Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #385714 in Books
• Published on: 1974-08-15
• Released on: 1974-08-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews

The clock strikes dead
John Bellairs is best known as the author of sixteen gothic mystery novels for young adults comprising the Lewis Barnavelt, Anthony Monday, and Johnny Dixon series. "The House with a Clock in its Walls" (1973) is the first in the Lewis Barnavelt series.

Lewis is a newly orphaned, plump ten-year-old, who wears "purple corduroy trousers, the kind that go `whip-whip' when you walk." The author often claimed that his imagination got stuck at ten, and here is Lewis, age ten, going to live with his Uncle Jonathan in New Zebedee, Michigan. The year is 1948, and New Zebedee bears a strong resemblance to Marshall, Michigan, where the author was born--- The Cronin House and the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Hall still stand in Marshall, just as their counterparts do in New Zebedee.

"The House with a Clock in its Walls" is a whimsical horror tale involving a deceased wizard's scheme to end the world. The book was illustrated by Edward Gorey (speaking of whimsical horror), and was at one time transformed into a made-for-tv movie for children.

So far from what I've read of Bellairs, his characters tend to be elderly eccentrics, or ordinary children (no superkids, here). Lewis is resourceful, but with a child's fears and limitations. Most especially, he is afraid that his uncle won't like him, that the kids in his new school will make fun of him, and that he'll never have a friend. His uncle Jonathan and neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman are skilled in magic, and are very likeable. They perform magic tricks for Lewis and make him chocolate chip cookies and coca, and generally treat him as a small adult. The one thing Uncle Jonathan is reluctant to talk about is the ticking noise within his old house.

Lewis discovers that his uncle makes midnight excursions throughout the house, stopping and restarting all of the old clocks. He slowly gets involved in the mystery of the undiscovered clock. The wizardly Izzard couple who used to live in the house are both dead, but what did they leave behind and why?

There are some genuinely frightening scenes in "The House with a Clock in its Walls"---most especially when Lewis tries to impress a new friend by stealing one of his uncle's magic books and taking it to the graveyard at midnight on Halloween---but I don't want to spoil the story for you (Hint: there's a scene straight out of "Count Magnus" by M.R. James when the lock pops off of the crypt). Let me say that this is a truly scary book, and if the author's imagination got stuck at ten, he must lived an awesomely spooky tenth year.

If you like gothic horror, then you will love this book!
It is 1948, and with the death of his parents, Lewis Barnavelt now has to move in with his Uncle Jonathan. But, there are some strange things going on in his uncle's house. His uncle seems to be looking for something in the house, checking each and every wall. It seems that the house once belonged to an old warlock, and that Uncle dabbles in magic as well. The old man, Isaac Izard, had placed a magical clock in the house, and if you listened at the walls you could hear it ticking. Just what was the clock for? It's a mystery that will not wait, and becomes more pressing with every passing page!

Well, I must say that I am a huge fan of John Bellairs' excellent book, The Face in the Frost. I finally broke down, and got myself his second most well-known book, The House with a Clock in Its Walls, and I must say that I am most impressed! The book is excellent, having that same feeling of gothic horror. I enjoyed the characters, and interesting mystery.

So, if you like gothic horror, then you will love this book. There's a reason why it's considered a classic of young-adult fantasy - read it and find out for yourself!

An Imaginary World
The House With a Clock in Its Walls, by John Bellairs, is an extraordinary book capturing ideas from the imaginary world. Besides being imaginary, this book also deals with reality. It is a challenging mystery that is scary in parts, and sad in others. I recommend this book to any reader because to me it was not only a book but a life lesson.