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ila_mae's review against another edition
2.0
In a town called Gloom, almost everything and everyone is washed out and dark. For Rory, this is the only life he's known. But when he gets a new job for a dangerous and secretive employer, he starts to wonder if life in Gloom was supposed to be that way. With the help of his best friend Izzy, Rory sets out to unravel the web of secrets and darkness that engulfs Gloom.
I don't know how to describe this book. Episodic? Improvised? Unclear? There were parts that I did enjoy, and parts I thought were done well, but.... By the end, I was frustrated and underwhelmed with the story. There didn't seem to be much continuity. Things were only introduced when they were needed, and the plot felt stitched together with only a few pieces running through the whole thing. The tone was also confusing and a little bit all over the place. There were elements that felt like horror, but it also felt like fantasy, and then sometimes magical realism and then other times like a mystery. The characters were mostly flat, without much depth, which did fit the story- it was short enough and simple enough to not necessarily need really complicated characters- but that fact didn't do the story any favors either. If the characters were deeper or more personable, it might have saved the story. Rory was mostly just tense, and Izzy has the potential to be sassy or more street smart, but she was mostly just there to provide information or quick saves Rory couldn't do for himself. So all in all, it just didn't satisfy the way I hoped it would.
Things to be Aware of:
- Upsetting circumstances (a lot, but not too bad. Rory works for creepy and dangerous people for awhile and he gets captured and threatened more than once)
- Violence (intense, but overall mild. I have a pretty low threshold, but there were some parts that really creeped me out or were really disturbing. Rory is attacked a few times, but usually there isn't much gore. However, the threat if violence and harm is more graphic and more frightening)
- Death (there is at least one death were the characters witness the aftermath of a murder and interact with a dead body. It's mostly mild, but it is a little gruesome. There are other deaths mentioned or viewed, and the description of one is gruesome)
- Sexual content (little to none)
I don't know how to describe this book. Episodic? Improvised? Unclear? There were parts that I did enjoy, and parts I thought were done well, but.... By the end, I was frustrated and underwhelmed with the story. There didn't seem to be much continuity. Things were only introduced when they were needed, and the plot felt stitched together with only a few pieces running through the whole thing. The tone was also confusing and a little bit all over the place. There were elements that felt like horror, but it also felt like fantasy, and then sometimes magical realism and then other times like a mystery. The characters were mostly flat, without much depth, which did fit the story- it was short enough and simple enough to not necessarily need really complicated characters- but that fact didn't do the story any favors either. If the characters were deeper or more personable, it might have saved the story. Rory was mostly just tense, and Izzy has the potential to be sassy or more street smart, but she was mostly just there to provide information or quick saves Rory couldn't do for himself. So all in all, it just didn't satisfy the way I hoped it would.
Things to be Aware of:
- Upsetting circumstances (a lot, but not too bad. Rory works for creepy and dangerous people for awhile and he gets captured and threatened more than once)
- Violence (intense, but overall mild. I have a pretty low threshold, but there were some parts that really creeped me out or were really disturbing. Rory is attacked a few times, but usually there isn't much gore. However, the threat if violence and harm is more graphic and more frightening)
- Death (there is at least one death were the characters witness the aftermath of a murder and interact with a dead body. It's mostly mild, but it is a little gruesome. There are other deaths mentioned or viewed, and the description of one is gruesome)
- Sexual content (little to none)
audreylee's review
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
More tell than show. The father story line doesn't make any sense at all.
amdame1's review against another edition
3.0
Twelve-year-old Rory and his mom live in Gloom Town. Despite working all the time, she can barely pay the rent, so when Rory sees an ad for a valet at Foxglove Manor, he decides to apply for the position, even though he doesn't know what a valet is. Things at Foxglove Manor are super creepy and Rory discovers that his new boss is hiding some mysterious secret. When Rory tries to figure out exactly what's going on, things go terribly wrong. Luckily he has best friend Isabella by his side.
I liked that the relationship between Rory and Isabella stays solidly in friendship land. Other than that it is a solid fantasy/magical realism. It never truly drew me in but I can see where it would have appeal for students.
I liked that the relationship between Rory and Isabella stays solidly in friendship land. Other than that it is a solid fantasy/magical realism. It never truly drew me in but I can see where it would have appeal for students.
atuckerdye's review
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
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
4.0
mematilda's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
thegeekishbrunette's review
3.0
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I liked the premise for this one and the cover is a bit spooky and cool at the same time! There are things that I enjoyed and then there were other parts that were a bit confusing.
Let’s start with the good. I liked the friendship between Rory and Isabella/Izzy. She is always there for him and will help in any way she can even if that means freeing the town from evil. Rory is a brave kid and does what he must to keep the house his mom and him live in. It’s nice to see a kid take on responsibility. Although getting a job leads him into some trouble!
The plot was interesting and creepy. It has you wondering what will happen next and if their luck is about to run out. I liked the plot twists that were involved and it was cool to see how it would all play out. I wasn’t expecting the ending and that is where it got confusing. I am sure it was made for another book to come (maybe?) but at the same time it just came out of nowhere.
Another part that I wish more was said about was the evil. We got a bit of backstory but there were still things that were left unsaid and I just wanted to know why it existed and happened to plant itself in this town. Maybe if there is another book there will be more backstory for it.
Overall, I think this was a good read and if children love books about fighting evil with a dash of creepy then they will certainly enjoy this one!
I liked the premise for this one and the cover is a bit spooky and cool at the same time! There are things that I enjoyed and then there were other parts that were a bit confusing.
Let’s start with the good. I liked the friendship between Rory and Isabella/Izzy. She is always there for him and will help in any way she can even if that means freeing the town from evil. Rory is a brave kid and does what he must to keep the house his mom and him live in. It’s nice to see a kid take on responsibility. Although getting a job leads him into some trouble!
The plot was interesting and creepy. It has you wondering what will happen next and if their luck is about to run out. I liked the plot twists that were involved and it was cool to see how it would all play out. I wasn’t expecting the ending and that is where it got confusing. I am sure it was made for another book to come (maybe?) but at the same time it just came out of nowhere.
Another part that I wish more was said about was the evil. We got a bit of backstory but there were still things that were left unsaid and I just wanted to know why it existed and happened to plant itself in this town. Maybe if there is another book there will be more backstory for it.
Overall, I think this was a good read and if children love books about fighting evil with a dash of creepy then they will certainly enjoy this one!
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