Community Reviews
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Flavia had been transported to Canada so she could attend a boarding school. The night she arrived a body feel out of the chimney in her new bedroom.
I have a confession to make. I haven't read the rest of the series. I have thought about it from time to time, but never actually gotten around to it. I normally try to start from book one in this case since I was given this book to review I figured I should get it done soon. I do think this was a good one to do that with since other than the main character everyone else in the book were new characters.
I did find the characters difficult to remember. They were just names without any background information or differing characteristics. Around the time I was wishing I had made a chart of who everyone was the author did it for me. I felt justified in my inability to keep track. Another example came a little later when Flavia realised she hadn't seen one of the characters since she had first met her. I didn't actually make the connection until that point because the character's name hadn't actually stuck in my head.
The different people within the story told Flavia not to trust anyone. The secrecy seemed over the top and unrealistic because there was not a legitimate reason given for all the cloak and dagger tactics which were used. There was a secret society where the members were unable to know who each other actually were. They didn't give a purpose for what this society was for or what they were trying to accomplish. They did stress the importance of secrecy though.
I was expecting Flavia to spend more time trying to solve the case of who the body was and who murdered her. I was a little disappointed when most of the case seemed to fall into her lap during the last fifty pages of the book.
Flavia had been transported to Canada so she could attend a boarding school. The night she arrived a body feel out of the chimney in her new bedroom.
I have a confession to make. I haven't read the rest of the series. I have thought about it from time to time, but never actually gotten around to it. I normally try to start from book one in this case since I was given this book to review I figured I should get it done soon. I do think this was a good one to do that with since other than the main character everyone else in the book were new characters.
I did find the characters difficult to remember. They were just names without any background information or differing characteristics. Around the time I was wishing I had made a chart of who everyone was the author did it for me. I felt justified in my inability to keep track. Another example came a little later when Flavia realised she hadn't seen one of the characters since she had first met her. I didn't actually make the connection until that point because the character's name hadn't actually stuck in my head.
The different people within the story told Flavia not to trust anyone. The secrecy seemed over the top and unrealistic because there was not a legitimate reason given for all the cloak and dagger tactics which were used. There was a secret society where the members were unable to know who each other actually were. They didn't give a purpose for what this society was for or what they were trying to accomplish. They did stress the importance of secrecy though.
I was expecting Flavia to spend more time trying to solve the case of who the body was and who murdered her. I was a little disappointed when most of the case seemed to fall into her lap during the last fifty pages of the book.
Book 7 in the series moves locations, and Flavia leaves England and heads off to a boarding school in Canada. This book is definitely different from the others. Flavia is secluded from her family and the rest of the household, and do they are less familiar "faces" to get to know.
This book ends with a twist, and so I'm rather curious where and what Alan Bradley will put in Flavia's path next...
This book ends with a twist, and so I'm rather curious where and what Alan Bradley will put in Flavia's path next...
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