This post may contain affiliate links. Please check out my privacy policy and disclosure policy.
Summary
“When Lewis Barnavelt, an orphan. comes to stay with his uncle Jonathan, he expects to meet an ordinary person. But he is wrong. Uncle Jonathan and his next-door neighbor, Mrs. Zimmermann, are both witches! Lewis is thrilled. At first, watchng magic is enough. Then Lewis experiments with magic himself and unknowingly resurrects the former owner of the house: a woman named Serenna Izard. It seems that Serenna and her husband built a timepiece into the walls–a clock that could obliterate humankind. And only the Barnavelts can stop it!”
-From Amazon.com
Review
I actually only read this book because of the upcoming movie, which I am SOOOO excited about.
Of course, once I found out that it was a book, I had to get it. I will start off by saying that it is a younger YA novel, but that really didn’t bother me at all.
The book kept me page turning and so curious as to what would potentially be happening next. It was a very simple book to read, due to it being made for younger readers, but it wasn’t so simple that I felt like I was loosing brain cells as I was reading the book, which is always really nice.
As for the story, it was pretty straight forward. There was a boy in a house with some magical people and there was a clock, somewhere, and they had to find it. The people who used to live in the house were bad so there was that basic good versus evil idea going through the book. My complaint with the climax was it wasn’t very…climatic. I wouldn’t say it was anti-climatic because it resolved and it did go somewhere, but with adult novels they generally are a little bit more epic. I had to keep reminding myself that it was a book for younger kids so there couldn’t be the kind of violence and epicness that older YA novels, and adult novels, have in them. For the age it was meant for, it was good!
As for the main character Lewis Barnavelt, for me, he was a little bit obnoxious because he seemed like a real wimpy kid. I haven’t read the whole series of books with him so I know nothing about the series, but in this book I just wanted to shake him sometimes. He wanted to cry a lot and he felt like curling into a bawl quite a few times. I don’t generally mind a weak-ish character but just the timing of it and then his sudden bounce back was a little…meh. Of course, once again, it’s for younger readers so they won’t be noticing those kinds of things.
The novel, overall, was still an enjoyable read. It was also wonderful because it had illustrations. Not tons of them, but a few were dropped here and there, which brought the inner child in me out as I have’t had a book will illustrations in soooooo long! I was extremely happy!
In relation to the movie….
I’m definitely curious as to what the movie is going to do. Based off the trailer, it looks to be pretty big and epic, doesn’t it?
Just based off the trailer, I can already see so many differences between the book and the movie. The two adults should be older, the uncle should be a redhead, Lewis should be quite fat…the small things. There also seems to be some sort of creature or something in the movie?
I mean, I’m still going to see it as I don’t have an attachment to this book like with others….but I can already see that it has been Hollywood-ized.
That all aside, I still give the book 4/5 teacups! I don’t give it 5 because it’s a little bit below me and reading it, I see some flaws in the book, but for a child me, I’d have given it 5 teacups.
Still, 4 teacups means I thoroughly did enjoy it and do recommend checking it out. Especially if you’re going to be going to see the movie!
Teacups instead of stars is so cute. I really like the title of this book. I might have to look into it further. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. 😃
Honestly the book was really cute. It’s a very simple read and has pictures which makes it even better. I always have to read the book before I saw the movie so it was an amazing excuse!
I saw this trailer last time I went to the cinema – it looked really good! Great review!
I’m honestly quite excited. As a movie it looks amazing but we’ll have to see how it holds up in relation to the book!
I enjoy your style – you have mad skills
Thank you!
I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HIS MOVIE! It looks so good!!! I’m glad you enjoyed the book, I will have to see if I can fit it in before I see the movie.
Definitely try to! It was such a short book, you could read it in a sitting during an afternoon or in two shorter sittings! Definitely recommend!
Wow! I’m so intrigued by this book and the movie trailer!
Definitely recommend checking it out!
Am I the only one that had a gasp,/ melt down at the sight of a book with the page ripped out? Great review. I hadn’t heard of this book or movie and I think it could appeal to my eldest grandson.
Oh my gosh! I should probably explain 😀 (I had on instagram but it’s been a while, an update would be good). I had this romance book, it was 3 short romance stories, that were the poorest thing I have ever read and it had such bad reviews. The book itself was such bad quality that it started to fall apart and the pages came out. So I pulled a few more of the pages out as I couldn’t donate it at that point and I wanted to spare someone else from reading the bad book and I use the pages as props for photos now. I definitely don’t believe in destroying books, but this was a mercy killing as it was just so horrible and literally fell apart in my hands. I think the book-gods were telling me something.
And definitely! It seems to be a bit more angled towards guys, the book series at least, so I do recommend! And the movie of course looks good too!
I totally nearly had a meltdown too. Thanks for explaining!
I’m so sorry! 😀
I feel like I live in a cave – this is the first time I hear about the book and movie. I am adding this to my TBR right now 😀
Check it out! It’s a very very short book so should only take a few hours and one sitting to get through!
That an adult can enjoy a children’s book without reading it to a child means it is fantastically done! Thanks for the review.
That’s beautifully put! And so true!
I think I heard about this one! Love seeing movie trailers for book to movies, its so fun.
I only heard about it a few weeks ago and immediately had to check it out. I’m sooooo glad that I did!
I want to see the movie when it comes out. Great review!
I’m soooo excited to see it!