Finishing another book deserves something as celebratory as a blog post so a second post it is. As my second middle-grade read this month, The Time of Green Magic by Hilary McKay might not top off my perpetual fondness for the first one, though this book successfully explored magic in the eeriest way possible.
The Time of Green Magic follows the story of Abi whose father is getting married to a single mother of two boys named Max and Louis, though the three children haven't gotten the chance to bond yet when something happens with Polly's apartment lease and so they have to move out immediately. The newly blended family then goes for a house-hunting and after a long and difficult search, their choice falls on a big old house covered with ivy and a Narnia look-alike lamp on the front.
However, strange things start to happen in the new house. Abi finds herself lost in a book quite literally every time she starts reading. Max loses his best friend and falls head over heels in love with someone he used to despise so much. Louis gets a secret visitor which is becoming much more real and scary through time. Hoping for no one else to get hurt, the three of them try to find a way to solve it.
The combination of the writing style along with the eerie vibes this story brought out was perhaps the main reason why I couldn't stop the magical feeling that came rushing to me through every word. Aside from the fact that it started out well, The Time of Green Magic had quite a fast pace so it didn't bore me with too many details. However, I had a small problem regarding the switching point of view in some chapters: it was done abruptly in some parts. While it wasn't exactly confusing to begin with, it would be much better if the change was marked by the starting of a new part in my opinion.
The good news is, all the characters were lovely. The children bonded gradually and the way they blended was overall well explored. I was actually hoping to see more of Polly though to be fair I didn't think Abi and Louis would be this close if it wasn't for her mother being away for some time. If I had to pick a favorite, I would certainly pick Louis followed by Abi and Theo in the second place. I chose to leave Max behind as I wasn't a big fan of him though I have to admit that his parts were the most entertaining to read out of all the children.
While the storyline was great, I considered the ending a bit... bland. Don't get me wrong. I still think it's a nice conclusion for a sweet book like this though frankly I was hoping for something more drastic and dramatic like action or magic (or maybe it was because it had contained enough magic already that it wasn't any longer necessary to include another dose in the ending). But still, the way Abi could literally touch the things she read in a book was such an exceptional idea.
In conclusion, The Time of Green Magic was an enjoyable middle-grade read with great storytelling and an eerie setting. If you're looking for something light with a touch of something mystical, this book would be another addition you'd like to experience as well.
Actual rating: 3.5★
