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1.44k reviews for:
THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK. Nancy Drew Mystery Stories No. 1.
Carolyn Keene, Carolyn Keene
3.75 AVERAGE
1.44k reviews for:
THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK. Nancy Drew Mystery Stories No. 1.
Carolyn Keene, Carolyn Keene
3.75 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I bought the first five Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books for Christmas for myself and finally decided to pick this one up today. I was in the middle of the third chapter when I decided to drop the book.
It’s not bad by any means, but things are just too convenient or just explained in an odd way (as in like overly explained or done for someone who couldn’t follow what was happening, if that makes sense). The way Nancy Drew speaks reminds me of my step-grandmother so I have a feeling it’s just how people spoke to each other back in the 30-50s when this book was published and she was growing up. Or maybe it’s just a coincidence, who knows, but I couldn’t continue reading it.
Hopefully I’ll have better luck with the hardy boys.
It’s not bad by any means, but things are just too convenient or just explained in an odd way (as in like overly explained or done for someone who couldn’t follow what was happening, if that makes sense). The way Nancy Drew speaks reminds me of my step-grandmother so I have a feeling it’s just how people spoke to each other back in the 30-50s when this book was published and she was growing up. Or maybe it’s just a coincidence, who knows, but I couldn’t continue reading it.
Hopefully I’ll have better luck with the hardy boys.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
In my quest to revisit books I should've read as a kid, I decided Nancy Drew was up next.
Not the best decision on my part. Maybe I would've enjoyed this a few years ago, but the story was awful. I suppose eight-year old me would've been impressed at Nancy's deductive reasoning skills, but adult me was bored.
Not the best decision on my part. Maybe I would've enjoyed this a few years ago, but the story was awful. I suppose eight-year old me would've been impressed at Nancy's deductive reasoning skills, but adult me was bored.
I chose to read The Secret of the Old Clock because both my daughters read some Nancy Drew mysteries and I hadn't. I am a bit embarrassed that I hadn't.
I found the characters reasonably well formed. The storyline was reasonably complex. For my taste, the stories of the people who were potentially cheated from an inheritance were a bit overly sappy, but as the book is targeted to middle school and junior high school, this is to be expected.
Nancy Drew is an amazing character, particularly for the period. At that time, girls were raised to be mothers. The idea that Nancy is smart, self-actuated, self-confident. She is unfailing described as an investigator and is never rebuked for not studying cooking and sewing. I think that opened a lot of young girls' eyes.
This book was originally published in 1930 which was at the beginning of the great depression. That led me to compare the wealth of the main characters in the movies of the time. I have read that entertainment let increasingly poor audience fantasize about the embarrassingly rich.
Another depression observation was that the awful characters were losing money in the stock market, another typical condition.
I don't think I will read another Nancy Drew, but I think they could be a wonderful book for young girls.
I found the characters reasonably well formed. The storyline was reasonably complex. For my taste, the stories of the people who were potentially cheated from an inheritance were a bit overly sappy, but as the book is targeted to middle school and junior high school, this is to be expected.
Nancy Drew is an amazing character, particularly for the period. At that time, girls were raised to be mothers. The idea that Nancy is smart, self-actuated, self-confident. She is unfailing described as an investigator and is never rebuked for not studying cooking and sewing. I think that opened a lot of young girls' eyes.
This book was originally published in 1930 which was at the beginning of the great depression. That led me to compare the wealth of the main characters in the movies of the time. I have read that entertainment let increasingly poor audience fantasize about the embarrassingly rich.
Another depression observation was that the awful characters were losing money in the stock market, another typical condition.
I don't think I will read another Nancy Drew, but I think they could be a wonderful book for young girls.
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
So I wasn't sure when I started that I would enjoy the book, because it has been a long time since I've read any Nancy Drew books and felt that it would be childish to me. Boy was I wrong. I read this last night in 1 1/2 hours which is pretty good clip for me to read. I started out convincing myself that this was going to be a "cozy read" for myself and count towards a book challenge I'm in to read cozy mysteries.
Nancy Drew is 18 years old and out of school. It's during the summer and she has been working for her father who is a lawyer. As she is driving her car to deliver paperwork for her father she almost witnesses a driving accident with a moving van and a little girl. The girl makes it across the road but the wind from the van knocks the little girl over a bridge. Nancy gets out of her car to investigate. Checking that the girl is ok she rushes her up to the house where two matronly ladies greet her exclaiming whether or not Nancy hit the girl herself. After Nancy explains what happens, the ladies thank her and the mystery begins as Nancy learns interesting information from the two ladies.
Among twists and turns, meeting new people, and helping her father out, Nancy solves the mystery and puts everything to rights.
Nancy Drew is 18 years old and out of school. It's during the summer and she has been working for her father who is a lawyer. As she is driving her car to deliver paperwork for her father she almost witnesses a driving accident with a moving van and a little girl. The girl makes it across the road but the wind from the van knocks the little girl over a bridge. Nancy gets out of her car to investigate. Checking that the girl is ok she rushes her up to the house where two matronly ladies greet her exclaiming whether or not Nancy hit the girl herself. After Nancy explains what happens, the ladies thank her and the mystery begins as Nancy learns interesting information from the two ladies.
Among twists and turns, meeting new people, and helping her father out, Nancy solves the mystery and puts everything to rights.
http://whatsonyourshelf.wordpress.com/2009/01/08/the-secret-of-the-old-clock/
Taylor Swift once said “I hate it here so I will go to secret gardens in my mind”… my secret garden is the Nancy Drew literary universe.
I adored Nancy Drew as a child and looked up to her so much, so decided to start rereading the first few books as an adult. It's so fun and nostalgic and I'm definitely enjoying them so far!