Song of the Gargoyle

by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Book Overview

A strange sound awakens thirteen-year-old Tymmon in the dead of night. In a blink of an eye his father, the court jester of Austerneve, is mysteriously kidnapped and the terrified boy must slip away... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385303017
• ISBN13: 9780385303019
• Release Date: March 1991
• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.7" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

A pretty good picture

Song of the Gargoyle, by Zilpha Keatley Snyder is a fascinating book of medieval times. It starts with a boy of thirteen, Tymmon, his father is a court jester named Komus. His father is captured by a man in unknown knight garments, but Tymmon manages to escape the castle where they live, Austerneve. He embarks on a long three month journey trying to escape the knight that is searching for him. On his journey he meets many people, first he meets a gargoyle he names Troff, later he meets to orphans by the names of Petrus and Dalia. In the end he rescues his father and uncovers a plot by an evil city to take of the north countries. This book is great I would recommend it to anyone. The book puts you on the edge of your seat like when Komus is being taken and Tymmon see from a hidden room, the suspense makes you go wild. There is also action, like when Tymmon and Troff have a camp set up and they are attacked by brigands Tymmon and Troff manage to fight them off. There were also parts to touch the soul which some may like. Such as the scene when Komus is taken it was hard to imagine Tymmon's feelings watching his father being captured. Also when Komus and Tymmon are reunited in a castle dungeon it makes you happy to see them together again. Finally just all through the book Tymmon must be scared out of his mind to be alone in woods and other unknown territory. Next I loved the author wrote on the scenarie she puts in great details. Such as when Tymmon was lost in some scary woods she described the trees and his surroundings with such detail I nearly had nightmares. She also described the beach Tymmon and Troff followed to get to other cities it made me feel as if I was at the beach. As I said before this book is great I recommend to anyone. Adult or child you will love this book. So go out and buy a copy of Zilpha Keatley Snyder's Song of the Gargoyle today.

A great historical adventure!

this book is really interesting on many different fronts. For one, it tells a great story set during Medieval Europe, one about a 13-year old boy who is struggling with his fate as a fugitive as he runs from those who arrested his father, the castle's court jester. The mystery about Tymmon's father is well-paced and the reader, like Tymmon, is given bits and pieces to put together until the end. The book is also representing a good rite-of-passage story as Tymmon wrestles with his own identity and his images (delusions?) of the knighthood he so much desires as well as realizing the legacy that his father left him and the role of surviver, friend, entertainer, and care-taker that he performs as the book goes on. On this journey, the reader watches as a frightened boy, with the help of his wise and strong gargoyle friend, Troth, searches and finds the path towards adulthood. The story is full of great detail that brings all the scenes to life, whether they are deep in the forest, or in the village square, and the mix of realizm and fantasy keep the reader enchanted throughout. The author does take her time to tell the story, but in the end, it really shows how and why Tymmon has made the choices he has. A great read for those looking for something adventurous with a medieval twist.

A Fun, Heart-Warming Story !!

This book was a pleasure to read. Although it is set in the Middle Ages, the hero faces many universal themes. He deals with a typical teen's embarassment of his parents, he dreams of being famous and powerful, and he also gets scared and lonely. Tymmon's journey is filled with many unforgettable characters and many funny situations. There are some serious issues here as well, such as the need for a person to accept who he is without worrying what others think. I would reccommend this book to any aged person who likes young adult literature. This book is definitely a keeper. Enjoy!