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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
I'm afraid I was somewhat disappointed with Flavia's latest outing, especially with the direction in which the series seems to be veering. One of the things I loved about the earlier novels was the interplay between the competing explanations of whatever mystery was at hand, many of which were fantastical. But in the end, the resolution was always resolutely practical and was revealed through Flavia's precocious knowledge of chemistry.
The conclusion to this novel, which seems to set the stage for a plot of much grander scope and Dan Brown-esque complexity (and plausibility), happens with almost no involvement of Flavia at all. In fast, we never really learn how it comes about or why. If this is how things are going to be, I'll probably end my reading of this series with #6.
The conclusion to this novel, which seems to set the stage for a plot of much grander scope and Dan Brown-esque complexity (and plausibility), happens with almost no involvement of Flavia at all. In fast, we never really learn how it comes about or why. If this is how things are going to be, I'll probably end my reading of this series with #6.
This was such a well done series and so this book was bittersweet to read. If I remember correctly Bradley said he was only writing six books. Flavia is one of my favorite literary characters and this sixth book was great.
Another excellent Flavia book. Not my most favorite, but continues the story forward and answers some questions. Love this series!
This was the best Flavia de Luce book yet! I want to start the next one immediately and see where this story takes us next!
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
If you’ve been following my blog for awhile, you know my utter enchantment with the world of Flavia de Luce. A chemistry-obsessed little girl with a penchant for poisons, Flavia is a mystery enthusiast growing up on her crumbling family estate outside of London in the 1950’s. With her father’s footman, Dogger, and a bike named Gladys as her sidekicks, Flavia pursues murderers and thieves throughout the town of Bishop’s Lacey.
The mysteries in these books are pretty easy to solve, but the characters and plots Bradley comes up with are phenomenal. Every time I read one of his books, I feel transported to a nostalgic time when kids could be kids and the world seemed endless with possibilities. From her peevish older sisters to the colorful townsfolk Flavia spends her time with, this series has a lot to offer a fiction lover. Although I got an advanced e-book copy of this book through the publisher, I have listened to all the previous Flavia de Luce books on audiobook with the phenomenal Jayne Entwistle, who is as good of a narrator as Bradley is a writer. I highly recommend these books!
This post will contain spoilers for some of the earlier books in the series, so in short, if you haven’t picked up the Flavia de Luce series, DO IT, and if you have gotten through the fifth book in the Flavia series, Speaking from Among the Bones, read on!
Speaking from Among the Bones ended with quite a cliffhanger, with the de Luces finding out that Harriet has been found, but the future of the family estate of Buckshaw is still hanging in the balance.
When Flavia witnesses the death of a strange man with a secret message for her father, her investigation leads her to a mystery entrenched deep in the depths of WWII. With long-lost family and friends in town along with the arrival of some old acquaintances, Flavia doesn’t know who to trust with Buckshaw overrun with such mysterious people. The one person Flavia knows she can trust is Dogger, though, and with him by her side, she uncovers truths about her parents, her ancestors, and her destiny.
I was expecting something totally different from what I got in this book, but the end-result of The Dead in their Vaulted Arches far surpassed all my expectations.
The mystery in this book was pretty light and took a definitely back seat to the research Flavia was doing into her own family. The action was pretty much absent, as well. This book felt less like a stand-alone novel and more like a connecting book, showing how Flavia moves from one part of her life to another, but I was absolutely blown away with what Bradley decided to do with the de Luce family and where he decided to take the plot from here.
Once again, Bradley finished the book with a pretty fantastic cliffhanger, making me a bit peeved that I got the book and finished it so early, as I’ll have to wait even longer for the next one to come out. I’m absolutely certain, though, that Bradley will continue to shape Flavia’s life in fantastic ways, and I will keep buying his book for as long as he keeps writing them. I’ve read every book about Flavia so far, and absolutely none have disappointed me.
The mysteries in these books are pretty easy to solve, but the characters and plots Bradley comes up with are phenomenal. Every time I read one of his books, I feel transported to a nostalgic time when kids could be kids and the world seemed endless with possibilities. From her peevish older sisters to the colorful townsfolk Flavia spends her time with, this series has a lot to offer a fiction lover. Although I got an advanced e-book copy of this book through the publisher, I have listened to all the previous Flavia de Luce books on audiobook with the phenomenal Jayne Entwistle, who is as good of a narrator as Bradley is a writer. I highly recommend these books!
This post will contain spoilers for some of the earlier books in the series, so in short, if you haven’t picked up the Flavia de Luce series, DO IT, and if you have gotten through the fifth book in the Flavia series, Speaking from Among the Bones, read on!
Speaking from Among the Bones ended with quite a cliffhanger, with the de Luces finding out that Harriet has been found, but the future of the family estate of Buckshaw is still hanging in the balance.
When Flavia witnesses the death of a strange man with a secret message for her father, her investigation leads her to a mystery entrenched deep in the depths of WWII. With long-lost family and friends in town along with the arrival of some old acquaintances, Flavia doesn’t know who to trust with Buckshaw overrun with such mysterious people. The one person Flavia knows she can trust is Dogger, though, and with him by her side, she uncovers truths about her parents, her ancestors, and her destiny.
I was expecting something totally different from what I got in this book, but the end-result of The Dead in their Vaulted Arches far surpassed all my expectations.
The mystery in this book was pretty light and took a definitely back seat to the research Flavia was doing into her own family. The action was pretty much absent, as well. This book felt less like a stand-alone novel and more like a connecting book, showing how Flavia moves from one part of her life to another, but I was absolutely blown away with what Bradley decided to do with the de Luce family and where he decided to take the plot from here.
Once again, Bradley finished the book with a pretty fantastic cliffhanger, making me a bit peeved that I got the book and finished it so early, as I’ll have to wait even longer for the next one to come out. I’m absolutely certain, though, that Bradley will continue to shape Flavia’s life in fantastic ways, and I will keep buying his book for as long as he keeps writing them. I’ve read every book about Flavia so far, and absolutely none have disappointed me.
Another excellent outing with Mr Bradley's lovely Flavia. The build up of teetering-on-the-brink-of-puberty emotion in the last couple of books leads beautifully to the jumbled, unsure Flavia we have here, bringing her mother home and discovering the truth of her heritage. Flavia is essentially granted permission for future adventures in this book, for England and the Queen!
I'm only giving this book three stars because I feel that as far as the mystery aspect of the book goes, it was weak at best. However, if you are a fan of the series, it is a must read. This book goes a long way in tying up loose ends and answering many questions. It also closes out Flavia's childhood. I'm anticipating changes in the series in the future. I do love Flavia and the downright coziness of this series. Everyone has to grow up, and I'm looking forward to seeing the changes Mr. Bradley will make.