminded me of a velvet dress that could have been gorgeous if it had been more simply cut, but that kept getting added to and added to beyond the point of beauty, and then got caught in a downpour and became watterlogged. It just kept going on and on and ON. This Decemberist-turned-author has obvious talent, but hopefully his editor will discourage him from going off on quite so many tangents in future books.
    • 4/5
      This is a book about Prue, a girl from Portland, OR, who finds herself on an adventure into Wildwood when her little brother is kidnapped by a flock of Crows.
    • 2/5
      It was an OK read. Not particularly engrossing and far to political and advanced for being a junior fiction novel. The idea of the novel, having a secret magical land hidden inside the local forest, is fantastic and I expected a lot more than what I got out of it. The characters didn't blow me away and the plot felt a bit thin. I felt like there was too much talk of politics and not enough actual story to keep me wanting to read more.
    • 4/5
      A grand book that takes place in our lovely NW Portland. I live by the wildwood trail and often when hiking I get to imagine the great divide, southwood, northwood, etc. This book has many similarities to Narnia but is very different too. The talking animals, the magical land, the split between good and evil are all very much comparable to Narnia. However, the characters in this book are very different. I did like this book, but I wan't totally engaged with it at all times like I have been with other novels like it. I can compare it with a novel similar in length and reading level, "The Mysterious Benedict Society," which I found to be a more gripping read. USE: entertainment; storytime
    • 4/5
      My husband and I are currently listening to the audio of this novel. We are close to finishing. The story is about a young girl named Prue who looses her baby brother to a flock of birds. She sets out on an adventure with her friend Curtis to find him. They enter a world just on the outskirts of the city called Wildwood. They come to find out Wildwood is a completely different world, filled with various creatures and awful government.
    • 4/5
      When Prue’s little brother, Mac, gets stolen by crows, she follows them in an attempt to get them back and finds herself at the border of the Impassable Wilderness. After returning home to get supplies, she and Curtis, a boy from school who runs into her along the way and decides to go with her, find themselves in a parallel world filled with talking animals, an exiled Dowager Governess, and a world torn apart by war. Shortly after arriving, Curtis is captured by Coyotes and Prue is forced to find help and fend for herself. When she meets the current Governor-Regent, he reluctantly agrees to help her find her brother. His attaché’s actions, however, don’t seem to match that of someone trying to help her. Told through alternating points of view of Curtis and Prue, the lines of right and wrong appear blurred and trust seems impossible. Will Prue and Curtis be able to save Mac and make it back home? WILDWOOD is a fun-filled adventure for fantasy fans. The characters are well-developed. The plot is a little confusing, but fast-paced, complex, and engrossing. Readers who like animals, war, action, and parallel worlds will enjoy reading this book.
    • 4/5
      While charming and very Narnia-esque, nothing in this book really stood out for me. (Colin Meloy's strength as a songwriter is writing songs that could very well be traditional folk songs; it works better in music than in fiction.) I admit to zoning out a lot during the battle scenes. But I'm not really the target audience - as Baby's First Fat Fantasy Novel, this would have blown my mind as a ten-year-old. I'll definitely be foisting it on kids who've run out of Narnia.
    • 4/5
      When eleven year-old Prue takes her baby brother Mac to run some errands in their hometown of Portland, OR, crows sweep in and kidnap Mac, taking him to the “Impassable Wood” at the edge of the Willamette River. Drawing on many classic normal-girl-ventures-into-extraordinary-world stories like The Wizard of Oz and Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, The Decemberists singer and songwriter Colin Meloy (with help from his wife, illustrator Carson Ellis), creates a enjoyable, if not terribly original world within Wildwood. Brave Prue decides to rescue her brother and is subsequently followed by classmate, Curtis, who offers his help in saving baby Mac. Not soon after they enter the Wood, Curtis is captured by talking coyotes in military uniform, and taken to the mysterious, beautiful and potentially dangerous Dowager Governess, Alexandra. Prue continues on her adventure with a ride from postman Richard and is taken to South Wood to get help finding her brother. She encounters many roadblocks in her search for Mac, meets Bandits, mystics and a bird prince named Owl Rex. Her parents prove to be basically useless, which isn’t surprising for this sort of tale of fantasy, but it’s disappointing nonetheless. How can two dopes create such an empowered kid? Hopefully one day, Meloy will explain this phenomenon.Colin Meloy’s whimsical work in The Decemberists make his move to writing children’s book a natural one, although one might hope that he’ll create a novelisation about a young man battling his mortal enemy in the belly of a whale.
    • 3/5
      Pages: 541Release Date: August 30th, 2011Date Read: 2011, September 21st-28thReceived: OwnRating: 3/5 starsRecommended to: 11+Summary -The day Mac was kidnapped started out as a good, normal day. But when the murder of crows descended and Prue watched as they lifted her baby brother off the ground, her day went from good to bad. And then from bad to worse when they disappeared into the Impassable Wilderness, a place where no one ever goes. Prue can't possible tell her parents what has happened - she can't quite believe it herself! - so she knows immediately that she must venture into the Impassable Wilderness to find her brother, never suspecting what new friends and ugly terrors might lay in those woods.My thoughts -As Colin Meloy is a favorite singer/songwriter of mine, I was naturally ecstatic when I discovered he was coming out with a book. Colin's stories in his songs have never been anything but fantastical, and I've always wanted him to write a book. I got my wish - but things didn't end up quite as 5-star-he's-a-genius as I'd hoped.For the record, I enjoyed myself. There were many scenes that had me riveted and were quite original and/or funny. However...For one, the descriptions were lengthy. Too lengthy, in my opinion. At first they were beautiful and everything was perfect; but then he just kept going with them, a lot about plants and trees, and I'm thinking, "It's the Impassable Wilderness. There are tons of plants. Plants everywhere. And there are pictures, too, that show tons of greenery. So, does he really need to keep describing?"So the beginning was great. The middle was slow. All the plant details and lots of getting from on place to another. More details. Then, the end. It was a fun end, well-crafted, and had a great battle. A few secrets were let out and it was all a great hurrah! (Well, besides that lame end to Curtis's story. I hope he's in the second one to make up for that?)Character notes -Prue and Curtis were, seriously, great characters. I loved them, and found that I connected with them. I noticed a small glitch in Prue (she started out as an indifferent teenager and suddenly became a grateful and super loving and protective older sister), but I could only enjoy her company throughout the novel. She was quite a catch and very willing to do the right thing, as was Curtis.While Meloy's descriptions sometimes got out of hand, they were never more enjoyable than when he was describing characters. The humans, the land animals, the birds... It wasn't hard to picture them at all, with all their differences and strange clothes and/or funny character handles.Story notes -This story is bizarre, with a fascinating air of originality and a dark undertone. It had the feel I'd wanted, but was a bit slower than I'd hoped. I very mournfully contemplated giving it a break about twice. (I'd have picked it up again later...) But I'm glad i finished it all the way through. It could have been cut down at least fifty pages, and I wish the battle scenes had been more personal, instead of a lot of general action, but it was so fun nonetheless.In many ways it reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia, what with the talking animals, one character being deceived by a witch, and a magic forest, but it was also very much it's own story. I was able to appreciate it, even when I was disappointed that I didn't fall madly in love.Summing it up -Descriptive - great, good, and bad. I definitely enjoyed myself and would like to read Meloy's next book in the Wildwood trilogy - although this time I probably won't spend $17.00 on it; I'll go buy his CD's instead.For the parents -Violence and excessive drinking among the coyotes. Parents may want to take a look at the violence for themselves, because not every 11-year-old likes scary witches. 11+
    • 5/5
      I had a patron looking for this book and decided that her enthusiasm for it was enough to make me request it through ILL. I'm glad I did because it was truly fantastic. I liked the two main characters (a girl and a boy) who have very Narnia like adventures and troubles. I liked the supporting cast of good and bad guys and I really liked how this story was both about rescuing the little brother and how important friendships are -- even when you don't realize it. And one of the things I liked best was how outspoken the girl was. She didn't have any problems talking back, when it was necessary, and strong female characters are always, always good.
    • 3/5
      This is an interesting book given that the author is also the lead singer of the Decemberists. I think fans would have definitely bought this book. In the story, Pru and her friend Curtis set off to find Pru’s missing baby brother. They are two 7th graders on an adventure through a magical, fantasy world. This world parallels Portland, OR and the adventure takes place in the Impassable Wilderness the locals call Wildwood. Pru and Mac were “gifted” to their parents by some black magic. As a result, Mac is supposed to be the sacrifice. Pru is a precocious 12 year old who vows to bring back her brother. Alliances have to be forged and battles need to be won. Readers will look forward to the pivotal moment when the sacrifice is about to occur.This book is 541 pages long, which is quite lengthy for a middle school book. Some of the vocabulary is better suited to high school students. Pru is very stereotypically Portland. I think that most middle school readers would not see the connection. I think those details are for YA and adult readers. There are definitely many elements of traditional folk tales in this story. The setting is Portland, OR in an alternate world. The illustrations are fun and whimsical and will appeal to readers of all ages. This story is geared to readers who like fantasy. The plot drags a little bit and the motifs are a little overplayed. I think that middle school readers may give up if this is not their favorite genre. I think it might do better in a high school/YA library based on reading level. There is nothing controversial in the story that would need a specific maturity. There are not really any curriculum tie-ins besides suggesting it to individual readers. This book has been compared to Tolkien and Narnia and I think that is accurate. This is the first book of a planned trilogy.