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Critics' Opinion:
Readers' Opinion:
First Published:
Oct 2013, 336 pages
Paperback:
Sep 2014, 384 pages
Book Reviewed by:
Jennifer G Wilder
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Exhilarating suspense and unforgettable characters await the readers of this magical adventure, destined to become a classic.
Something is wrong in the house that Lin's family has rented; Lin is sure of it. The clocks tick too slowly. Frost covers the flowerbed, even in a rain storm. And when a secret key marked "Twistrose" arrives for her, Lin finds a crack in the cellar, a gate to the world of Sylver.
This frozen realm is the home of every dead animal who ever loved a child. Lin is overjoyed to be reunited with Rufus, the pet she buried under the rosebush. But together they must find the missing Winter Prince in order to save Sylver from destruction.
They are not the only ones hunting for the boy this night. In the dark hides a shadow-lipped man, waiting for the last Winter Prince to be delivered into his hands.
Exhilarating suspense and unforgettable characters await the readers of this magical adventure, destined to become a classic.
Chapter Two
The grandfather clocks struck the half hour, one by
one and out of rhythm. The third-floor bedroom
one first, the upstairs bathroom one second, and
the hallway one last as always, after a grudging effort of
whispers and clicks.
Lin's hands trembled as she held the parcel under the
brown silk lampshade. She had thought the letters would
shift in the light, that her eyes would adjust and the mistake
would be corrected. Yet no matter how hard she
stared at the scratched word, it did not change.
The parcel felt heavier than it looked. When she shook
it, something jangly slid from side to side within. She
paused to listen. In the kitchen, the violins had resumed
their yammering, and from the second floor came the faint
din of a TV audience that meant her father had stopped
writing to call out the answers to a quiz show.
She ripped the paper and emptied the parcel into her
hand.
Out tumbled two keys. One was grimy and had an
...
The Twistrose Key has the flavor, at times, of a child's dream, recounted over the breakfast table. The inventiveness is breathtaking, but threatens to get carried away. The concept of a world of Petlings is sure to appeal, and Tone Almhjell's ornate vision of that world will leave children with many sparkling images to take into their own dreams...continued
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(Reviewed by Jennifer G Wilder).
The Twistrose Key is full of frozen landscapes inspired by Norwegian winters – sleighs, ice caves, and sled runs, plus a good place to take the chill off with a mug of hot mulled cider. Here is a list of ten other novels for children that will give readers a good dose of frost and snow, either as inspiration for getting through the long winter, or for filling in what Mother Nature lacks in warmer climes.
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If you liked The Twistrose Key, try these:
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