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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
The way this book talks about Indigenous people is outdated (it was written in 1935) and can come across as insensitive.
medium-paced
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My guilty pleasure to unwind from a hard day is a Nancy Drew mystery. They are not well written, have a loose plot structure, and are mildly sexist. But that Nancy Drew is plucky and reminds me not to take everything so damn seriously.
I read a new printing of this book. I was at a used bookstore one day and saw it with a different cover. I opened it up, to my surprise the only thing the same between the old and the new was the title. The older 1932 copy is a lot better, it's more exciting.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Some girls have all the luck. Nancy Drew entered a radio contest (writing the best name for a new mystery serial) and wins the deed to land in Canada! Coincidentally her father is working on a case for a Canadian man that involves an unscrupulous mining concern. Nancy is unconvinced that the land is worth much, but is willing to scope the place out when a dandy appears and tries to charm, buy, and even steal the deed from her! Despite this suspicious activity Carson Drew approves of Nancy's plan to visit her property and takes George and Bess with her. The journey is full of peril and other mysteries crop up begging for Nancy's aid.
This was a great deal of fun. I did not expect a train crash. Much like 'The Secret at Shadow Ranch', great emphasis is put on the beauty of the outdoors and our city girls enjoying simple pleasures, like a hearty, plain meal after a day's hiking. There's canoeing, and panning for gold, and a tragically parted pair of young lovers. The story comes down to Nancy's wits having to outmatch the ringleader of the land thieves when they are outnumbered and outgunned. She has to pull the wool over even her father's eyes to do it. Nancy makes some shocking and dangerous moves before she wins the game. The book's fault lies with just how many ridiculous coincidences stack up so that Nancy can solve several mysteries while only visiting two locations.
The revised novel changes everything, and having to do with archaeologists haphazardly digging up Native American burials, is more problematic than the book it replaced.
Nancy Drew Mysteries
Next: 'The Mystery of the Ivory Charm'
Previous: 'The Clue of the Broken Locket'
This was a great deal of fun. I did not expect a train crash. Much like 'The Secret at Shadow Ranch', great emphasis is put on the beauty of the outdoors and our city girls enjoying simple pleasures, like a hearty, plain meal after a day's hiking. There's canoeing, and panning for gold, and a tragically parted pair of young lovers. The story comes down to Nancy's wits having to outmatch the ringleader of the land thieves when they are outnumbered and outgunned. She has to pull the wool over even her father's eyes to do it. Nancy makes some shocking and dangerous moves before she wins the game. The book's fault lies with just how many ridiculous coincidences stack up so that Nancy can solve several mysteries while only visiting two locations.
The revised novel changes everything, and having to do with archaeologists haphazardly digging up Native American burials, is more problematic than the book it replaced.
Nancy Drew Mysteries
Next: 'The Mystery of the Ivory Charm'
Previous: 'The Clue of the Broken Locket'
I love Nancy Drew. They are pretty easy to read now, and don't take me long, but they are still really good.
A fun Nancy Drew, but nothing really special. They are all unrealistic anyways, haha!
Certain outdated terms were used when talked about Native Americans which is slightly expected, but doesn't mean it's ever OK.
The archeology aspect was really interesting, just a shame it had to be so casual about actual humanbeings and their graves. A little bit more respect would've at least been nice, but again, it's a chidlren's book and an old one at that, so I'm not surprised, if you know what I mean.
Certain outdated terms were used when talked about Native Americans which is slightly expected, but doesn't mean it's ever OK.
The archeology aspect was really interesting, just a shame it had to be so casual about actual humanbeings and their graves. A little bit more respect would've at least been nice, but again, it's a chidlren's book and an old one at that, so I'm not surprised, if you know what I mean.
This story is quite dull for me and probably the most boring I have ever read from this series. The part that I disliked the most is about Art's interest in Nancy and his jealousy on Ned. Worrying of Art's upset with Ned's arrival, Nancy invites him to come to the towboat trip as well. Nancy's friends try to help to ease the tension, and Nancy's attention is being highlighted throughout the story. Isn't every mystery case has shown enough the importance of Nancy, why we need such love interest to increase Nancy's attention?
Book Review: The Message in the Hollow Oak (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #12) by Carolyn Keene.
Book Review: The Message in the Hollow Oak (Nancy Drew Mystery Stories #12) by Carolyn Keene.
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-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:
N/A