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Title: The Golden Acorn (The Adventures of Jack Brenin)
Author: Catherine Cooper
Format: Kindle Edition
Print Length: 384 pages
Amazon Product Description:
When Jack Brenin finds a golden acorn lying in the grass, little does he know that it is the beginning of a thrilling and magical adventure. Just an ordinary boy, Jack has been chosen for a hugely important task, and enters a world he believed only existed in legend. Full of twists and turns, talking ravens and mischievous Spriggans, 'The Golden Acorn' is a hugely entertaining and exciting tale from a very talented new author. Your kids will love it, and so will you! This brilliant story deservedly won the Brit Writers' Awards 2010 for unpublished writers and has now been published by Infinite Ideas.
Review:
Although written for children, this is a story that can be enjoyed by adults who've retained their enjoyment of a simple but entertaining yarn. I admit I downloaded it because it was free, but also because the Amazon reviews (many from adult readers) were generally very positive. The 'chosen one' plotline was fairly cliché and the peril was pretty tame, but it was enlived by a cast of characters who were consistently engaging and well-drawn, even the minor ones.
Although written for children, this is a story that can be enjoyed by adults who've retained their enjoyment of a simple but entertaining yarn. I admit I downloaded it because it was free, but also because the Amazon reviews (many from adult readers) were generally very positive. The 'chosen one' plotline was fairly cliché and the peril was pretty tame, but it was enlived by a cast of characters who were consistently engaging and well-drawn, even the minor ones.
I would have adored this book when I was a kid - especially the Night Guard rats and the trip back in time to Roman Britain! - and even as a cynical adult reader I still found it a charming and refreshing read. It makes a good opening novel for a series and I've already bought the sequel, Glasruhen Gate.
