Summer in Orcus Paperback – November 30, 2017

This book was a marvelous read as an adult. Yet I kept wishing I had an 11-year-old niece or nephew to read it to because it would be even more splendid for them. There is enough danger to be worried for the characters' safety, but nothing gory or age-inappropriate. The biggest worries are also the most universal: am I going the right way? will I get my friend in trouble? will this person betray me to the scary people who are chasing me? will I even be able to help or am I making everything worse?The author has a great gift of introducing the reader to magical creatures and fairytale places which seem perfectly sensible in their own context, and are somehow MORE wondrous because it's so easy to picture yourself meeting them. I think Summer and I read a lot of the same fantasy adventure books growing up. Most of them ended with me feeling sad because those other worlds were so much more interesting than mine and I could never go there. This one filled me with the feeling that things I overlook as ordinary may be the most magical of all - for someone.

I kept expecting this to turn into a cliche or start re-using the same old fantastical creatures…but Kingfisher’s imagination is better than that, and I loved every minute of it! There were some layers to this adventure that kept surprising me.

A good adult fairy tale. Reminded me of Neil Gaiman books. Felt a little too long like the writer had so many crazy ideas for this world that he wanted to cram them all in. Still overall it was a good story.

I truly wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. This is probably one of my favorites of all time. The writing was superb, the characters completely developed, the pace was perfect and the story was just fantastic, like Narnia and The Wizard of Oz rolled together in one and then some. I could actually picture this world as well as the characters as I read. I was swept away along with Summer and felt as though I was on the journey with her. The writers imagination was endless and it all fit nicely together. This was my first book by her and I already purchased 2 others. Truly amazing read for all ages and would love to perhaps see someone make this a movie!

So many fantastic tales--some of them quite good, of course--depend on an unlikely heroine of hero who, once appointed to the job, uses all the usual skills and accoutrements of the heroism trade that you'd never know the difference.This isn't one ... Or, well, not exactly. Summer tumbles forward armed with reason, politeness, loyalty, the impatience of an overprotective child, a cheese sword ( "The cheeses in your world must be very fierce...." ), and one or two far more powerful gifts that I won't mention because it would spoil the plot. She is not, however, a hero: or at least not as she understands the term.Peopled with talking birds, were-houses, magnificent wonders, and any number of things that aren't quite what they seem, Orcus is as vivid and thoroughly-imagined a world as Tolkien's Middle Earth.Kingfisher's lyrical narration strikes just the right balance between the personal and the mythical. Once again, she has skillfully crafted a novel that is at once funny, moving, and meaningful. Readers ages 10 to 110 (and beyond, if you're a dragon) will cherish this quietly powerful novel from one of the best and most original fantasy authors writing today.

This is the kind of book I wish I'd had growing up. The characters are all deeply drawn; even most of the villains aren't entirely unsympathetic.A little girl, with help (sort of) from Baba Yaga, goes in search of her heart's desire...not actually knowing quite what it is. Along the way she meets many, many odd beings, figures out what she's supposed to do, and becomes the hero she's always saying she isn't. If Lewis Carroll had written the Wizard of Oz, it might have had something of this feel to it, but the feel is only part of what's great about this book. This is some serious STORY, man! I blew off my whole afternoon because I could NOT stop reading "just one more chapter."Some of this might be too scary for children under 7 or so, but I'm absolutely recommending it to...well, everyone!

A lovely book. I encourage anyone who likes fairy tales to read it. I highly recommend it to any one.

Review first posted on jenasbookreviews.blogspot.comSummer has spent all of her 11yrs of life under the thumb of her mother's love. It's not easy being so loved and she tries not to be resentful of it but some days she just wants to break out and do something just a teeny bit dangerous just to prove that she won't die from it. Then one day a strange house walks into the neighborhood on chicken legs and she meets Baba Yaga who, in a generous mood that day, promises to grant her heart's desire. Having been so sheltered, Summer has no idea what that might be so Baba Yaga sends her through a door that leads to another world called Orcus, a world that has a darkness lying at its heart. Here Summer finds a tree that should produce frogs but can't, a talking bird that is a dandy but has a good heart, a wolf that turns into a house when the sun goes down, a Forester with the heart of a dragon, and so many others. Some help, some trick, some try to stop her but still she does not know her heart's desire so keeps looking for her way which may just lead her to Queen in Chains whose darkness is corrupting Orcus.A lovely version of a fairy tale that has all the elements of whimsy you could wish for with fun surprises scattered throughout. It's a tale of growing up but also of learning and most of all, how important it is to just stop and listen. I hadn't heard of T. Kingfisher before but apparently one of my book club ladies loves her and based on that, Seanan McGuire's Wayward children series was recommended. After reading this, I can absolutely see why and I look forward to reading more by her in the future.

I should come clean and say I've never read a T. Kingfisher book that I didn't like (even the horror stories) but I would rank this pretty high. The characters were, as usual, interesting and personable. I liked the point of view character (Summer), sympathised with her mother, loved the foppish bird (Reginald), wanted my own talking weasel and I utterly adored the werewolf. I already had this as an ebook but wanted it in hard copy as well. I may buy more to give away.

Ein Sammelsurium an verschiedenen Ideen, die letzendlich doch nicht eine fliessende Geschichte ergeben. Aber die Autorin sagt selber, dass sie Figuren und Ideen, die sie über die Jahre hatte und nirgendwo in den anderen Büchern gepasst haben, hier einfach zusammengeworfen hat und daraus eine Geschichte zu machen versuchte. Netter Ansatz, aber leider misslungen. Was überrraschend ist, da ich sonst ihre Bücher wahnsinnig gern gelesen habe.

I love this writer, each book is a refreshing thing beautifully wrote, with twists and perfect descriptions, it is for young readers, but it is so well done that I don't care and just keep reading.. if i did have children i would love to let them read those books!

Well not really. But a great story of adventure with unexpected bits and adventures and sadness and sacrifice. And puns. Loved it.

I wasn’t sure about this one at first, as it sounds like a kids’ story and they’re usually a but trite and bland. And then I fell into it head first.So imaginative, funny, pun-ny, reminiscent of other portal fantasies (new term for me) that I love like Narnia, with references to them as well. There was enough nastiness to make it real, but not too much, and no deus ex machinas, Summer does it all herself in a believable way.A satisfying ending too, which is hard to pull off. This is a story I will read again and again, I just wish it was a whole series.