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jindiebooks's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
soodleth's review
4.0
Nearing the end of my Lady Grace books now and I don’t think I’ve read this one before (though I amn’t entirely certain it must be said), and I throughly enjoyed it! Could be because it’s aimed at 11 year olds or it could be because it was so exciting but I read this in one day. The mystery was compelling with multiple plot twists and false leads - had me quite convinced several times! Beautifully written as usual.
I don’t want to say too much and give the game away but I will say that while there were some parts of Haunted that made me roll my eyes, I didn’t have that at all with Intrigue. It was gripping right until the end with a healthy dose of danger (and ill advised escapades from the palace, as usual).
I don’t want to say too much and give the game away but I will say that while there were some parts of Haunted that made me roll my eyes, I didn’t have that at all with Intrigue. It was gripping right until the end with a healthy dose of danger (and ill advised escapades from the palace, as usual).
romanaromana's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
3.5 stars.
I used to absolutely love this series when I was younger, so much so that I used to imitate Grace's own language in my diaries (cringe doesn't even cover it). Unfortunately, some of that magic has been lost with time, but I still found this book enjoyable, and can see why I liked Grace's adventures so much.
This mystery takes the Queen, Grace and other members of the Court to see a new play. 'Intrigue' promises its audience a thrilling murder mystery, with a prize to whoever can guess the identity of the true murderer! But things soon take a turn, and to everyone's surprise, the Court is faced with a real murder. Grace must work quickly if she's to protect innocent suspects from being punished, and catch the true criminal.
My main issue with Intrigue was in its narrative style. Grace writes in first person, past tense that looks retrospectively on clues and investigation as they progress. When combined with the self-aware nature of the diary form, readers are constantly reminded that they are behind on the action. This left me feeling somewhat dislocated from the characters and the mystery. I was reading to find out who the criminal was, but I didn't feel as though I could participate in the investigation because Grace simply relays the details after they've been revealed or discovered by herself.
However, as I said, I can understand why I liked this series when I was younger. It is easy to read and provides a relatively complex plot for children, with sufficient red herrings and clues to build up what appears to be a realistic criminal investigation.
I used to absolutely love this series when I was younger, so much so that I used to imitate Grace's own language in my diaries (cringe doesn't even cover it). Unfortunately, some of that magic has been lost with time, but I still found this book enjoyable, and can see why I liked Grace's adventures so much.
This mystery takes the Queen, Grace and other members of the Court to see a new play. 'Intrigue' promises its audience a thrilling murder mystery, with a prize to whoever can guess the identity of the true murderer! But things soon take a turn, and to everyone's surprise, the Court is faced with a real murder. Grace must work quickly if she's to protect innocent suspects from being punished, and catch the true criminal.
My main issue with Intrigue was in its narrative style. Grace writes in first person, past tense that looks retrospectively on clues and investigation as they progress. When combined with the self-aware nature of the diary form, readers are constantly reminded that they are behind on the action. This left me feeling somewhat dislocated from the characters and the mystery. I was reading to find out who the criminal was, but I didn't feel as though I could participate in the investigation because Grace simply relays the details after they've been revealed or discovered by herself.
However, as I said, I can understand why I liked this series when I was younger. It is easy to read and provides a relatively complex plot for children, with sufficient red herrings and clues to build up what appears to be a realistic criminal investigation.
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