Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.97 AVERAGE
3.97 AVERAGE
It was great! A little slow at the beginning but it quickly picked up and got intense fast!
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
A fine historical puzzle/adventure story, those who say it's the Da Vinci Code for kids may have a point, but it must be better written, because I never have been able to get through anything written by Dan Brown, and I lapped this up!
This is, by far, one of the best books I've ever read. The mystery was never-ending and excellent! Highly recommended.
This was just fun. Though the twist is very overdone, the rest of the book was so fun I didn't even care that much. Christopher is way to smart to be real, but I was having too much fun reading the book to care. Also I want a Tom of my own.
Spoiler
alchemists
Interesting read. Really liked the characters and the murder mystery and twists. It was a little long for a MG, but I liked Christopher's story and the love he had for his Master. I'll read the next one. :)
I loved this clever kids book about an orphan turned apothecary’s apprentice trying to solve a string of murders with some chemistry, cryptology, and loads of wits and pluck. I can’t remember which of my nephews recommended it, but it is a winner!
This was such a fun, puzzle-filled, middle-grade read. It's got great energy, and once the action picks up it stays up so that you just keep turning the pages and losing track of time. Part of the charm is definitely the main character, Christopher. He's a sweet but stubborn kid. He's smart and works hard at his apprenticeship, even if he does get into the occasional bit of trouble with his best friend Tom. I will definitely be passing this along to some of the young readers in my life and continuing with the rest of the series.
When I read the blurb for this book, it sounded full of exciting mysteries and adventure, and that is exactly what it delivered. With plenty of puzzles to unravel and codes to crack, The Blackthorn Key is gripping from the very start.
Christopher Rowe had spent his life in an orphanage until the day Benedict Blackthorn took him to be his apprentice. Learning as much as he can about being an apothecary, Christopher lives with Master Benedict in his London shop, helping customers with a variety of aliments.
But something dark is happening on the streets of the city. Apothecaries are being murdered, their bodies turning up showing signs of torture. Rumours circulate about a cult being behind the attacks, but no one knows for certain, and Christopher is worried. Pretty soon, Christopher finds himself on the run. All he has are a series of clues from his Master. Clues that he hopes will help him discover why these attacks are happening, and how to stop them.
The Blackthorn Key was such a fun read. I loved immersing myself into Christopher’s world of puzzles and conspiracies, especially since it was set during the 17th century! I really enjoyed the fact that this was a story set in historical London, rather than in a fantasy world.
Christopher was a wonderful character, and I adored his bond with his best friend, Tom. They had a great relationship and provided just the right amount of humour throughout the story. I also loved the precious moments between Christopher and Master Benedict, and their loyalty to each other.
There were plenty of interesting characters to fill the pages, a lot of whom I didn’t know whether to trust or not. I spent most of the book trying to figure out who the bad guys were, and who Christopher could safely go to. It certainly made for tense reading!
The plot itself is gripping and fast-paced, and the twists and turns kept me reading well into the night. Just when you’ve think you’ve figured something out, you discover there’s a lot more to the story. I was utterly hooked on every chapter.
This book truly was a joy to read. It has a little bit of everything to offer, even a sidekick pigeon. This is a stunning debut and I’m definitely excited to see what the author has in store next!
Reviewed here: http://queenofteenfiction.blogspot.co.uk
Christopher Rowe had spent his life in an orphanage until the day Benedict Blackthorn took him to be his apprentice. Learning as much as he can about being an apothecary, Christopher lives with Master Benedict in his London shop, helping customers with a variety of aliments.
But something dark is happening on the streets of the city. Apothecaries are being murdered, their bodies turning up showing signs of torture. Rumours circulate about a cult being behind the attacks, but no one knows for certain, and Christopher is worried. Pretty soon, Christopher finds himself on the run. All he has are a series of clues from his Master. Clues that he hopes will help him discover why these attacks are happening, and how to stop them.
The Blackthorn Key was such a fun read. I loved immersing myself into Christopher’s world of puzzles and conspiracies, especially since it was set during the 17th century! I really enjoyed the fact that this was a story set in historical London, rather than in a fantasy world.
Christopher was a wonderful character, and I adored his bond with his best friend, Tom. They had a great relationship and provided just the right amount of humour throughout the story. I also loved the precious moments between Christopher and Master Benedict, and their loyalty to each other.
There were plenty of interesting characters to fill the pages, a lot of whom I didn’t know whether to trust or not. I spent most of the book trying to figure out who the bad guys were, and who Christopher could safely go to. It certainly made for tense reading!
The plot itself is gripping and fast-paced, and the twists and turns kept me reading well into the night. Just when you’ve think you’ve figured something out, you discover there’s a lot more to the story. I was utterly hooked on every chapter.
This book truly was a joy to read. It has a little bit of everything to offer, even a sidekick pigeon. This is a stunning debut and I’m definitely excited to see what the author has in store next!
Reviewed here: http://queenofteenfiction.blogspot.co.uk
In 1665, Christopher Rowe is working for Benedict Blackthorn as an apothecary apprentice. Several apothecaries including one of Master Benedict's closest friends have been murdered and Christopher fears for Master Benedict, especially when he begins to stay out all night and comes home with strange injuries. When Master Benedict strikes Christopher and sends him away, he is in more emotional pain than physical. Christopher returns and finds that Master Benedict has been killed, so now he knows that Master Benedict sent him away in order to save his life. Christopher is under suspicion for his master's murder, so while he is in hiding, he starts to investigate what his master was working on that got him killed.
The Blackthorn Key is reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code and other similar stories that present lots of clues that lead to more and more clues until finally the mystery is solved. Overall, this is a good middle grade mystery set in the distant past.
The Blackthorn Key is reminiscent of The Da Vinci Code and other similar stories that present lots of clues that lead to more and more clues until finally the mystery is solved. Overall, this is a good middle grade mystery set in the distant past.