Review: "Over Sea, Under Stone" by Susan Cooper

I was recently reminded of this series, which I read when I was probably nine or ten, and I decided to revisit it. It was definitely different than I remembered, but other than some fairly serious philosophical quibbles, I enjoyed rereading this one. :)

On holiday in Cornwall, the three Drew children discover an ancient map in the attic of the house that they are staying in. They know immediately that it is special. It is even more than that -- the key to finding a grail, a source of power to fight the forces of evil known as the Dark. And in searching for it themselves, the Drews put their very lives in peril.

Worldbuilding/Writing Style
The book is set in Cornwall, which is such a lovely place. Cliffs, the sea, green swards, standing stones. Very immersive. There's also a whiff of Arthurian legend wove in, which is fun and adds depth. The writing style is a bit older, definitely British kidlit from the 20th century than from the 21st, but I like that style, so I enjoyed it. 
The thing about the worldbuilding, though, is that the premise is that the Drew children and their Great-Uncle Merry are fighting the Dark, which is, as the name of the series suggests, rising. But when GU Merry explains this fight, he makes it sound like this is a huge battle which ebbs and flows. In other words, he makes it sound like sometimes the Dark wins, and sometimes the Light. This philosophy is not a new thing--it's called Manicheism. Aka, the heresy that St. Thomas Aquinas devoted a fair bit of his life to fighting. While, as a Catholic, I do believe in a battle between light and darkness, I believe that the Light will always win. Because Good is stronger. The thing about this book, though, is that it could almost be interpreted either way. The things GU Merry says...they almost sound right, in the Catholic worldview. But not quite. (And isn't that what heresy is? Removing one tiny little problem, to try to make religion easier...and by doing so, rendering it incorrect). So, go in warned.

Plot
This is more-or-less a treasure hunt plot, only, while deciphering clues, the MCs also have to avoid the forces of darkness. The plot starts off rather slowly, but ultimately becomes very gripping, with narrow escape after narrow escape. Or sometimes narrow not-escapes, as the case may be. It's not quite as twisty as some books, but still enjoyable in a National Treasure sort of way. I like how the treasure hunt is interwoven with the Arthurian thread. Philosophical issues notwithstanding, the battle between Good and Evil is extremely compelling. And so the plot is compelling--the stakes are high, the puzzles are hard, and the action is fairly nonstop. 

Characters
I'm a little on the fence about the children...because on the one hand, they did seem a little flat. But at the same time, that's kind of the style of the period. And there are differences between them--Simon feels very responsible for his siblings, Barney is rather immature, and Jane is very different from either of the boys.
Jane is interesting because she seems like the classic girly-girl of British kidlit, who is careful with her clothes, concerned about her brothers, a little bit afraid, and doesn't do well with ships. And obviously, some people would object to this about her--because she always lets the boys do the dangerous things, she worries about problems, and she can be a bit naïve. But look guys, just because she's not a kick-A heroine doesn't mean this isn't realistic. Because sometimes women don't want to be the ones who do the scary things. Sometimes we just want to keep our brothers safe and watch from afar, and solve puzzles rather than explore partially submerged caves or get seasick on a boat trip. Idk, I thought she was pretty realistic, myself. 
And Great Uncle Merry! He is so cool, and mysterious, and awesome, and GAH. Love his character.

Romance
None. :) I feel like I'm saying that a lot this month. 

Content
Kidnapping, and it feels a bit silly to say this but "creepy people". Because the "other side" is quite creepy. 

Overall Rating

I really, really enjoyed this reread, but the subtle Manicheism bothers me, so for that I think I'm going to have to knock it down to three stars. 

Reminds me of...
The Arthurian legend hearkened back to Le Morte D'Arthur, which is a fun classic read, if you, like me, would like to read ALL the Arthurian legends in one place. 

Do you have any recommendations for books with epic good-vs.-evil battles that aren't Manichean? XD Have you ever had a similar experience with realizing that a book you liked as a kid had problematic philosophy? What's your favorite book that riffs on Arthurian legend?