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Runemarks
 
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Runemarks (Hardcover)

by Joanne Harris (Author)
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
RRP: £14.99
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Product details

  • Hardcover: 500 pages
  • Publisher: Doubleday & Co Inc.; 1st edition (2 Aug 2007)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0385611307
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385611305
  • Product Dimensions: 23.8 x 16 x 5 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 76,966 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #18 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > H > Harris, Joanne

Product Description

Review

This book has a great opening sentence: "Seven o'clock on a Monday morning, 500 years after the End of the World, and goblins had been at the cellar again." Joanne Harris, best known as the author of Chocolat, is good at beginnings and pay-offs: each of the chapters in this nine-part fantasy epic has a punchy finish that makes you want to read on. This is despite the complexity of the story, which is based on Norse myth and uses elaborate geography and hierarchies. Maddy Smith, the novel's young heroine, who was born with a rusty-coloured rune mark on her hand, has powers that make her an outsider in her village, where dream, imagination and magic are frowned upon. A nasty incident in the cellar, however, throws Maddy into the company of Norse gods, goblins and monsters, revisiting the 500-year-old conflict of Ragnarok in which the Old Order of deities was overthrown and a rigid, puritanical regime came into force. Identities and loyalties shift as the plot thickens. Especially enjoyable are Harris's aphorisms, her satire of joyless piety, and the comically irreverent vernacular spoken by a dissolute goblin and the trickster god Loki --The Sunday Times, August 27th 2007


Review

Maddy Smith is a girl who has got it bad. Born with the runemark of the title on her hand, she is an oddball in her village, befriended only by a mysterious old man called One-Eye, who teaches her all she knows of magic. Unlike ordinary humans, Maddy can see goblins, and knows that where her friend's glam (magic) is weak, hers is strong, though quite how strong she only discovers when she goes underground and meets a young man who calls himself Lucky. Before long Maddy is coping with the reawakened Sleepers, formerly Norse gods. Together with a pleasingly cynical oracular head called The Whisperer, who has plans of his own, she has to prevent the Nine Worlds from descending into Chaos.

Ever since Chocolat, Harris has played with the idea that magic might actually work, and it was only a matter of time before she, like many other adult authors, wrote a book for children. Her enjoyment at being able to go the whole hog is palpable, and her dramatic story rollocks along for 536 pages, with magical transformations, nets of blue fire and a spunky heroine.


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Customer Reviews

25 Reviews
5 star:
 (7)
4 star:
 (6)
3 star:
 (6)
2 star:
 (6)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.6 out of 5 stars (25 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Norse god go forth!, 17 Dec 2007
By sarah J (London) - See all my reviews
This is Joanne Harris's first novel for young adults. Its the story of maddy Smith a fourteen year old girl who lives in the distant future in a world entirely different to ours. Maddie is born with a mysterious rune mark on her hand which in her world is considered a very bad omen.
The novel which is quite long for a childrens novel relates Maddie's adventures as she crosses over into the different worlds. On her journey she encounters many colourful characters including norse gods. No-one is quite who they appear to be and who actually can Maddie really trust! There are lots of twists along the way. Joanne Harris in this book demonstates her ability as a storyteller. Although i did feel that she did not explore the character of Maddy strongly enough that said a very readable story.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Haunting tale, 30 Oct 2007
By Gareth Wilson "drosdelnoch2" - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
A novel that will continue to stay with the reader long after it's been finished and demonstrates that Joanne's writing is going from strength to strength. I know Joanne more for her adult writing rather than YA and her talent clearly shows throughout the readers time with the novel. Gripping with interesting characters who will keep the reader guessing as to their motives with an additional touch to keep the reader glued to the pages through the use of dry humour many of us associate with Terry Pratchett. Highly enjoyable, addictive and something that may inspire the younger readers to want to know more about Norse myth.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved it!, 29 May 2009
This review is from: Runemarks (Paperback)
I'm a big fan of Joanne Harris, especially the more magical of her novels (Chocolat and The Lollipop shoes are my favourites) and I'm also a fan of Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman so it's no surprise that I loved Runemarks. The tale of Maddy shunned by the ordinary Folk because of her imagination and magical tendancies is reminicent of Tiffany Aching in Pratchett's Wee Free Men books, and the Gods in all their flawed glory made me think of the characters in Gaiman's American Gods. I think it's the funniest of Joanne Harris's books - it had me laughing out loud, but it's also a gripping and well constructed adventure with a huge and satisfying conclusion. What versatile talent Joanne Harris has - hats off to her.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars An Appealing Romp
It's good to see another author putting the old stories of Norse myth to a new and exciting use. While this book may be aimed at older children, veteran fans of the myths will... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Steven T. Abell

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
I really enjoyed this book and was shocked by some of the critisisms. I have a very limited knowledge of the myths but I found the plot well written and easy to follow. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jo881001

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent but challenging
I thought that Runemarks was a great novel, and if anything I found it an intellectual and challenging read. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Miss Leola

2.0 out of 5 stars A bit of a let down
I am a great fan of Joanne Harris, but this, her first novel for young adults, is a bit of a let down. Read more
Published 5 months ago by C. Elliott

2.0 out of 5 stars Runemarks. Joanne Harris
Far too involved for my intellect! Too many "characters" involved at the beginning. Her other books are fantastic in all senses of the word.
Published 6 months ago by Mrs. CH Covill

3.0 out of 5 stars Too much like Lord of the Rings
Joanne Harris is one of my favourite authors and I've read nearly everything she's written, but I would have to admit that I hope this diversion into fantasy does not mean the end... Read more
Published 9 months ago by MaryAnne

4.0 out of 5 stars Awesome and un-put-downable!
I have not finished this book yet but I am loving it. The style, how it flows, the absolutely imaginative story line. She has a style and she does it well. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Ms. A. A. Adegbola

5.0 out of 5 stars Runes shalt thou find / and fateful signs
Full of mischief & magic, my whole family wallowed in the wonder of this book. A proper faerie tale, if ever I read one. Read more
Published 12 months ago by E. King

5.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining and enjoyable read.
I picked this book up while looking for something to read during my nightshift and was immediately hooked. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Timoshenko

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping and enchanting
I absolutely loved 'Runemarks'. Although it's been marketed as a Young Adult book, I enjoyed reading it as much as my daughter and her friends did, and view it as a crossover book... Read more
Published 12 months ago by L. J. Tenzin-dolma

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Fantasy novels based on the Norse Legends - how many are there? 4 June 2008
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