Official Review: The Stone Wall Crossing

kfwilson6 · Post by **kfwilson6** » 16 Dec 2018, 17:22

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Stone Wall Crossing" by Alice Schellhorn Magrane.]

3 out of 4 stars

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It is difficult to imagine a time other than our own when girls got married in their teenage years, immediately had babies, and stayed home to care for their families. This is far different than Abby Whittier’s modern-day life as a fifteen-year-old focused on getting good grades and a high SAT score. Abby is an incredibly driven, honest, well-behaved young lady who does everything she can to thrive and build a life of success for herself. She feels like her life is on a steady track until her parents uproot her from Las Vegas to Massachusetts. Abby doesn’t anticipate the speed with which she comes to happily call Massachusetts home. She also could never have anticipated taking a step back in time where a young man thinks she is an Abby Whittier from more than 200 years in the past. Abby is drawn to this young man and the historical setting in which his life takes place. She can’t imagine leaving her new friends and parents behind, but there is something incredibly compelling about Nathaniel, who calls to her from beyond the stone wall. The Stone Wall Crossing is an appropriate name for Alice Schellhorn Magrane’s novel as a historical stone wall serves as a gateway to the past.

The story mostly centers around Abby’s move to Massachusetts and the typical struggles that teenagers encounter during high school. The reader gets to experience the anxiety about making new friends, the excitement of learning how to drive, and the thrill of dating for the first time all through Abby’s eyes. The story is written from Abby’s perspective in a conversational tone. The thoughts sound fitting for someone of Abby’s age; it is almost written like a diary. The style of the writing is informal but incredibly appropriate for the perspective offered. I thought Abby’s thoughts flowed really well throughout the entire book.

What is unique about this story is Abby’s limited ability to travel back in time. While walking her dog, she stumbles across a particular spot that allows her to travel back to that same spot immediately prior to the American Revolution. Abby’s interest in American history is sparked by this ability which gives Magrane’s readers a few bits of information about historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as a country. Those facts were just another aspect of the book I really enjoyed.

Abby is physically drawn to the past as well as seeking it out in history books. She finds Nathaniel and his life so intriguing she experiences a great deal of inner turmoil about whether or not the modern life she is leading is the right one for her. She has a mature response to her time travel that I greatly admired. The choices she makes throughout the entire book make her an excellent role model for teen readers. I think any teenager who loves a bit of romance, a spark of the paranormal, and time travel in his or novels would really like this book. For them, I believe reading The Stone Wall Crossing would be like talking to a friend.

I highly recommend this book to teen readers as it is written with an easy flow, the storyline is enjoyable, Abby is a relatable character and a great role model, and the story wraps up in a way that should satisfy the average reader. The only thing I can say against Ms. Mangrane’s novel is that it could use an editor who has a good grasp on the proper use of commas. There are too many missing commas to easily overlook, forcing me to rate The Stone Wall Crossing 3 out of 4 stars when I would have happily given it 4.

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The Stone Wall Crossing
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Kristy Khem · Post by **Kristy Khem** » 17 Dec 2018, 20:21

The premise of this one is very gripping! I really like stories about fated unions like the inexplicable magnetism between Abby and Nathaniel. There seems to be an element of reincarnation in this story as well as time travel. Thanks to your review, I'll be looking up The Stone Crossing soon to add to my list!

Sakilunamermaid · Post by **Sakilunamermaid** » 17 Dec 2018, 21:44

Once I found out time travel was involved this book immediately went to my reading list. I think about the effects of time travel and how they can change history. It will be great to see how she grows with her experiences.

Cecilia_L · Post by **Cecilia_L** » 17 Dec 2018, 23:12

The story mostly centers around Abby’s move to Massachusetts and the typical struggles that teenagers encounter during high school. The reader gets to experience the anxiety about making new friends, the excitement of learning how to drive, and the thrill of dating for the first time all through Abby’s eyes. The story is written from Abby’s perspective in a conversational tone. The thoughts sound fitting for someone of Abby’s age; it is almost written like a diary. The style of the writing is informal but incredibly appropriate for the perspective offered. I thought Abby’s thoughts flowed really well throughout the entire book.

This sounds like a YA read that would also appeal to a wider audience. I enjoyed your review.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 18 Dec 2018, 08:38

I've actually read a few books like this before. It's still an intriguing premise, if not necessarily unique. It sounds like one I would enjoy and learn from as well. Thanks for the review. I'll look into it.

Shraddha singh · Post by **Shraddha singh** » 18 Dec 2018, 08:48

I enjoyed the review very much and even it was very inspirational to me

Bianka Walter · Post by **Bianka Walter** » 23 Dec 2018, 14:11

I think we can all relate to the anxiety of going through the teenage years!
This sounds really sweet

Love your review!

Mary WhiteFace · Post by **Mary WhiteFace** » 28 Dec 2018, 13:32

I have added this one to my bookshelves. The prospect of time travel has always fascinated me. I can overlook a few errors as long as the story is a good one. Thank you for your enjoyable review.

Post by **Sushan Ekanayake** » 28 Dec 2018, 19:29

I am not sure whether I will like this or not. But I enjoyed your review. Thank you

Jackie Holycross · Post by **Jackie Holycross** » 04 Jan 2019, 00:07

Intriguing setup. I may have to check it out.

EvaDar · Post by **EvaDar** » 09 Jan 2019, 15:37

This makes me think of that old movie Somewhere in Time. I like that she is a strong enough character to serve as a role model. You would think that would be a given in YA fiction, but it is not always. Too bad about all the comma errors. I hope it wasn't too disruptive to the flow. I really enjoyed your review, as always.

Misael Carlos · Post by **Misael Carlos** » 14 Jan 2019, 06:51

Time-travel stories do not interest me much, but the plot seemed interesting and exciting. Your review was very detailed without giving off spoilers. Nice!

aolayide · Post by **aolayide** » 22 Feb 2019, 09:24

AM not really a big fan of time travel, but, I like your review. You did an excellent job!

Morgan Jones · Post by **Morgan Jones** » 01 Mar 2019, 04:02

The concept of time travel is always intriguing to me, because I believe it's one of the very few topics that has endless perspectives and exploration. I like the unqiue way the author tackled it, and I'm curious how the rest of the story will unfold.

spencermack · Post by **spencermack** » 18 Mar 2019, 17:05

This story sounds great! your review is awesome too. The dreaded comma. Hopefully, those errors can be remedied soon. Thank you for your review, I will have to check this out!