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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
Quite different from the first 5 books, this hints at new mysteries for Flavia to solve. Can't wait to see what the future holds for Flavia de Luce!
"On a spring morning in 1951, eleven-year-old chemist and aspiring detective Flavia de Luce gathers with her family at the railway station, awaiting the return of her long-lost mother, Harriet. Yet upon the train's arrival in the English village of Bishop's Lacey, Flavia is approached by a tall stranger who whispers a cryptic message into her ear. Moments later, he is dead, mysteriously pushed under the train by someone in the crowd...Who was this man, what did his words mean, and why were they intended for Flavia? Back home at Buckshaw, the de Luces' crumbling estate, Flavia puts her sleuthing skills to the test. Following a trail of clues sparked by the discovery of a reel of film stashed away in the attic, she unravels the deepest secrets of the de Luce clan, involving none other than Winston Churchill himself. Surrounded by family, friends, and a famous pathologist from the Home Office - and making spectacular use of Harriet's beloved Gypsy Moth plane, Blithe Spirit - Flavia will do anything, even take to the skies, to land a killer."
"On a spring morning in 1951, eleven-year-old chemist and aspiring detective Flavia de Luce gathers with her family at the railway station, awaiting the return of her long-lost mother, Harriet. Yet upon the train's arrival in the English village of Bishop's Lacey, Flavia is approached by a tall stranger who whispers a cryptic message into her ear. Moments later, he is dead, mysteriously pushed under the train by someone in the crowd...Who was this man, what did his words mean, and why were they intended for Flavia? Back home at Buckshaw, the de Luces' crumbling estate, Flavia puts her sleuthing skills to the test. Following a trail of clues sparked by the discovery of a reel of film stashed away in the attic, she unravels the deepest secrets of the de Luce clan, involving none other than Winston Churchill himself. Surrounded by family, friends, and a famous pathologist from the Home Office - and making spectacular use of Harriet's beloved Gypsy Moth plane, Blithe Spirit - Flavia will do anything, even take to the skies, to land a killer."
How I just adore Flavia. She faces her most emotional challenge yet when her mother's body has been flown home for burial. The deep emotions that run throughout this story from all the family members gives the characters and their complicated relationships an entirely new depth. And the surprise twist at the end makes me really want to read the next book!
Here's a first: a murder mystery's murder plot takes a back seat. I don't want to give anything away if you’ve not read the previous book, Speaking from Amongst the Bone, so I’ll be vague here. Great mystery series always have subplots about the protagonist’s life that string the books together. Sometimes these subplots are so good I wish they would become the main plot. This book does just that. And I must say, it was a mistake.
Flavia’s family misfortunes are at the heart of this story. While there IS a murder to resolve, it takes a back seat to furthering Flavia’s family’s plot. Not only that but so little happens in the book, you could read a synopsis and skip over it onto the next one (which, as of this writing, as yet to come out). There is a major shift for Flavia at the end of the book and I am looking forward to see where it leads but very little in the story actually leads up to it. While the writing is still top-notch and the characters still engaging, this was by far the weakest book in the series. Just goes to show, you can’t win them all.
Flavia’s family misfortunes are at the heart of this story. While there IS a murder to resolve, it takes a back seat to furthering Flavia’s family’s plot. Not only that but so little happens in the book, you could read a synopsis and skip over it onto the next one (which, as of this writing, as yet to come out). There is a major shift for Flavia at the end of the book and I am looking forward to see where it leads but very little in the story actually leads up to it. While the writing is still top-notch and the characters still engaging, this was by far the weakest book in the series. Just goes to show, you can’t win them all.
the more i learn about haviland de luce the more i love him, actually,
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
LOVED the focus on family mysteries/secrets with this one. Can't wait for the next!
3.5
I'm not sure why, but this wasn't one of my faves of this series. Exciting things happened, but the feel was different. Still good!
I'm not sure why, but this wasn't one of my faves of this series. Exciting things happened, but the feel was different. Still good!
This series is beautifully written. The adventures of
This young girl never cease to amaze me! Can't wait for the next one! The possibilities are endless!!
This young girl never cease to amaze me! Can't wait for the next one! The possibilities are endless!!
Another ripping good Flavia deLuce novel. I'll wait until my book club meets before I add any further comments.
I absolutely love this Flavia book! I saw some negative reviews mention that there is no plot, but I thought there certainly was and this kept my attention. While I feel like books 4 and 5 started to just be cookie cutters of every Flavia book (someone dies, Flavia meets lots of Bishop's Lacey characters, mystery is solved), "The Dead..." broke the mold and at the same time furthered the plot and brought in an amazing amount of character development. Like all the other books in the series, it is so well written and really brings this world to life. I highly recommend!