The Borrowers Avenged by Mary Norton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I finished reading this book on 19 February 2013.
Description:
Escaping from an attic where they had been held captive over the long, dark winter, a family of tiny people sets up house in an old rectory. They soon discover their captors are looking for them.
Review:
This is the fifth and final book in the series. Firstly, after the disappointment of the previous book, I started this one with low expectations. However, it turned out to be much better than I thought it would be and I enjoyed it.
The story picks up where the previous one left off (as do all the books) and we follow the family to their new life at the rectory. Arrietty’s aunt and uncle have moved into the church next door and we meet a new character, Pea Green, who is already living in the rectory (and seems quite lonely so it was good to see the family move in and provide companionship for him).
There is mention of Arrietty planning her future with Spiller, who isn’t in this book very much. There’s also a strong bond developing with Pea Green. And we get a strong notion that the family will settle in their new home and be happy.
The book ends … in a way that felt to me that the author planned on writing a sixth book, but never had the chance before her death. I suppose the ending allows the reader to fill in the blanks. This means what I think will happen is purely up to my imagination. And that is the case for any reader. And there’s always the truth—there is no real end to a story.
The series is good. The concept is brilliant and easily accepted. The author did a good job yet there were many flaws, unresolved plots, out of whack timelines and little things that really should have been fixed because of consistency issues. However, if the reader can get passed all this and just accept the story, the characters and the plots for what they are then they are in for a treat.
Recommended.