Prospero's Children

by Jan Siegel

Book Overview

It began ages past in fabled Atlantis, when a mad, power-hungry queen forged a key to a door never meant to be opened by mortal man--its inception would hasten her own death and the extinction of her... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345439015
• ISBN13: 9780345439017
• Release Date: May 2000
• Publisher: Del Rey Books
• Length: 350 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Good Enough - But Beware

This book was so incredibly hard to read. Many of the paragraphs spanned an entire page, some a page and a half, with several jumbled thoughts or unnecessary descriptions laced within. Back to back to back, I had a hard time convincing myself to read just one more page, or one more paragraph. For this reason alone, I have removed a cow. The story itself was interesting. I wish I felt a bit more attached to the main character. I do not dislike Fern, but I do not particularly like her either. She feels more like a shell of a person than someone real. The two things I know about her are not even significant. You learn she does not believe in fanciful, magical things, but her position on this is changed rather quickly with little resistance. You also learn she believes in good manners, which has a little more weight on the plot as magic is supposed to follow the rules of curtesy... but the consequences are never shown, which makes me question its validity. I am also not a big fan of forced romance. It reeks of lust on the characters parts and pandering on the authors. But it was a good cyclical adventure with fantasy and magic abound. Very fairytale-like. So I've settled on three cows and decided to let the story end here.

Ingenous and Imaginative

_Prospero's Children_ is the first novel in the(recently titled)Fern Capel Trilogy. Filled with smooth poetic and dreamy prose, accompanied by complex and realistic characters with real flaws, personal quirks and mannerism that define and either endure them to the reader or as in the case of some other readers annoy them. The story follows the adventures of the Capel family, most specifically Fernanda Capel, sixteen year old daughter of her sweet if absent minded Father Robin and elder sister of twelve year old adorably mischevious Will Capel. After inheriting a run down victorian house on the moors of Yorkshire from a long distant relative, Robin and family travel out to the house with the intention of spending the summer fixing it up and selling it. From there a vast and complex plot and conspiracy spanning litterally thousands of years from an ancient Civilzation's collapse, the heart breaking and selfish determination of a witch, the influence of a broken down and regretful wizard and the greedy ambitions of an ancient being far beyond the power and comprehension of many. All revolving around the budding potential power of Fern herself. The plot ecompasses finding a single object that may or may not be within the grasp of the Capel's long dead relative. As said before the prose in this novel is dreamy and leaning on the side of purple without quite reaching ultimate urple status. Seigel certainly knows how to make even the most simplistic scenes a vast and beautiful tapestry, akin to the decsriptive writing of Patrcia McKillip. Despite this beautiful language the plot moves at an even and slightly slow pace in the beginning that may, or may not turn off some readers. While not quite as chugging as some other novels, this novel takes a certain amount of patience and active interest to read it, divided into three distinct parts, the latter two halves of the novel where things miraculously come together and move at a fast breathless pace that neither leaves the reader behind confused as to what happened, but takes them along for the ride and leaves them feeling with a flushed excitement that makes this novel stick with a reader long after it's read. Seigel writers her herione Fern with a square almost prudish manner stemming from having to take control of her family at an early age with the tragic death of her mother and keep it from falling apart in the hands of her bumbling father. Fern is a prickly herione that will occasionally grate on the readers nerves as her shaky pride and "sense" in approaching things are shaken up. Her father Robin is mostly absent from the novel, occasionally making an appearance here and there that have little enough bearing on the plot itself. Most of the action centers around Fern and Will, the former wizard Ragginbone-who will assuridly bring flashbacks of all elderly mentor wizards like Gandalf and Dumbledore, but what seperates Ragginbone from the others is the true status of his character in the wide sc

fantastic. do it again!

It has been quite a while since I have enjoyed a piece of fantasy like Prospero's Children, long enough that I had almost (not quite) completely stopped reading the genre. This book reminded me why I always read Fantasy novels to begin with, showed me the worlds I cannot visit and made me feel a part of a story again! I can't wait until the sequel comes out.

A Necessary Circle

I agree with the other reviewers that it seemed as if the bookwas broken into two stories, but I believe that it serves a thematicpurpose. I appreciate the way that the author brought us full circle (or perhaps only 180 degrees?)with the introduction of a storm-tossed ship from the viewpoint of a mermaid reveling in the chaos (what happened to her by the way?) to the viewpoint of the sailor the mermaid destroys in that same storm at the end of the novel. We are given several clues throughout the novel about the identity of the sailor she kills, but confirming his identity and knowing what he was thinking made the situation more tragic. This theme of seeing the same situation from a different viewpoint is continued throughout the novel (ex. the two sorceresses on either side of the portal both bent on using the key) and I think the way that the story appears broken into two parts is necessary. Fern is looking for the key in both the English countryside and in Atlantis, and essentially, both stories culminate at the same time -- only her position and viewpoint have changed. By the end of the novel, you are able to see the connections that all the events had to each other. All in all, a good read. I enjoyed it and can't wait for the sequal

Start of a great trilogy

In Yorkshire, teenager Fernanda Capel and her younger brother soon find strange visitors arriving at their new home. Not everyone can claim they play host to unicorns and shapeshifters, but Fern does that and more. Apparently, these species and other so-called mythological creatures endured the cataclysm that sunk Atlantis. The island's survivors are drawn to the Capel house due to a magical key that opens the gateway between life and death. That ring, forged by a maniacal queen, led to the destruction of Atlantis. When the key is ultimately misused, a portal is opened that could spell the end of life as we know it. Fern is the prime hope of saving a universe by regaining the key, which is now on Atlantis, just prior to the devastation. Shockingly, a story centering on Atlantis should not seem fresh, yet PROSPERO'S CHILDREN provides a vigorous look at the legendary island. The story line is fun, especially when Fern goes on her quest. Though the tale starts as if it is going to be a teen adventure aimed at that audience, the exciting plot will please fantasy fans of all ages, especially those that enjoy the Atlantis myths. Harriet Klausner

A charming, powerful and imaginative work of fantasy

This book is an absolute must read for fanatasy lovers. It is about six-teen year old Fern who spends the summer in a mysterious, isolated house with her family. There she finds herself courted by the watcher Ragginbone and the dangerous art-dealer Javier. Both believe that Fern has the gift (which includes telepathy, telekinesis, and telegnosis). They want her to find a key which was a part of the long lost Lodgestone of Atlantis and to unlook a door. But nobody knows what will await Fern on the other side.I truely loved this book. The absolut stunning language of Jan Siegel makes it to a page turner and you don't want it to end. The character development of Fern is excellent. The entire story is wonderful - you wouldn't believe what's on the other side of the door! For Fern it is a turning point in her life. She finds not only an adventure but also love and wisdom.