The Doldrums audiobook

Video Review: https://youtu.be/AUzbQubfjswTHIS WAS SO GREAT. Such a unique and interesting story and I want MORE. I mean, is this a series? TELL ME THIS IS A SERIES. I want to know more about the grandparent's and their strange society. I also just want another adventure with Archer, Oliver, and Adelaide. AND THE ILLUSTRATIONS, OH MAN, THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL. If you're looking for an exciting, mysterious, and fun middle grade book, check this one out! Highly recommend.

This is the most wonderful book I've read in the past few months! I did not imagine I would be as consumed as I was with it, but not only is it a beautiful book to own and to look at, it is also a great story put together by the extremely talented Nicholas Gannon. The story involves eleven year old Archer Helmsley, whose family knew he was a dreamer from the day he was born, not unlike his grandparents, Ralph and Rachel Helmsley, who are very well-known explorers. His parents are more grounded in reality, with his father being a lawyer, and his mother trying her best to keep him away from his grandparents' influence, because she disapproves of them and their lifestyle. However, living in his grandparents' house, which is filled with objects they have collected throughout their countless expeditions, makes it difficult for his imagination to stand still. He dreams of becoming an explorer and leaving the house. More so, he dreams of starting an expedition to Antarctica to find his grandparents who have gone missing on an iceberg two years prior. Archer is completely alone and a prisoner of his own home, until Oliver Glub enters the picture and meets Archer through their neighboring balconies. Oliver is a little more grounded and is therefore a good partner in crime to Archer's crazy ideas. Add to that Adelaide Belmont, the French girl with one leg allegedly eaten by a crocodile, who has recently moved in next door and provides the support Archer needs to plan this expedition, but also endless amount of delicious croissants and coffee, and you have yourself a solid trio ready to go on this crazy adventure. With the help of his two new friends, Archer finds himself trying to overcome many obstacles, not in the least that of his overprotective mother and scary new teacher. A wonderful, adventurous story that keeps you invested in all the characters and rooting so badly for the three children, who each agree to go with this mad plan for different reasons, and with the beautiful illustrations and artwork, you have yourself a keeper. I strongly advise you to have a large stock of fresh chocolate croissants and coffee while reading this book.

My video review: https://youtu.be/OGoGJnHhm-4The Doldrums is Nicholas Gannon’s debut novel, published in September of 2015. Now not only did he write this charming book, but he also illustrated all of the whimsical illustrations within it. And I have to say, the art style is PERFECT for a middle-grade book. But illustrations aside, let’s talk about the story.STORY:Archer Helmsley was a dreamer ever since he was born. Archer is grandson to renowned explorers Ralph and Rachel Helmsley, and he looks up to them immensely despite having never met them. On his ninth birthday it’s discovered that his grandparents have been lost in the Antarctic stranded on an iceberg. He grows up living in his grandparent’s house which does much to inspire his adventurous imagination. You see, the house is filled with tons of wacky things belonging to his grandparents, some of which include taxidermy animals such as a giraffe, polar bear, ostrich, and penguins. He lives here with his parents who are not like his grandparents. They don’t have the same adventurous spirit. In fact, the mother is so scared Archer will end up stranded on an iceberg or something similar, that she locks him in the house (besides him going to school) and tries to keep him away from his grandparents influence. This only strengthens his yearning for adventure as he has nothing else to do, and ends up talking to all the stuffed animals. One day some mysterious packages arrive containing items from his grandparents exhibitions, and Archer decides it’s about time he plans a journey to head to Antarctica to save his grandparents, as he’s determined they’re not dead.Now, the story is set up into three parts.The first part introduces us to the characters, Archer being one of them of course. He also meets a friend who lives next to him named Oliver, and they meet up on Archer’s balcony and roof to plan their adventure. The next friend he meets who joins in on his plan is a Parisian girl by the name of Adelaide Belmont (pardon my French). She is my favorite character out of the trio, as she has the most interesting back story. She also likes croissants and coffee, and has a wooden leg. Wooden legs are cool.The second part is dedicated to planning for their adventure, and the third part I don’t want to spoil, but let’s just say the subtitle of the book suits this story perfectly.THE WRITING:I was surprised when looking at GoodReads, to find many negative reviews stating that this book was slow moving and boring. That thought never crossed my mind, as I read the majority of the book in one day, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing is witty, using many literary devices and a lot of subtle humor to draw you in. The wordplay made this book quite a bit of fun and made me reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I can agree, that if you went into this expecting a huge adventure then it may have been a tad disappointing, as adventure doesn’t swoop you off your feet here, but it does build up for the second book.I read this book at a perfect time, having just finishing the long (and amazing) Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson, I needed a easy reading middle-grade to pick me up from the high. The Doldrums was quite enjoyable, and the charming illustrations are an added bonus. Just a heads up, only the hardback edition has colored illustrations.

Ahhh, I loved this book. It's a book for all the dreamers who ever argued with a doer that without dreams what is there to do? I had this argument in a writing class in high school, I'm not sure what that particular doer was doing in a writing class, but that's another discussion.This book was also a great example of why I love children's literature. It strips away all the extravagances that adult writing insists on and gets down to a good story with characters who are you or were you, at least in your mind.I was hooked before from the first page, but chapter 4 sealed the deal. Well, that and a ballerina who loved chocolate croissants.I highly recommend this book to young dreamers or ones who used to be young or anyone who knows one of them or the other. Not everyone will probably get it, but if you do then you might love it like I did.The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon.

3.5 starsI enjoyed this book very much. The illustrations were just magical. The story itself was a little too slow for me. And the actual plot was a little off. The ending was abrupt, which didn't answer any of my questions. I was expecting a lot from this book, considering how good the description was and some of Goodread's reviews! I have to say, I loved all the characters, especially Mrs. Murkley! I found some parts of this book to be amusing. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I had some minor issues with it.

This is a very classic middle grade story about friendship masquerading as an adventure story. That isn't to say that there isn't adventure in this delightful tale- there is lots of mystery, calamitous situations, mysterious trunks, encounters with odd strangers, etc. In a way the book demonstrates how anything can turn into an adventure when you're with friends. Archer, Oliver and Adelaide don't even realize how lonely they are until they find each other. Gannon has an assured, sensitive narrative voice and some truly lovely phrasing. I found myself wanting to underline certain lines to help imprint them on my brain. I read an ARC which did not have all of the artwork but based on the few colour images included and the line drawings I am sold. Gannon's art is warm and delicate and captures the same slightly nostalgic, cozy tone as his writing. This is the ideal book to read curled up in an oversized chair on a rainy day. Perfect for fans of The Green Glass House, The Mysterious Benedict Society, Under the Egg and anything by E. L. Konigsburg.

If Wes Anderson ever wrote a twee middle-grade book, this would be it. Archer Helmsley's famous explorer grandparents have been missing his entire life, but they are really missing now -- adrift on an iceberg, in fact. Despite his house being full of testaments to adventure courtesy of its former owners (the missing grandparents), Archer leads a very sheltered life thanks to his mother. That is, until he meets Oliver Glub, his shy neighbour, and the mysterious new girl across the garden, Adelaide Belmont, who's wooden leg is said to be courtesy of an alligator attack. The three of them decide to prepare themselves for an adventure, on the sly of course, to find and rescue Archer's grandparents from Antarctica.For kids who want to go on an adventure, but not too much adventure, this book hits just the right note.

Absolutely beautiful writing and illustrations!This story takes you to a unique and charming world that totally captivates. The writing flows so easily that I found myself reaching for chapter after chapter as the hours melted away. And the characters themselves were rich and well defined. The harmony the three main characters share though is absolutely touching. This story is a real comfort to gently savor.This is book one and both in terms of where the plot leaves you and the overall experience, I find myself longing for more! I believe this series will turn into another unforgettable journey you share with dear friends along the way.

3,9⭐Actually the story little bit out of my expetations, but it's not in the bad way. I really like the illustrations in this book. I also like the friendship of Archer,Oliver and Adelaide. It remains me of Harry,Ron and Hermione 😂 And yes the vibe of this book remains me of Unfortunate Events series and The Mysterious Benedict Society. It's a bit slow pace but also chill, fun and you'll also get a little light humor inside.

I definitely didn't expect to like this as much as I did, and I dove straight into the second book after finishing this one. If you're in need of a fun middle great, I'd definitely go for this one. It has so many great elements, from the main character's grandparents being famous explorers and him desperately trying to go on an adventure, but it all going a bit (or a lot) differently than planned, to the amazing friendship and characters. Reading this made me incredibly happy.

Um so this book is magical and fun and totally reminds me of being a kid (which I guess is a good thing cause it's middle grade lol). I loved pretty much everything about this book (if you can't see from my rating lol). The characters were fun (though I would like to say that there didn't need to be so many mean adults), the world was whimsical, and this book was so full of adventure. To be fair, not a whole lot actually happened plot-wise (aka it was a little slow), but it kept me engaged throughout. Except for those action-packed chapters like the polar bear incident and other amusing happenings. It was just so fun. I don't think I've had this much fun reading a book in a while.

I picked this book up on a whim. Wasn't sure if I would like it or not, but I actually love it. The kids in this story are so real, it was like hanging out with my friends. The adventure aspect was fun and the mystery weaving through it brilliant. I am definitely going to continue with this series. It is fresh, adventurous, and wonderfully written.I also note that this book is a great read for boys, girls, and any adult who loves a good escape.

Visually this is a beautiful book. The UK edition is a truly stunning hardback with a dustjacket that I had to remove while reading so worried was I about damaging the artwork. Not to mention all the marvellous drawings, some in full colour and some in as pencil (I think) throughout the book.Inside we have the story of Archer B. Helmsley. A young boy who is stuck inside a house of wonder and wishing for adventure which his parents are not very keen on. There is also his neighbour Oliver Glub and the mysterious Adélaïde L. Belmont.I wasn’t sure what kind of adventure The Doldrums would be, Archer wants to go and search for his missing grandparents so maybe that would be it? Or is it a different kind of story? Well I won’t spoil it. ;)What the book is, is very enticing. I loved the narration and how the story build over time. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Die höchst wundersame Reise zum Ende der Welt von Nicholas GannonZum Inhalt:Archer Helmsley hat schon immer davon geträumt eines Tages mit seinen Grosseltern, welche berühmte Naturforscher sind, die Welt zu entdecken und Abenteuer zu erleben. Doch dann erreicht ihn die schreckliche Nachricht, dass seine Grosseltern auf einer Expedition auf einem Eisberg spurlose verschwunden sind. Von da an lässt ihm seine Mutter kaum mehr Freiheiten, aus Angst ihm könnte aufgrund seiner Abenteuerlust etwas Ähnliches passieren. Doch für Archer verstärkt dies nur seinen Entschluss, er muss losziehen um seine Grosseltern zu finden...Meine Meinung:"Die höchst wundersame Reise zum Ende der Welt" fällt durch seine wundervolle Aufmachung sofort auf. Auf dem Buchcover sind die drei Hauptfiguren Archer, Oliver und Adélaide zu sehen und zudem einige Gegenstände, welche in der Geschichte jeweils eine gewisse Rolle spielen. Doch nicht nur das Äussere des Buches ist wunderschön gestaltet, auch im Innern sind immer wieder ganzseitige oder sogar doppelseitige, wunderschöne Illustrationen im Stil des Covers zu finden. Diese stammen vom Autor selbst und verleihen der Geschichte sofort eine ganz einzigartige Atmosphäre. So ist mir auch der Einstieg in die Geschichte super leicht gefallen und durch die vielen tollen Illustrationen flogen die Seiten in den ersten Kapiteln nur so dahin und ohne dass ich es wirklich merkte, lag ungefähr das erste Drittel der Geschichte hinter mir. Danach wartete ich jedoch immer ungeduldiger darauf, dass Archer und seine Freunde tatsächlich bald zu einem grossen Abenteuer aufbrechen würden, doch je länger Archer in seinem Haus festsass und je mehr Kapitel vergingen, in denen immer neue Pläne geschmiedet wurden, desto mehr begann sich das Buch zu ziehen und irgendwann wurde mir klar, dass ich wohl vergeblich auf ein Abenteuer wartete. Um ehrlich zu sein erleben Archer und seine Freunde zwar durchaus ein paar kleine Abenteuer, doch aufgrund des Titel hätte ich erwartet, dass Archer tatsächlich eine Reise unternimmt. Vielleicht nicht gerade bis zum Ende der Welt, aber zumindest weiter, als bis zum nächsten Hafen (welcher sich in Archers Heimstadt befindet). Die Geschichte lässt sich dafür viel Zeit um das Leben der Figuren zu beschreiben und so erfährt man insbesondere auch sehr viel über Adélaide, was beispielsweise Archer und Oliver gar nicht wissen.Mir hat auch gut gefallen wie sich die Freundschaft der drei entwickelt und wie gut sich die einzelnen Figuren ergänzen. Archer war mir von den ersten Seiten an super sympathische, er ist ein echter Träumer und durch die vielen interessanten Gegenstände im Haus der Helmsleys, welches früher auch das Haus von Archers Grosseltern war, wird seine Fantasie noch weiter angeheizt. Zudem ist Archer auch super neugierig und wissbegierig und ständig am Pläne schmieden, welche allerdings nicht immer super praktisch sind. Adélaide zieht erst im Verlauf der Geschichte neu in die Stadt, sie stammt ursprünglich aus Paris und war eine Ballerina, bis sie einen Unfall hatte. Sie lässt sich dadurch jedoch nicht runterkriegen und ist sofort bei Archers Plänen dabei. Oliver, ist dagegen um einiges skeptischer und eigentlich auch nicht der grosse Abenteurer, doch er ist ein treuer Freund und wächst über sich hinaus um Archer und Adélaide beizustehen. So sympathisch mir die Kinder waren, so unausstehlich ist die Lehrerin der drei, Mrs. Murkley. Diese wird schnell zur Feindin der drei. Teilweise ist es echt amüsant wie übertrieben schrecklich Mrs. Murkley ist, doch teilweise wurde es mir fast ein bisschen zu viel. Die Figur hat keinerlei gute Seiten, doch nachdem was am Ende der Geschichte passiert tat sie mir trotzdem fast leid. Sowieso hat mich das Ende etwas gespalten zurückgelassen, ich bin aber dennoch sehr gespannt darauf im zweiten Teil noch mehr über Archers Grosseltern zu erfahren. Fazit:Insgesamt hat mir "Die höchst wundersame Reise zum Ende der Welt" wirklich gut gefallen, obschon ich aufgrund des Titels eine spannendere Geschichte erwartet hätte. Die Geschichte ist eher ruhig und hat leider auch ein paar Längen, dafür überzeugt das Buch durch seine tolle Aufmachung, die wunderschönen Illustrationen und den sympathischen Figuren. Ich bin gespannt auf den zweiten Teil, welcher hoffentlich auch etwas temporeicher wird.3,5*