3.5
Jenny Nimmo said yes there will be plot convinces, and what about it?
Very fun to be back in this world, I really like the overall ideas of this book, and I wish it had been written now where middle grade is allowed to be more detailed and complex, while still being aimed at children. It was just a little too bare bones, a little too simple. But I still had a really fun time with it and appreciate the tone the book was going for

First off, I have to admit that I bought these books because I thought (maybe I saw this on the internet somewhere, I’m not sure) that the story was similar to the Harry Potter books.

Yes, there is an 11 year old boy who has a magical “ability”. Yes, there is a special school for children with these abilities. Apart from that, the story is quite different. I had to push the Harry Potter thought out of my head and start thinking Charlie Bone, because wherever I got that idea…I was wrong…and it was wrong of me to continue reading with that thought in my head.

This was a slightly longer children’s book than normal, but it draw me in and captivated me from the beginning. I loved the characters and the setting. Although I never worked out when the story took place, it didn’t matter. It felt “up-to-date” and that was enough for me.

Reading this book showed the writer in me that whilst characters need to learn and grow throughout a story, their problems don’t have to be resolved completely.

As I mentioned before, Midnight for Charlie Bone is the first book in a series. Although the immediate problem in the story was solved and the author gave the impression that everything was fine for the characters, it was quite obvious that it wasn’t and the very last line of the story confirmed this. However, I didn’t feel cheated and I don’t feel as if I have to read the next book (although I will, because I’ve already got it).

Recommendation: A definite “yes”. Read this book.

This was a good middle grade read about magic and friends. It reminded me a lot of Harry Potter, which was good and bad. I liked the premise and Charlie and his best friend Benjamin, but I thought it was a bit of a rip off, but whatever. Charlie lives with his mom and aunts, one of whom treats him terribly. Charlie suddenly finds out he has powers and is sent off to a school for the "endowed." See what I mean? But, the mysteries Charlie and his friends investigate were fun and I liked Charlie's mom and uncle, who were nice and helped him. It was a quick read and well paced.

I just can't stop with nostalgic childhood throwbacks