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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-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
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Okay, so four out of five because it was a tiny bit predictable, however a really good read for someone who wants something like Enid Blyton Famous Five/Secret Seven but a bit more up to date.
Dan Jon (10, nearly 11) loved the book but again finds that he is at least five steps ahead of Laura.
Dan Jon (10, nearly 11) loved the book but again finds that he is at least five steps ahead of Laura.
adventurous
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Really enjoyable adventure for kids. Reminds me of famous five but for this generation. Lots of mystery and well written. Bringsthe issue of slavery to attention. I will be reading the next one in the series.
I'm definitely going to read more of St. John's books, especially more of the Laura Marlin mysteries. This book would be an absolute corker of a read for LKS2 as a whole class. Even a seasoned reader could be forgiven for not seeing all the plot twists before they take place. St. John also reveals the darker elements of society (factory sweatshops from India/slavery/child labour) which I think could open up some interesting debate among the class.
I liked the opening of the story, the chapter size (just the right length for a newly-fluent reader), the characters and the setting of St. Ives which I must now visit but what holds the whole thing together is Laura who is a well-crafted and relatable character in that she is a flawed as she is adventurous. I'm all for scarred and flawed heroes and St. John has done a great job with Laura. It seems that orphaned children finding out they have flawed yet deeply interesting relations who step up to look after them is a slice of narrative planning that works well.
Written in 3rd person from behind Laura's shoulder, St. John doesn't go overboard with descriptive sentences (and she could have with it being based in St. Ives). Instead, I think she gets the balance just right between description, mystery and pace. The first half of the book goes along quite slowly as Laura adjusts to her new life and settings but when the mystery behind her uncle and new friend begin to unravel I found that I couldn't put the book down and was disappointed when it all ended with quite a sudden jolt.
I liked the opening of the story, the chapter size (just the right length for a newly-fluent reader), the characters and the setting of St. Ives which I must now visit but what holds the whole thing together is Laura who is a well-crafted and relatable character in that she is a flawed as she is adventurous. I'm all for scarred and flawed heroes and St. John has done a great job with Laura. It seems that orphaned children finding out they have flawed yet deeply interesting relations who step up to look after them is a slice of narrative planning that works well.
Written in 3rd person from behind Laura's shoulder, St. John doesn't go overboard with descriptive sentences (and she could have with it being based in St. Ives). Instead, I think she gets the balance just right between description, mystery and pace. The first half of the book goes along quite slowly as Laura adjusts to her new life and settings but when the mystery behind her uncle and new friend begin to unravel I found that I couldn't put the book down and was disappointed when it all ended with quite a sudden jolt.
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A brilliant, gripping children's adventure story. Feels like a better version of the Famous Five. My only gripe is the use of home education as a cover for child slavery, but it does make a useful plot device.