Gone-Away Lake

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Summary: Gone-Away Lake
Review: Gone-Away Lake is about a girl named Portia Blake. She and her brother Foster go to stay the summer with their cousin, aunt, and uncle; Julian, Aunt Hilda, and Uncle Jake respectively. Julian and "Porsh", as he calls Portia to her dismay, go exploring and stumble upon an abandoned town by a swamp, but as they later find out, it's not actually abandoned. An old lady and her brother live there. Why would there be houses by a swamp? The town used to be a beautiful summer village on a lake. One year, the water slowly stopped coming to Lake Tarrigo because a dam was built on the river that supplied it with water, and before you knew it, it the lake went away, thus giving it the name Gone-Away Lake. No one wanted to spend their summer at a swamp, so everybody left and never came back, except for Mrs. Minnehaha Cheever and Mr. Pindar Payton (the old lady and her brother) who decided to come back so they live in the country. Julian and Porsh meet them and become friends with the elderly people who are overjoyed to have children around. They have many adventures at Gone-Away Lake including starting a club. They need to choose whether to keep Gone-Away a secret or not. The theme throughout the story is that of conspiracy. This is clearly seen when Julian says, "maybe it might be a good idea to keep this...a secret for awhile"(Enright 62), and again when Porsh says "Lets have it a secret for awhile"(Enright 62). In the end, they decide to keep it a secret. That secret is broken when Foster falls into The Gulper, a giant mud puddle. Mr. Payton saves him and when he and his sister bring Foster home, they find that they've been kept a secret. The author's style is descriptive because you feel like you're there, seeing all this happen. They become introduced to Julian's parents and invite them to come along to see Gone-Away Lake. Mr. Payton decides to bridge The Gulper and Julian and his friends help him. In the end, The Gulper gets bridged and it looks very nice. Villa Caprice, the most elegant house at Gone-Away Lake, is found and Portia wants to live there. Will they be able to?

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Summary: One of the worst books I have ever read
Review: Gone-Away lake is definatly one of the worst books I've ever read. Elizabeth enright has created a wanna be adventure book that lacks a main plot and has to many stories of the "old days" at Tarrigo. If you like to read borring books this is the right book for you.

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Summary: Gone-Away lake
Review: Gone-Away Lake wasn't very good, you coudn't get into the book ,and it woudn't leave you droowling to move on to the next chapter, I just hated the part that this book was so boring, there was only 2 good parts!! Mrs. Cheever,and Mr.Paton could have been way cooler, they where so boring,and lame. I really didn't like Gone-Away Lake.

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Summary: Gone away lake is a very good book
Review: Have you ever wanted to find something amazing? Buried treasure, an artifact or maybe a lost city? Well that's what Portia Blake found in the book, Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright.

Portia and her cousin Julian were exploring an old swamp. They found it while chasing a butterfly they found near a carved rock. When they got there, they came upon a group of old houses. These houses were all empty except for two. The owners, Mrs. Lionel Alexis Cheever and Mr. Tuckertown had lived there since when the swamp was still a lake.

Portia and Julian try to keep Gone-Away Lake a secret so they can go back. One day when they try to go back, Portia's little brother, Foster, follows them and gets stuck in the swamp. After that, they tell their families everything. In the end, it actually makes things better.

I think that Gone-Away Lake is a great book. It shows friendship, inventive minds, and a lot of funny things. If you are older than eight buy this book.

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Summary: A Gentle Classic
Review: How disturbing to read the negative reviews of this gentle classic. Their key complaint? A pleasant tone and a lack of "plot." This good-natured novel is filled with rich descriptive vocabulary and a subtlety of storytelling that should be admired rather than criticized.

The plot? Not much, really. Just a few noble thoughts. Value the past and learn its lessons. Coexist with nature and reap its rewards. Treasure your elders, and find out about the fascinating experiences they have had.

Probably not as exciting as novels heavy on conventional "plot" formulas, but skillful and eloquent writing, and enriching reading for those who are prepared to enjoy it's subtleties.

Highly recommended--but not for the cynical.

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Summary: Oh that Victorian feeling!
Review: I absolutely loved this book when I was a kid...two children discover a lost Victorian vacation village on a dried-up lake, and also two original residents... also "dried-up" but a source of tall tales, fascinating knickknacks and adventures of longago times. It will have kids dreaming of the past lives of the detritus of history instead of pining for the newest gadget. Wonderful for the imagination. The line illustration complement the text with a joyful clutter of longlost wonders... mangy moose heads, old picture frames, overstuffed chairs with mouse nests. I still prize my copy highly.

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Summary: This was my favorite book as a girl...
Review: I am now a teenager, and I lost my beloved copy of Gone Away Lake, I hope to purchase another one soon. This is a remarkable book. There is no violence, cursing, or crudeness, no non-stop action either but this story is fun and exciting. These two cousins find the adventure I always wanted to have and I was able to share with them the fun as I read this book. The characters are very well developed and believable and the plot is perfect.

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Summary: This was my favorite book as a girl...
Review: I am now a teenager, and I lost my beloved copy of Gone Away Lake, I hope to purchase another one soon. This is a remarkable book. There is no violence, cursing, or crudeness, no non-stop action either but this story is fun and exciting. These two cousins find the adventure I always wanted to have and I was able to share with them the fun as I read this book. The characters are very well developed and believable and the plot is perfect.

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Summary: This one is a keeper
Review: I don't remember how long ago I first read this book (I'm 43), but my copy is one of my treasures. Ms. Enright has a way of describing things that makes me feel as if I could walk right into the book. I wish I could. These are good people. "Pin" and "Min's" stories of their childhood make the period come alive. I love Ms. Krush's illustrations, too. Give this book to a child you love. Treat yourself while you're at it.

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Summary: Better than average
Review: I first discovered this great book back in 1969 at age 12 when it was first printed by Scholastic Book Services, and I still have my original copy. Recently I discovered there was a sequal, which I have just finished and found to be as magical as the original story. It is unfortunate that the negative reviewers seem to miss the beauty in these stories; while a bit far-fetched at times, the stories are close enough to reality to keep from being total, unbelieveable fantasies (much like the stories written today, as well as television/movie productions). Enright manages to hold our attention completely throughout both stories, while at the same time pulling us deep into them. My only let-down is that I felt the characters of Minnehaha and Pindar could have been "fleshed" out better (perhaps with more of their childhood adventures), so that we could get to know them as intimately as we know the children. The only thing I regret is that Elizabeth Enright did not live long enough to write a dozen more sequals to Gone-Away Lake...perhaps one set in 2004 with Portia and Julian parents themselves...and with a whole new set of adventures in store for their kids?