The Magic Tree House is a popular 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 in a magical tree house. The books are beloved by young readers for their exciting plots and relatable characters. In addition to the original Magic Tree House books, there is also a spin-off series called the Merlin Missions. These books focus on Jack and Annie's continued adventures as they carry out missions for the magical sorcerer Merlin. The Merlin Missions introduce new twists and turns to the story, as Jack and Annie face more challenges and mysteries.
Posted by Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard | Mar 18, 2022 | Read Time 4 min.
And through a series of some sort of reflection, Jin Hee met a child version of So Jin which told her that she couldn t perform a procedure on Jin Hee and asked her to wake up. The portrayal of shamanism in this series, which closely related to asian culture and introduction of several spirits such as inugami brought the sense of belonging closer to a korean drama.
The Merlin Missions introduce new twists and turns to the story, as Jack and Annie face more challenges and mysteries. The main idea of these books is to teach young readers about historical and mythological events, as well as important values such as courage, kindness, and curiosity. Each Merlin Mission takes Jack and Annie to a different time and place, allowing readers to learn about various cultures and time periods.
The Cursed Drama Review
Back with another drama to review. I don’t really have intention to review this one much in addition that there’s not many noteworthy screenshot that could be use for this review. So bear with me, this gonna be full of text reviews instead.
— Spoiler, proceed at your own risk —
The Cursed is a story of a shaman’s daughter, which was possessed by evil spirit, Inugami. Because of inugami’s nature as being vicious and love for hatred and curses, its power is extremely strong when performing procedure. Now here, is a bit explanation about procedure. The terms procedure used here, or perhaps curse itself is like a voodoo (just to familiarise people that are not used to asian kind of thing). The person performing the curse is called performer in this series, though most of them are shamans.
I love how the series started, accentuated on the asian kind of thing, which in this case shamanism in contrast to many different ways in the world. There are dramas that portray exorcism or fighting with super human power but most of them are more towards western-like instead of asian. The portrayal of shamanism in this series, which closely related to asian culture and introduction of several spirits such as inugami brought the sense of belonging closer to a korean drama.
The series evolved in every episode on how they are going to fight against the evil spirit within the body of a huge corporation CEO. Much to the disappointment however, the series keep playing cat and mouse game. The only real battle that was noteworthy to mention was only during the very first time So Jin performed the procedure on Jin Jong Hyun. Jin Kyung as the corporation shaman was well prepared at that time with Tsukumogami to fend off the Inugami attack, along with several other talismans. Tsukumogami was destroyed but the procedure rebound back to So Jin instead.
It’s probably pretty frustrating whenever Jin Hee tried to convince Sung Joon about the superstitious belief yet Sung Joon waived them all off. However, it come up interesting when Sung Joon finally look at the perspective of his wife to force Lee Hwan to spit up the truth.
While the momentum of the drama kicks off quite fast, again, its another drama that failed to keep that very momentum till the very end. The final episode and the final battle between So Jin and Jin Jong Hyun and his “armies” of shaman from all around the world is laughable in my opinion. The very first time So Jin performed the procedure on Jin Jong Hyun, the whole room shake and even Tsukumogami drum was destroyed, but against all these shaman from all around the world, the place didn’t shake or nothing spectacular happened aside from all the shaman performing the force field fell down one by one, leaving only Otomo.
The drama also in my view, failed to deliver as to how So Jin managed to connect with the inugami that enters Forest. What happened was Jin Hee asked So Jin to do the procedure on her to take the lead and defeat the inugami in Forest. And through a series of some sort of reflection, Jin Hee met a child version of So Jin which told her that she couldn’t perform a procedure on Jin Hee and asked her to wake up. So Jin also mentioned that she has connect with the inugami and will try to hold on to it. And thus, Otomo said the inugami has disappeared.
The concept of the drama came off very interesting, trying to showcase dark magic and procedure in asian society, which many of us in asia could relate. While the story was interesting at first, the momentum drops pretty quick with all the cat and mouse game. Let’s not forget, why Jin Kyung bother to hire henchmen to kill when she can simply perform procedure to do so. Those henchmen are extras I guess, which otherwise the story with the policemen won’t even correlate. Like, how do they even try to catch without a proof.
The death of Jin Kyung and Ju Hwan were reported with high content of anandamide in their brain. Anyone care to explain what does that indicates? Like, why bother mentioning when there’s no explanation in the drama itself?
There are not many dramas that brings forward the concept of shamanism and playing with talisman thing yet. I remember there was a korean movie Jeon Woo Chi which brought that element in, which later followed by the drama version. Regretfully, while the movie was extremely good at showcasing the elements, the drama version was extremely terrible at it, more towards playing with magic instead of talismans.
So far, the best at this concept is only Tokyo Raven, which is a japanese anime. Unbeatable with this concept.
From ancient Egypt to medieval England, the books provide a unique educational experience. Whether it's solving riddles, outsmarting enemies, or helping historical figures, Jack and Annie's adventures are always filled with suspense and excitement. The Merlin Missions also delve deeper into the character development of Jack and Annie, as they face personal challenges and discover new abilities. As they complete each mission, they grow both as individuals and as a team. This growth is a positive message for young readers, showing them the importance of perseverance and self-improvement. Overall, the Magic Tree House Merlin Missions are a captivating continuation of the beloved original series. They provide educational and engaging content for young readers, while also imparting important life lessons. The books invite children to embark on thrilling adventures, encouraging their love for reading and learning..
Reviews for "Embark on a Magical Journey: The Magic Tree House Books Merlin Missions"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I found the Merlin Missions in the Magic Tree House series to be quite disappointing. The stories lacked depth and complexity, and I felt like I was reading the same basic plot over and over again. The characters were not well-developed, and I couldn't connect with them or their adventures. Overall, I was hoping for more from these books, but I didn't find anything special or exciting within their pages.
2. Emily - 1/5 stars - I really didn't enjoy the Merlin Missions in the Magic Tree House series. To me, they felt like a forced extension of the original stories. The writing felt rushed and the plots were predictable. I also found Merlin's character to be quite annoying, and his constant interference in Jack and Annie's adventures took away from their own agency. I was disappointed with these books and would not recommend them to others.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was not a fan of the Merlin Missions in the Magic Tree House series. The stories seemed repetitive and lacked originality. The magic and wonder that drew me to the original books were missing in these missions. Additionally, the pacing felt off, with rushed conclusions and underdeveloped resolutions. Overall, I felt let down by these books and would not recommend them to fans of the series looking for new adventures.
4. Michael - 2/5 stars - The Merlin Missions in the Magic Tree House series didn't resonate with me. I found the characters to be one-dimensional and lacking growth, and the plots were too formulaic. The inclusion of Merlin seemed forced, and his involvement overshadowed Jack and Annie's own journey. I was hoping for more depth and exploration in these missions, but ultimately, I was left disappointed and disconnected from the story.
5. Laura - 3/5 stars - While I did enjoy some aspects of the Merlin Missions in the Magic Tree House series, they fell short of my expectations. The stories lacked the enchantment and charm present in the earlier books, and the repetitive nature of the plotlines became tiresome. However, the historical settings still provided some educational value, and the books were a quick and easy read. Overall, while I didn't love these missions, they may still appeal to younger readers or fans of the original series seeking more adventures with Jack and Annie.