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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
5 stars: I can not imagine giving any of the books in this series less than 5 stars...and when I do, it's out of disappointment that the book ended.
I am done with this series. If Bradley hadn't pushed me over the edge with Flavia's cringe-worthy preciousness, the ridiculous plot would have done me in anyway. I can suspend my disbelief for many things and don't shy away from many things in books, but the scenes of Flavia trying to resurrect her dead mother from the coffin were just too sad and preposterous for me. When you throw in a character who's introduced just to take the fall for her mother's murder and a far-fetched plot about her family's penchant for spying, Bradley's series is just getting too out of control to be enjoyable anymore. Bleh.
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
My first time experience a Flavia de Luce as an audiobook and while I enjoyed the reader mostly (she did make Feely and Daffy sound like such old ladies), the prose itself moves so quickly from scene to scene that I found I needed to give my utmost attention to understand exactly why things were happening. (Ex. Why did Flavia go into that room where she is now doing a task that I understand?).
This book featured exciting developments to the characters and the de Luce family overall which make me excited to pick up the next one, but I might have to prioritize that as being a physical copy if I can’t pay this close attention!
This book featured exciting developments to the characters and the de Luce family overall which make me excited to pick up the next one, but I might have to prioritize that as being a physical copy if I can’t pay this close attention!
This series is always a highlight for me to read. Is it fluff? Maybe. Is it fun? Definitely. I think Flavia de Luce might be my favorite character being written right now and I can't wait for the next one.
After the conclusion of Speaking From the Among Bones, I could not wait for the next installment of Flavia's adventures.
Perhaps my hopes were set too high. I doubted this book could reach the heights of its predecessor, I just didn't expect it to be about 300 pages of filler. Lots of time is wasted with a bizarro new plot development (is this the direction the series is going in? I'm not sure I want to go with...) There is one (one!) trip to Bishop's Lacey, and all the interesting characters and the book's mystery are completely neglected and pushed aside to make room for... for what? For setting up for the next book, that's what.
The writing is clever and witty as always, however. I just know that when I eventually re-read this series, I will skip this one.
Perhaps my hopes were set too high. I doubted this book could reach the heights of its predecessor, I just didn't expect it to be about 300 pages of filler. Lots of time is wasted with a bizarro new plot development (is this the direction the series is going in? I'm not sure I want to go with...) There is one (one!) trip to Bishop's Lacey, and all the interesting characters and the book's mystery are completely neglected and pushed aside to make room for... for what? For setting up for the next book, that's what.
The writing is clever and witty as always, however. I just know that when I eventually re-read this series, I will skip this one.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read this book out of sequence as I had read As Chimney Sweepers Come To Dust before this one. But that did not detract from this story. In this one, Flavia and her family are waiting for the return of Flavia’s mother’s body to Buckshaw. While at the train station, a man is killed after he fell under a train. Flavia knows that it might be somehow connected to her mother’s arrival, but with the preparations for the funeral fully underway and that keeping everyone busy, Flavia forgets the incident. She uses her chemistry skills to uncover some long-buried secrets of her mother’s life and death. During the funeral another piece of the puzzle is glaringly revealed and Flavia finds her life changing forever. She still isn’t even 12 years old yet. But she has the mind and soul of an adult and is forced to grow up in a hurry. , I can’t wait to read the next book and get back on track with our favourite young chemistry genius.
Look, about ten thousand things about this series drive me nuts (the coincidences! the flimsiness of the actual mystery! how much time this 11 year old spends completely alone!), but for whatever reason, they are just the exact brain candy my brain wants, so I am inhaling them, one after the other, even as I throw them across the room in annoyance.
In this book: Harriet returns. Not in the way I was expecting, but a return. Flavia flirts with reincarnation (AND THEN COMPLETELY DROPS IT AND IT DOES NOT TRACK). Another person is gruesomely killed in front of her. A new branch of the family appears. Many old friends of the family of whom we have never heard appear. Aunt Felicity is apparently the OSA-version of M, and also the youngest de Luce is always given a huge destiny to live up to (WHAT).
This was my least favorite of the books, because it wasn't about mystery, or solving mysteries, as much as it was about ret-coning a glamorous spy heritage for Flavia to fall into.
UGH. I did immediately start the next one, though.
In this book: Harriet returns. Not in the way I was expecting, but a return. Flavia flirts with reincarnation (AND THEN COMPLETELY DROPS IT AND IT DOES NOT TRACK). Another person is gruesomely killed in front of her. A new branch of the family appears. Many old friends of the family of whom we have never heard appear. Aunt Felicity is apparently the OSA-version of M, and also the youngest de Luce is always given a huge destiny to live up to (WHAT).
This was my least favorite of the books, because it wasn't about mystery, or solving mysteries, as much as it was about ret-coning a glamorous spy heritage for Flavia to fall into.
UGH. I did immediately start the next one, though.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A bit slow in the middle. This was definitely one where I felt like not much happened and then quite a few things happened all together. I found myself forgetting there was even a murder.
Hopefully the next one is more eventful
Hopefully the next one is more eventful