Hexwood

Infobox Book
name = Hexwood


image_caption =
author = Diana Wynne Jones
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = Great Britain
language = English
series =
subject =
genre = Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young adult literature
publisher = Methuen
release_date = 1993
media_type = Print
pages = 288
isbn = ISBN 0-416-18846-X
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Hexwood" is a 1993 fantasy/science fiction novel for young adults. It is by British author Diana Wynne Jones.

It received mostly positive reviews: Kirkus called it "an elaborate, fascinating, and suberbly crafted adventure", School Library Journal praised it for its "knife-sharp prose" and for being "marvelously mind-stretching", while Booklist said it was a "satisfying tale" and that " [t] he action is fast paced, the mysterious circumstances are compelling, and there's even a nice bit of humor."cite web |url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0064473554/ |title=Editorial reviews, as listed on Amazon |accessdate=2008-01-09 |publisher= Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist & Kirkus Reviews]

Books For Keeps were more noncommital, noting simply that it would need a "doughty readership", describing the novel as "a demanding read" with "page after page of challenging ideas". [cite web |url=http://www.booksforkeeps.co.uk/issues/90/7200 |title=Issue 90 : Hexwood review |accessdate=2008-01-09 |year=1995 |month=January |publisher=Books For Keeps] But Publishers Weekly were critical of the novel, due to its "muddled narrative" and "confusing finale".

Plot summary

"Hexwood" begins as the story of a young girl, Ann Stavely, recovering from a serious illness. She witnesses some mysterious comings and goings at nearby Hexwood Farm and explores the wood near her home. But the wood has a way of changing and twisting time and space. Or is it the Bannus, a mysterious machine used by the Reigners, intergalatic rulers, to test scenarios to help make decisions? She has several allies in the wood, including the mysterious Mordion Agenos, the boy Hume who was created by magic, and the futuristic robot Yam. There are also knights, dragons, and the strange voices in her head whom she calls The King, The Prisoner, The Slave, and The Boy.

References

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