This story started off a little bit slow,

but as it progressed, it ended up being entirely whimsical and wonderful.

Peter S. Beagle definitely has a remarkable way with words and style.

His writing is like a magical charm that pulls you in and makes you feel a sense of nostalgia for something you don't even know existed.

It's as if he taps into a part of your soul that holds onto memories and emotions you may not have been aware of.

The story unfolds in a way that keeps you engaged and curious,

while also making you feel a deep connection to the characters and their experiences.

Beagle's ability to create such a unique and captivating world is truly a gift.

By the end of the story, you are left with a sense of wonder and a desire to explore more of his works.

Overall, it was a truly enjoyable and unforgettable reading experience.

For Beagle's works, setting is of utmost importance. It means everything.

Tamsin, which won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature in 2000, is exquisitely suited to the landscape of Dorset in England and the Stourhead Farm where Jenny's new family relocates.

That ancient land, with its abundant history and captivating folklore, effortlessly transports the reader into the adventures that Jenny undertakes as she gets to know Tamsin and helps her move forward.

Ghost stories require a firm foothold in our reality to be the most believable, and this book accomplishes that believability splendidly.

I truly loved it, although at times the pace was a bit slow. However, the pace aligns perfectly with the atmosphere of the story.

It's as if Beagle has a magical ability to write in the voice of a teenage girl with such remarkable skill.

Overall, Tamsin is a captivating and enchanting read that showcases Beagle's masterful storytelling and his profound understanding of the importance of setting in creating a truly immersive fictional world.

Peter S. Beagle is truly one of my all-time favorite writers. He has crafted a plethora of enchanting short stories and also created the fantasy classic, The Last Unicorn. This novel (and movie) holds a special place in my heart. For some time now, I've been curious about his other works. So, when I came across his ghost novel \\"Tamsin,\\" I was instantly intrigued.

Although it's not quite as memorable or fantastical as \\"The Last Unicorn,\\" it's still a very good story. It features a strong protagonist, Jenny, a typical thirteen-year-old girl. She hates being uprooted from her New York City home and having to live in England with her mother and new stepfather. She's determined not to fall in love with the Dorset countryside or the old, supposedly haunted manor they now inhabit.

However, when Mister Cat leads her to a boarded-up room and she discovers a charming ghost named Tamsin, everything changes. Jenny finds the best friend she's always longed for. As Tamsin introduces her to the faery creatures on the property, including a cryptic pooka and an advice-giving billy-blind, Jenny uncovers the truth behind Tamsin's death. She realizes that to save her new friend and help her move on, she must solve a centuries-old mystery and outwit a bloodthirsty being with terrible designs on Tamsin.

Those expecting the same fairy-tale feeling and gorgeous wordplay of \\"The Last Unicorn\\" may be disappointed. \\"Tamsin\\" is a modern tale told with modern sensibilities and a modern voice. It's not better or worse, just different. The pace is quite slow, and it takes nearly half the book for Tamsin to be properly introduced. But this helps establish Jenny's character, the setting, and the overall tone of the book.

The story is a fascinating blend of Old English myth and actual history. There are historical-domain characters and references to a bloody period in British history that pique my curiosity. The asides about farming and the state of the soil felt a bit useless at first, but they do help establish the character of Jenny's stepfather.

As for Jenny herself, Peter Beagle does an excellent job of capturing the voice and drama of a thirteen-year-old girl. He wisely makes the narrator, Jenny, older than the character, looking back on the events several years later. This allows her to mature and cringe at her past self, mellowing what could have been an insufferable lead character.

Overall, \\"Tamsin\\" is a thoughtful and fascinating ghost story. It starts off slow but is well worth the read. It showcases Peter Beagle's versatility as a writer, as it's a vastly different book from \\"The Last Unicorn\\" but still very much worth exploring.

This was a truly captivating and enjoyable book.

It began rather slowly, and it took some time to reach the thrilling parts. However, once it did, there were numerous twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. It was truly an unusual read, and I'm fairly certain I've never come across anything quite like it before.

The book was filled with a great deal of magic, firmly rooted in the folklore and mythology of Britain. Despite this, the story had a modern feel and seemed to be firmly based in reality. It was as if an ordinary, real person found themselves in the midst of this crazy magical tale, mostly as a bystander and witness. She didn't suddenly acquire magical powers and become a great hero, and yet she was essential for a happy ending.

I absolutely loved this book and am eagerly looking forward to delving into more of Beagle's works.

To God, I asked, "Lord, will a man ever learn to write a female teenager properly?" And God said, "Lo, I have already made it so, back in 1999." Thank God for Peter Beagle. Peter Beagle is a remarkable author who has the ability to capture the essence and complexity of a female teenager in his writing. His works are filled with vivid descriptions and deep insights into the thoughts, emotions, and experiences of young girls. Through his words, he brings them to life on the page, making them relatable and engaging for readers of all ages. Whether it's the struggles of growing up, the search for identity, or the joys and sorrows of first love, Peter Beagle has a way of telling these stories in a way that is both honest and touching. His writing is a testament to the power of literature to connect us with the human experience, and for that, we should be truly grateful.

I don't know how to adequately describe this book. All I can say is that it made me recall precisely why I initially fell in love with reading. It is truly amazing and beautiful. I found myself wishing that it would never reach its conclusion. I haven't experienced such intense feelings for a book in such a long time that I can't even remember when it was.

I wasn't anticipating to like it as much as I did. Granted, it's written by Beagle, and one can always rely on him for captivating mythic fantasy and magnificent prose. However, the book jacket didn't give the impression that it was anything extraordinary. The premise is that a teenage girl is compelled to relocate, along with her new step-family, from New York City to an ancient farm in Dorset, England. There, she befriends Tamsin, a ghost from the 17th century, who harbors horrible secrets that she herself can no longer recall.

But let me assure you, it is far better than it sounds. The characters are brought to life with such vividness that they feel like old friends from the very start. I'm not sure how Beagle managed it, but the narrator, Jenny, is an incredibly believable 13-year-old girl. And that's no easy feat, even for me, considering I was a 13-year-old girl not too long ago. I also adore the way Beagle portrays cats, not overly anthropomorphized, but with their own distinct feline personalities. Moreover, although the story is filled with ghosts, boggarts, ancient deities, poltergeists, billy-blinds, and capricious pookas, you never once think to question that it could all be - that it should all be - completely true. Because at its core, it's really about childhood and what it means to be on the verge of becoming an adult, on the brink of losing all those magical elements that make childhood so enchanting. It's a bittersweet time, yet also exciting and something to cherish always. Just like this book.

(Original review date: 1 August 2007)

It's been years since I last delved into 'The Last Unicorn.' However, the vividness and strength of Beagle's prose remain etched in my memory, and that hasn't changed a bit. This time, as I revisit it, the fantasy elements seem to spill over into the real world in a most enchanting way. The main character, having relocated from her beloved New York to the idyllic English countryside, has a lot more to adapt to.

Once there, she finds herself irresistibly drawn into the centuries-old mysteries that shroud the manor which is now her home. The allure is so strong that as a reader, you can't help but begin to worry if she'll be completely swept up in it. Admittedly, there are a few weak spots in the story. But perhaps that's just because I'm no longer part of the young adult target audience. Nevertheless, it is still an engaging and highly relatable supernatural yarn. It is masterfully told by an author who truly excels in this genre.

Overall, 'The Last Unicorn' continues to captivate and charm, even after all these years. It's a testament to Beagle's skill as a storyteller that his work can still resonate with readers of all ages.

After hearing so many allusions to this book on livejournal's book communities, I made up my mind to give it a try. And truly, I wasn't let down.

I had anticipated being annoyed at Jenny. However, her voice had a magical charm that pulled me in and held me captive. She experiences all the confusion and sulking that a teenager yanked away from home endures. But in her narrative, she admits that her behavior embarrassed her. Her semi-denial of her respect for Evan is realistic, just as one would expect from a teenager. Similarly, her gradual respect and awareness of both her mother and her step-father are also very believable.

Julian provides great comic relief, and so does Mister Cat.

I absolutely adore the setup of this book. The pacing is spot on. Jenny's growth, her stubbornness, her increasing ease and love for her new family, her growing maturity, and the pacing and revealing of the actual plot - all are just perfect. In many aspects, this is not only a love story (encompassing all kinds of love) but also a ghost story and a story of growing up.

Judge Jeffery is haunting in his psychoticness and yet almost pitiful - a fact that Jenny takes note of. I desire to say more, but that would spoil all the suspense. So, just read it. Read it and discover the wonderful world within the pages of this book.

4.5 rounded up

Based on others' reviews, I am truly amazed at how skillfully this sixty-year-old man managed to write from the perspective of a thirteen-year-old girl. It is utterly baffling.

I'm not entirely sure which genre to classify this book into. Is it dark fantasy? Or perhaps horror? There were ghosts present, but also some truly scary creatures straight out of English folklore. Whatever it may be, I absolutely loved it. It has taken me a bit longer to embark on the next book due to the lingering effect this one has had on me.

There was one rather strange line in the book, but I attribute that to the fact that the main character befriends a seventeenth-century ghost and has adopted a bit of her lingo. This added an interesting and unique touch to the story. Overall, it was a captivating read that I would highly recommend to others.

My Jenny, I will never set my eyes on your homeland, yet I am well aware that the night there is as dark as it is in Dorset. And this night does not belong to us, nor will it ever be ours, not until the entire world is consumed by night. I tell you, Jenny, it will not be so, no more than the sea can be tamed, despite all our efforts to plow and harrow up that darkness. What lies hidden in the deepest recesses of the ocean, I'm certain no one can say - and not even the mischievous Pooka knows all that may lurk beyond the reach of light. But you have friends there now. Just remember that, and you will come to no harm. You have friends in the night, dear Jenny.

Writing like that, and a ghost kitty too!

This passage seems to be filled with a sense of mystery and longing. The speaker is addressing Jenny, expressing their inability to see her land and the uncertainty that lies within the darkness. The mention of the Pooka adds an element of superstition and the unknown. The idea of friends in the night provides a glimmer of hope and protection for Jenny. Overall, it creates a vivid and somewhat eerie atmosphere that leaves the reader intrigued.

The author is truly one of my all-time favorite writers, mainly because of the remarkable strength of The Last Unicorn. It took a full four decades for me to pick up another novel by Mr. Beagle. Perhaps I was afraid that if I read something by him that I didn't like, it would somehow diminish the powerful impact of his earlier work.

However, I should not have had such concerns in that regard.

Tamsin is the captivating story of Jenny Gluckstein. She moves with her mother from the bustling New York City to a completely different life in Dorset, where she has a new stepfather and stepbrothers. The title character, Tamsin, is a ghost. She is hinted at during the first third of the book. That time is beautifully spent describing the idyllic Dorset countryside and the various enchanting Fay creatures that inhabit the area. Tamsin Willoughby has haunted the house since her death three hundred years ago, and the circumstances of her death form the central thrust of the story from the moment we meet her. Before we meet her, we first encounter her cat, which becomes a companion to Jenny's own pet feline, Mister Cat. So, interestingly, the ghost story begins with the ghost of a cat, not a human being.

Mr. Beagle, quite appropriately given his last name, writes about animals extremely well. These are not your typical fantasy cats that talk and help their owners solve problems. Instead, they are as alive and real as their owners on the printed page.

I absolutely loved this book. I'm certain that I'll reread it at some point in the future. And it's truly high time that I explore more of Mr. Beagle's wonderful works.

Maybe if I didn't go into this book with the preconception that Jenny was a black cat and Tamsin was a ghost cat, I might have liked it better.

To my great disappointment, that wasn't the case. Tamsin was told from a human's perspective, and the story was actually quite beautiful. However, it had very little to do with cats.

I wonder why in the world this book is on the Goodreads cat shelf! Most of the time, I don't care for Beagle's writing. But throughout the story, it changed a few times, so it wasn't too bad.

If you enjoy historical fiction with a touch of fantasy, Tamsin could be a book for you. It offers an interesting blend of elements that might capture your imagination and keep you engaged from start to finish.

Give it a try and see if it meets your expectations.