The House with the Clock in Its Walls

just not for me.

I finished the book but was forcing myself towards the end. I wanted more back story on each of the characters. Other than Louis no one had much personality. The friendship with tardy could have had more depth of feeling. Jonathan's house sounded interesting, a good setting. The car chase story line was just dropped without much conclusion. The book didn't keep my attention.

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.

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.

I first read "The House with a Clock in it's Walls" when I was ten years old. I immediately fell in love with it; reading and re-reading constantly. Now I'm thirty years old, and it is still my favorite. Last year I decided to collect all of his books and re-read them-it's been the most fun I've had in ages. Out of all of the John Bellairs books, this one, in my opinion, is the very best. It's scary and funny, the characters are warm, lovable and due to their magical history, fascinating. I fell in love all over again as I re-read this last week. God bless you, Mr. Bellairs. And thank-you for showing this "little girl" just what great writing is all about.

This is the first and by far the best of Bellairs' juvenile [in the best sense of the word!] fantasy novels. The tone strikes a perfect balance between humor and creepiness, and the magical items and happenings are quite original. This book is a must-read for any Harry Potter fan. Unfortunately the quality of the books declines pretty steeply after this one -- Bellairs fell into a formulaic rut. Equally good is his only(?) adult novel, "The Face In The Frost", which has sadly been out of print for ages.

I, too, read this book when I was young and I still re-read the series from time to time. When I was young, the cover alone scared me. Even now, the final scene can thrill me if it's late and the room is dark. Brrr.Horror for children has grown more popular lately, but most of it seems to be this formulaic stuff like Goosebumps. Have any of their stories actually had a happy ending? Bellairs books are frightening, but they do end happily, and they have a depth that Goosebumps books can't match. Full of references to recent history (the stories take place in the 1950s) and more remote history (Lewis is a literate boy) and religious symbolism, these are books that will draw you in.