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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
I love this series already, and I'm only two volumes in! The characters, their personalities and relationships, are so believable and relatable (as the kids say), and the adventures tip just enough into the supernatural to be super fun. In this outing, the kids deal with a set of creatures -- the Tackleford beast eats children, and Mildred's new "dog," well, is it really a dog at all? And what is this magic pencil that Mildred is so eager to win in a carnival game? Can it really help them all figure out about the beast?
not bad - wish i hadnt read #2 accidentally first. british humor. i especially liked the appendix explaining british humor!
I laughed out loud more than once reading this hilarious story, in which our favourite British preteen detectives investigate the disappearance of several babies, and the appearance of a mysterious beast. Almost every page in this delightfully unbelievable story is is chock-full of witty dialogue but it's tied together by the believable dynamics between the characters.
This is a review for all 10 volumes of Bad Machinery, which I read consecutively. Each of the volumes warrants a top review, but it is the opinion of this reviewer that the series should be read all at once for maximum effect.
Welcome to Tackleford, England, a low-to-middling “town full of mysteries” typically solved by the Mystery Kids, a sextet of 11-year-old students at Griswalds Grammar School. The boys—Linton, Jack and Sonny often work in parallel to the girls—Lottie, Shauna and Mildred—but sometimes also as mild rivals, and often unwitting allies. Chockablock with wirtty dialogue, great laughs and characters who you will certainly grow to love. Bad Machinery begins as a kind of deeply English homage to both Harry Potter and Scooby-Doo, but evolves into a terrific character comedy and some coming-of-age drama along the way.
Written and illustrated by John Allison, Bad Machinery feels rather close to his other work, especially the fantastic Giant Days (which is essentially Bad Machinery set in college rather than high school), but that’s alright. Once this story really finds its footing in the second volume, it’s a consistently excellent ride to the finish, as we watch our heroes grow up, grow wiser, and in some cases, grow apart. It’s a story teased out in tiny increments, page by page, betraying its webcomic origins. But Bad Machinery very shows why it’s won the armloads of awards to its name, and for those willing to give it a little room to breathe and get on its wavelength, there is some immense fun and terrific storytelling in store. Teen-appropriate, but be warned, American readers, if you’re not up on your English slang, you’ll miss a few of the jokes.
Bottom line, if you love any of John Allison’s other work, you’ll love this.
Welcome to Tackleford, England, a low-to-middling “town full of mysteries” typically solved by the Mystery Kids, a sextet of 11-year-old students at Griswalds Grammar School. The boys—Linton, Jack and Sonny often work in parallel to the girls—Lottie, Shauna and Mildred—but sometimes also as mild rivals, and often unwitting allies. Chockablock with wirtty dialogue, great laughs and characters who you will certainly grow to love. Bad Machinery begins as a kind of deeply English homage to both Harry Potter and Scooby-Doo, but evolves into a terrific character comedy and some coming-of-age drama along the way.
Written and illustrated by John Allison, Bad Machinery feels rather close to his other work, especially the fantastic Giant Days (which is essentially Bad Machinery set in college rather than high school), but that’s alright. Once this story really finds its footing in the second volume, it’s a consistently excellent ride to the finish, as we watch our heroes grow up, grow wiser, and in some cases, grow apart. It’s a story teased out in tiny increments, page by page, betraying its webcomic origins. But Bad Machinery very shows why it’s won the armloads of awards to its name, and for those willing to give it a little room to breathe and get on its wavelength, there is some immense fun and terrific storytelling in store. Teen-appropriate, but be warned, American readers, if you’re not up on your English slang, you’ll miss a few of the jokes.
Bottom line, if you love any of John Allison’s other work, you’ll love this.