Merlin Magic Tree House is a series of children's books written by Mary Pope Osborne. The series follows the adventures of siblings Jack and Annie as they travel through time and space to various historical periods and mythological realms. The main idea of the books is to educate children about different cultures, historical events, and mythologies, while also promoting a love for reading and imagination. Each book in the series features a different setting and plot, but they all share a common thread of magic and adventure. The stories often incorporate elements of mythology, folklore, and history, making them both entertaining and educational for young readers. Throughout the series, the main characters interact with a variety of famous historical figures and encounter magical creatures.
In some parts of Africa, such practices have led to “Christian”
witch hunting, including torture and murder (Bourdillon 2002, 11). Some
“prophets” have publicly accused people of witchcraft without any
evidence (Hoskins 2004, 59). This is a powerful means of social control
which instills fear in church members and keeps them behaving well, but
often denigrates into psychological or other abuse (Hoskins 2004, 59).
A peculiar feature in Malawian witchcraft belief is that witches are thought to spiritually eat their victims this first part is believed in many parts of Africa and also the physical bodies of their victims in graveyards after they have died Van Breugel 2001, 213-216. Pentecostal missionaries tended to take the African concerns seriously and identified the spirits as demons, and magic and witchcraft as the work of demons.
Throughout the series, the main characters interact with a variety of famous historical figures and encounter magical creatures. To aid their travels, the children use a magical tree house belonging to the sage Merlin. This tree house serves as a portal to different times and places.
'The Love Witch': FrightFest Review
Chic, poised and sensual Elaine (Samantha Robinson) - fleeing a relationship which has ended badly (especially for her lover) - settles in a quiet Northern California town. The community is open-minded enough to support a well-established witch coven among its quaint ladies’ tea-shops and go-go dance bars. Augmenting her natural attractions with love philtres and witch bottles (mystic artefacts which involve urine and used tampons), Elaine sets out to find a suitable new man. This leads, however, to legal complications, as those she seduces tend to disappoint her the next morning and her cast-offs are inclined to sudden death by heart failure or suicide.
Anna Biller creates a wholly engaging straight-faced melodrama with barbed feminist footnotes.
When Elaine meets her match in investigating cop Griff (Gian Keys), who is no less susceptible to her (literal) charms, the leading lights of the local coven pass their circle off as a renaissance fair to lure Griff into a form of binding ceremony. They also wonder, however, whether Elaine may be too self-obsessed for the good of their relationship with non-pagan locals, who only need a few rumours to form a traditional ‘burn the witch’ mob.
Following Viva, a pastiche of late ’60s psychedelic sexploitation, all-round auteur Anna Biller here immerses herself in an artificial world inspired by early 1970s soap opera, TV movies, Italian and American horror films and post-hippie colour supplement Wiccan glamour to create a wholly engaging straight-faced melodrama with barbed feminist footnotes.
Besides directing, writing and producing, Biller also edits, supervises the music (mixing her own compositions - including songs - with selections from vintage giallo soundtracks after the manner of Tarantino or Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani), acts as production designer and set decorator (down to hand-crafting props) and supervises the costumes. Almost the only job she doesn’t take is cinematography, but M. David Mullen (Jennifer’s Body), shooting on 35mm film, fully enters into her mindset: the primary colours pop so that odd props (an apple-red cigarette carton) take on sinister meaning.
Just about the only filmmakers who have previously attained this level of control over their visions are Russ Meyer and Wes Anderson; the fact that The Love Witch evokes both their self-enclosed universes, but with a uniquely female viewpoint, suggest how fresh and strange Biller’s imagination is.
Though a little too languid at two hours, The Love Witch is appropriately seductive. The deliberately muted performances of a cast selected because they look like 1970s models - with a nice throwaway about The Stepford Wives - are a dead-on match for Biller’s on-the-nose dialogue exchanges and ritual-like scenes of witch cults, tea parties and pole-dancing. It’s a shock half-way through when Trish pulls out a mobile phone and, later, DNA analysis of the fluids used in a witch bottle leads Griff to Elaine, because otherwise this would seem to be set in the period it evokes.
Like Cattet and Forzani (Amer, The Strange Colour of Your Body’s Tears), Biller does more than resurrect a chic, cool bygone film style. She counters many of the underlying assumptions of the male-directed exploitation films she evokes (The Mephisto Waltz, Simon King of the Witches, All the Colors of the Dark), even as Elaine is ultimately shown to be a genuine monster for the unsisterly treatment of other women which goes along with her relentless romantic self-interest.
The only woman grindhouse filmmaker to really thrive in the era homaged by The Love Witch was Stephanie Rothman, whose Velvet Vampire (1971) might make an interesting double bill partner for programmers who want to show this in the context of its inspirations.
Production Company: Anna Biller Productions
US Distributor: Oscilloscope
Executive Producer: Jared Sanford
Cinematography: M David Mullen
Editor/Music/Production Designer: Anna Biller
Main cast: Samantha Robinson, Elle Evans, Jeffrey Vincent Parise, Lily Holleman, Dani Lennon, Laura Waddell, Stephen Wozniak, Jennifer Ingrum, Gian Keys
However, the tree house's magic comes with certain rules and limitations, adding suspense and challenges to the children's adventures. The Merlin Magic Tree House series has been widely praised for its ability to engage young readers, spark their curiosity, and teach valuable lessons about history and culture. It has also inspired a love for reading in many children, as they eagerly devour each new installment in the series. Overall, the main idea of the Merlin Magic Tree House series is to combine education and entertainment, fostering a love for learning and imagination in young readers..
Reviews for "Journey through the Pages: Unveiling the Magic of Merlin's Tree House"
1. Alex - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with "Merlin magic tree house". The writing was incredibly basic and felt more suited for a children's book rather than a novel for adults. The characters lacked depth and development, making it difficult to feel invested in their journey. Additionally, the plot was predictable and lacked any real surprises or twists. Overall, I found the book to be underwhelming and not worth the read.
2. Michelle - 1 star
I couldn't even finish "Merlin magic tree house". The prose was incredibly dull and lacked any sort of finesse or captivating style. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Additionally, there were numerous grammatical errors and typos throughout the book, which further hindered my reading experience. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a well-written and engaging fantasy novel.
3. Ryan - 2 stars
"Merlin magic tree house" did not live up to its hype for me. The world-building felt inadequate, with minimal descriptions and explanations of the magical elements within the story. The pacing was also inconsistent, with slow sections dragging on and action-packed moments feeling rushed. The character motivations often felt contrived and lacked believability. Overall, I found the book to be lacking in depth and would not recommend it to avid fantasy readers.
4. Emma - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Merlin magic tree house" but was ultimately let down. The writing style was juvenile and lacked sophistication, which made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story. The plot was predictable and lacked originality, following the typical tropes and clichés of the fantasy genre. Additionally, the characters were one-dimensional and lacked complexity, making it hard to connect with them on any emotional level. Overall, I found the book to be forgettable and would not recommend it to others.