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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Summerland is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon's first novel for children and his attempt at an American Narnia. Inspired by Lewis and Tolkien, he wanted to create his own magical landscape on which to paint a sweeping fantasy quest, but mixing the same ingredients--folklore and new inventions--in a distinctively American way.
But Chabon has certainly made it difficult for himself. Baseball--at the heart of the story he has clearly only just begun to tell--is not the statistical everyday obsession to young readers this side of the Atlantic as it is over there. Talk of reaching first base and home runs, yes, but sliders, curveballs, sacrifice fly's and the seventh inning stretch are terminology virtually unknown.
The plot is simple and pure, but takes a long time to tell. The setting is Clam Island, Washington, and specifically the area on the western tip of the island known as the Summerlands which enjoys zero rainfall and year-long fine weather. Ethan Feld, a self-confessed really bad ball player, is recruited by a hundred-year-old scout called Mr Chiron "ringfinger" Brown. Ethan is needed to help the ferishers, essentially American fairies, to save their world from eradication. On the great infinite tree of worlds, Summerland is on the boundary between two such worlds, and a particularly destructive fairy called Coyote and his band of warriors are nearby and threatening to destroy everything.
Heroes are desperately needed to counter this threat and their journey involves a lot of baseball, but also encounters with giants, bat-winged goblins, sea monsters and assorted cunning magic. The novel features an ensemble cast of equal parts that shine and fade in turn, and yet the undoubtedly fine writing fails to mask the enormity and complexities of the world in which they travel and the bad guys getting their comeuppance always seems so far away. Readers need to savour every word in Summerland to extract the best flavours from it. Suitable for readers aged 12 upwards. --John McLay
Review
Praise for The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
‘An adventure story that keeps you up until 4am with the bedside lamp on, eager to learn if the Escapist, and Chabon himself, can free the enslaved and lead them home.' Observer
‘Proof of the abiding power of complex, serious, engaged, but above all entertaining story-telling.' TLS
'A page-turning epic, sketching World War II as seen through the eyes of two comic book writers.' Time Out
'A novel of towering achievement.' New York Times
'Absolutely gosh-wow, super-colossal.' Washington Post
Praise for Wonder Boys:
• ‘The natural exuberance and extravagance of Chabon’s writing is matched by dazzling wit.’ Sunday Telegraph
• ‘Wonder Boys is a superb creation, a raucously comic yet deeply lyrical work.’ Sunday Times
Praise for Wonder Boys:
• ‘A deliriously funny novel … Chabon’s elegant style, perfectly realised characters and comic vision combine to make for the most enjoyable novel of the year.’ Esquire
• ‘The natural exuberance and extravagance of Chabon’s writing is matched by dazzling wit.’ Sunday Telegraph
• ‘Wonder Boys is a superb creation, a raucously comic yet deeply lyrical work.’ Sunday Times
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Michael Chabon is a writer with a talent for writing tales based squarely in everyday life sprinkled with references to american popular culture.
This was obvious in his masterpiece "the amazing adventures of Kavalier and Clay" which had it's roots in the golden age of american comics, but it finds a new, wonderful expression in this Summerland, which is a childrens book in the same way as the Harry Potter books - this book can be enjoyed by anyone at any age.
The story is a true adventure, in which a number of children and mythical beings must save the world from Coyote (the trickster god in american indian mythology).
The major themes are (get this) baseball, indians and airships. And Chabon manages to create a story that is funny, believable, touching, exciting and a times very sad. Where the worlds of J.K. Rowlings and Philip Pullmans books are a little old fashioned, Chabons adventure is quite modern, giving this fairy tale a more up to date feel.
This is an excellent book, especially for reading to someone, and I warmly recommend it.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Summerland is a beautiful and funny book. It completely transcends the distinction of childrens book / grown-up book, and can be read and enjoyed by just about anyone. Though a little knowledge of baseball certainly won't do any harm.
The characters are charming and interesting, and the story flows along wonderfully. And the unlikely combination of themes like baseball, indian mythology, airships, quantum mechanics and many others works surprisingly well.
Fans of either Philip Pullman or JK Rowling are very likely to enjoy this book.
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