This Rough Magic
Mary Stewart
THE PLOT
Lucy is a young actress. She goes to the Greek island of Corfu, where her old sister has a house. She wants to relax for a few weeks.
The island has a lot of mysteries, soon Lucy meets some people (an old actor that lives in a house with his son, a man that is writing a book, her sister’s housewife and his daughter…) But Lucy discovers that they have a lot of secrets.
One day a boy disappears while he was sailing at night. The writer was in the ship with him, he says that the boy fell into the water, but…Does the man tell the truth? What did happen? Lucy tries to discover the answers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mary Stewart
One of the most popular novelists writing today, was born in Sunderland, County Durham, England. After boarding-school, she recieved a B.A. with first class honors in English Language and Literature from Durham University and went on for her M.A. Later she returned to her own University as a Lecturer in English.
She married in 1945. Her husband is Sir Frederick Stewart, who is Chairman of the Geology Department at Edinburgh University, and a Fellow of the Royal Society. Mary Stewart's career as a novelist began in 1954 with the publication of Madam, Will You Talk? Since then she has published fifteen successful novels, including The Last Enchantment, the third book of the magical trilogy about the legendary enchanter Merlin and young Arthur.
Her books for young readers, The Little Broomstick (1971) and Ludo and the Star Horse (1974), quickly met with the same success as her other novels.
In 1968, she was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts. In 1971, the Scottish Chapter of the International PEN Association awarded her the Frederick Niven prize for the The Crystal Cave. In 1974, the Scottish Arts Council Award went to Ludo and the Star Horse.
Stewart is currently semi-retired and resides in Edinburgh, Scotland.
BOOK REVIEW
I have read This rough magic, it’s a gripping mystery book written by Mary Stewart.
The plot has an unexpected twist when one day the housewife’s son disappears while he is sailing at night. The writer was on the ship with him, he says that the boy has fallen into the water, but… Does the man tell the truth? What has happened? Lucy tries to discover the answers.
The plot is superb because all the details are important to discover the mystery. It’s an interesting mixture of romance and suspense.
All the settings are carefully researched and described.
I thoroughly recommend this book. If you like mystery, it will definitely keep you at the edge of your chair.
THE CHARACTERS
The main character
PHYLLIDA
Lucy´s sister
LEONARDO FORLI
Phyllida’s husband
GODFREY MANNIG
The man that is writing a book
JULIAN GALE
An old actor, he is Max’s father
MARIA
The woman who works in Phyllida's house
MIRANDA
Maria's daughter
SPIRO
Maria’s son, he works for Godfrey
ADONI
Spiro’s friend, he is in love with Miranda
PAPADOPOULOS
The Inspector
MAX GALE
My favourite character is Max Gale. He lives in the island with his father, Julian Gale. His father is an older actor that left the theatre after his wife and his daughter died in an accident. Now he is living with his son in the Castello, an enormous house in the middle of the wood, in the island of Corfu. This house is near Lucy’s sister house.
Max is a young man, he has short dark hair. The book doesn’t describe very much his physical appearance, but we can see him in some pictures, he is tall and thin.
He works as a musician, he says that he needs quiet to work and the island of Corfu is the perfect place.
When Lucy (the main character) meets him, first she thinks that he is a strange boy and the main suspect when a boy disappears in the sea and when she discovers a body near the beach. But, one night he helps her to save a dolphin in the beach, and later he kisses her in the water. Finally they fell in love.
About Max’s personality, when you read the book you can check that he is brave and adventurous. He tries to discover the murderer, he is the first person that suspects about Godfrey Manning, the writer that was in the ship when the boy fell into the water. But he needs proof and he hasn't got nothing. He tells Lucy his investigations and finally she achieves proof.
When I read the book, first I thought that Max was the murderer, I had some reasons to think it: he always appeared in the middle of the wood, he didn’t surprise about nothing, he was rude when someone asked him about something strange that happened in the island… But later you can see that he is different, Max finds the boy that disappears in the water, he looks after his father, who has a problem with the alcohol…
In definitive I think that all the characters are interesting, but Max is the most mysterious. The result is an exciting book, I needed read quickly it because I wanted to know what happened in the next chapter, and it’s perfect for me because I like mystery books.
VOCABULARY
Get into- Llegar a. Otro uso: estar involucrado.
Cliff- Acantilado.
Path- Sendero, camino.
Steep- Empinado.
Shore- Orilla.
Bullet- Bala.
Tame- Domesticado, manso.
Rail- Barandilla, rail.
Deck- Cubierta.
Cabin- Camarote.
Bush- Arbusto.
Thick- Grueso, espeso.
Smuggler- Contrabandista.
Torch- Linterna, antorcha.
Tail- Cola, rabo.
Gown- Vestido largo.
Silk- Sedoso.
Purposeful- Decidido.
Cellar- Sótano.
Lock- Cerradura.
Proof- Prueba.
Trail- Senda, rastro.
Wrap- Envolver algo, a alguien.
Flare- Bengala.
Forge- Falso, falsificado (adjective), falsifican (verb).
Gasp- Jadear, decir algo en voz entrecortada.
Cough- Toser.
Swallow- Tragar.
Bruise- Cardenal, golpe, magulladura.
Drawer-Cajón.