Amazon.com
This is the first part of a trilogy chronicling the life of Queen Guenevere. Beginning with the young King Arthur who is preparing for the war that will unite Britain, the book recounts the marriage of Guenevere and Arthur, the growth of Arthur's court, and Guenevere's adulterous affair with Lancelot.
Although told mainly from Guenevere's point of view, this is a truly epic narrative, encompassing pageantry, political intrigue, war, and the conflict between the old pagan religion and Christianity. At times earthy, sensual, and violent, it is a powerful romantic drama firmly rooted in historical Britain, a modern yet traditional retelling of the stories given definitive form in the first four books of Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur.
The characters are grippingly evoked as realistic, living, and breathing human beings rather than simple archetypes, yet the writing is effortlessly lyrical, with the elegant flow of folktale. In emotional depth, Guenevere is comparable to Parke Godwin's fine Arthurian romance, Firelord.
This title is Rosalind Miles's 17th book. She is the author of the highly praised I, Elizabeth and The Women's History of the World. In 1990, she won the Network Award for outstanding achievement in the field of writing, and the same year she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
Last in a line of proud queens elected to rule the fertile lands of the West, true owner of the legendary Round Table, guardian of the Great Goddess herself . . . a woman whose story has never been told -- until now.
Raised in the tranquil beauty of the Summer Country, Princess Guenevere has led a charmed and contented life -- until the sudden, violent death of her mother, Queen Maire, leaves the Summer Country teetering on the brink of anarchy. Only the miraculous arrival of Arthur, heir to the Pendragon dynasty, allows Guenevere to claim her mother's throne. Smitten by the bold, sensuous princess, Arthur offers to marry her and unite their territories, allowing her to continue to reign in her own right. Their love match creates the largest and most powerful kingdom in the Isles. Yet even the glories of Camelot are not safe from the shadows of evil and revenge. Arthur is reunited with his long-lost half-sisters, Morgause and Morgan, princesses torn from their mother and their ancestral right by Arthur's father, the brutal and unscrupulous King Uther. Both daughters will avenge their suffering, but it is Morgan who strikes the deadliest blows, using her enchantments to destroy all Guenevere holds dear and to force Arthur to betray his Queen.
In the chaos that follows, Arthur dispatches a new knight to Guenevere, the young French prince Lancelot, never knowing that Lancelot's passion for the Queen, and hers for him, may be the love that spells ruin for Camelot.
Customer Reviews:
Enjoyed the book immensely.......2007-09-13
I enjoy historical fiction. I also enjoy different takes on the same stories one has always heard - Gregory Maguire's books are a good example. This book provides a different look at the traditional King Arthur story. While not quite the Mists of Avalon, what I enjoyed was the way the trilogy was written. Three different books looking at three different parts of the story was far more preferable than one really long book (Mists of Avalon). I would recommend the book to anyone looking for a strong heroine, historical fiction or just a different take on the story of King Arthur.
Not worth reading.......2007-02-26
I'd been wanting to read this book for a while. Finally picked it up yesterday, made it through almost 200 pages on the plane, and gave up. Maybe I've just been spoiled by The Mists of Avalon, which is one of the best books of fantasy I've ever read. Or maybe I was too fresh off reading one of the greatest books in all literature, The Grapes of Wrath, which I'd finished just a day before starting Guenevere. I just found this book immensely difficult to get through. I can't remember the last book I read where I had to force myself to turn the page to get on with the story. Arthur comes off as a silly little lovestruck frat-boy incapable of making up his own mind, and Guenevere is a simpering, ineffectual idiot. In general, the description of their evolution of their relationship is not believable. I didn't make it far enough along in the book to be able to relate more about other main characters, but from what I've read from other reviews, it doesn't look good for their portrayals either.
The prose is also, for the most part, insufferable. I found the descriptions of the characters' actions obvious, trite, and repetitive. It was also jarring to veer between rather graphic descriptions of Merlin's lustful thoughts to Guenevere's constant, Harlequin-y "Oh Arthur! My love, love, I love you." Gag.
In short, not recommended, unless you really have nothing else better to do.
A Great Read.......2006-10-04
This book was really entertaining. I got really engrossed in the storyline and cannot wait to read the sequel. I highly recommend it.
Incredible read.......2006-06-30
This book, even though fiction, accurately protrays the history of that time. The determined spread of Christians, by any means, and the undying love between a woman and her country. Everybody focuses on Arthur and his knights, no one bothers to look into or knows Gueneveres life, other than she's an adulterer. But Ms. Miles sheds her life into a new light, and while she can be whiny, this book protrays her as Arthurs and then Lancelots strength.
Not your mother's King Arthur.......2006-06-19
If you're looking for a radically realistic take on the King Arthur legend from the woman's perspective, I highly recommend this (and any) novel by Rosalind Miles. Her research is great and the books are never dry...they never get bogged down in minutiae. It is Camelot for the Sophisticated, and the story has a realistic view of sex and love in the Middle Ages. Miles is a scholar and an artist. Add this to your canon of "hip" Medieval literature along with "Mists of Avalon" and additional books by Kalgoridis and Maxwell.
Average customer rating:
- Not Free SF Reader
- This One's a Slog
- Heartbreaking, but still a must.
- More complex and haunting than its predecessor
- An intimate epic
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The Summer Queen
Joan D. Vinge , and
Joan Vinge
Manufacturer: Tor Books
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Binding: Paperback
 Vinge, Joan
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The Snow Queen
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Dreamfall (Cat)
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Psion (Cat)
ASIN: 0765304465 |
Book Description
Sequel To The Hugo Award-Winning Bestseller The Snow Queen
The Summer Queen is the extraordinary sequel to one of science fiction's most celebrated novels, The Snow Queen. Set in a fully realized universe of wonders, this spectacular space epic, itself a finalist for the Hugo Award, is one of the most remarkable novels in the field.
A story that spans millennia, from the ruins of an ancient interstellar empire to the planets of the Hegemony that rules human space, The Summer Queen is the multi-layered story of Tiamat, a world where the dolphin-like mers are harvested for the youth-prolonging serum extracted from their blood. But Tiamat is much more, for beneath Carbuncle, its capital, lies the old empire's greatest secret: an enormous forgotten technology which, though decaying, continues to affect the fates of the fallen empire's remnant cultures via the sybil-network--a data bank that binds the past and the future in its web of knowledge, As the Smith, genius mastermind of the hidden interstellar Brotherhood, tries feverishly to unlock its secrets, BZ Gundhalinu desperately strives to save the Hegemony, while the Summer Queen herself dares to create a new future for her people and her planet. And though each is acting alone, their fates will entwine in an astonishing climax that will change the universe forever.
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Another massively long novel set on the world of Tiamat, like in the
Snow Queen. As the seasons shift, things change, but the wealthy and
powerful still want their longevity treatments, so the hunting of the
mer race continues.
A technological advancement does allow the isolated planet more
offworld communication, but that certainly doesn't solve all their
problems.
This One's a Slog.......2007-04-11
Last year I re-read 'The Snow Queen' after first reading it twenty-five years ago. It amazed me how much of it I remembered and how well it holds up. It's a five-star classic. Sadly, I can't say the same for its sequel.
Picking up exactly where 'The Snow Queen' left off, 'The Summer Queen' quickly turns into an over-the-top, over-written slog. It's almost three-hundred pages longer than the first one; judicious editing could have cut two hundred of those pages. Vinge never says anything with ten words when she can do it with twenty or thirty, and don't get me started on the sex scenes. Love scenes in 'Snow' were tender and tasteful. The ones in the sequel would make Michael Moorcock blush.
In spite of this, the story perks along pretty well. BZ Gundhalinu rediscovers the star drive that makes return to Tiamat possible; the Hegemony wants the Water of Life, made from the blood of the seal-like mers, who seem to be a vital part of the vital sybil net. (I asuume anyone reading this review had already read 'The Snow Queen.') Various factions are after all kinds of power. Moon and Spark's marriage is on the rocks.
Then about three-fourths of the way through, things fall apart. Incidents occur for no real reason-a kidnapping, an arrest-except to drag out the conclusion. And after all the mess, all the terrible personal losses that these people suffer, there's a happy ending!
I didn't buy it.
If you liked the first one, you should read this. I'm glad I did but I wish that it were better.
And 'the burning sword of his manhood' is just plain bad.
Heartbreaking, but still a must........2006-01-03
Vinge has outdone herself again by this sequel, engaging the readers with unpredictable events that makes it hard to even stop once the enchantment begins. Personally, I admire and even love how Vinge had developed the character's into more complex plots, further creating a story within a story as her novel progresses. Most of them were downright splendid, but in my opinion, there are at times when I can't help but feel sad to the characters that are reduced in role, as well as their demise (Sparks, for example).
Vinge's story seem to have a particular connection with sorrow and happiness entwined, making her work that much more engaging as well as alluring. The readers cannot help but feel the character's conflict; the emotions, the problems, the situations...
And, for Moon, I just find it sad that she chose BZ to be her lover, when her husband Sparks only wanted to regain her love, only to lose almost everything in the end...
But that's just me.
The Summer Queen is a must-read for any readers who enjoy plot development as well as emotional ties with the characters. It's not a surprise why Vinge has earned the Hugo Award for her work the Snow Queen; She had earned it with flying colors.
More complex and haunting than its predecessor.......2005-06-04
I avoided reading this book because I feared that it, like the sequel to Dune, would not be as engaging as the original. How wrong I was! This book is better than the original, and since the original was a Hugo award winning classic, that is saying an awful lot. Moon's major quest is not just to recapture her lost lover; it is to save an entire race of intelligent sea creatures. And her adversary is not one woman, her genetic equal; it is the entire might of the Hegemony. As in the first, her undeniable pluck and good will help her overcome the most difficult obstacles only to find herself faced with more hardship, so much that your heart cries out to her and everyone around her.
As Moon has grown up, I think Vinge also has grown up. The relationships in this book are much more mature and complicated, and I was constantly reminded of true feelings in my own life as I read this book. I think Vinge also fell in love with BZ, because he becomes so much more dear in this book, so much more complete. There are flaws, of course. The first book was much tighter; Vinge is contantly re-iterating events from the past, particularly concerning BZ, extending the pages with excessive exposition. And it does not have the same "Ah-Ha!" revelation as the first one, as the story is pretty clear to the reader from the beginning. It more than makes up for it, though, in small surprises, in moments of beauty and tragedy that forced me to read the last 300 pages in a single day...
There is something about this book, something so much more than real, that makes it hard for me to stop thinking about it. I think what makes it so wonderful is that even though, in the end, Moon and her cause accomplish so much, they lose so much in the process. It is a bittersweet ending, both happy and sad, and there is nothing better.
An intimate epic.......2004-08-25
This huge book is an intimate story built around big themes. Action fans, beware! Although there are generous servings of adventure and suspense, this is essentially a character-driven story, even more so than its marvelous predecessor, THE SNOW QUEEN.
At the heart of the story is the ancient, mysterious repository of the human knowledge gleaned from cultures past and present, worlds known and lost. Throughout history and across galaxies, the machine and its revered human conduit, the Sibyl Network, have been relied upon for answers to all manner of questions--trivial and profound, personal and technological. The Sibyl Mind binds humanity together. But it is showing signs of failure. To lose it would be to lose civilization. The task of saving civilization becomes entrusted not to warriors or superheroes, but to a small group of living, breathing people.
The Summer Queen, Moon, has learned that the machinery behind the Sibyl Mind resides on her undeveloped planet, Tiamat. She must find a way to protect and heal the Mind without exposing it. This is no mean feat for a country girl on a repressed world where ignorance and culture clashes have been encouraged by powerful offworlders to their own advantage. Moon grows up in a hurry. Her determination is unwavering, but the burden of her responsibilities puts a strain on her compassionate nature. For her, it isn't much fun being Queen!
Worlds away is BZ Gundhalinu, who, after many personal trials, has become a hero by restoring the means of faster-than-light travel to the empire-building Kharemoughis. Although relatively at peace with himself, he must walk a dangerous, duplicitous path if he is to shield his beloved Moon and her Tiamatans from the very exploitation that he has made possible.
On yet another planet is the third major player, a brilliant biochemist of unknown origin, Reede Kullervo. Kullervo's search for a moral core and sense of purpose is hampered by amnesia, a horrific drug addiction, and his indentured servitude to the lords of organized crime. Vinge effectively conveys the charisma behind his arrogance and dangerous volatility.
THE SUMMER QUEEN lacks THE SNOW QUEEN's tidy structure. Subplots and characters are widely scattered. Sometimes the story lingers in one setting, sometimes it leaps about more rapidly. As time goes on, the pace accelerates as the plots converge.
Most of the narrative takes place within the thoughts of the many characters, some familiar, some new. A couple of them seem to exist primarily to plug holes, and some are unrelentingly hissable, but the vast majority show great depth as they face complex political, social and personal dilemmas. There are no simple, permanent solutions, no actions without consequences. Perspectives and emotions shift during the two decade span of the book.
Much of the conflict arises between rival factions of the ancient, secretive, and manipulative society known as Survey. This device helps limit the conflict to a handful of known individuals. It also ties the story to the long lost past and the origins of the Sibyl Mind. But after a while it seems that everyone is a member, and Survey's pretentious attitude becomes more tiresome than interesting. (Fortunately, Moon agrees!)
Yes, the book is sprawling. But I regretted leaving the characters at the end of the book, and imagined them continuing their lives somewhere beyond my reach. I can't think of a greater compliment to an author's work.
Customer Reviews:
Extraordinary retelling.......2004-10-27
This trilogy by Persia Woolley, which includes Child of the Northern Spring, Queen of the Summer Stars, and The Legend in Autumn, is well worth reading. Among the plethora of feminine centric Arthur retellings, I thought this trilogy was second only to The Mists of Avalon, which is the best Arthurian novel I've read, period. Neither a simpering bauble like Marion Zimmer Bradley's queen, nor a bitter shrew, as she is depicted in Rosalind Miles' trilogy, the High Queen in this series is a strong woman, bold, intelligent, compassionate, and well worth the love of two legendary heros. My only complaint with the character is this: Woolley saw fit to make her Guenevere homely, not the great beauty of legend, and Guenevere is supposed to be the fairest of the fair. Otherwise, this trilogy gets my highest recommendation. It is much better than the other Guenevere trilogies out there (by Miles and Newman). If you like this one, you might also enjoy Queen of Camelot by Nancy McKenzie.
The book I didn't plan on reading.......2002-08-15
My first attempt at reviewing this book never appeared on the page; I think it's because I called Morgause a nasty name. LOL. So, my reviews for this book and the following book, _Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn_, will be out of order.
I didn't plan on reading this book, since I was disappointed with its prequel, _Child of the Northern Spring_. But I was in an Arthurian mood, and saw the last two volumes at the library, and said "Hey, what the heck." And I was pleasantly surprised by books two and three; I'm glad I changed my mind and read them.
_Queen of the Summer Stars_ starts slowly; Guinevere seems more like a fly-on-the-wall narrator than a character for the first half of the book. She constantly regales us with all of the doings in Camelot--every banquet, affair, and border skirmish. But she doesn't talk much about what's going on in her own head. The result of this is that, whenever she suddenly acts with strong emotion, it comes out of left field. For example, at one point she lets two strangers talk her into trading a treasured family heirloom for a fertility potion from a Saxon witch. The scene was shocking because, while we knw Gwen is sad about her barrenness, we never knew she was *that* desperate. The emotional buildup wasn't there, so her actions were unexpected.
However, Guinevere comes out of her shell as a character when she begins to fall in love with Lancelot. They hadn't always been close. When Lance first came to Camelot, he was standoffish and rude to her. She disliked him even though he was a dead ringer for her childhood sweetheart. But they developed a friendship over the years, and then one fateful night, Lancelot rescues a delirious Guinevere from the tyrannical Maelgwn. She thinks he spoke words of love during their night ride--but was it just the delirium talking? A dream? Or long-denied truth? Now, Guinevere and Lancelot struggle to figure out a way to acknowledge their love without betraying Arthur. This book presents perhaps the classiest, most dignified portrait of that romance of any retelling I have ever read, and for that I commend the author highly.
Guinevere has the chance to run away with Lancelot and live happily ever after--but Arthur needs her, and so does her new adopted son, Mordred. Mordred is Arthur's son by the vulgar and vicious Morgause; after Morgause's death, Guinevere cares for him, though Arthur refuses to get close to the boy. Guinevere must make tough choices, and nothing will ever be the same again at Camelot.
So, although I didn't expect to like this book, I was proven wrong. I recommend it, especially for the touching portrayal of the Guinevere-Lancelot romance. See also the third book, _Guinevre: The Legend in Autumn_.
Best Arthurian Romance.......2002-06-29
I read this book for the first time about 10 years ago and I have re-read it many times since. You should start with the first book, "Child of the Northern Spring", then "Queen of the Summer Stars", then finally "Guinevere: A Legend in Autumn." Persia Woolley is actually the first author of an Arthurian romance to make me cry. I never wanted these books to end. They are so well written, and Guinevere is neither weak nor a feminist. She's absolutely wonderful. The way the affair with Lancelot is written is just some of the most beautiful that I've ever read. Not torrid and steamy, but soft and romantic. A very beautiful trilogy of books.
a woman's point of view.......2001-01-04
I first read this book when I was 13 years old, and I was immediately intrigued. But don't mistake me to mean it's full of juvenile content. Quite the contrary. This book is a beautiful story told from Guinevere's point of view as an elegantly spirited woman struggling to balance her instincts of freedom and love with her sense of regal duty as queen of Camelot and greater Britain. Not to mention her heart-wrenching dilemma between Arthur and Lancelot...I couldn't put it down! And I have read it again many times since. This is definitely not your average romance novel. It focuses on the enchanting story of a remarkable and inspiring woman's life instead of just graphic love scenes amidst a mediocre plot. I would imagine that many women today can relate to Guinevere's struggles. Ever since I first read this, I've been fascinated with the legend of Camelot, and I immediately searched for the prequel and sequel of this wonderful novel. I can't imagine why these books are out of print. Please let me know where I can find a reasonably priced edition of "Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn." Enjoy!
Different, emotional, pleasant..........2000-12-14
I read this book soon after I ended reading The Mists of Avalon. When you read such a beautiful and inteligent book as The Mists, you get so much more exigent about Arthurian books. Well, I cannot say that this Persya Wooley's book is such a masterpiece as The Mists are, but it took my attention as I read it, such a difficult task now. Guinevere is shown here, as a brave and strong woman, who has to handle with her love to Lancelot, and her duty and respect to her husband, Arthur. And yet, to conform herself with her childlessness. But Persya gives Guinevere a new perspective, and make her a interesting and real woman. Full of romance and power, this is a very good book to read. You can feel Guinevere's anguish, despair, passion, happiness... You'll read and feel a different book.
Amazon.com
Bob Greene, syndicated columnist for the Chicago Tribune, offers tales from the road, dozens of short pieces in which he discovers the America that doesn't make the nightly news. The stories he tells are mostly heartwarming, though they're not without sad aspects. An unwed mother forced to drop out of high school returns 20 years later to graduate, baseball great Stan Musial reflects on his beloved game, an elderly mother and daughter share a room in a nursing home. Greene has a notable gift for finding good stories and for telling them without much adornment in clear, crisp prose.
Book Description
No writer in America has a better feel for the country's rythms, richness, and rewards than bestselling author and syndicated columnist Bob Greene.With the color and depth of a novel, this treasury of best-loved columns captures America's small triumphs and all-too-human tragedies as Greene travels across the country to tell the stories that don't make the headlines. A small-town cop saves a child's life by double-checking, on a hunch, a closed case of suspected abuse. Frank Sinatra, on his last concert tour, shares off-the-cuff wisdom about fame, craft, and shifting fortunes. An impoverished father gives his son the best trip he can -- on the free trains out to the Atlanta airport's boarding gates. Funny, gripping, heartrending, and exhilarating, these unforgettable stories are guaranteed to lift the spirit and stir the soul.
Customer Reviews:
Greatest writer of all time.......2003-02-13
Forget Shakespeare, Emerson, Plato and all. Bob Greene is the greatest writer of all time. It wouldn't make a difference if he published a grocery list, it would be perfect prose. This review could be interchangeable with any book he writes. Greene has the talent to find a story and then write it so the rest of us know why it is important to him. I've been a journalist for 20 years and hope and pray I'll get to be a 10th of Green's level. Quit reading this and go buy all his books.
THE BEST OF THE BEST.......2001-07-22
Bob Greene gifts his reader with a compilation of articles that evoke a myriad of emotions. Each story has a point to be made, and that point could uplift you, enrage you, provoke you, encourage you, surprise you, or just make you exault life. Diverse in topic, they are poignant; they are inditing; they are sentimental; they are little gems of this most gifted writer's archives. I read one story nightly, before bed, and I looked forward to that ritual with great enthusiasm....our media is interested only in the sensationalist aspects of news, and at times it becomes exhausting. Bob Greene says there is another side and "the proof is in the pudding" of this fine book. It is good to know their is a reporter who cares about the "small story" that packs a big wallop.
Excellent style of clear, precise writing. Bob Greene bequeaths us back our pride in America, our belief in inherent good, and our desire to exhault everyday heros. If you are media weary, restore yourself with this infusion of hope, courtesy of one of the best newpaper columnist of our times.
Excellent.......1997-12-09
When the subject of conversation is a Bob Greene book you hear many cliche's. Finger on the pulse of America aside, he's just a damn fine writer. Bob Greene is quite simply, a man you trust to get it right and give it to you straight.
A book that describes what is great and sad about America........1997-08-19
This is the second book I have read by Bob Greene. By the title you would expect a story about kids (possibly ourselves in our youth) experiencing a carefree summer of crusing and ice cream. What a pleasant surprise, however, to discover the many essays about the good and not so good fabric that both was and has become our society. There were essays that made me proud to be a new American, describing good people that I can surely relate to. There were several essays that describe the ugliness that has become "life in the big city".
I wish everyone had the opportunity to read this book and reflect on how good the Chevrolet Summers and Dairy Queen Nights were, because I believe we could experience them again in a kinder, gentler society that we once were
Average customer rating:
- The Sweetest Book
- A KIDS REVIEW
- Wonderful story...read all books in the trilogy.
- Best Friends Forever
- The Wonderful Friendship that will Never End
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Last Summer With Maizon
Jacqueline Woodson
Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0399237550 |
Book Description
Margaret dangled her legs over the edge of the fire escape and flipped to a clean page in her diary. "Maizon took a test in May. If she passes, she's going to go to this big private school in Connecticut. Every night I pray she doesn't get accepted."
Margaret and Maizon may not be family, but their bond feels a lot stronger than just friendship. They aren't exactly two peas in a pod-Maizon can be pretty flashy, while Margaret is more subdued-but they've done everything together since they can remember on their block in Brooklyn.
After this summer, though, everything might change. Not only has Margaret's father been in the hospital a lot lately, but for the first time she and Maizon will be split up. Maizon is afraid to go to a school with hardly any black students, and Margaret is afraid of feeling all alone, even though she's the one staying home.
Customer Reviews:
The Sweetest Book.......2006-05-10
This book is a reflection of when I had a really really good relationship with one of my friends and how Maizon and the other girl just always stuck together no matter what would happen. They were like paper and glue, just no seperation. Even through their trials and tribulations, they are like really close sister. Over there summer time, they went places together, spent time with each other. Went shopping with each other.
A KIDS REVIEW.......2005-04-06
IF YOU ARE A GIRL AND LIKE BOOKS ABOUT FRIENSHIP, THEN YOU WILL DEFINITELY LOVE LAST SUMMER WITH MAIZON. IT A LL BEGINS IN A FRIENSHIP THAT WILL LAST FOREVER. MARGARET AND MAIZON HAVE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE THEY WERE LITTLE AND THEY SHARE SO MANY THINGS LIKE WEARING THE SAME OUTFITS AND IN THE SAME CLASS TOGETHER. SUMMER IS COMING UP AND THEY ARE WILLING TO SPEND IT TOGETHER, BUT WILL ALL THIS CHANGE WHEN MAIZON TAKES A TEST FOR A SMARTER SCHOOL?
I LIKED THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT HAD ALOT OF DETAILS ON MANY DIFFERENT CHARACTERS AND IT MADE YOU GET SO INTO IT THAT YOU COULD NOT PUT THE BOOK DOWN AND STOP RDEADING BECAUSE ONCE YOU GOT INTO A CERTAIN PART , YOU JUST COULDN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT. LIKE WHEN MAIZION TOOK THE TEST, I JUST HAD TO READ THE NEXT PART TO SEE IF SHE HAD GOT IN AND WAS GOING TO THE NEW SCHOOL.
IF I HAD A CHOOSE I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE I KNOW BECAUSE I WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO GET THE WORD OUT TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE SO THEY CAN AGREE WITH ME THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD BOOK. IF YOU DON'T READ THIS BOOK THEN HOW CAN YOU SEE FOR YOURSELF IF YOU LIKE IT OR NOT.
Wonderful story...read all books in the trilogy........2005-03-18
I read this book in order to prescreen it before giving it to my beloved 8-year old niece. It held my adult attention with no problem, but is still age-appropriate as marketed. The fascinating story of Maizon and her best friend Margaret unfolds largely on their block in the big city. These two have grown up together and are as "thick as thieves". The story follows them over the course of a summer when Margaret faces a personal family crisis and Maizon deals with the uncertainty of moving away from her beloved grandmother, family and friends (including Margaret) for the very first time.
Jacqueline Woodson crafts a fine story that is so real you'll believe it could have happen to you or some beautiful brown baby girl you know.
I'd highly recommend all of the books in the trilogy.
Best Friends Forever.......2004-10-11
This book reveiw is on a book named Last Summer with Maizon. This book is about two best friends named Margarate and Maizon who lives on Madison Street. Her friend Maizon was accepted to Blue Hills, a school where really educated people go. Margarate does not want them to be separated. Every night she wishes Maizon will not get accepted. But when Margarate's father has a second heart attack, he dies and now all Margarate has is Maizon, her mother, her little brother Jay and the people around. Margarete was having a rough time anyway and then Maizon got accepted to Blue Hills. When it was time for Maizon to leave Margarate, her mother and Maizon's grandmother dropped her off. When Maizon wasn't there with Margarate her whole life changed. At school she was becoming popular, she was liked now. Days passed by and Maizon still didn't call. When Margarate went to go get her brother at her neighbors house, that's when Maizon calls. Margarate was so excited that Maizon wanted to come home. Margarate ran to the grandmother's house telling her the news. Margarate said Maizon wants to come home, the grandmother says that she would go get her. When Maizon got home it was like old times, they ran into each others arms. They then went to their favorite spot and started talking. Maizon said she came back because she wasn't being treated right, she didn't feel the same. So they sat there and talked and felt like old times with my best friend Maizon. I think that this book should have gotten an award or five stars. This book has mostly everything of real life. It deals with best friends, for example like my friendship with Kiena. It has separation, like my sister and me. It has a lost loved one like my godfather and it has a lesson like when you do wrong and learn your lesson. I think that this book should have five stars because it really relates to real life,it shows friendship and it shows and explains what happens in real life. I like this book because it reminds me of my life, me and my friends, how we argue and lose our friendship and then gain it back with a little talking. It reminds me of how I lose people in my family and then cry because I miss them. If I could buy this book, I would let my whole family read it, I would make it our reference book for when we need advice or something to do. This book is so good that all my friends wanted to read it. It is so good that I really read it because I don't really read books and when I read the book it made me think of when my best friend Ariel was going to move and how it made me feel, and how I compare it to Margarate and Maizon. This book is excellent, the author really put their heart in it and that they were depressed and needed a friend. If you ask my best friend Johnniece, she'll say that she really enjoyed the book, that it should get five stars, because the author really put thought, confidence, respect, love, care and her whole heart into this book. When I say she put confidence in this book I meant that she wrote it knowning that it will be a hit. The author thought about the words, thought her life and compared it and started writing it with compassion. I think that this book should be the book of the month in my school, because it shows and teaches a lesson. With the summary I wrote I put my heart in it because when I read it, it touched my heart. I won't want my friend away from me. I think that I mostly relate to Maizon, because when she left Margarte was beginning to be liked, and the girl was talking about Maizon and Margarte sat there and watched and listened instead of doing the right thing and telling them to stop doing that to their friend. I relate to Maizon, I relate to her because if people don't like me, I don't care. If people want me out of somewhere, then I'll leave and if people love me, I love them back and that's how Maizon is. She doesn't take junk. Alot of people relate to Maizon. This book is interesting and gets interesting as you read on. This book is really a good book that shows you friendship, break-up and everything else that deals with real life. I love this book, it is really good and I think that if most people had this book then they wouldn't be out doing the stupid and illegal things that they are doing. This book really didn't grasp Dr. Kings dream because when Maizon went to Blue Hills, the whites were treating her bad, they saw her different. Brenliniqua, Class 7-512.
The Wonderful Friendship that will Never End.......2004-10-07
The Wonderful Friendship that will Never End
By: Johnnise Lopez
This review that you will read is about a wonderful book called "The Last Summer with Maizon" by Jacquline Woodson. This book is great I would recommend it to readers that likes to read about best friends relationships. I can relate to this book because I'm going through the same thing. Oneof my best friends, Aerial is leaving to Westown boarding school when we graduate from 8th grade. I will miss her alot but when she comes for vacation we will be together.
Now let me tell you more about the book. This story was mainly about two best friends Maizon and Margaret. Maizon lives with her grandmother. Her grandmother wants to to get her into a gifted J.H.S. in Connecticut called "Blue Hill".She thinks these schools in New York aren't challenging enough so she wants Maizon to go to boarding school in Connectitcut.
The next main character is a girl named Margaret which is Mazion's best friend. Maizon lives with her mother, her father, and her little brother Lil'Jay. Margaret doesn't want Maizon to go to Connecticut. She prays every night for Maizon to stay here on Madison Street.
Maizon and Margaret has been together since they were babies they both grew up together on Madison Street in New York. They have went to school on Madison Street they have carved their names on that street and did many other things that they will always remember. Its like their life is on Madison Street and Margaret doesn't want Maizon to leave.
Maizon's grandmother took Maizon to take the test for the gifted J.H.S. Maizon was hoping she failed the test but she then changed her mind. Everyday she would check the mailbox hoping the test was there. Margaret did the opposite she prayed everynight hoping Maizon failed the test. Margaret felt that if Maizon left she will then be alone and Maizon will find a new best friend, and forget about her.
A few months later Maizon looked in the mailbox for the millionth time and found a letter that was from Blue Hill. Maizon went up stairs opened the letter read it and spread a big smile across her face because it said "Congratulations Maizon you've been excepted to Blue Hill. Maizon told her grandmother then quickly called her best friend and told her the good news but Margaret thought of it as bad news. Margaret went and told her mother and she said "oh great". Margaret's mother didn't know how she felt about Maizon going to Blue Hill which meant leaving her. These two girls were so close that they promised each other not to go to Manhattan without each other.
Time then came for Maizon to go to Connecticut. Maizon, Margaret, Lil Jay, Margaret's mother and Maizon's grandmother went on the train to Manhattan to take Maizon to Penn Station. Maizon gave Margaret a huge hug said good bye and did the same to the others. On their way back to Madison Street Margaret asked her mother will her and Maizon become old best friends. Her mother said "no" never that made Margaret feel so much better but she still worried.
Hours later Maizon got to Blue Hill settled down met all her teachers and classmates. After a few days of being in the school Maizon got the message from her classmates. Maizon felt that they didn't like her, no one talked to her, no one payed her any attention, or even tried to be friends with her. Maizon didn't call anyone in New York for days because she wanted everyone to think she was okay. One day she couldn't hold it anymore and decided to call. She called and and spoke to Margaret told her how she felt and she wanted to come home. She told Margaret to tell her grandmother because she didn't want to disappoint her. she thinks her grandmother might think she just said that because she doesn't want to be there. Her grandmother found out called her and told her "it was going to be okay" and she can come home. A few days later Margaret was looking out the window and saw Maizon running to her house. Margaret went outside hugged her and told her how much she missed her. They then walked down Madison Street and talked about everything they did when they were younger.
I hope you enjoyed the review. I also hope you saw that there were two problems in the story. The 1st problem was that Margaret didn't want Maizon to go to Blue Hill. The solution was Maizon went but she didn't like it so she came back which made Margaret very happy. The2nd problem was that Margaret didn't like the way her classmates were treating her and she wanted to leave. The solution was that her grandmother made plans as quick as possible to get her here and she did. Maizon and Margaret was happy again.
Now that you have read a wonderful book review about the book "The Last Summer with Maizon" by Jacqueline Woodson, I hope you check it out and read it. Once you read the first page you will fall in love with the book.I hope you read the whole book and check out the 2nd part of the book "Maizon at Blue Hill". This book is just as good or better. The second part of the book talks about when she goes to Blue Hill and how she feels that she is different from the white kids, in the school. At Blue Hill there are only 5 black children and Maizon is the only 7th grader. Imagine how interesting this book will be "you can't know without reading it". I hope you read it and, I hope you liked the review.
Customer Reviews:
The Winter King and the Summer Queen.......2007-02-03
Although the text is not first-rate, the beautiful illustrations carry the story. As an elementary school librarian, I use this book with kindergartners, who love it and check it out over and over. A large bulletin board version of the King and Queen serves as a takeoff for vocabulary development--winter words are written on die-cut snowflakes, icicles, and clouds, and summer words are written on flowers, bees, bunnies, etc. Although not scientifically accurate, the pourquoi story satisfies young children's sense of wonder.
Poorly written and biased against winter.......2006-01-11
I think this is a pretty bad children's book, for two reasons.
First, the writing is poor in many ways. Some words are unnecessarily difficult for a young child to understand, and sentence structure and flow are very choppy at times. It's almost as if a third-grader and a twelth-grader took turns writing the sentences.
Second, the book claims that Summer is "good" and Winter is "bad". The two forces initially are at peace, but then Winter starts freezing people. Summer decides to rescue them by warming them up. Then two sides decide to negotiate a peace. Huh? It's just so ridiculous. I would have preferred a story that shows that both summer and winter as being equally valuable, but just different. I get the feeling the author lives up north somewhere and just personally hates the cold.
Neato, I must say..........2003-05-09
When I ordered this book, there was no other review for me to go upon. I judged this book solely on its cover and I am very pleased. The pictures are beautiful (in an ordinary way) and fit the story very well. However, they are not in the same league as K.Y. Craft or Mercer Mayer's fairy tale work. One thing that I found very helpful within this book for a classroom is the diversity pictured. The King and Queen's friends are all different colors and different cultures, which teaches young children an important lesson. My favorite is Maya Monsoon. The story also teaches children the importance of compromise and settling arguements with words not actions. The story is a creative way to explain the changing of the seasons and weather, with the neat addition of the King and Queen's friends. This book does a nice job explaing something quite complicated to young children. Enjoy!
Book Description
Read with Me is a series of reading books designed to develop the confidence of young children between the ages of 5 and 7. Using familiar and new tales, the fun texts complement the child's more formal learning. Current developments in the teaching of reading, writing and speaking guide the text and are behind the range of activities at the end of each book. Many of the stories are told in rhyme, and others have rhythmic, rhyming sections. In most books certain phrases are repeated to encourage the less confident reader. The text is positioned on pale colors to help dyslexic readers. The newly commissioned child-friendly illustrations complement the text, reinforcing the humor found in it. At the end of each book a range of activities encourages the child to think about what they have read, retell it in their own words, and talk about it.
Books:
- Protector of the Flight (The Summoning, Book 3) (Luna Books)
- Relax Your Way to Thin! Hypnosis Weight Loss Motivation
- Sign Babies ASL Flash Cards, Set Two: Around the House (Sign Babies)
- Small Stakes Hold 'em: Winning Big With Expert Play
- Southern Cross
- Spanish Now! Level 1 with CDs (Spanish Now)
- Spin Control
- Spindle whorls in Archaeology No. 30 and No. 30b
- Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections: The Spacecraft and Vehicles of the Entire Star Wars Saga
- The Agenda: What Every Business Must Do to Dominate the Decade
Books Index
Books Home
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