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dgrachel's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
So! Many! Exclamation! Points! Seriously, if you couldn’t tell from the prose that there was danger, the author made sure to use plenty of urgent punctuation. Aside from that, this is a fun, if predictable, mystery. That meddlesome girl, Nancy Drew, solves the mystery and saves the day yet again.
wh101's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
planet_taffy's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This third book in the series is a lot more thrilling than the previous two, almost to the point where the drama can seem over the top. Nancy, for example, seems like a lightning rod, able to attract storms that develop in an instant out of nowhere; it stops just short of breaking the suspension of disbelief.
Like the second book in the series, "The Hidden Staircase", "The Bungalow Mystery" includes a secondary plot following Carson Drew's work as it intertwines with Nancy Drew's mystery. I found the Carson Drew mystery a little too convoluted, especially during the falling action; in general the falling action felt rushed, with a bunch of events mushed together with little breathing room in between.A man writes a whole story for magazine publication overnight! Frankly, I'd rather Carson Drew's cases take up less real estate in the book as it's not the Carson Drew Mystery Stories.
Personal gripes aside, it was a solid read with some real heartfelt moments at the end. Keene's writing continues to improve in leaps and bounds as the series progresses. Very little luncheon. No Bess & George yet.
Like the second book in the series, "The Hidden Staircase", "The Bungalow Mystery" includes a secondary plot following Carson Drew's work as it intertwines with Nancy Drew's mystery. I found the Carson Drew mystery a little too convoluted, especially during the falling action; in general the falling action felt rushed, with a bunch of events mushed together with little breathing room in between.
Personal gripes aside, it was a solid read with some real heartfelt moments at the end. Keene's writing continues to improve in leaps and bounds as the series progresses. Very little luncheon. No Bess & George yet.
ashliha's review against another edition
2.0
A little slower starting and ending than the first three, but a more exciting and dangerous mystery.
annareadsmysteries's review against another edition
4.0
Although I enjoyed reading this - sadly, it's quite a forgettable entry to the series. I've struggled a bit to remember what the story was about even though I've read it five days ago.
Nevertheless, it deserves a nice fat 4.
The story starts with Nancy and her friend Helen (yey - Helen is back) almost drowning...
Luckily, these are children's books, otherwise, I wouldn't have forgiven Keene for disposing of Helen.
They are saved by an orphan girl named Laura, who is about to join her new wards, but she is unhappy. Of course, in good old Nancy-Drew style, Nancy offers to look into her uneasiness. In the meanwhile, there is another mystery her father is involved with which later intertwines with Nancy's sleuthing of Laura's issue.
I've enjoyed that Carlson Drew has been a more mobile player in this book, it was nice to follow him along. I also LOVE that Nancy does what she does, but always stops to have a hearty breakfast/lunch or dinner - this teaches kids that eating is important and I appreciate that :)
However, the deducted star does come from the fact that the bungalow itself was not really the main mystery. Perhaps the title should have been a different one - but all in all, great fun to read these as palette cleansers in between other reads.
Nevertheless, it deserves a nice fat 4.
The story starts with Nancy and her friend Helen (yey - Helen is back) almost drowning...
Luckily, these are children's books, otherwise, I wouldn't have forgiven Keene for disposing of Helen.
They are saved by an orphan girl named Laura, who is about to join her new wards, but she is unhappy. Of course, in good old Nancy-Drew style, Nancy offers to look into her uneasiness. In the meanwhile, there is another mystery her father is involved with which later intertwines with Nancy's sleuthing of Laura's issue.
I've enjoyed that Carlson Drew has been a more mobile player in this book, it was nice to follow him along. I also LOVE that Nancy does what she does, but always stops to have a hearty breakfast/lunch or dinner - this teaches kids that eating is important and I appreciate that :)
However, the deducted star does come from the fact that the bungalow itself was not really the main mystery. Perhaps the title should have been a different one - but all in all, great fun to read these as palette cleansers in between other reads.
jennbehindthebooks's review against another edition
4.0
I've been having so much fun revisiting the original Nancy Drew series lately. The Mystery of the Bungalow is a little more complex of a mystery than the previous books in the series. While it is obviously intended for younger readers, thus the mystery is easy to solve, it is still a very enjoyable adventure!
erincataldi's review against another edition
4.0
Classic Nancy Drew. Near death escapes, unheard of independence, sharp sleuthing skills, easily solvable mysteries, and overly confident criminals are just a few of the signature elements that contribute to Nancy's continual success. While vacationing with her best friend, the two girls get stuck in a storm, sink their boat and nearly drown. Thankfully a girl their age hears their screams for help and the girls have made a new friend for life. As they gossip and get to know each other their rescuer, Lauren, tells them her sob story about how she is an orphan and she must soon meet the couple her mother entrusted her to. As the summer vacation progresses, Nancy notices a lot of things that don't add up about Lauren's new guardians and does some sleuthing. She quickly manages to get into more life threatening trouble but discovers that something is really wrong.
Predictable, but amusing. For fans of strong female leads and Scooby Doo.
Predictable, but amusing. For fans of strong female leads and Scooby Doo.
laurenamanda315's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
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? No
3.0