ISBN 13: 978-0-439-40557-7. Softcover, $5.99.
Annotation:Soren, a young barn owl is kidnapped by the evil owls of St. Aggie's. If he is to survive with his mind intact, he must find a way to withstand the cruel treatment he is undergoing. With the help of a young pygmy owl named Gylfie, the two owls struggle to survive the nightmare that is St. Aggie's.
Book Talk:
The loving barn owl family in the kingdom of Tyto has just welcomed three new hatchlings into their family. Kludd, Soren, and Eglantine. Each of the nestlings was hatched a week or more apart from the others.
Soren is the middle owl. Full of love for his young sister Eglantine, and curiosity over the beatiful world in which he lives, Soren rejoices in each new ceremony. First meat, first insect, first fur on meat, first meat on bones, branching....all of these ceremonies help a young owl grow up and prepare him for life in his own hollow.
However, there is a mystery afoot. Hatchlings are disappearing out of the nests. Eggs are being taken. No owl family is safe.
On the fateful day when Soren tumbles out of the hollow and to the ground far, far below, his quiet simple life is changed forever.
Snatched by the owls from St. Aggies he is taken to an orphanage to be indoctrinated. Subjected to moon blinking, moon scalding, and other mind-washing techniques, Soren struggles to maintain his true identity.
Soren is fortunate when he finds Gylfie, a pygmy owl who is able to withstand the mind control techniques. Together, Soren and Gylfie discover the horrible, terrible truth of what is going on in St. Aggies. They begin to plot a desperate plan of escape.
Reviewer's Note:
The Guardian's of Ga'Hoole will be released as a movie at the end of this month. I have enjoyed this series since it was first released, and I chose to reread the book for this review because it will be a movie. However, I don't know that I will ever see the movie. It has been my experience that very, very few movies ever live up to the promise of the book. The plot is frequently twisted and watered down in order to make the tale fit the constraints of a 2 hour (or less) time limit for a movie.
Don't get me wrong, the previews of the movie look amazing. The digital animation is nothing short of astounding. I'm just worried about how well the tale will be told. I hope someone who is a die-hard fan of the book who does go see the movie will let me know what they think. :)
Author Web Site:Kathryn Lasky
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