Post # 2: Summary of Chapters 1-5

Chapter 1: Of All That Was Found and All That Was Lost

In this chapter, we learn that the main character is boy named David. He lives in England during World War 2. His mother has been slowly dying, and David believes that by performing small routines throughout the day (such as counting to exactly 20 while brushing his teeth), he can keep her from dying. He would often sit with his mother and read fairy tales to her-for that was what she wished to hear. She used to tell him that stories were alive and that they lived through the person who was telling them aloud. She said that stories wanted to be read; they wanted to be given life. One day while David was at school, he learns of his mother's death, and feels ashamed at his failure of keeping her alive with his routines. After her funeral, David begins to bury himself in books...especially fairy tales.

Chapter 2: Of Rose and Dr. Moberley, and the Importance of Details

In this chapter, David begins to feel relieved because he no longer has to deal with the complications of having a dying mother and the effect of this on his father. However, he misses his mother dearly and his grades and social life suffer because of this. He often wishes that his life was more like a fairy tale since there is always a happy ending to them. David's father takes interest in a new woman, Rose, and David begins to have fainting spells and he begins to be able to hear the books around him talking. This is when he starts seeing Dr. Moberley, a psychiatrist. During his first visit, the doctor asks him many questions about his life and asks him to draw pictures. Although David complies, he decides against telling Dr. Moberley that he can hear books talking to him. After the session, David passes out again and hears what he believes to be his mother's voice, but sees only a "crooked man".

Chapter 3: Of the New House, the New Child, and the New King

In this chapter, World War 2 is underway, and Rose gives birth to a boy, who gets named Georgie. David decides that he does not care for either Rose or the new baby. The four of them are living in a new house, and his father gets a job decoding secret messages to do with the war. David's new bedroom is full of books that the former resident left behind (a relative of Rose's), and he begins to look through and read some of them. He reads stories about princesses, wolves, and a woodsman. At this point he also notices that there are vines coming into his room through cracks around his windowsill and that there are insects and small critters in his bedroom. When he falls asleep he dreams again about the "crooked man", who beckons David from the edge of the forest behind the house.

Chapter 4: Of Jonathan Tulvey and Billy Golding, and Men Who Dwell by Railway Tracks

In this chapter, David notices that some of the books in his room are written in by a man named Jonathan Tulvey, and he asks Rose about it. She reveals that Jonathan disappeared when he was fourteen with a girl named Anna. She also explains that Jonathan had nightmares after reading fairytales. David also reflects on a memory he has about a boy named Billy Golding, who had gone missing and was found dead by the railway tracks after he had been raped. That night David dreams again about the strange land and the "crooked man", but also about railway tracks and a little boy and girl.

Chapter 5: Of Intruders and Transformations

In this chapter, his home life become tense since his father is hardly home, Rose is struggling to take care of Georgie, and Rose and David quarrel often. His dreams come more often and more vividly, during the night and during the day now. His day dreams occur most often near the sunken garden in the backyard, and David always thinks he can hear his mother's voice calling to him. One day while he was playing outside, David sees the "crooked man" in his bedroom, but when his father goes to investigate, only a magpie is inside. David has some doubts about whether it was really just a bird when he finds a book open on his bedroom floor (one that was written in by Jonathan). David realizes that he must face whatever lies in the sunken garden when after this incident.

My Thoughts/Questions:

-death could be a theme, child afraid of losing parents, jealousy
-is David going to save Jonathon and Anna? (and Billy?), his Mother?
-What is the importance of Jonathon Tulvey and fairy tales??
-I'm guessing that David is going to go on some kind of quest to do with fairy tales...
-also going to guess that the conflict with Rose will be resolved by the end of the book
-this book is a rather easy read, having no trouble so far