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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Four stars as an adult, five stars for nostalgia, for a solid 4.5
This book was extremely hard to understand. It was a great mystery, however, there were too many characters, so when the mystery was revealed, I felt like I didn’t understand how each of the characters were connected. I think The Westing Game should have deserved a 3.5 just because of how well the mystery unfolded.
First of all, by pure chance, I started reading this book around July 4th. And I'm so glad I did and think everyone should :)
So the last time I read this book, it was half my lifetime ago when I was 15 in middle school. And at the time I thought this book was just okay. (3 stars)
In theory it had everything I would love in a novel. A whodunnit involving a game master, filled with mystery and puzzles and some humor. But for a 15 year old, who spaced the book out in weeks to read it for a required class, I was disappointed by the overall red herring, and dissatisfied and a little confused with the resolution. Plus I wanted more puzzles :p
But something about that book drew me in all these years later into giving it a second chance, and I'm glad I did. I think this book levels up in the reread.
By going through a second pass, while I didn't remember everything in the novel, I knew what I was looking for, and I saw many inside jokes and references that confused me the first time. Which was extremely entertaining and caused me to chuckle at times.
I was also much more invested in these characters. The writing is so vivid! I felt like I knew their strengths, weaknesses and overall desires. And I loved how Westing made the pairings for the game, and how perfect they were. As well as using this game to correct mistakes he made in the past.
- The judge always had a chip on her shoulder, and felt that she owed and was obliged into Mr. Westing. He let her understand that through her generosity her debt was paid
- Turtle was a smart girl who was overlooked and lived in her sisters shadow and did not have a mother who loved her. Baba filled that role for her, and helped give her support and confidence which gave Baba the daughter she always wanted, and Turtle the mother.
- Mr Hoo always felt cheated since he believes he gave Mr Westing the paper diaper idea that helped make him rich. But it was Sandy who gave Mr. Hoo the paper insole idea that made him wealthy.
- All Chris wanted was a friend. And he got that from self-centered intern, who decided to think about others and helped Chris get his life back. Chris was also a good influence on the judge as well.
- Angela was following in Violet's footsteps, with similar cries for help. But thanks to the Westing game, she was able to not follow the same fate, and was able to become who she wanted to be. More than just a pretty face.
- It wasn't until the Wexler parents and Hoo parents were paired with each other that all 4 of their lives stopped being toxic and started being fruitful.
I just really enjoyed the inside jokes and how this all ended so cleanly. What a fun and lovely book. Plus I enjoyed the word play. 5 stars!
So the last time I read this book, it was half my lifetime ago when I was 15 in middle school. And at the time I thought this book was just okay. (3 stars)
In theory it had everything I would love in a novel. A whodunnit involving a game master, filled with mystery and puzzles and some humor. But for a 15 year old, who spaced the book out in weeks to read it for a required class, I was disappointed by the overall red herring, and dissatisfied and a little confused with the resolution. Plus I wanted more puzzles :p
But something about that book drew me in all these years later into giving it a second chance, and I'm glad I did. I think this book levels up in the reread.
By going through a second pass, while I didn't remember everything in the novel, I knew what I was looking for, and I saw many inside jokes and references that confused me the first time. Which was extremely entertaining and caused me to chuckle at times.
I was also much more invested in these characters. The writing is so vivid! I felt like I knew their strengths, weaknesses and overall desires. And I loved how Westing made the pairings for the game, and how perfect they were. As well as using this game to correct mistakes he made in the past.
- The judge always had a chip on her shoulder, and felt that she owed and was obliged into Mr. Westing. He let her understand that through her generosity her debt was paid
- Turtle was a smart girl who was overlooked and lived in her sisters shadow and did not have a mother who loved her. Baba filled that role for her, and helped give her support and confidence which gave Baba the daughter she always wanted, and Turtle the mother.
- Mr Hoo always felt cheated since he believes he gave Mr Westing the paper diaper idea that helped make him rich. But it was Sandy who gave Mr. Hoo the paper insole idea that made him wealthy.
- All Chris wanted was a friend. And he got that from self-centered intern, who decided to think about others and helped Chris get his life back. Chris was also a good influence on the judge as well.
- Angela was following in Violet's footsteps, with similar cries for help. But thanks to the Westing game, she was able to not follow the same fate, and was able to become who she wanted to be. More than just a pretty face.
- It wasn't until the Wexler parents and Hoo parents were paired with each other that all 4 of their lives stopped being toxic and started being fruitful.
I just really enjoyed the inside jokes and how this all ended so cleanly. What a fun and lovely book. Plus I enjoyed the word play. 5 stars!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
It was slow at first but very nostalgic because my fourth grade teacher read this to me when I was in elementary school. It picks up in the end. Happy ending!
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
I genuinely loved every second of reading this book, and I’m very happy I picked it back up after reading it 15+ years ago! It’s so detailed and layered, but not written in a voice that “talks down” to young readers— I really love that, and that’s one of the reasons it’s so amazing for any mystery reader from middle grade on up.
I also decided to look into Ellen Raskin, and learned she “didn’t know how” to write a kid’s book, and not only is that very interesting because the Westing Game is such a beloved middle grade novel now, but I actually believe that’s why it is so great. She found a way to write a unique and well-woven story that likely surpassed what she thought she was capable of creating for this age group.
She also died of a connective tissue disorder in her 50’s (I’m wondering if she was a fellow Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome warrior, so if anyone happens to know where to find more info please contact me) about 5 years after this book was written. I truly wonder what else she could have created if given more time on the planet!
I also decided to look into Ellen Raskin, and learned she “didn’t know how” to write a kid’s book, and not only is that very interesting because the Westing Game is such a beloved middle grade novel now, but I actually believe that’s why it is so great. She found a way to write a unique and well-woven story that likely surpassed what she thought she was capable of creating for this age group.
She also died of a connective tissue disorder in her 50’s (I’m wondering if she was a fellow Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome warrior, so if anyone happens to know where to find more info please contact me) about 5 years after this book was written. I truly wonder what else she could have created if given more time on the planet!