David Crouch

Advantages: Discriptions of Sculptures and Frescos. Italian Renaissance.
Disadvantages: Subjective interpretation. Lengthy and sometimes difficult to read.

...In 1501, 25 year old Michelangelo Buonarroti began the carving of the 17ft marble statue the Biblical King David. Now renowned as a masterpiece of Renaissance art, David is regarded as a symbol both of strength and youthful human beauty. To mark the 500th anniversary, New American Library released a special edition of Irving Stone’s biography of the artist- “The Agony and The Ecstasy.” “The Agony and The Ecstasy” has achieved a reputation of a masterpiece in its own right. It is not just a biography of Michelangelo but THE biography. No-one can criticise Irving Stone’s dedication and commitment to his novel. He worked on the novel for six years researching primary sources in Florence, Rome, Carrara and Bologna. He studied all of Michelangelo’s existing 495 letters as well as a vast amount of other Renaissance documentation. He even... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Lyrical, beautiful, stimulating, suitable for both older children and adults
Disadvantages: Possibly too challenging for less confident readers.

.... Out here by day he could rise into the blue like a skylark. At night he could flicker through the darkness like a bat. He emptied his mind now of being just Joe Maloney. He felt weasel fur growing on the backs of his hands. He felt claws where his fingers were. He hissed and he was a snake slipping through ancient cellars beneath the Blessed Chapel. He crouched on all fours and his face and teeth sharpened as he took on the shape of a fox. Nobody knew that he knew how to do these things. They were secret, things that grew from his secret heart." But something has to give. Things cannot carry on as they are. When the circus comes to town Joe hears its mystic cry for help, but he also hears it answer his own cry. And he sees its tiger in his dreams. The circus has no real tigers any more but the tiger that once prowled its ring, frightening... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great plot, interesting characters,
Disadvantages: none

...Wow! This book is one of the best childrens books that I have ever read. It has got the gift of keeping both children and adults captivated throughout. The plot of the story is imaginative, detailed and enthralling. Harry Potter is in his fourth year at Hogwarts and as always his year is filled with fun and trouble. This year his name gets entered in to the tri wizard tornament where he has to undergo three dangerous and life threatening tasks before he finally sees the return of his biggest enemy - Lord Voldemort. The characters from the first books are still here and this book sees the introduction of Professor moody (a auror for the ministery) and the introduction of Bartimus Crouch Junior who is one of Voldemorts most evil death eaters. Overall this was my favouraite book out of the first four.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful