Askounis, Christina. The Dream of the Stone.ASKOUNIS, Christina. The dream of the stone. Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster U.S. publishing company. It was founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon (1899–1960) and M. Lincoln Schuster (1897–1970), whose initial project, the original crossword-puzzle book, was a best-seller. . 290p. c1993. 978-1416911876. $8.99. SA Askounis's debut novel was published over a decade ago, but this beautiful, poignant coming-of-age tale has withstood the test of time well. Sarah Lucas Sarah Lucas (born Holloway, London, 1962) is a contemporary British artist. One of the leading figures in the generation of young British artists who emerged during the 1990s, she has gained an international reputation for provocative works that frequently employ coarse visual puns and a , recently orphaned, has been sent from her beloved Sycamore sycamore: see plane tree. sycamore Any of several distinct trees called by the same name though in different genera and families. In the U.S. the term refers to the American plane tree or buttonwood (Platanus occidentalis), a hardy street tree. Farm to live with her Aunt Helena and Uncle Bernard in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . When her brother Sam, a scientific genius working in California, drops out of sight and a strange and frightening man begins to stalk stalk (stawk) an elongated anatomical structure resembling the stem of a plant. allantoic stalk her, Sarah turns to her only friend, Angel Muldoon, a half-Gypsy stable boy. Their attempts to unravel the riddle of the blue stone take them to Oneiros, another world, strange and lovely and doomed to succumb suc·cumb intr.v. suc·cumbed, suc·cumb·ing, suc·cumbs 1. To submit to an overpowering force or yield to an overwhelming desire; give up or give in. See Synonyms at yield. 2. To die. to a shadowy force called the Umbra. The force intends to possess the stalker, a man named Zvalus, giving it a physical form with which to control the planet and its population. Sarah, Angel and Sam, who created the means of transportation to the planet, must overcome Zvalus and fend off the Umbra. Askounis has created appealing, strong characters with an authentic range of emotions and flaws. She extends the complexity to Zvalus and his henchman Oskar, giving them dimension beyond cardboard stereotypes. The plot is complicated and, at times, the novel is densely written, with strong spiritual and environmental overtones that enhance rather than overwhelm the narrative. Fans of Madeleine L'Engle's works will especially appreciate this welcome re-release. Donna Scanlon, Librarian, Marietta PA S--Recommended for senior high school students. A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries. |
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