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lermonysnickers's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
mehsi's review against another edition
2.0
Just a short review:
Unlike all the other books, this one was frankly, quite boring and not that interesting. It had some fun things though. I liked the time travelling thing, though Cass forgot the number 1 rule, avoid your ancestors, as to not break your future. Here it magically went well, which was kind of a disappointment, I kind of hoped for a small little plot twist at the end, which we didn't get.
I think it is still magical that these kids don't see through Owen's disguises. You would say they would know by now that anyone suspicious would either be a baddy or Owen. :)
Well just to complete this series I will read book 5 and hope it will be better than this one. I somehow feel like the series could have completed way faster if we just skipped parts and all.
Ah, another thing, I liked the footnotes in the beginning (book 1/2) but by this book I am getting tired of this and it pulled me out of the story a lot.
Review first posted on: http://twirlingbookprincess.com
Unlike all the other books, this one was frankly, quite boring and not that interesting. It had some fun things though. I liked the time travelling thing, though Cass forgot the number 1 rule, avoid your ancestors, as to not break your future. Here it magically went well, which was kind of a disappointment, I kind of hoped for a small little plot twist at the end, which we didn't get.
I think it is still magical that these kids don't see through Owen's disguises. You would say they would know by now that anyone suspicious would either be a baddy or Owen. :)
Well just to complete this series I will read book 5 and hope it will be better than this one. I somehow feel like the series could have completed way faster if we just skipped parts and all.
Ah, another thing, I liked the footnotes in the beginning (book 1/2) but by this book I am getting tired of this and it pulled me out of the story a lot.
Review first posted on: http://twirlingbookprincess.com
librarydreams's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
The time travel aspect of this book was fascinating, as was Bosch expansion on what ghosts could be.
Perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket. Bosch has a similar tone and style to Snicket, with a seemingly omniscient narrator who may or may not be reliable, but who is definitely funny. The children are clever and good-hearted, much like the Baudelaire's. I particularly liked the production value of this audio recording. The full cast and sound effects brought the experience to the next level.
bookishperseus's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
wrentheblurry's review
4.0
Closer to 3.5 stars, and Trevor (10) agrees. This is the fourth book in this series, in a row, I've read to the kids, and I'm pleased to have a break (the next one releases in about 3 weeks).
PRO:
* Cass did not bother me as much as she did in the previous two titles; going back in time seems to have adjusted her attitude.
* I liked the Renaissance theme, and particularly enjoyed the Jester, and his interactions with Cass.
* If you like footnotes, this one seemed to have more than the other titles. I liked them, and found them both educational (at times) and amusing.
* One of the chapters made me really laugh out loud. I think it was heavy with the author's self-references, which I like anyway.
CON:
* Yo-Yoji was absent for most of the story, and I like him. OTOH, this meant I didn't have to strain my voice to give him the Keanu-Reeves-in-Bill&Ted's-Excellent-Adventure tone as often.
* Enough already with the Secret and the Midnight Sun. Give it up and move on to a new plot mechanic, ugh!
* I have grown weary of the same-old, same-old. The book felt too long. Familiarity is starting to breed contempt...though what happens with Max-Ernest's family did make me chuckle.
Overall, I liked it better than the 3rd one, and enough to remain committed to reading the 5th one. Perhaps taking a break in between titles will renew my appreciation.
PRO:
* Cass did not bother me as much as she did in the previous two titles; going back in time seems to have adjusted her attitude.
* I liked the Renaissance theme, and particularly enjoyed the Jester, and his interactions with Cass.
* If you like footnotes, this one seemed to have more than the other titles. I liked them, and found them both educational (at times) and amusing.
* One of the chapters made me really laugh out loud. I think it was heavy with the author's self-references, which I like anyway.
CON:
* Yo-Yoji was absent for most of the story, and I like him. OTOH, this meant I didn't have to strain my voice to give him the Keanu-Reeves-in-Bill&Ted's-Excellent-Adventure tone as often.
* Enough already with the Secret and the Midnight Sun. Give it up and move on to a new plot mechanic, ugh!
* I have grown weary of the same-old, same-old. The book felt too long. Familiarity is starting to breed contempt...though what happens with Max-Ernest's family did make me chuckle.
Overall, I liked it better than the 3rd one, and enough to remain committed to reading the 5th one. Perhaps taking a break in between titles will renew my appreciation.
kautaru's review
5.0
I really really enjoyed this one—it's definitely a cut above the three previous books in the series. I don't know if it's because there was a lot more instances of the 4th wall breaking, or if it's because the plot of this one was a lot more entertaining, but someone cooked here. The more I read, the more I love my boy Max-Ernest. He doesn't get enough love 😔 Also, loved learning more about Cass and past—the jester, the bandits, the Terces society, etc. The way everything connected in this book; the double monocle, the homunculus, the tarot cards, even Benjamin, it was just perfection. 6/5 fabulous would definitely erase my memory to read this for the first time again.
readacorn's review against another edition
4.0
Wie auch die Vorgänger eine lustige, kindgerechte Lektüre, sogar etwas kurzweiliger als der dritte Band. Die Reihe geht zwar noch weiter, aber dies ist der letzte Band, der in meinem Besitz ist. Die restlichen Bände würde ich nur gebraucht günstig kaufen, weil es zwar für Zwischendurch nett zu lesen und auch der Schmunzelfaktor gegeben war. Dennoch ist es mir zurzeit nicht immens wichtig, die Reihe zu beenden.
mezzosherri's review
4.0
Enjoyable return to form for the Secret series. I liked seeing Cass and Max-Ernest each have a chance to stand on their own two feet--even though the section of parallel story-telling served mostly to emphasize that the whole of the team is somehow greater than the sum of their parts. I was sorry to see Yo-Yoji relegated to the sidelines for the first half off the book.
luisasm's review
4.0
So good. It represents one of the five senses, sight, and that's just a cool premise. Plus it's really funny and ridiculous and insane and smart and weird and sometimes kinda dark.