Splendors and Glooms

Reviewed by Rusty Key Writer: Jordan B. Nielsen Recommended for: Ages 10 to 12 for explicit violence against children, overt suggestion of adult sexuality and alcoholism, and overall macabre tone. The third person narrative is split between two female characters and one male character, but though the......more

Do you remember that moment in the film version of The Princess Bride where the grandfather is trying to convince his stubborn grandson that the book he's about to read is fantastic? He lures the kid in by saying the book contains, "Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, esca......more

Truly a story of "splendors and glooms" this tale of orphans, cursed jewels, magic, and mystery had an old-fashioned feel without feeling dated, if that makes sense. Schlitz, unsurprisingly, knows how to tell a story rich in every day details to help ground the plot, thus making the magical elements......more