Book 95: The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo

It is Gwyn's birthday. His grandmother arrives, and gives him a mysterious selection of gifts and strange words about his being a magician. His father refuses to mark his birthday, demanding that Gwyn complete his work on the farm as usual. And when his mother makes a lovely birthday tea for Gwyn and his friend Alun, with cake and festive food at a beautifully decorated table, Gwyn's father is furious. How could they be celebrating? How could they, after what happened to Bethan?

And what, indeed, did happen to the mysterious Bethan? What does Gwyn's grandmother mean when she tells him to give his gifts to the wind? Will Alun stand by Gwyn when strange things start happening all around him? And will Gwyn and his unforgiving father ever be reconciled?

I enjoyed the characters and the plot of this story, and particularly the references to the Mabinogion. However it seemed to be told in a very hasty sort of way, skimming over all kinds of detail and making for quite a short book. The mythological references were not as well thought out as, for example, those in Susan Cooper's Dark is Rising sequence. Perhaps this is a children's book genuinely written for children; I enjoyed it but felt it could have been much deeper. The book does have a very satisfying ending.

Book 94: The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier

At Trinity it’s all about school spirit. Each year the boys volunteer to sell a certain number of boxes of chocolate to raise funds. But when new arrival Jerry declines to sell the chocolates, the school is shaken. Archie, Obie, Carter and clandestine organisation The Vigils may be behind his refusal - but how will they react when their orders change and Jerry still refuses?

I did not greatly enjoy this account of adolescent evil. Cormier’s tendency to use a bizarre range of sometimes clashing metaphors put me off, as did the underlying message of the tale: that people, basically, are horrible. Like Lord of the Flies or I’m the King of the Castle, the author’s point seemed to be that teenage boys are really, really horrible and end up wanting to kill each other. Perhaps it’s true… perhaps some people really like that sort of book… but I don’t get it!

Book 93: Black Narcissus, by Rumer Godden

So I finished reading this one back before the wedding, when I was ill. It was during Lent and, as Noah had given up watching TV, I agreed to stop reading challenge books after finishing this one, which I had borrowed from the library.

I did rather enjoy it - though I am surprised that it was added to a list aimed at children. A curious tale of nuns taking over an old mansion, formerly used by a rich general as a home for his women folk and somehow ill-suited to any other occupation. Ayah, the one-time servant of the princess who lived there, sees no reason to welcome the nuns; the villagers do not understand them; the situation is unaccommodating and Sister Clodagh, head of the new nunnery, is obliged to rely on the help and advice of Mr Dean, the only European in the area and a man she dislikes, disapproves of - and finds extremely intriguing. “I’ll give you until the rains,” he says. But will the sisters last that long?

In brief glimses Sister Clodagh’s own history is revealed. It was this, interspersed with the conversation between Mr Dean and the nuns that I enjoyed. The way that the nuns love Mopu, despite its unsuitability as a location for their convent; the unexpectedness of the nuns’ and the locals’ reactions to each other; and the subtle change in Sister Clodagh’s character make this a book I would recommend.