The Bell Witch Encounter is a notable case of a supernatural entity haunting the Bell family in Tennessee in the early 19th century. This story has fascinated many people over the years and has been the subject of books, movies, and even a dedicated tourist attraction. It all started in 1817 when John Bell, his wife Lucy, and their children began experiencing strange phenomena in their home. The activity started with unexplained noises, such as knocking on the walls and furniture moving on its own. Soon, the family started hearing disembodied voices, menacing whispering, and even loud, evil laughter. The entity did not limit its presence to the house but also made its appearance outdoors.
Dark Night of the Soul: The elves catch up and overpower Emily and her team. The Amulet tries to take control while Emily is weak and Luger prepares to kill her on the spot.
Bad Guys Close In As Navin and the Resistance regain possession of the house, and as Luger separates from Trellis who had been showing signs of compassion to go after Emily alone, intent on killing her, Leon informs Emily that if she gave control to the Amulet she would become like the Elf King evil and capable of transforming into a monster. Choosing Act Two A Fox named Leon who has been warding elves off their tail since their arrival leads the team and the hospital patients into the underway railway system.
The entity did not limit its presence to the house but also made its appearance outdoors. It would mimic animals, slap visitors, and even attack the family members, leaving them bruised and scratched. As the story spread, more and more people began to witness the strange happenings, leading to an increase in curiosity and fear in the local community.
Review: Amulet. Book Two: The Stonekeeper’s Curse
Emily and her brother Navin are heading to Kanalis to find a cure for their mother, in this continuation to Amulet: The Stonekeeper. Amulet. Book Two: The Stonekeeper’s Curse
Kazu Kibuishi
Publisher’s Age Recommendation 9-12
My Suggested Age Recommendation 8-14
Graphix, September 2009, 978-0439-84682-0 (hc) 978-0-439-84683-7 (pbk)
224 pp, $21.99 (hc) $10.99 (pbk) Navin and Emily are in race against time. The poison is seeping into their mom’s system and she is getting sicker and sicker. Kanalis is being overtaken by the elves and the antidote is hard to get – at the top of Demon’s Head Mountain. Emily sets out to find the antidote, but in her quest must struggle against the power of the amulet. It is begging her to submit to it and to let the amulet rule over her. Emily must use her tremendous will to maintain her power over the amulet. While Emily is searching for the antidote, Navin learns that Emily is supposed to die and he chases after her to change the course of her future.
While many of the loveable characters from volume 1 return, there are many new characters introduced in this volume. There is Leon, a brusque warrior, who is supposed to help Emily control her powers. The cursed citizens of Kanalis and some of the evil elves. Kbuishi has drawn a vivid story, but for those readers stumbling onto this series late in the game, or for those readers, like me, who read volume one ages ago, there is little to help catch readers up. It might take a while for readers to get into the story as they try to figure out what came before. Even so, it will only be a matter of time before readers are rooting for Emily and her brother. Emily remains an exceptionally strong woman. Readers can’t help rooting for her as she uses her tremendous will to harness the power of the amulet to save her mother and Alledia. There is a rich sense of adventure and intrigue in this story.
The artwork is superb. There are many fantastical creatures, and yet, readers will discern the different emotions – sadness, fear, strength – giving these characters a human-like feel. The country of Alledia and its characters come alive. Readers will eagerly line up for volume 3 to see if Emily, her brother and their new found friends will be able to save Alledia. This review is based on an advanced reading copy supplied by the publisher. All images copyright © Scholastic. Filed under: Reviews, Uncategorized
SHARE:About Esther Keller
Esther Keller is the librarian at JHS 278, Marine Park in Brooklyn, NY. There she started the library's first graphic novel collection and strongly advocated for using comics in the classroom. She also curates the Graphic Novel collection for the NYC DOE Citywide Digital Library. She started her career at the Brooklyn Public Library and later jumped ship to the school system so she could have summer vacation and a job that would align with a growing family's schedule. On the side, she is a mother of 4 and regularly reviews for SLJ and School Library Connection (formerly LMC). In her past life, she served on the Great Graphic Novels for Teens Committee where she solidified her love and dedication to comics.
Catalyst: They arrive in Kanalis. Luger, Trellis and a band of elves are nearby, ready to execute their plan and capture the children.
One of the most infamous encounters during the Bell Witch haunting was the involvement of Andrew Jackson, who later became the 7th President of the United States. Jackson, upon hearing about the Bell family's troubles, traveled to their home to witness the phenomena himself. It is said that even Jackson, a hardened military man, was terrified by the entity and vowed never to return to the Bell property. As time went on, the entity, which came to be known as the Bell Witch, grew increasingly malevolent. It would torment and taunt the family, revealing personal information and predictions of future events. The haunting persisted for several years and only ended with the death of John Bell in 1820. To this day, the Bell Witch Encounter remains a captivating and chilling tale of supernatural activity. Some believe it was a poltergeist or the spirit of a witch seeking revenge, while others argue that it was a manifestation of the unsettled land or a collective hallucination. Regardless, the story has left a lasting impact on those who encounter it, with many visiting the location to experience the Bell Witch's peculiar presence..
Reviews for "The Bell Witch: A Sordid History of Intrigue and Fear"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I found "Watch the bell witch encounter" to be quite underwhelming. The plot seemed convoluted and the pacing was uneven. The characters lacked depth and their motivations were poorly developed. The scares were predictable and lacked any real suspense. Overall, the movie failed to live up to its potential and left me disappointed.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - "Watch the bell witch encounter" was a complete waste of time. The acting was atrocious, with wooden performances from the entire cast. The special effects were laughable and took away from any sense of horror or suspense. The storyline was confusing and poorly executed, leaving me confused and uninterested. I would not recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good scare.
3. Mark - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Watch the bell witch encounter" but was ultimately let down. The film lacked any real originality in terms of both plot and scares. It relied heavily on tired horror movie tropes, making it feel cliché and uninspired. The dialogue was weak and the characters felt disposable. I was hoping for a thrilling and unique horror experience, but this movie failed to deliver.