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The Hollow Bettle (2009)

by Susannah Appelbaum(Favorite Author)

3.53 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

0375851739 (ISBN13: 9780375851735)

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Knopf Books for Young Readers

series

Poisons of Caux

review 1: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.Literature for young readers. Sets up a fantasy kingdom where apotheopaths (herbalists of goodwill) have been supplanted by herbalists of ill will, who attempt to poison enemies/competitors, etc. Under the evil kingship of the Nightshade family, apotheopaths have been outlawed.Protagonist is a young orphan Poison Ivy (who it turns out does have living parents). She teams up w. Rowan a young guild food-taster, to rescue her uncle, a covert apotheopath who was trying to heal the king of his club foot. Cecil, the uncle, has raised Ivy since the apparent death of both her parents.Book has an interesting line of characters called trestlemen, who live in bridges, in the support beams just below the bridge's top surface. One trestleman, Axle, has great knowle... moredge of plant life and writes the field guides that are used to train tasters. He is a mentorBettles are weird "organic" diamond-like objects that come out of the earth moist; then harden; and at book's end, break like shells to release beautiful butterfly-like creatures.Something I didn't like aobut hte book, tho I can't put my finger on the problems. There's a sort of fairy-tale atmosphere to the book that waxes and wanes.
review 2: Thank god for this book!!!!I've been waiting for a new trilogy to come along...one that keeps me flipping pages at night until dawn.I love the poison and tasters, herbs and antidotes...and the world of Caux is totally cool, unusual. The book is printed in a murky green ink--even the text!Really fun--I've given it to my two nieces. I've read the second, The Taster's Guild--and Appelbaum has me hooked.Can't wait for the third! less

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