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shainalite's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
rebeccawantstoreadmore's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
goldenbooksgirl's review
4.0
As a huge fan of Alex Bell`s middle grade, I was really excited to hear that she had a Barrington Stoke novella coming out and it didn`t disappoint. It`s the story of a girl named Tess who goes to work in a mysterious toy factory with her younger siblings in a bid to save her family`s farm for closure, and the events that unfold there. Tess is a great heroine and I liked how capable she was, as well as the variety of supporting characters around her. The settings were something else I really enjoyed- Tess`s farm sounds SO cool and the toy factory had a creepy yet quaint vibe. The otherworldly additions were fantastic too- this feels very similar to our world, but with magic, and I just like spending time in Alex Bell`s worlds. My favourite thing about this was definitely the ending though- I really hadn`t expected it to end that way and it`s left me hoping there might be a sequel! 4.5/5
jamierose's review
3.0
Cute, nicely written, held my 6yo's attention while we read a chapter or 2 a night. Felt it borrowed a bit too heavily from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory though that obviously didn't bother the kid! Mildly scary, just the right level to keep tension for a younger reader.
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