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Changeover Margaret Mahy 9780590412896 Books

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Changeover Margaret Mahy 9780590412896 Books

If I'd read this as a kid I'd most probably would have loved it and due to teenage nostalgia rated it 5*. However, as an adult you are aware of the poor writing style.

Most adults would attest that books catered for children can possess sophisticated writing - try Diane Wayne Jones (Fire & Hemlock is a similar-ish book, however, with depth, evocative descriptions, well paced, the correct amount of angst, and an intricate plot and amazing delivery).

The Plot:
"Set in a fairly new suburb of Christchurch called Gardendale. It has a fairy-tale plot, with a devoted sister risking her life to save her bewitched brother. In some respects a coming-of-age story, it is also an unconventional romance between an aloof and difficult boy who happens to be a male witch and a strong-willed, psychically sensitive schoolgirl."

The plot was pretty good, however, I felt that the author didn't really invest into the story. The subplots dominated the actual main plot (sister saving brother from demon), such as the protagonist's domestic/family life, her budding romance (with Sorry), and Sorry's own domestic chaos and angst. Basically, there were far too many subplots for a short-ish story, while the main plot wasn't fleshed out - it was compromised.

The Main Characters:

The protagonist - Laura Chant, is a Sensitive (someone who can sense the supernatural elements). I don't think the author invested in her character as much. We know she's olive toned with "woolly" hair (I'm assuming she means she has unruly bushy hair) due to her Maori ancestor 8 generations ago. We have an inkling that she has a playboy body (slim but with all the right curves - although the author is far more subtle using "well developed", "voluptuous" and so forth). And that she's pretty but not beautiful. But other than that her character is rather dull.
She's not from a conventional-cereal-commercial-family (would be righteously rude to call it dysfunctional). Her father is an absentee a-hole and her mother is unintentionally self-absorbed (or just irresponsible). Then there is her mother's recently acquired boyfriend (she meets him and within minutes they are in love and he's brought home to meet the youngsters), there's her father's new wife (she's not much of a character), the babysitter (a nosy critical busybody) and then there's Jacko - Laura's 3 year old brother. This tableau forms the remnants of domestic bliss - and takes up a good proportion of the story.
Laura is resentful of her parents and it's rather difficult to feel much empathy for them. The author doesn't attribute great qualities to either - rather they are manifested as being weak. I think in the end Laura acquires an understanding of her parents which consists of an indifferent superiority combined with a touch of sympathy for their weaknesses.
Hence, Laura's "Changeover" is more than supernatural - it's a transition from child to adult and an adult's understanding of human error and weakness.

Sorenson Carlisle (aka Sorry) is a male witch. He has a rather tragic and dark history and this emerges as we get to know him better. Remnants of his character is used in many romance novels (or perhaps remnants of his character are taken from a popular hero recipe). He's not quite a Mr Darcy, however, he does possess that aloof superiority combined with cutting prose and being a Prefect from a well-to-do background - I can see some resemblance.
He's very sarcastic, rather well spoken and enjoys witty banter (like Jace from Mortal Instruments). However, he's also a bit of a bad boy, unbeknownst to anyone at school (the Prefect portrayal is a facade). He rides a motorbike, can perform powerful magic and can charm the ladies. He's a well worked out paradox - he possess elements of Lord Byron, Darcy, Heathcliff and Mr Rochester. The author is very clever in combining these elements without losing consistency. She's executed his character in a manner that he can be the stammering Prefect schoolboy and the dangerous debonair male witch without losing focus.
In addition to Sorry, there is his family - his mother and grandmother.

Carmody Braque - the Demon - he sucks the life out of people (in this instance he's captured the heroine's brother Jacko's life force).
He's a rather gentlemanly jolly type. I imagine him as an elderly professor type, wearing tweed, smiling benevolently, but rather cunning. It's here that the author loses focus. She focuses far too much in Laura's domestic disputes that we don't really get to know the demon. The encounters with him were far too contrived and not given much depth. As a character he's well described and I have an excellent image of him. However, for a demon who's been around for a millennia he appears far too naive.

Otherwise an ok book.


Tags : Changeover [Margaret Mahy] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Book by Mahy, Margaret,Margaret Mahy,Changeover,Scholastic,0590412892,Children's Books - Young Adult,General

Changeover Margaret Mahy 9780590412896 Books Reviews

If I'd read this as a kid I'd most probably would have loved it and due to teenage nostalgia rated it 5*. However, as an adult you are aware of the poor writing style.

Most adults would attest that books catered for children can possess sophisticated writing - try Diane Wayne Jones (Fire & Hemlock is a similar-ish book, however, with depth, evocative descriptions, well paced, the correct amount of angst, and an intricate plot and amazing delivery).

The Plot
"Set in a fairly new suburb of Christchurch called Gardendale. It has a fairy-tale plot, with a devoted sister risking her life to save her bewitched brother. In some respects a coming-of-age story, it is also an unconventional romance between an aloof and difficult boy who happens to be a male witch and a strong-willed, psychically sensitive schoolgirl."

The plot was pretty good, however, I felt that the author didn't really invest into the story. The subplots dominated the actual main plot (sister saving brother from demon), such as the protagonist's domestic/family life, her budding romance (with Sorry), and Sorry's own domestic chaos and angst. Basically, there were far too many subplots for a short-ish story, while the main plot wasn't fleshed out - it was compromised.

The Main Characters

The protagonist - Laura Chant, is a Sensitive (someone who can sense the supernatural elements). I don't think the author invested in her character as much. We know she's olive toned with "woolly" hair (I'm assuming she means she has unruly bushy hair) due to her Maori ancestor 8 generations ago. We have an inkling that she has a playboy body (slim but with all the right curves - although the author is far more subtle using "well developed", "voluptuous" and so forth). And that she's pretty but not beautiful. But other than that her character is rather dull.
She's not from a conventional-cereal-commercial-family (would be righteously rude to call it dysfunctional). Her father is an absentee a-hole and her mother is unintentionally self-absorbed (or just irresponsible). Then there is her mother's recently acquired boyfriend (she meets him and within minutes they are in love and he's brought home to meet the youngsters), there's her father's new wife (she's not much of a character), the babysitter (a nosy critical busybody) and then there's Jacko - Laura's 3 year old brother. This tableau forms the remnants of domestic bliss - and takes up a good proportion of the story.
Laura is resentful of her parents and it's rather difficult to feel much empathy for them. The author doesn't attribute great qualities to either - rather they are manifested as being weak. I think in the end Laura acquires an understanding of her parents which consists of an indifferent superiority combined with a touch of sympathy for their weaknesses.
Hence, Laura's "Changeover" is more than supernatural - it's a transition from child to adult and an adult's understanding of human error and weakness.

Sorenson Carlisle (aka Sorry) is a male witch. He has a rather tragic and dark history and this emerges as we get to know him better. Remnants of his character is used in many romance novels (or perhaps remnants of his character are taken from a popular hero recipe). He's not quite a Mr Darcy, however, he does possess that aloof superiority combined with cutting prose and being a Prefect from a well-to-do background - I can see some resemblance.
He's very sarcastic, rather well spoken and enjoys witty banter (like Jace from Mortal Instruments). However, he's also a bit of a bad boy, unbeknownst to anyone at school (the Prefect portrayal is a facade). He rides a motorbike, can perform powerful magic and can charm the ladies. He's a well worked out paradox - he possess elements of Lord Byron, Darcy, Heathcliff and Mr Rochester. The author is very clever in combining these elements without losing consistency. She's executed his character in a manner that he can be the stammering Prefect schoolboy and the dangerous debonair male witch without losing focus.
In addition to Sorry, there is his family - his mother and grandmother.

Carmody Braque - the Demon - he sucks the life out of people (in this instance he's captured the heroine's brother Jacko's life force).
He's a rather gentlemanly jolly type. I imagine him as an elderly professor type, wearing tweed, smiling benevolently, but rather cunning. It's here that the author loses focus. She focuses far too much in Laura's domestic disputes that we don't really get to know the demon. The encounters with him were far too contrived and not given much depth. As a character he's well described and I have an excellent image of him. However, for a demon who's been around for a millennia he appears far too naive.

Otherwise an ok book.