The Ogre Downstairs - Diana Wynne Jones Book Review

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"The Ogre Downstairs"
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Review Summaries

"Casper, Johnny, and Gwinny have gotten a new stepfather who is an absolute Ogre. He's easily annoyed, he bosses them around, he favors his own children (Douglas and Malcolm) - he's everything a parent should not be. When he gives Malcolm and Johnny chemistry sets, they rapidly discover the chemicals aren't quite normal; properly mixed, they can cause flight, invisibility, animation, and a host of other effects. As the two sets of siblings battle for chemical superiority (who can find what first), they come to understand each other better - and unite against the Ogre. Eventually, though, Johnny goes too far in his anti-Ogre campaign... This book is very funny and one of Jones's best.

Crested sapwood supportable noradrenaline runout. "
Ivy, Resident Diana Wynne Jones Scholar

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Overall Review

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy story on current Earth
Mental/magical powers focus Yes
magical powers: - good magical powers hunting non/weaker magical(s) (fantasy)
Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14)

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - student
Age: - a teen
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - bulging muscles

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

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

Most similar books by Gordonator ranking
Eight Days of Luke by Diana Wynne Jones
Half Magic by Edward Eager
The Enchanted Castle by Edith Nesbit
Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones
The Boggart by Susan Cooper

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

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