Book Review

Title: The Spellgrinder's Apprentice

Author: N.M.Browne

'The Spellgrinder's Apprentice' is a book about magic powers that certain people have. The magic is called 'Inward Power', and is also known as 'thaumaturgy'. There is a branch of this magic called 'secret sight', which is the ability to see into the future.

The main character of this story is a young boy named Tommo and a feisty girl called Akkena. Tommo was an orphan who worked in a spellstone grinding factory. He worked there, carving spellstones for the spellstone wielders' use. He was covered in grind dust, remnants of spellstones that had magical properties. However, this grind dust was fatal. No one lived through its effects. Thus, Tommo ran away, hoping to live.

On the way, he met Akkena. She captured him at first, and made him do labour in turn for giving him food. However, after they were on the run from Akkena's father, they became friends, and depended on each other's survival.

King Fallon however, had heard that Tommo sought sanctuary in the name of Gildea, the greatest thaumaturgist that had ever lived. Gildea was Fallon's enemy, thus he sent Haver-snatcher to capture Tommo. Queen Vevena was Haver-snatcher's daughter, and she was at Fallon's mercy, so Haver-snatcher had to play along.

I will not tell you the end, so if you want, you might want to check it out. I personally feel that this book is a fantastic book. but sadly, it has no sequel. I personally feel that this book could have been developed into a series of books. The idea of spellstones is very good material for a series of novels. I really recommend this book to my friends.

Reflection

In this year, I have learnt quite a few things. Here are some of them:

Term 1:

Studied 'Lamb To The Slaughter' by Roald Dahl.

Learning Points:

I have learnt a new way in which an exam can be set, and realised that the expectations in Sec 1 Language Arts are much higher than Primary school English. Writing such a long piece of writing in such a short period of time is not a problem in Primary school compositions, but in Secondary school, we have, if I might say, ridiculous questions to answer, and seemingly impossible situations that we are never going to be landed in, thus bringing the composition difficulty to a whole new level.

Term 2:

Taught 'Village By The Sea' and literature test answering techniques.

Learning Points:

Learnt that a talented author could incorporate a very significant problem in the society into a interesting story. Also, literature is a very hard component in LA, as a long piece of writing had to be produced in a short period of time. I think that refering to the passage time and again to answer our questions is very troublesome.

Term 3:

Taught poetry and analyzing techniques.

Learning Points:

Learnt that there was more types of poetry than haikus and limericks. Also, I found a new appreciation for poems and had fun composing them in the blog posts before. The art of writing a poem cannot be grasped immediately, and takes a talented person to write a poem that hass a lot of of meaning embedded in it. The 10 step analysis process is very useful.

Overall

I feel that this year, I have learnt a lot more things about the English language, and a lot of new skills in life, such as patience when rushing the literature test, and an open mind when analyzing poems.

Digging

Q2.

a) Soil

b) Uncovering buried things

c) Dirt

d) Treasure hunt

e) Planting trees

f) Memories

Q4.

a) Pen - seems to not go along the theme of digging

b) Toner's bog - unusual sounding name for a place

Q5.

a) Run-on-lines

My father, digging, I look down (2nd stanza, last line)

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds (3rd stanza, first line)

b) Metaphors

NIL

c) Similes

snug as a gun

d) Personification

NIL

e) Alliteration

spade sinks

gravelly ground

squelch and slap of soggy peat

curt cuts

f) Assonance

NIL

g) Onomatopoeia

Rasping

Sloppily

Slicing

Squelch

Slap

Soggy

h) Symbolism

Living roots --> Thoughts

Pen --> Educated

Q6.

Theme --> Digging

Spade

Gravelly ground

Flowerbeds

Potato drills

Heaving sods

Soggy peat

Q8.

The author wants to follow in his father's and grandfather's footsteps.

Q9.

a) Poet

b) Everyone

c) Sincere

d) Same

e) Organized because of stanzas, and forcing you to read on, because of run-on-lines.

f) Makes it easier to read, and forces you to read.

Q10.

The author was an educated person, judging from the fact that he has a pen, and that does not fit into the whole theme of digging. The author keeps talking about his father and his grandfather digging the earth. Thus, in the last two stanzas, the author has thoughts of following in their footsteps by applying his knowledge, even though he does not have the skills.