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The Language of Spells
Grisha is a dragon in a world that's forgotten how to see him. Maggie is a unusual child who thinks she's perfectly ordinary. They're an unlikely duo—but magic, like friendship, is funny. Sometimes it chooses those who might not look so likely. And magic has chosen Grisha and Maggie to solve the darkest mystery in Vienna. Decades ago, when World War II broke out, someone decided that there were too many dragons for all of them to be free. As they investigate, Grisha and Maggie ask the question everyone's forgotten: Where have the missing dragons gone? And is there a way to save them? At once richly magical and tragically historical, The Language of Spells is a novel full of adventure about remembering old stories, forging new ones, and the transformative power of friendship.
299 pages, Hardcover
First published June 26, 2018
About the author
Garret Weyr, also Freymann-Weyr
9 books97 followersGarret Freymann-Weyr (rhymes with 'I'm on fire") is a novelist and teacher whose seven books have been banned, translated into a multitude of languages, and included in college curricula. She is a Printz honor award recipient and her short stories have been published in the Greensboro Review, the now sadly missed Christopher Street, and the anthology Starry Eyed. Her next book will be published under the name Garret Weyr (Divorce. Painful. Don't ask.)
She is a native of New York City and now lives with a large cat and a sweet dog. She reads too much, drinks too much tea, and loves listening to readers talk about their passions. She is studying Spanish. Has anyone else read "Buenas Noches, Luna?"
She is a native of New York City and now lives with a large cat and a sweet dog. She reads too much, drinks too much tea, and loves listening to readers talk about their passions. She is studying Spanish. Has anyone else read "Buenas Noches, Luna?"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 247 reviews
March 3, 2020
3.5 stars
This was precious. I loved this quiet tale filled with wholesome friendships and conversations, but there were a few aspects that I had a hard time taking in.
Concept: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★ 1/2
Wholesome feels: ★★★★
Readability: ★★★★
Ending: ★ 1/2
The Language of Spells is on the younger end of the middle grade spectrum. For older readers who read middle grade for the action, I don't think this book is necessarily for you—it's a quieter tale—warm, cozy, and relatively slow.
With that in mind, The Language of Spells was adorable. The story follows a dragon named Grisha, who we meet as a young dragon in rural mainland Europe. The time period is nebulous, but it is in the distant past and dragons are a part of the known world. Because of this, magicians exist and Grisha runs into one who decides to turn him into a teapot. Now, I love tea and dragons, so this plot twist was honestly the best. We're then told the next several decades of Grisha's life as a teapot. Like I said, this is a slow tale.
After breaking the teapot spell, Grisha travels to Vienna, which is where all of the dragons have congregated. There, we meet Maggie.
Maggie is a young child, the daughter of a poet and a painter. Her mother, the painter, has passed away and Maggie and her father live in the Hotel Sacher. This was incredibly cute. It's implied that Maggie is living in the past, roughly around World Wars I and II. Maggie meets Grisha in the restaurant/bar of the hotel and a friendship is struck.
One of the selling points of The Language of Spells is its quiet moments. The conversations between Maggie and Grisha are wonderful, and the small life lessons that come from their journey together are definitely geared toward younger readers.
First, a non-spoiler critique: This novel was trying to address the heavy topic of World War II and the resulting horrors inflicted on the Jewish population, but it was changed to be a comment on the dragons. To an adult/aware reader, it is very clear that the gold-eyed dragons versus the other-colored-eyed dragons is a commentary on the separations that occurred during the war. The gold-eyed dragons are kept in Vienna and are regulated/monitored/treated as a lesser subset. The other dragons are missing and no one knows what happened to them, but it is assumed to be grim. There is no death in this tale, but the allusions are clear.
Now, the spoiler critique: .
Recommended reading for adults who keep their sense of wonder, those who like dragons in any capacity, and those who enjoy extremely quiet tales. If you are a parent and are considering reading this to your child, I would check out my spoiler-laden portion.
Blog | Instagram
This was precious. I loved this quiet tale filled with wholesome friendships and conversations, but there were a few aspects that I had a hard time taking in.
Concept: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★ 1/2
Wholesome feels: ★★★★
Readability: ★★★★
Ending: ★ 1/2
The Language of Spells is on the younger end of the middle grade spectrum. For older readers who read middle grade for the action, I don't think this book is necessarily for you—it's a quieter tale—warm, cozy, and relatively slow.
With that in mind, The Language of Spells was adorable. The story follows a dragon named Grisha, who we meet as a young dragon in rural mainland Europe. The time period is nebulous, but it is in the distant past and dragons are a part of the known world. Because of this, magicians exist and Grisha runs into one who decides to turn him into a teapot. Now, I love tea and dragons, so this plot twist was honestly the best. We're then told the next several decades of Grisha's life as a teapot. Like I said, this is a slow tale.
After breaking the teapot spell, Grisha travels to Vienna, which is where all of the dragons have congregated. There, we meet Maggie.
Maggie is a young child, the daughter of a poet and a painter. Her mother, the painter, has passed away and Maggie and her father live in the Hotel Sacher. This was incredibly cute. It's implied that Maggie is living in the past, roughly around World Wars I and II. Maggie meets Grisha in the restaurant/bar of the hotel and a friendship is struck.
One of the selling points of The Language of Spells is its quiet moments. The conversations between Maggie and Grisha are wonderful, and the small life lessons that come from their journey together are definitely geared toward younger readers.
First, a non-spoiler critique: This novel was trying to address the heavy topic of World War II and the resulting horrors inflicted on the Jewish population, but it was changed to be a comment on the dragons. To an adult/aware reader, it is very clear that the gold-eyed dragons versus the other-colored-eyed dragons is a commentary on the separations that occurred during the war. The gold-eyed dragons are kept in Vienna and are regulated/monitored/treated as a lesser subset. The other dragons are missing and no one knows what happened to them, but it is assumed to be grim. There is no death in this tale, but the allusions are clear.
Now, the spoiler critique: .
Recommended reading for adults who keep their sense of wonder, those who like dragons in any capacity, and those who enjoy extremely quiet tales. If you are a parent and are considering reading this to your child, I would check out my spoiler-laden portion.
Blog | Instagram
May 16, 2018
This is a dragon’s tale set during and post the World Wars with a European backdrop. Thus, an unexpected setting, it is a whimsical read for young middle graders about friendship and survival during authoritarian rule.
Grisha was born a very special dragon. He loved his childhood among the forest and others of his kind. Far away seemed the idea that anything could ever happen that would change his peaceful life. But when an evil sorcerer turns him into a teapot, his whole being stays froze for many, many years. Passed down from owner to owner and being sold and resold, he has no idea what is happening to all the other dragons and his family in the land.
Maggie is 11 years old and lives with her father in the Sacher hotel in Vienna, Austria. Unusual, but there also is nothing usual about her. She is of the quirky sort, brilliant, but has a hard time making friends.
When Maggie and Grisha meet and become friends, they learn of what has happened to the other dragons and of the Department of Extinct Exotics (D.E.E.) that is run by cats…or rather humans that can shape-shift into cats magically. Since the WWII some years ago, dragons have been removed and oppressed. There are strict rules about the ones that are remaining in the city and those that have been deported.
This takes the two unlikely friends on an adventure throughout Europe and full circle back home to realize and understand how to free the other dragons. Along their path they must solve riddles, be careful to avoid looming dangers, magic spells and the DEE. Despite the trials and time running out, the friendship and trust of Maggie and Grisha becomes a big part of the storytelling that will appeal to any child that has ever loved magical stories of adventure and believed in something beyond the real world.
***
I thought this was a darling book perfect for young readers. Still magical enough for the young, yet beyond a small chapter book to enjoy.
Unlike other reviews of this book, I do not believe it was paralleling the story line of the WW’s. According to the books timeline, it goes way beyond those years by 30 years or so. However, I do believe it took on the idea of living things (dragons) being treated unfairly. It would be a gentle introduction in the subject of power, leadership and liberty no matter where in the world.
Besides the implications of a world in unrest, I thought the idea of the mid 20th century setting with dragons in Europe was darling. Whimsical and exotic in a way. The foreign cities will perhaps encourage young readers to find out more of these countries or simply become fantasy readers in the making. I thought it a lovely read.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you!
For more of my reviews and my blogposts visit www.scarlettreadzandrunz.com
Grisha was born a very special dragon. He loved his childhood among the forest and others of his kind. Far away seemed the idea that anything could ever happen that would change his peaceful life. But when an evil sorcerer turns him into a teapot, his whole being stays froze for many, many years. Passed down from owner to owner and being sold and resold, he has no idea what is happening to all the other dragons and his family in the land.
Maggie is 11 years old and lives with her father in the Sacher hotel in Vienna, Austria. Unusual, but there also is nothing usual about her. She is of the quirky sort, brilliant, but has a hard time making friends.
When Maggie and Grisha meet and become friends, they learn of what has happened to the other dragons and of the Department of Extinct Exotics (D.E.E.) that is run by cats…or rather humans that can shape-shift into cats magically. Since the WWII some years ago, dragons have been removed and oppressed. There are strict rules about the ones that are remaining in the city and those that have been deported.
This takes the two unlikely friends on an adventure throughout Europe and full circle back home to realize and understand how to free the other dragons. Along their path they must solve riddles, be careful to avoid looming dangers, magic spells and the DEE. Despite the trials and time running out, the friendship and trust of Maggie and Grisha becomes a big part of the storytelling that will appeal to any child that has ever loved magical stories of adventure and believed in something beyond the real world.
***
I thought this was a darling book perfect for young readers. Still magical enough for the young, yet beyond a small chapter book to enjoy.
Unlike other reviews of this book, I do not believe it was paralleling the story line of the WW’s. According to the books timeline, it goes way beyond those years by 30 years or so. However, I do believe it took on the idea of living things (dragons) being treated unfairly. It would be a gentle introduction in the subject of power, leadership and liberty no matter where in the world.
Besides the implications of a world in unrest, I thought the idea of the mid 20th century setting with dragons in Europe was darling. Whimsical and exotic in a way. The foreign cities will perhaps encourage young readers to find out more of these countries or simply become fantasy readers in the making. I thought it a lovely read.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you!
For more of my reviews and my blogposts visit www.scarlettreadzandrunz.com
June 28, 2018
My thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.
I was not a huge fan of this book. It was the ending I think, it was just so bleak!
ENDING WILL BE DISCUSSED, SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
The book is a fantasy alternate history, where magic, dragons and other magical creatures exist. The meat of the story takes place after WWII where this 11 year old girl with a unique upbringing becomes friends with a unique dragon. The little girl's oddness due to her upbringing makes it difficult for her to find friends her age. This will speak to children who see themselves, or who society sees, as "not normal", so that's positive. Because she makes friends with other "not normal" creatures.
But the ending is horrific. The book has a thread of hope winding all through it, with the girl finding friends and trying to find a way to help them. Unfortunately, magic has it's exact price and in order to save the 72 dragons under a spell of sleep, she has to give up money, time or the most important thing to her, which in this case is being able to see and encounter magic and magical creatures.
In order to save, she has to sacrifice her friends.
Let me repeat that, in a different way.
This lonely little girl, who FINALLY makes a few friends, has to GIVE THEM UP in order to right a wrong.
Is this a coming of age story? Like, the dragons and magic aren't real, she's giving them up by moving into adulthood? But it doesn't seem to flow that way. Her father and other adults around her can see and interact with these magical creatures. Some of them at any rate.
I don't really get it and it made me very sad. I would give this a 2.5, but no half stars, so I have to go up or down. I'm going with down to a 2 star on this one because that ending was just too sad and depressing. Yes, I know, kids eat that stuff up, but as an old, tired, cynical adult, I need more HEA, if not in real life, then in my fiction. I read to escape reality, not to have it rear up and smack me in the face saying "FOOLED YOU!"
This book had promise and I am sure this would do well with young readers, but the ending soured it for me.
I was not a huge fan of this book. It was the ending I think, it was just so bleak!
ENDING WILL BE DISCUSSED, SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
The book is a fantasy alternate history, where magic, dragons and other magical creatures exist. The meat of the story takes place after WWII where this 11 year old girl with a unique upbringing becomes friends with a unique dragon. The little girl's oddness due to her upbringing makes it difficult for her to find friends her age. This will speak to children who see themselves, or who society sees, as "not normal", so that's positive. Because she makes friends with other "not normal" creatures.
But the ending is horrific. The book has a thread of hope winding all through it, with the girl finding friends and trying to find a way to help them. Unfortunately, magic has it's exact price and in order to save the 72 dragons under a spell of sleep, she has to give up money, time or the most important thing to her, which in this case is being able to see and encounter magic and magical creatures.
In order to save, she has to sacrifice her friends.
Let me repeat that, in a different way.
This lonely little girl, who FINALLY makes a few friends, has to GIVE THEM UP in order to right a wrong.
Is this a coming of age story? Like, the dragons and magic aren't real, she's giving them up by moving into adulthood? But it doesn't seem to flow that way. Her father and other adults around her can see and interact with these magical creatures. Some of them at any rate.
I don't really get it and it made me very sad. I would give this a 2.5, but no half stars, so I have to go up or down. I'm going with down to a 2 star on this one because that ending was just too sad and depressing. Yes, I know, kids eat that stuff up, but as an old, tired, cynical adult, I need more HEA, if not in real life, then in my fiction. I read to escape reality, not to have it rear up and smack me in the face saying "FOOLED YOU!"
This book had promise and I am sure this would do well with young readers, but the ending soured it for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2018
The Language of Spells it's a tale of dragons. The main characters are Maggie, an eleven-year-old human and Grisha a young dragon.
Grisha was taken from his home at a young age by a sorcerer. He was turned into a teapot for decades until his current owner figured out a way to release him. He is told that all the Dragons are flying to Germany. Grish leaves for Germany right away. But Dragons are not free. They all have to register and are assigned a job under the close supervision of the guards. Some dragons have disappeared too. They were separated from family and friends. Some, not to be seen again.
When Grisha meets Maggie, they become fast friends. Grisha starts remembering things thanks to Maggie and they both will embark on a quest to save all the dragons.
Sadly, I will say this novel didn't keep my attention. The ending was not what I was hoping for. The resolution of the conflict was way too easy.
I was hoping for so much more.
Thank you Netgalley and Chronicle Books for my providing me with a copy of the Language of Spells by Garret Weyr.
2/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
June 20, 2018
*I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
This was adorable. It was very The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, if The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland was set in historical Vienna. It’s slow and quirky and bittersweet, beautifully written and full of unique characters.
I almost don’t know what to say about it other than to tell you what it’s about, because telling you what it’s about would be telling you exactly what’s good about it. A world that meshes historical fiction and magic, a world in which dragons can drink and tell stories in a hotel bar and cats who are sometimes humans can run a government agency. A friendship between a dragon and an unusual girl willing to do anything, to be as brave as necessary, to help her first and only friend. A story that stretches from the unicorn-haunted forests of Germany to London during WWII to a Vienna that has lost its dragons.
It’s all perfect and original and overall a fun read. The concept of having to give up something precious to you in order to use magic gives it depth. I would say the conclusion to the mystery seemed a little too easy in some ways, but the end of the story is about more than that.
I had only one real disappointment: the lack of any mention of the holocaust, despite the time period, setting, and Jewish-coded characters. This short review explains in more detail.
I love Grisha and Maggie and her unusual father and the magical cats and even, though I wasn’t sure at the time, the ordeal Grisha goes through to become who he is. Absolutely recommended for a bittersweet middle grade fantasy.
This was adorable. It was very The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, if The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland was set in historical Vienna. It’s slow and quirky and bittersweet, beautifully written and full of unique characters.
I almost don’t know what to say about it other than to tell you what it’s about, because telling you what it’s about would be telling you exactly what’s good about it. A world that meshes historical fiction and magic, a world in which dragons can drink and tell stories in a hotel bar and cats who are sometimes humans can run a government agency. A friendship between a dragon and an unusual girl willing to do anything, to be as brave as necessary, to help her first and only friend. A story that stretches from the unicorn-haunted forests of Germany to London during WWII to a Vienna that has lost its dragons.
It’s all perfect and original and overall a fun read. The concept of having to give up something precious to you in order to use magic gives it depth. I would say the conclusion to the mystery seemed a little too easy in some ways, but the end of the story is about more than that.
I had only one real disappointment: the lack of any mention of the holocaust, despite the time period, setting, and Jewish-coded characters. This short review explains in more detail.
I love Grisha and Maggie and her unusual father and the magical cats and even, though I wasn’t sure at the time, the ordeal Grisha goes through to become who he is. Absolutely recommended for a bittersweet middle grade fantasy.
May 20, 2018
A BIG Thank You to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for providing me a copy of “The Language of Spells″ by Garret Weyr in exchange for my review. Before I begin, I would like to say that I have read some of the other reviews for this book, where readers criticize it for not doing justice for WWII and Jewish people. I am not basing my rating on that aspect as I didn’t have these expectations when reading the story. Having said that, this book was a mixed bag for me. While I enjoyed some aspects of the story, I had a few problems reading it.
Let’s start off with the pros that stood out in the story. Firstly, I loved the plot and the concept, and actually enjoyed reading the first half of the book. It starts off as a fairy tale and talks about a magical world where dragons and men coexist. Secondly, I simply adored the main protagonists, Grisha and Maggie, and their unusual friendship. Some scenes were intriguing, like when Grisha turns into a teapot, not knowing what would happen next. Grisha also has some memorable moments like facing self-esteem issues because he feels that he hasn’t done anything worthwhile. I also enjoyed the special friendship that is formed between Maggie and Grisha. It’s very gradual and innocent and comes off as a true friendship between the two. Even the secondary characters like Yakov, and his daughters Ella and Rachel are very charming.
However, the second half of the book didn’t hold my interest as I hoped. Mainly, I found the villain of the book, Leopold Lashkovic, to be very boring. The authors give him a big buildup and make him scary and powerful. But, when Maggie comes face to face with him, he seems like such an old weakling who hardly has any powers. There is no closure given as to what happens to him either. Assuming that this is a standalone, it’s very frustrating when things are left open ended. Moreover, things run very smoothly for Grisha and Maggie on their quest and they hardly face any dangers. With a weak villain and the characters not facing any dilemmas, this was pretty much boring in the second half.
Furthermore, I felt that the pacing was haphazard towards the climax. The story is slow for the most part and suddenly rushes to a conclusion. It felt like the characters are aimlessly wandering, and just stumbled upon clues that magically solved all their problems. I also had trouble with the concept of who could see dragons and who couldn’t. For example, when they go to see Ella and Rachel, Ella can see Grisha but Rachel cannot. However, when they go to London, how can nobody see Grisha except Maggie? This didn’t make sense and I dad trouble connecting to the story-line. I feel like the authors had a great idea going but didn’t know how to steer the story and patched it in places to conclude it.
Katie Harnett has provided nice illustrations, but they are a bit rough on the eyes. As I have read the advanced copy, I hope the illustrations are cleaned up in the final version, and makes the book stand out. Overall, this was a good attempt to try something different but it didn’t have the impact on me as I imagined it would. I rate “The Language of Spells” 3/5 stars.
Let’s start off with the pros that stood out in the story. Firstly, I loved the plot and the concept, and actually enjoyed reading the first half of the book. It starts off as a fairy tale and talks about a magical world where dragons and men coexist. Secondly, I simply adored the main protagonists, Grisha and Maggie, and their unusual friendship. Some scenes were intriguing, like when Grisha turns into a teapot, not knowing what would happen next. Grisha also has some memorable moments like facing self-esteem issues because he feels that he hasn’t done anything worthwhile. I also enjoyed the special friendship that is formed between Maggie and Grisha. It’s very gradual and innocent and comes off as a true friendship between the two. Even the secondary characters like Yakov, and his daughters Ella and Rachel are very charming.
However, the second half of the book didn’t hold my interest as I hoped. Mainly, I found the villain of the book, Leopold Lashkovic, to be very boring. The authors give him a big buildup and make him scary and powerful. But, when Maggie comes face to face with him, he seems like such an old weakling who hardly has any powers. There is no closure given as to what happens to him either. Assuming that this is a standalone, it’s very frustrating when things are left open ended. Moreover, things run very smoothly for Grisha and Maggie on their quest and they hardly face any dangers. With a weak villain and the characters not facing any dilemmas, this was pretty much boring in the second half.
Furthermore, I felt that the pacing was haphazard towards the climax. The story is slow for the most part and suddenly rushes to a conclusion. It felt like the characters are aimlessly wandering, and just stumbled upon clues that magically solved all their problems. I also had trouble with the concept of who could see dragons and who couldn’t. For example, when they go to see Ella and Rachel, Ella can see Grisha but Rachel cannot. However, when they go to London, how can nobody see Grisha except Maggie? This didn’t make sense and I dad trouble connecting to the story-line. I feel like the authors had a great idea going but didn’t know how to steer the story and patched it in places to conclude it.
Katie Harnett has provided nice illustrations, but they are a bit rough on the eyes. As I have read the advanced copy, I hope the illustrations are cleaned up in the final version, and makes the book stand out. Overall, this was a good attempt to try something different but it didn’t have the impact on me as I imagined it would. I rate “The Language of Spells” 3/5 stars.
March 31, 2018
This is not a story that will appeal to everyone (perhaps not even some of those intrigued by the description). It starts out slowly. The main plot makes a rather late entrance, which results in a resolution that may strike readers as rushed. Despite this irregular pacing, however, I enjoyed "The Language of Spells" immensely.
The style is decidedly old-fashion, which, again, may put some people off. I loved it. The story-telling charmed me, bringing to mind the fanciful tales I enjoyed in childhood. The magic is unique and wistful. The characters are brought to life with a thoughtful, delicate touch. The setting (Vienna in the decades following WW2) would have felt magical, even without dragons and enchanted cats. Yes, there are enchanted cats. And they're everything that enchanted cats should be.
At the heart of the book is the friendship between Grisha and Maggie. I have high standards for friendship. I mean, John 15v13-level standards (...greater love has no man than this: to lay down his life for his friends). Weyr developed and fulfilled this ideal beautifully. Which, in the end, is probably why his story left me sniffing and sighing.
The style is decidedly old-fashion, which, again, may put some people off. I loved it. The story-telling charmed me, bringing to mind the fanciful tales I enjoyed in childhood. The magic is unique and wistful. The characters are brought to life with a thoughtful, delicate touch. The setting (Vienna in the decades following WW2) would have felt magical, even without dragons and enchanted cats. Yes, there are enchanted cats. And they're everything that enchanted cats should be.
At the heart of the book is the friendship between Grisha and Maggie. I have high standards for friendship. I mean, John 15v13-level standards (...greater love has no man than this: to lay down his life for his friends). Weyr developed and fulfilled this ideal beautifully. Which, in the end, is probably why his story left me sniffing and sighing.
January 2, 2023
Buku pertama 2023 dan baguuuuuuuus xD
Dibeli setelah dikompori @starecross xD
Bacaan pertama di 2023, juga bacaan pertama untuk #DragonReader23
Grisha seekor naga bertemu dengan Maggie seorang anak tidak biasa, di Vienna. Keduanya mengalami hal-hal tidak biasa, bertemu, bersama juga mengalami hal-hal tidak biasa.
Suka sekali dg cara Garret Weyr mendeskripsikan, dari awal kehidupan Grisha, jadi poci, bersama kaisar Franz Joseph, bersama Yakov, kemudian menuju Vienna; lalu awal kehidupan Maggie, dari meninggal ibunya, sampai keputusan praktis ayahnya untuk tinggal permanen di hotel, dan akhirnya bertemunya Maggie dan Grisha.
Deskripsinya lancar mengalir, ilustrasinya juga cantik-cantik. Nanti akan cari dan baca buku-bukunya Garret Weyr yg lain lagi ah!
Dibeli setelah dikompori @starecross xD
Bacaan pertama di 2023, juga bacaan pertama untuk #DragonReader23
Grisha seekor naga bertemu dengan Maggie seorang anak tidak biasa, di Vienna. Keduanya mengalami hal-hal tidak biasa, bertemu, bersama juga mengalami hal-hal tidak biasa.
Suka sekali dg cara Garret Weyr mendeskripsikan, dari awal kehidupan Grisha, jadi poci, bersama kaisar Franz Joseph, bersama Yakov, kemudian menuju Vienna; lalu awal kehidupan Maggie, dari meninggal ibunya, sampai keputusan praktis ayahnya untuk tinggal permanen di hotel, dan akhirnya bertemunya Maggie dan Grisha.
Deskripsinya lancar mengalir, ilustrasinya juga cantik-cantik. Nanti akan cari dan baca buku-bukunya Garret Weyr yg lain lagi ah!
July 30, 2018
The more I think about this story, the more I think that nothing really happened in this story. This book follows the life of Grisha, a dragon who spent most of his early life as an enchanted tea pot. Eventually, he is freed and forced to relocate to Vienna after the events of WWII. Here, something terrible happens to his fellow dragons but he can't remember what exactly. Luckily, Grisha mets Maggie, who probes into his past, and forces him to remember. They set out on an adventure to free and the dragons, which they are successful at.
Really the book falls apart for me because Grisha and Maggie BOTH had interesting and well-developed backstories that took up a majority of the book. Thus, it seemed slightly slapdashed to introduce the main plot towards the end of the book. The long descriptions and carefully placed details were forsaken and a multitude of new characters are introduced to advance the plot. Our main characters are able to solve a decades-old mystery in a matter of days (and pages) and defeat an evil sorcerer easily. It just seemed rushed and sloppily concluded for the amount of effort put into creating Grishia, Maggie, and their relationship.
Really the book falls apart for me because Grisha and Maggie BOTH had interesting and well-developed backstories that took up a majority of the book. Thus, it seemed slightly slapdashed to introduce the main plot towards the end of the book. The long descriptions and carefully placed details were forsaken and a multitude of new characters are introduced to advance the plot. Our main characters are able to solve a decades-old mystery in a matter of days (and pages) and defeat an evil sorcerer easily. It just seemed rushed and sloppily concluded for the amount of effort put into creating Grishia, Maggie, and their relationship.
January 1, 2018
Loved this little book. "The Language of Spells" is a short and quick read, but better to read slow in order to enjoy the author's beautiful use of language and description. This book draws you into a world of fantasy and magic, a world where dragons gave way to technology leaving Grisha all alone. He spent decades as a prisoner, trapped inside a teapot and watching the world around him from a limited view. I found myself heartbroken reading through it. Weyr's skill shines in the text, making readers feel the acute loneliness in these chapters.
Generally, I steer clear of middle grade works for various reasons, but this book gave me so much that I love about the genre. We get magic. We get dragons. We get complex societal issues. This book succeeded in giving wonderful, leap-off-the-page characters that you just want to hold in your arms. I loved Maggie and adored Grisha.
My only issue with this book, the reason I can't give it a full 5-stars, is that it is a tough read if you don't enjoy reading--there are issues with transition from one scene to the next and the narrative does a lot of talking at you in certain areas and doesn't explain some things as well as others. Most certainly, however, I'll be getting this book for the middle graders in my life that enjoy reading and are on the hunt for a fun fantasy read.
**I received a free copy from the publisher, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Generally, I steer clear of middle grade works for various reasons, but this book gave me so much that I love about the genre. We get magic. We get dragons. We get complex societal issues. This book succeeded in giving wonderful, leap-off-the-page characters that you just want to hold in your arms. I loved Maggie and adored Grisha.
My only issue with this book, the reason I can't give it a full 5-stars, is that it is a tough read if you don't enjoy reading--there are issues with transition from one scene to the next and the narrative does a lot of talking at you in certain areas and doesn't explain some things as well as others. Most certainly, however, I'll be getting this book for the middle graders in my life that enjoy reading and are on the hunt for a fun fantasy read.
**I received a free copy from the publisher, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2018
Update: This book seems especially relevant read nowadays with our government keeping immigrants prisoner. It's a decent metaphor (though not perfect), with some good lessons about imprisoning other people.
A dragon and an 11 year old girl become friends and go on a quest to free dragons that are under a sleeping curse, imprisoned beneath Vienna. Talking cats, an evil magician who turns Grisha into a teapot, and a strong lesson in discrimination feature in this fantasy novel with pencil-sketch illustration sprinkled in.
Grisha the dragon was a teapot for hundreds of years. After being freed, he finds out all the dragons have been drawn to Vienna and goes there to be with them. The dragons are not free to leave Vienna, and are subject to heavy regulation and strict enforcement. They gather nightly in the bar at the Sacher Hotel, where young Maggie lives with her father Alexander, a poet. Her artist mother died years ago. She finds friendship with Grisha, and after he remembers that half the dragons have been imprisoned, they embark on a quest to free them. The evil magician who imprisoned Grisha in a teapot all those years ago is the one who has cursed the dragons. Maggie learns about magic, travels with Grisha, and eventually they find a way to free the sleeping dragons. There is a sad twist at the end.
The book would be great read aloud, it really lends itself to that. I thought the segregation and oppression of the dragons was well done, and would be a good lesson for kids without being overwhelming. The ending felt abrupt to me, I was very surprised to turn the page at the end and be done! Maggie is a smart character, I would be happy for my daughter to read this book with a strong female lead.
A dragon and an 11 year old girl become friends and go on a quest to free dragons that are under a sleeping curse, imprisoned beneath Vienna. Talking cats, an evil magician who turns Grisha into a teapot, and a strong lesson in discrimination feature in this fantasy novel with pencil-sketch illustration sprinkled in.
Grisha the dragon was a teapot for hundreds of years. After being freed, he finds out all the dragons have been drawn to Vienna and goes there to be with them. The dragons are not free to leave Vienna, and are subject to heavy regulation and strict enforcement. They gather nightly in the bar at the Sacher Hotel, where young Maggie lives with her father Alexander, a poet. Her artist mother died years ago. She finds friendship with Grisha, and after he remembers that half the dragons have been imprisoned, they embark on a quest to free them. The evil magician who imprisoned Grisha in a teapot all those years ago is the one who has cursed the dragons. Maggie learns about magic, travels with Grisha, and eventually they find a way to free the sleeping dragons. There is a sad twist at the end.
The book would be great read aloud, it really lends itself to that. I thought the segregation and oppression of the dragons was well done, and would be a good lesson for kids without being overwhelming. The ending felt abrupt to me, I was very surprised to turn the page at the end and be done! Maggie is a smart character, I would be happy for my daughter to read this book with a strong female lead.
May 24, 2018
A magical story with dragons, sorcerers and humans. A dragon named Grisha, was turned into a tea pot and lived many years with no mobility but hearing and seeing. He was released from the spell, but after being free other rules had to be obeyed. Dragons were divided an hidden with a sleeping spell. Grisha and Maggie work together to free the dragons, but by doing so, Maggie had to give up something she cherished. Garret is a good story teller. It is an easy read for young readers. I loved the illustrations.
November 9, 2017
This is quite a charming story about the friendship between dragon named Grisha and "human girl child" Maggie.
Main thing to say about this book that it's not the kind of a book that can make a child read. This is a book for children which already love reading. It contains many deatiled and nice description of people, places and situations. It raises different kinds of problems, from the problem of remembering and forgetting to the problem of every kind of discrimination. It's quite smart, but not suitable fo everyone... It won't turn child's world upside down, but it can warm his or her heart and make their brain work in an unusual way.
Main thing to say about this book that it's not the kind of a book that can make a child read. This is a book for children which already love reading. It contains many deatiled and nice description of people, places and situations. It raises different kinds of problems, from the problem of remembering and forgetting to the problem of every kind of discrimination. It's quite smart, but not suitable fo everyone... It won't turn child's world upside down, but it can warm his or her heart and make their brain work in an unusual way.
October 30, 2017
Parts of this descriptive and sweet novel are truly wonderful-- for instance the descriptions of a dragon trapped in another form watching humans go about their daily lives are vivid and compelling. And the author is good at conveying a sense of place (Vienna, the dragons' forests, etc) and atmosphere. But there is a certain abrupt lack of transition and explanation that leave the book somewhat flat. You get enough to interest you in a story, but perhaps not enough to satisfy you, or make the book feel like a rounded whole.
July 5, 2022
ugh this stupid book had me in tears during our read-aloud today. one of the kids asked why my voice sounded funny during the last few pages. it’s called emotions😭
not sure it if was the best choice for a 2nd-grade read-aloud seeing as it was set in ww2 in Vienna, and i struggled to pronounce most of the names (you try saying Benevolentia Gaudium 100 times out loud). nevertheless, we all liked it but agreed the ending was unnecessarily sad (i was not the only one crying) for a book about magic and dragons.
not sure it if was the best choice for a 2nd-grade read-aloud seeing as it was set in ww2 in Vienna, and i struggled to pronounce most of the names (you try saying Benevolentia Gaudium 100 times out loud). nevertheless, we all liked it but agreed the ending was unnecessarily sad (i was not the only one crying) for a book about magic and dragons.
February 19, 2018
I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Chronicle Books.
The Language of Spells is a middle grade novel about a dragon named Grisha who befriends a human child, Maggie, in Vienna. Dragons weren’t always confined to the city, and when Grisha and Maggie go digging into the past, they discover that there used to be many more dragons–and something terrible may have happened to them, something that no one in Vienna remembers.
There are good and bad things about this book, and I had difficulty deciding whether or not to rate it lower. The writing is reasonably good, if a bit stuffy at times, particularly for a middle grade novel. The characters are overwhelmingly nice, especially Grisha, which is trying in its own way. I have difficulties with characters who never have so much as a bad thought. I like Maggie though, and I enjoy characters who are thoughtful and intelligent. The world-building is also decent, and I enjoyed the dragons and the magical rules of Weyr’s world, although I could have done with fewer cats.
I think there’s some underlying message about discrimination when only the golden eyed dragons are allowed to stay in Vienna, and even those are on tight restrictions. (The events take place after both World Wars, so there may be some kind of Holocaust parallel to draw there.) The chapters are blocked off by drawings, and I’m hoping they’re only placeholders for the galley copy, because they’re extremely rough. I’d be interested to see how they look in the final version.
The first major problem with the novel is the pacing. The beginning is extremely slow, as a main character spends around a hundred pages as a teapot, and the ending is too fast (more on that later). Furthermore, nothing much happens. Grisha and Maggie are technically on a quest, but it’s mostly a quest of thinking carefully about things and then doing them, with few wrenches thrown in to make things interesting. While I like the idea of a quest that’s fought mostly with the mind, Weyr doesn’t quite pull it off. I was a little bored, and I can’t help feeling that most middle grade readers would be extremely so.
It also reinforces (perhaps unintentionally) that female protagonists are best suited to these kinds of quests. Maggie’s strength is supposedly her intellect, but she wins the day through sacrifice, not through her mind, and I’m tired of selflessness being the key feature of female characters. (She’s also described as “no ordinary girl.” I never want to hear that phrase again. What does an ordinary girl even look like?) There’s an unnecessary emphasis on gender, first that dragons are only male and female (Why? Why can’t a dragon be genderfluid? Gender neutral? Something else we’ve never heard of? This is especially troublesome in a fantasy novel where the options are limitless.), and then an irritating tendency to call Maggie a “girl child”, like it’s important to make the distinction.
The other problem is the ending, which is quick compared to the rest of the novel, not to mention sloppy. There’s some weak justification that because one of the characters doesn’t know how things turn out, then the reader doesn’t either, but… at least half the novel is told from other points of view. It was almost like Weyr either couldn’t or didn’t want to wrap things up and decided to just throw in the towel. Even so, I wasn’t fond of how things went down. It’s alright to leave adult novels on a heavy note, but there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with leaving a child’s novel in darkness, and it doesn’t even keep with the themes of the rest of the novel. Maggie’s poet father taught her to look for exceptions, so I fully expected her and Grisha to do just that. When choosing between the dramatic ending and the one that makes sense, choose sense every time.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
The Language of Spells is a middle grade novel about a dragon named Grisha who befriends a human child, Maggie, in Vienna. Dragons weren’t always confined to the city, and when Grisha and Maggie go digging into the past, they discover that there used to be many more dragons–and something terrible may have happened to them, something that no one in Vienna remembers.
There are good and bad things about this book, and I had difficulty deciding whether or not to rate it lower. The writing is reasonably good, if a bit stuffy at times, particularly for a middle grade novel. The characters are overwhelmingly nice, especially Grisha, which is trying in its own way. I have difficulties with characters who never have so much as a bad thought. I like Maggie though, and I enjoy characters who are thoughtful and intelligent. The world-building is also decent, and I enjoyed the dragons and the magical rules of Weyr’s world, although I could have done with fewer cats.
I think there’s some underlying message about discrimination when only the golden eyed dragons are allowed to stay in Vienna, and even those are on tight restrictions. (The events take place after both World Wars, so there may be some kind of Holocaust parallel to draw there.) The chapters are blocked off by drawings, and I’m hoping they’re only placeholders for the galley copy, because they’re extremely rough. I’d be interested to see how they look in the final version.
The first major problem with the novel is the pacing. The beginning is extremely slow, as a main character spends around a hundred pages as a teapot, and the ending is too fast (more on that later). Furthermore, nothing much happens. Grisha and Maggie are technically on a quest, but it’s mostly a quest of thinking carefully about things and then doing them, with few wrenches thrown in to make things interesting. While I like the idea of a quest that’s fought mostly with the mind, Weyr doesn’t quite pull it off. I was a little bored, and I can’t help feeling that most middle grade readers would be extremely so.
It also reinforces (perhaps unintentionally) that female protagonists are best suited to these kinds of quests. Maggie’s strength is supposedly her intellect, but she wins the day through sacrifice, not through her mind, and I’m tired of selflessness being the key feature of female characters. (She’s also described as “no ordinary girl.” I never want to hear that phrase again. What does an ordinary girl even look like?) There’s an unnecessary emphasis on gender, first that dragons are only male and female (Why? Why can’t a dragon be genderfluid? Gender neutral? Something else we’ve never heard of? This is especially troublesome in a fantasy novel where the options are limitless.), and then an irritating tendency to call Maggie a “girl child”, like it’s important to make the distinction.
The other problem is the ending, which is quick compared to the rest of the novel, not to mention sloppy. There’s some weak justification that because one of the characters doesn’t know how things turn out, then the reader doesn’t either, but… at least half the novel is told from other points of view. It was almost like Weyr either couldn’t or didn’t want to wrap things up and decided to just throw in the towel. Even so, I wasn’t fond of how things went down. It’s alright to leave adult novels on a heavy note, but there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with leaving a child’s novel in darkness, and it doesn’t even keep with the themes of the rest of the novel. Maggie’s poet father taught her to look for exceptions, so I fully expected her and Grisha to do just that. When choosing between the dramatic ending and the one that makes sense, choose sense every time.
I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.
January 24, 2018
This is an adorable middle grade book and I might have teared up just a bit finishing it...
Grisha, a dragon with a strange and lonely past, finds himself in Vienna with the rest of the dragons who have left the forest. Maggie is a precocious, but lonely, little girl being raised by her poet father and the city of Vienna. Together, they discover both the beauties and dangers of magic and how they can use it to make the world a better place.
This book was so cute. Grisha and Maggie (and other supporting characters) were all so quiet and gentle and wholesome. They're brave in smaller ways than traditional fantasy heroes. And they understand what's important in life. I loved it. I especially love that you get to know so much about Grisha and Maggie's pasts that you can understand why they're so grateful to find each other. And that's really what makes this story so wonderful. This is a quiet book, not full of action and adventure. It's full of small discoveries and quiet friendships and teapots and talking cats.
My biggest complaint is the ending, which I'm not actually that upset about. I'm still kind of reeling. It's abrupt and bittersweet and there are so many questions left unanswered, but I think that's how it's meant to be - large sacrifices yield great rewards. And I hope that can be the legacy of our characters.
Highly recommended for young readers with an interest in urban fantasy.
Grisha, a dragon with a strange and lonely past, finds himself in Vienna with the rest of the dragons who have left the forest. Maggie is a precocious, but lonely, little girl being raised by her poet father and the city of Vienna. Together, they discover both the beauties and dangers of magic and how they can use it to make the world a better place.
This book was so cute. Grisha and Maggie (and other supporting characters) were all so quiet and gentle and wholesome. They're brave in smaller ways than traditional fantasy heroes. And they understand what's important in life. I loved it. I especially love that you get to know so much about Grisha and Maggie's pasts that you can understand why they're so grateful to find each other. And that's really what makes this story so wonderful. This is a quiet book, not full of action and adventure. It's full of small discoveries and quiet friendships and teapots and talking cats.
My biggest complaint is the ending, which I'm not actually that upset about. I'm still kind of reeling. It's abrupt and bittersweet and there are so many questions left unanswered, but I think that's how it's meant to be - large sacrifices yield great rewards. And I hope that can be the legacy of our characters.
Highly recommended for young readers with an interest in urban fantasy.
July 4, 2018
A heartfelt and charmingly written/illustrated alternate history/fantasy. The story starts slowly (what do you expect, the poor dragon Grisha spends more than a hundred years transformed as a teapot)! Grisha hears about the end of magic and the problems of man, including both world wars, from his perch on the fireplace. When he is finally freed, he heads to Vienna to be with the last of his kin.
Things change when Maggie, a young motherless and somewhat strange girl, finds her first friend in Grisha. Friendship gives Grisha the courage to look in the darkness of his own past and remember the hurtful things he'd rather not... and Maggie is determined to help right the wrongs done to Grisha's kind. From there, the pacing gets a bit wonky and we rush towards a really bittersweet ending.
I really flew through this unique story. I just loved the way it was written. I couldn't believe how much I came to care for the characters in such a short amount of time, so much so that by the end I wanted to rip my heart from my chest. 😭
My only issue with the book is the glossing over World War II and the erasure of Jewish people. I get that this is a children's book, but I would think that especially in a story about misunderstood and mistreated beings, the author might have made at least a reference.
Things change when Maggie, a young motherless and somewhat strange girl, finds her first friend in Grisha. Friendship gives Grisha the courage to look in the darkness of his own past and remember the hurtful things he'd rather not... and Maggie is determined to help right the wrongs done to Grisha's kind. From there, the pacing gets a bit wonky and we rush towards a really bittersweet ending.
I really flew through this unique story. I just loved the way it was written. I couldn't believe how much I came to care for the characters in such a short amount of time, so much so that by the end I wanted to rip my heart from my chest. 😭
My only issue with the book is the glossing over World War II and the erasure of Jewish people. I get that this is a children's book, but I would think that especially in a story about misunderstood and mistreated beings, the author might have made at least a reference.
August 22, 2019
Любите ли вы драконов так, как люблю их я? 😄
Именно по этой причине не смогла пройти мимо книги «Язык заклинаний». Тот редкий случай, когда даже аннотацию толком не изучила. Знала лишь то, что книга детская, ну и что?
Это история о драконе Грише и в целом о жизни драконов в обществе с людьми. Когда-то драконы населяли мир и это было нормой, но что-то пошло не так... И после Гриши (чьё полное имя – Беневоленция Гаудиум 😁) драконы перестали появляться на свет.
Дракон пережил многое: и заклятие, наложенное на него, и жизнь при дворе, и войну. Но как и всегда в историях про животных, ключевую роль в его жизни сыграла дружба с человеком, с девочкой Мэгги. Трогательные отношения, которых порой не встретишь в жизни, чувство привязанности и ответственности друг за друга.
Хоть эту книгу я бы в идеале читала по главам совместно с ребенком возрасте 7-9 лет, но она подойдёт и взрослым, которые любят сказки. Да, написано простым языком, но образов и метафор тут предостаточно, а т��епетное и такое правильное отношение автора к волшебству покорило меня с самого начала ✨
Про обложку вообще молчу, сами видите, – она радовала меня каждый раз, когда брала книгу в руки. Красота!
Именно по этой причине не смогла пройти мимо книги «Язык заклинаний». Тот редкий случай, когда даже аннотацию толком не изучила. Знала лишь то, что книга детская, ну и что?
Это история о драконе Грише и в целом о жизни драконов в обществе с людьми. Когда-то драконы населяли мир и это было нормой, но что-то пошло не так... И после Гриши (чьё полное имя – Беневоленция Гаудиум 😁) драконы перестали появляться на свет.
Дракон пережил многое: и заклятие, наложенное на него, и жизнь при дворе, и войну. Но как и всегда в историях про животных, ключевую роль в его жизни сыграла дружба с человеком, с девочкой Мэгги. Трогательные отношения, которых порой не встретишь в жизни, чувство привязанности и ответственности друг за друга.
Хоть эту книгу я бы в идеале читала по главам совместно с ребенком возрасте 7-9 лет, но она подойдёт и взрослым, которые любят сказки. Да, написано простым языком, но образов и метафор тут предостаточно, а т��епетное и такое правильное отношение автора к волшебству покорило меня с самого начала ✨
Про обложку вообще молчу, сами видите, – она радовала меня каждый раз, когда брала книгу в руки. Красота!
September 28, 2023
2.5* rounded up. I wanted something sweet and wholesome, and I had this book, somehow, in my kindle library. It’s a standalone middle grade fantasy about a post war Europe where dragons and magic still exist. Sounds like the premise for an exciting read, isn’t it? Well, while the friendship between Grisha the dragon and the Maggie is nothing but sweet and wholesome, the plot is lackluster, the world underdeveloped, and the pace almost nonexistent. This book is boring, and I say it regretfully, because it had potential. I ended up DNF-ing at 70%, because I could not hold my interest up at all.
Grisha lives in an Austrian forest. He is a young and naive dragon. Dragons, in this alternative Europe, are alive and kicking, used for warfare, but not aggressive on their own. He is enchanted and transformed into a teapot by an evil wizard, one of the few remaining magic users, working from the shadows and getting paid handsomely by the rich and powerful. The teapot ends up and the Austrian Emperor’s Court, then, in the tumult of 1st World War, Grisha, still in its teapot form, is owned by a family in London, who figure out his magic and end up freeing him, around the Battle of London. After the war, the dragons return to Austria. The world doesn’t need them to fight wars, but it also doesn’t need them flying about, so they end up working in Vienna, under strict regulations. Grisha has weird memory loss, can’t recall certain times and episodes. This backstory takes a third of this not too long book.
We meet Maggie, the daughter of a Viennese poet, who lives in an expensive hotel since her mother died. She is homeschooled, loves to wander the streets and coffee shops of Vienna (I mean, same girl, same) and is very mature and educated for her age. Also very lonely. She befriends Grisha, and helps him remember and bring back his suppressed memories. After the 60% mark, we start to actually understand what is happening and what is the story leading us to. I won’t spoil it, in case somebody wants to give it a try.
So, overall, while it’s not badly written language wise, it lacks a skillful editor to tighten its plot and pace. Things happen very slowly, at an almost meditative pace. Considering this is geared towards the middle grade crowd, it baffles me even more. There is very little happening, but not in a way that works for me.
A separate mention is needed regarding the world building/setting. There is a mention somewhere that the events are taking place 40 years after the end of WWII, so somewhere around 1985 or so. So much more could have been done with this setting. Historical events are hinted at or mentioned in passing, but nothing more than that. There were some many ideas and events that could have been explored in this setting, but, sadly, weren’t.
I don’t regret not finishing this, I do regret this not being a better book.
Grisha lives in an Austrian forest. He is a young and naive dragon. Dragons, in this alternative Europe, are alive and kicking, used for warfare, but not aggressive on their own. He is enchanted and transformed into a teapot by an evil wizard, one of the few remaining magic users, working from the shadows and getting paid handsomely by the rich and powerful. The teapot ends up and the Austrian Emperor’s Court, then, in the tumult of 1st World War, Grisha, still in its teapot form, is owned by a family in London, who figure out his magic and end up freeing him, around the Battle of London. After the war, the dragons return to Austria. The world doesn’t need them to fight wars, but it also doesn’t need them flying about, so they end up working in Vienna, under strict regulations. Grisha has weird memory loss, can’t recall certain times and episodes. This backstory takes a third of this not too long book.
We meet Maggie, the daughter of a Viennese poet, who lives in an expensive hotel since her mother died. She is homeschooled, loves to wander the streets and coffee shops of Vienna (I mean, same girl, same) and is very mature and educated for her age. Also very lonely. She befriends Grisha, and helps him remember and bring back his suppressed memories. After the 60% mark, we start to actually understand what is happening and what is the story leading us to. I won’t spoil it, in case somebody wants to give it a try.
So, overall, while it’s not badly written language wise, it lacks a skillful editor to tighten its plot and pace. Things happen very slowly, at an almost meditative pace. Considering this is geared towards the middle grade crowd, it baffles me even more. There is very little happening, but not in a way that works for me.
A separate mention is needed regarding the world building/setting. There is a mention somewhere that the events are taking place 40 years after the end of WWII, so somewhere around 1985 or so. So much more could have been done with this setting. Historical events are hinted at or mentioned in passing, but nothing more than that. There were some many ideas and events that could have been explored in this setting, but, sadly, weren’t.
I don’t regret not finishing this, I do regret this not being a better book.
September 11, 2018
The first third of the book was not really doing it for me. It was slow to the point of almost being boring. I think some editing could have been used there because some of the descriptions of scenes went on too long, for my tastes at least.
The second third picked up for me and I got really into the story. There was intrigue and a quest. The scope of the magical world was widened and the relationship between Maggie and the dragon Grisha was more defined. They also tackled some real issues like grief of parental loss and an allegory for the Holocaust.
The last third of the book was a punch to the gut. The price for Maggie and Grisha to complete their quest is very high. I found it very upsetting and cried in my office. The conclusion showed the growth of Maggie in making a very mature and selfless choice to ensure the freedom of others. She doesn't die, this is a kids' book, but she has to sacrifice a lot.
I would only recommend this for children who can handle loss well. Definitely not for children with any kind of separation anxiety.
The second third picked up for me and I got really into the story. There was intrigue and a quest. The scope of the magical world was widened and the relationship between Maggie and the dragon Grisha was more defined. They also tackled some real issues like grief of parental loss and an allegory for the Holocaust.
The last third of the book was a punch to the gut. The price for Maggie and Grisha to complete their quest is very high. I found it very upsetting and cried in my office. The conclusion showed the growth of Maggie in making a very mature and selfless choice to ensure the freedom of others. She doesn't die, this is a kids' book, but she has to sacrifice a lot.
I would only recommend this for children who can handle loss well. Definitely not for children with any kind of separation anxiety.
July 12, 2018
Stately in pace with lovely melancholy prose, this is a book to be savored slowly. Weyr tale has a traditional fairy-tale style and touches on large themes such as honor and sacrifice, power and its use and friendship. Contemporary issues appear as well and feel deeply integrated to the story. Is magic still in the world and what does it take for us to see it? What has technology and the pace of our lives done to us? Why do we hide or not see the things that make us uncomfortable?
Written in an accessible style for young readers, this thoughtful book would be a great choice for those readers looking for something different. If magic takes great sacrifice, what would you give? When would it be worth it? This book lingers in the mind.
Written in an accessible style for young readers, this thoughtful book would be a great choice for those readers looking for something different. If magic takes great sacrifice, what would you give? When would it be worth it? This book lingers in the mind.
February 6, 2024
A lot of people are unhappy with the ending and I do agree it’s rather bleak. Had I read the book as a child it would have wrecked me but reading it at an older age made it more bearable. I feel as if the moral is “ the world can be horrible and even if we didn’t cause it we can choose selfishness to fix it”. I would have loved a bit more hopefulness but I kind of liked the bluntness. She was feeling the grief she never felt for her mother and so it makes sense it would be more all consuming. Sad book that felt melancholy the whole way through but I loved it
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2019
This book was definitely not what I expected, and that's not a bad thing! I was expecting a classic fantasy adventure with dragons. Instead, I got a quiet story about a dragon and a young girl and their friendship. I think this book tackles a subject through allegory that is not often talked about when discussing the aftermath of WWII, and that is the conscious effort to forget the atrocities of the war to cope with trauma. It also discusses how forgetting, while useful as a coping mechanism, does not not lead to fixing a situation, learning from it, or making others aware of it. This book opens up discussions about topics like survivor's guilt, an entire population turning a blind-eye to suffering, and how sometimes doing the right thing comes with a price. I don't think this book is for everyone, but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it in the end!
October 24, 2018
A truly wonderful fantasy, destined to be a classic, about a dragon and a girl, and several magical cats. If you had to give up the thing you loved most in order to work a magic spell and right a terrible wrong, what would it be? And how would you live without it?
April 21, 2019
I don't know if I'm just in a season of my life where I feel emotions more, or if children's literature is recently tending towards bittersweet endings, but why does everything I read make me cry these days!!!
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May 4, 2019The Language of Spells was a a sweet middle grade book I picked up on a whim because I love dragons, and magic, and books with black and white illustrations. This book was full of magic, and was bittersweet for sure.
January 17, 2021
4.5
I loved it! Dragons, rude enchanted human-cats, potions, and themes of deeper meaning mixed with the awesome magic, what could you not like?
I felt with the characters, both human and not throughout the entire story. The only thing I would have added was more pages!
Oh, and while I was still reading this I read and finished The Six Of Crows, in which there are people called Grisha (it's a title kind of like wizard). Grisha is also the nickname of our main dragon, short for Benevolentia Gaudium. I didn't realize that until after finishing Six of Crows and picking this up again. Coincidences! Or... Magic?
I loved it! Dragons, rude enchanted human-cats, potions, and themes of deeper meaning mixed with the awesome magic, what could you not like?
I felt with the characters, both human and not throughout the entire story. The only thing I would have added was more pages!
Oh, and while I was still reading this I read and finished The Six Of Crows, in which there are people called Grisha (it's a title kind of like wizard). Grisha is also the nickname of our main dragon, short for Benevolentia Gaudium. I didn't realize that until after finishing Six of Crows and picking this up again. Coincidences! Or... Magic?
January 11, 2023
quite good.
but sometimes, the description is too much for me.
i love dragon! really! i do really love the first 1/3 part of the story. but after the story turned into Maggie, i didnt really enjoy it.
but, his description about dragon and the place is beautiful! love it!
but sometimes, the description is too much for me.
i love dragon! really! i do really love the first 1/3 part of the story. but after the story turned into Maggie, i didnt really enjoy it.
but, his description about dragon and the place is beautiful! love it!
July 8, 2018
I enjoyed this quite a bit. Girl and dragon become best friends, definitely one of my favorite things. I did think it ended a little abruptly but other than that, I really liked it.
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