Reviews

The History of Mischief by Rebecca Higgie

lissydizzy's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Brilliant mix of history, family and mischief

filliefanatic's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

3.75

not what i was expecting - very much family mystery, very much senior fiction. still good - touches on areas of history you dont often see (poland salt mines, ancient china, australia in the 50s~ thru 70s~)

kimap's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

cocoro's review against another edition

3.0

this book was really good. the actual book in the story was really cool as well, and i liked the way we followed jessie's perspective as it was childish and cute yet teenage-like.
the book ended in an unexpected way, but it was good. i loved the characters, especially jessie and kay and theodore and mrs.moran (yeah there was a mr.moran and i kept imagining my science teacher and it was weird). jessie was such a nine year old in all the good and bad ways, and we could see this through the way she thought and talked, although she was quite mature. grief and emotions, as well as bonding over a book, are discussed in the book, and how to deal with them. i expected more magic, but the way magic did work was interesting. i recommend

lunasmaria's review against another edition

5.0

4.5 Stars

"But what do men know?"

I read this for a bookclub and loved it for the historical Perth aspect and for the history itself. I love obscure history - particularly African since I don't find it much in Western Fiction.

Also, despite being a kids book this had so many relevant themes - I found it hard to put down.

Really glad to have discovered this author.

robinfrost17's review against another edition

adventurous sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

witmol's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Bought this for my soon-to-be-13yo niece and then thought I'd better read it to check the content, so borrowed it from the library. I'm glad I did: it was a refreshing and insightful read traversing alternate history and family-centred trauma in an approachable and magical way. 

The book switches between Jessie's perspective (contemporary) and the contents of the History of Mischief ('historical'). Jessie's part drags a little because she's young enough to have restricted agency and it's very clear from context that her misbehaviour stems from unresolved trauma about her parents' deaths, but there's enough mystery about the book and in the mischief parts to push the narrative along.

Ultimately it's a book about friendship and making the most of what life hands you both in the narrative and the meta-narrative. Am handing over extra points for its obvious love of libraries.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Car accident, Grief, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Racism, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

swearing (fuck) homosexual relationship

alannah_rose's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

john_bryant's review against another edition

4.0

This was a really fun book, I had tears in my eyes at the last few pages.

Unique for the way where it was kind of a short story collection that was combined into a connected story. Two of the histories slowed down the pacing but otherwise this was a really fun book.

Overall, this book showed how cool libraries are so 4/5

watts_writes's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-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

4.0