Years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a speech and book signing by Lynne Reid Banks. This was some time before The Indian In The Cupboard became a (somewhat disappointing) movie; I don't believe I had ever even heard of her before the event. The woman herself was quite lively - perhaps even outspoken - as she described elements of her stories, ranted and raved about the error made by a cover artist (The Indian In The Cupboard cover shows a wooden shelf, much unlike the one described in the story), and showcased her books, which were available for purchase.

I bought four of them - the three books in the Indian series, and another, The Farthest-Away Mountain. I had three of them signed (The Indian In The Cupboard, The Secret Of The Indian, and The Farthest-Away Mountain), and I went away pleased with my selections. I read the three Indian books in approximately one day, and decidedly preferred the first one over the sequels. Then I read The Farthest-Away Mountain, an older story of hers, and immediately re-read it. Twice. What a delightful fantasy story! How could this one go seemingly unnoticed by the public?

The Farthest-Away Mountain can only be described as a fantasy adventure. The main character is an almost-fifteen year old girl named Dakin who sets out on a journey to the Farthest-Away Mountain - an enchanted place that is rumoured to be cursed and very dangerous. Along the way, Dakin encounters a tiny troll, three gargoyles, a talking frog, an evil witch who colours the snow, a giant ogre, a flying monster - the story is quite detailed and well thought out. Even now - almost ten years later - I still adore it.

What is really great about this book is that it teaches some positive lessons - to never give up, to use your strength as well as your mind to overcome seemingly impossible odds, and that good can win over evil. It also teaches another very important lesson: you can't always judge solely on what you see.

Lynne Reid Banks is a very spirited woman - and her imagination particularly shines through in The Farthest-Away Mountain. I found it to be much more entertaining than any of the Indian books; I've probably read it twenty times over the years. I would guess that girls will probably enjoy it more than boys - it does have a slight touch of romance in it. For that reason, parents might want to read it first. At the end, Dakin becomes engaged; there is also talk of the young ages at which were girls married. I personally don't find this harmful - after all, it is a fantasy story, and there is some historical truth to young marriages - but I thought it might be of importance to some.

I would certainly recommend Lynne Reid Banks as an author, and The Farthest-Away Mountain as one of her best stories. Her writing style is simplistic, yet descriptive, and the illustrations throughout the book are wonderful companions to the fantastic adventure.




Recommended: Yes