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Alan Garner
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The Owl Service: The much-loved classic adventure story for children Paperback – Special Edition, October 17, 2017

by Alan Garner (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,064 ratings
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From the author of the Booker Prize-shortlisted Treacle Walker

Winner of the Guardian Award and the Carnegie Medal. A 50th Anniversary Edition featuring a new introduction by Philip Pullman, THE OWL SERVICE is an all-time classic, combining mystery, adventure, history and a complex set of human relationships.

It all begins with the scratching in the ceiling. From the moment Alison discovers the dinner service in the attic, with its curious pattern of floral owls, a chain of events is set in progress that is to effect everybody’s lives.

Relentlessly, Alison, her step-brother Roger and Welsh boy Gwyn are drawn into the replay of a tragic Welsh legend – a modern drama played out against a background of ancient jealousies. As the tension mounts, it becomes apparent that only by accepting and facing the situation can it be resolved.

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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    9 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    224 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    4 - 7
  5. Dimensions
    0.8 x 5.1 x 7.6 inches
  6. Publisher
    HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks
  7. Publication date
    October 17, 2017
  8. ISBN-10
    0008248508
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0008248505
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Alan Garner’s fiction is something special. Garner’s fantasies were smart and challenging, based in the here and the now, in which real English places emerged from the shadows of folklore, and in which people found themselves walking, living and battling their way through the dreams and patterns of myth.”― Neil Gaiman, author of Coraline

“Alan Garner is indisputably the great originator, the most important British writer of fantasy since Tolkien, and in many respects better than Tolkien, because deeper and more truthful. His work is where human emotion and mythic resonance, sexuality and geology, modernity and memory and craftsmanship meet and cross-fertilise. Any country except Britain would have long ago recognised his importance, and celebrated it with postage stamps and statues and street-names. But that’s the way with us: our greatest prophets go unnoticed by the politicians and the owners of media empires. I salute him with the most heartfelt respect and admiration.”― Philip Pullman

ON WEIRDSTONE OF BRISINGAMEN: “The Weirdstone of Brisingamen is one of the most important books in children’s fantasy. It has been an enormous inspiration to me and countless other writers, and is as enjoyable and fascinating now as it was when I first read it, wide-eyed and mesmerised, at the age of ten.”― Garth Nix

Book Description

The much-loved classic adventure story for children

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks; 50th Anniversary edition (October 17, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0008248508
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008248505
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 - 12 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 4 - 7
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.5 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.8 x 5.1 x 7.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,064 ratings

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Alan Garner

Alan Garner

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
1,064 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Tech journalist
5.0 out of 5 stars In Alan Garner's modern (1960s) version of the legend of ...
Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2014
Verified Purchase
In Alan Garner's modern (1960s) version of the legend of Blodeuwedd, the girl made of flowers as a wife for Lleu, who has been placed under bonds that he may have no woman as a wife. Gronw Pebr, lord of Penllyn, meets her while hunting, and they agree to kill her husband. However, Lleu's uncle Gwydion, the magician who made the wife from flowers for him, discovers Gronw wounded and returns him to health. They force Gronw to take the same position in which Lleu was killed, but allow him to hide behind a stone; Lleu's spear penetrates the stone and him and he is killed, and Gwydion turns Blodeuwedd into an owl.
In the novel, this story keeps repeating every generation in its original valley, the three doomed lovers calling up the woman of flowers inexorably, because the power has been "given a thinking mind" and so can only be controlled by the re-enactment of the tragedy.
However, Garner, perhaps unconsciously, underlay the story with a considerable layer of clichéd notions of Welsh soul and English rationality, with the awfully-awfully English boy coaxing the angry owl goddess that really, she doesn't have to be so awfully cross, in a not altogether convincing ending, a deus ex machina taking the impetus from the Welsh protagonist and putting it into the hands of the incomer.
Perhaps it is this unconvincingness that gives the novel its power; the reader really doesn't believe it, leaving the angry flower woman with her thinking mind echoing around the story long after it ends.
8 people found this helpful
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Gwen T.
4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent novel, dated language.
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
Summary
Alison, her stepbrother Roger, her mother and stepfather are holidaying in a gorgeous, isolated valley in Wales, a few hours away from Aberystwyth, staying in an old house Alison inherited from her late father. Short-tempered Nancy and her son Gwyn have been hired to work at the house for the family’s stay, as has Huw Halfbacon, (whom Nancy hates) the strange handy-man and gardener who has worked at the house for many years. Alison, Gwyn and Roger, discover a dinner service decorated with a floral owl pattern in the loft of the house. The moment they find it, bizarre things start happening, and the teens become embroiled in the centre of a mystical curse from centuries ago, doomed to repeat the tragic legend of Bloduewedd, Lleu Llaw Gyffes and Gronw Pebr.

Review – may contain spoilers!
The Owl Service is a phenomenal, low fantasy book, first published in 1967. I read it for the first time when I was nine or so years old in school and was enraptured by the hair-raising mystery of the book; I went on to read it multiple times afterwards. Almost twenty years later, I ‘rediscovered’ The Owl Service and was not disappointed; I read the book in one sitting, my arms covered in goosebumps from the brooding eeriness of the tale. The story is fast-paced, comprising of mostly dialogue, nevertheless Garner manages to maintain a constant menacing, haunting atmosphere for the majority of the book.

Alison, Gwyn and Roger do mirror the Mabinogion myth of Bloduewedd, Lleu Llaw Gyffes and Gronw Pebr, though the ‘love-triangle’ between the three was very subtle, being more about society-ranks than romance (though there was a noticeable tension between Alison and Gwyn), but still comparable to the triangle between Bloduewedd, Lleu and Gronw.

Of all the characters in the book, Gwyn was by far the most fleshed-out and interesting. I did feel somewhat disheartened at the end when he could not give up his jealousy, anger and hatred to save Alison but Roger could.

The ending of the book was very sudden. Some might find it unsatisfying, and I admit, I didn’t expect it to end so quickly – though Roger managed to save Alison, did they end the curse permanently? Or did they just ‘complete’ their parts in the curse, and the curse will repeat in the next generation, as it has before?

Regardless of the sudden ending, I enjoyed the book immensely and would recommend others to read it (and read it multiple times, at that!). It is indeed a classic.

Finally, due to the book’s age, it should be noted that the language is dated. I’m unsure how well a child in 2019 would read and grasp the story due to this.
12 people found this helpful
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Pop Bop
5.0 out of 5 stars A little background helps a lot
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2011
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If I recall my Mabinogion correctly, Blodeuwedd was the girl made by a wizard from flowers. She was created in order to be the bride of a prince who had been cursed never to marry mortal woman. She conspired with her lover to murder the prince, and as punishment was turned into an owl.

It is not by accident that the flower pattern on the dinner service can be rearranged to form owls.

This is the root story behind "The Owl Service", and I think it's helpful to know the tale before reading the book, since it adds a bit of clarification that is otherwise lacking. That said, the book is wonderfully atmospheric, and a faithful adaptation of a classic Welsh tale to a modern setting. This has been done well in some children's books, (Nimmo's Magician trilogy and Cooper's Dark is Rising set), but is often less successful in more adult treatments.

If you would like a good, challenging, moody and engrossing tale, this book is well worth trying.
19 people found this helpful
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Michael Dea
3.0 out of 5 stars based on welsh myth
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2010
'The Owl Service' is a young adult novel based on Welsh myths, where another generation seems destined to live out a tale of love, murder and revenge. More of a suspense/horror than fantasy; three teens struggle with class and ethnic tensions as well as the normal adolescent angst when the ancient power of the valley begins to take over their lives.
Although very well written the story is hard to get into, as there is no initial build up, the reader is just dropped into the middle of the plot and expected to fend for himself. This also has the effect of not letting us see the characters in their normal lives before the stress of the situation turns them unsympathetic. The text is almost entirely dialogue, with very little description which hinders the creation of atmosphere. Still it is an impressive book packing a lot of punch in a fairly short story.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Cliente Amazon
5.0 out of 5 stars Very satisfied
Reviewed in Italy on May 10, 2020
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The package arrived without damage and on poin within the established time. The edition of the book is really beautiful!
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Latifah
5.0 out of 5 stars It's a
Reviewed in Germany on February 17, 2020
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Really good good book
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Sally Hope
5.0 out of 5 stars The Owl Service 50th Anniversary Edition Review.
Reviewed in India on January 23, 2020
Verified Purchase
ISBN: 978-0-00-712789-4

This review is for the product, not the book.

The paperback is thick with a beautiful mixture of glossy and matte finish.
The font is clear and large and easily readable without any eye strain.
The letter spacing is sufficient with enough space for margins.
The paper “feels” old, but it is just like any other HarperCollins book, actually. This thick, sandy finish is their signature style. The same goes for any Simon & Schuster book, too.
The retail price is ₹450, and I had to pay ₹390. A good deal.
Book was delivered a day before the date specified. Seller was u-store.

Overall, excellent service. Extremely satisfied.
Customer image
Sally Hope
5.0 out of 5 stars The Owl Service 50th Anniversary Edition Review.
Reviewed in India on January 23, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-00-712789-4

This review is for the product, not the book.

The paperback is thick with a beautiful mixture of glossy and matte finish.
The font is clear and large and easily readable without any eye strain.
The letter spacing is sufficient with enough space for margins.
The paper “feels” old, but it is just like any other HarperCollins book, actually. This thick, sandy finish is their signature style. The same goes for any Simon & Schuster book, too.
The retail price is ₹450, and I had to pay ₹390. A good deal.
Book was delivered a day before the date specified. Seller was u-store.

Overall, excellent service. Extremely satisfied.
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Client Kindle
4.0 out of 5 stars Terrifiant
Reviewed in France on August 22, 2019
Verified Purchase
Ce livre s'inspire de l'histoire de Blodeuwedd tiré du Mabinogion ; Gwydion la crée à partir de fleurs, pour devenir la femme de Lleu. Mais elle tombe amoureuse de Gronw et ils complotent pour tuer Lleu. Cependant celui-ci ne meurt pas et est changé en aigle. Il tue finalement Gronw et Blodeuwedd est changée en chouette.
L'idée centrale du livre est que cette histoire se rejoue encore et encore dans une vallée galloise - l'histoire a tant de pouvoir qu'elle ne peut que se rejouer comme un souvenir traumatique.
Garner se dispense de toute description dans ce roman; on a très peu d'information sur ce que ressentent les personnages : le livre ne dévoile pas ses mystères facilement. Et c'est cette économie qui fait que ça marche. La confusion du lecteur reflète celle des personnages. Ce style retenu de Garner aide aussi à bâtir un niveau de tension que j'ai rarement rencontré dans un livre dit pour enfants.
Il y a le conflit de classe qui reprend les lignes du vieil antagonisme Anglais/Gallois ; il y a les relations difficiles des adolescents avec leurs mères respectives ; il y a ce triangle amoureux qui menace d'engouffrer chaque génération et surtout il y a la présence de la force et de la puissance glaçante de la nature. Terrifiant…
One person found this helpful
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Dingbat
5.0 out of 5 stars The Owl Service.
Reviewed in Spain on December 11, 2018
Verified Purchase
A small jewel of a book. Times never gone by.
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