• click here to return to the homepage •
or 
Home > Categories > Books > Fantasy > Red Rocks review
While holidaying at his father's house, Jake explores Wellington's wild south coast, with its high cliffs, biting winds, and its fierce seals. When he stumbles upon a perfectly preserved sealskin, hidden in a crevice at Red Rocks, he's compelled to take it home and hide it under his bed, setting off a chain of events that threatens to destroy his family.
Red Rocks takes the Celtic myth of the selkies, or seal people, and transplants it into the New Zealand landscape, throwing an ordinary boy into an adventure tinged with magic. With its beautiful writing and eerie atmosphere, junior readers will be thrilled and moved by this captivating story.
The Kingdom
Nights Masque - 1 - The Alchemist of Souls
A Wife on Gorge River: Raising New Zealand's Remotest Family
Kindred in Death
Geronimo Stilton #56: Flight of the Red Bandit
Never Mind Miss Fox
Exploring Nature's Pattern Magic
Zen Socks
Mark of the Thief #2: Rise of the Wolf
The Man Who Loved Boxes
Crush
Harsu and the Werestoat
Tilly and the Lost FairytalesProduct reviews...
Review by: mizim (Miriam)
Dated: 19th of October, 2012
I asked to review this book as I love old myths and legends, and this has selkies in it.
For those of you who haven't heard this particular tale, it is about seals and how they can shed their skin, hiding it away, and spend some time walking around as a human. But should someone hide their skin (generally someone who has fallen in love with them) then they are trapped, eventually starting to waste away.
I like that it is set in New Zealand, showing how these stories are now worldwide, and also that it is set in the perfect place for it, windy Wellington. The story follows a young boy who is down on holiday, staying with his dad, and free to roam as his dads job consumes all of his time. He finds a seal skin and takes it home, having no idea of the events that he has set in motion. Jake is a very believable character, easy to like and accept as a viable character. It's so easy to feel in the moment and believe that he is feeling what is written down on paper. His father, whilst not being the main character, is also a very real character.
Random listing from 'Books'...
The sun is shining in the Hundred Isles and yet the path forward seems crowded with shadows, Conor, Abeke, Meilin and Rollan have travelled across the world seeking a set of powerful talismans in order to keep them from enemy hands.
Throughout their journey the young heroes have been hounded by pursuers who always seem to know just where to find them. Now they know why. One of them is a traitor. As they steer the crystal blue waters ... more...
All trademarks, images and copyrights on this site are owned by their respective companies.
KIWIreviews is an independent entity, part of the Knock Out News Group. This is a free public forum presenting user opinions on selected products, and as such the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of kiwireviews.nz and are protected under New Zealand law by the "Honest Opinion" clause of the Defamation Act of 1992. KIWIreviews accepts no liability for statements made on this site, on the premise that they have been submitted as the true and honest opinions of the individual posters. In most cases, prices and dates stated are approximate and should be considered as only guidelines.
"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people."
W.C. Fields
