Tamsin

ISBN: 0-451-45820-6 Order from: Amazon.com

Well-written, sensitive tale of coming of age amid old mysteries, with a typical Supernatural Romance plot enlivened by wonders of fairy and friendship.

Reviewed by David on May 05, 2001

Genre: Fantasy (Coming of Age, Ghosts, Rural Fantasy)

Synopsis: Being an unpopular, self-conscious teenager is never easy, especially if one's parents are divorced. It's even worse for Jenny, whose mother finds a new husband and moves to England, tearing the girl from her few friends.

Jenny's dislike of the situation is not helped by her new home—an old, barely livable country house which seems determined to make its inhabitants' life as hard as possible. In this stressful life, the old legends of haunts and fairies don't tell of the rarest treasure of all—the chance for a true friendship.

Full Review: Beagle writes from a teenager's point of view—playing with earnestness and maturity as the plot progresses. The approach works well—and involves the reader in Jenny's emotional and supernatural problems. The plot is fairly conventional, but the little elements—like the tale of the two cats, and the nature of the surrounding mysteries—are excellent and provide a fresh and enticing novel.

In keeping with the teenage nature of the protagonist, the narrative is a bit self-centered, nevertheless, both Jenny and those surrounding her are well defined and sympathetic. The ending is a little pat, with a hopeful resolution.

This modern fantasy is sensitive without too much sentimentality, and has a smooth juxtaposition of mundane and fantastic that warms the heart and entertains the mind.

The tone and style of the novel may appeal to the fans of Pamela Dean's works Juniper, Gentian and Rosemary and Tam Lin.

Overall: 6.5; Plot: 5; Characters: 6.5; Style: 6.5; World-building: 5; Originality: 5.5;

ISBN: 0-451-45820-6 Order from: Amazon.com