Means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, Stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any No part of this publication may be reproduced, Printed and bound in Great Britain by the CPI GroupĪll rights reserved. The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been assertedĪ CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British with Library Text copyright © 1986, 1987, 1989 Jenny NimmoĬover illustration copyright © Jessica Meserve Published in one volume as The Snow Spider Trilogy 2003 The Chestnut Soldier was first published in Great Britain 1989 The Snow Spider was first published in Great Britain 1986Įmlyn’s Moon was first published in Great Britain 1987 – will capture the imagination of young and old alike. Jenny Nimmo’s superb tale of good against evil – setĪgainst the shimmering backdrop of a magical domed city Nimmo's talent for creating affable boy protagonists, as seen in her popular Charlie Bone series ( Charlie Bone and the Time Twister, BCCB 12/03, Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy, BCCB 9/04, et al.), may keep readers engaged with Gwyn and anticipating the final two volumes.A magical story and winner of the Smarties Grand Prix, Unfortunately, the fantasy plot is not as well developed as the characters: where or what is this alternate world from which silvery beings appear? Is his sister actually dead or just missing? Why, if the fifth gift was so desperately dangerous, did his grandmother offer it without warning? Ultimately, the lack of resolution and preponderance of plot weaknesses overshadow the powerful family story, although the fact that this is the first book in a trilogy may explain some of the gaps. In addition, the blame, guilt, and discomfort experienced in a family when a member suddenly dies (or disappears) are painfully realistic and well conveyed. Gwyn, overeager and well-intentioned, is a likable protagonist, and readers will root for him even as he makes questionable choices. However, Gwyn is only beginning to exert control over his magic and, after inadvertently releasing a powerfully dark force, he realizes that rather than solving his family's problems, he could be endangering them all. Gwyn's determination to focus his emerging wizardry on bringing back his sister seems successful when a silvery girl from unknown origins suddenly appears, bearing a strong sibling resemblance and easing his parents' grief. As a result, the young boy learns he is indeed magically inclined, and a gossamer spider moves into his room and weaves mysterious images only he can see.

On that birthday, his grandmother offers him five strange gifts, which, when thrown to the wind, will show Gwyn 139whether or not he is a magician.

The usual pall on Gwyn's birthday (it is also the anniversary of his older sister's disappearance) is lifted when he turns nine.

The snow spider book