Tick Tock Terror by Melanie JacksonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have always loved Edgar Allan Poe, so I was really happy to find the Poe theme of this short novel (and it was educational, too). Adolescent Conor Marlowe lives to climb. He is a part-time employee at a climbing gym, and on his lunch hours, always rides at the amusement park across the street. One of the popular rides there is based on Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum." Orne lunch period a goblinesque old man, who turns out to be the ride's manager, offers Conor cash if he'll climb the ride at 2 AM and leave something up there. Conor is over-confident of his climbing ability, but realizing something "secret" must be "illegal," he tries to demur, till the old guy threatens to report him to the police as a thief (which he isn't). So he agrees, and leaves what is supposed to be a raven carved out of ebony that was owned by Poe himself. In the process, Conor learns about trust, friendships, and not taking others for granted or at face value. He also faces danger.
TICK TOCK TERROR is a short entertaining novel aimed at middle grade reluctant readers. It has a lot to recommend it, and also includes a sample from the author's novel HIGH WIRE. I quite enjoyed it.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment