Merlin

By T.A. Barron

Review by Dustin

The opening paragraph grabs the reader’s attention.

·Put reader right into the action

·Make reader imagine the unimaginable (ie. It’s not everyday that a 13 year old girl is accused of murder…)

·Don’t start with “the book I read was…” That’s way too BORING! Hook us into the plot!

Merlin has been beaten, battered, and half drowned by the sea surrounding him. With no name, no parents, and no knowledge, Merlin casts off, and under the watchful eye of his temporary mother Branwen, Merlin prepares to find the secrets of his past.

The title and author are worked in naturally

·Don’t say, “My book was The Giver” when you can say, “Jonas, a twelve year old boy and the main character of Lois Lowry’s Newbery Award winning novel The Giver, must make decisions that impact his entire society.”

Merlin, the name of a powerful boy with some awesome powers is also the name of the New York Times best selling author, T.A. Barron’s award winning novel: “Merlin.” Merlin is convinced that the only way he can go on, is to unlock the secrets of his past.

The overall idea and plot are discussed, without giving away the ending

·Keep it short and sweet, even if it’s a long book

·Just give the reader the gist of the book. Be clear, make sense, don’t give away the ending

Merlin has no memory whatsoever and he just can’t bear it. He travels to the magical island of Fincayra, where he must accomplish two seemingly impossible missions. He must save Fincayra from a terrible evil, while fulfilling his own goal of finding who he truly is.

Describe one exciting incident in detail

·Again, don’t give away the ending

·Be clear enough so that someone who HAS NOT read the book can follow

One of my favorite events in this book was when T.A. Barron’s truly amazing writing skills stood out to me on one certain page 148: Rhia collapsed on the bank, her garb of leaves wet and glistening in the sun. As the surface of the river returned to normal, a thin finger of water splashed across her hand. It clung there for an instant before dissolving in the sand.

End the review with your opinion and recommendation

·Who might like this type of book? (Sports fans? People that love to laugh? History buffs? Late night readers that like to be freaked out?

·What did you think? Is it worth reading? If it won an award, is it worth the hype?

I think fantasy fans would like this book. I loved it and thought it was a bit like Harry Potter, and that’s no insult! This book was great in my opinion. I think if you liked Harry Potter, but don’t have enough time to read one of those big books, you should give Merlin a shot, you’ll love it!