The House of Arden - Edith Nesbit Book Review

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Review Summary

The once great English House of Arden has fallen on hard times and much reduced circumstances, and although they are not yet starving, life is not too pleasant for the children. In an exciting story set one hundred years ago, Eldred, the young Lord Arden, who is nine years old, and his sister Elf, who is eleven, adventure into the past to recover the lost treasure of Arden. With the aid of the magical Mouldiwarp, or white mole, they journey into history. Much to their annoyance but great personal improvement, the grumpy old mole insists that their access to the magic will only come by them learning to work together, grow up, and have proper respect for one another. The plot is fast and furious: they are robbed by a highwaymen, and locked up in the Tower of London for knowing too much about the Gunpowder Plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament. They meet soldiers and smugglers in Napoleon's time, and meddle with Henry VIII's marital situation (mistake!). This has to be a superior way to learn history and fire the imagination at the same time. Although they are both warned that chances in life are not infinite, almost to the end they fluff their chances to find the family gold. A boy from the past who has learned how to travel forward in time helps them complete their mission, putting a sizeable twist in the ending. A certified classic: it dates so very little even one hundred years on, and withstands re-reading. E. Nesbit at her considerable best.
Michael JR Jose, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of The House of Arden

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 30%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%

Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - an adult (general)
Time Travel: - largely backwards/past
Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14)
Time Travel story? Yes

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - student
Age: - a kid
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - teleportation
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - a kid
Profession/status: - student
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - teleportation
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
Earth setting: - 20th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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