A review by erinmp
Pure Dead Magic by Debi Gliori

1.0

This is easily the worst book I've read in recent memory. The premise seemed okay, and even interesting: Harry Potter meets Mary Poppins meets Lemony Snicket meets the Addams Family. But it was way too much and the author tried too hard. First, the language is too difficult for most nine-year-olds, who are the ideal audience. The YA crowd will not be interested by this, which is who it's marketed towards. Second, it was a crazy premise, but not funny at all. You can't have intentional crazy without the funny. Third, as mentioned above, the plot is just too insane: shrinking children getting stuck in a CD-ROM drive and emailed around? Please. It was a massive struggle to finish it.

Unbelievably, the next novel in the series actually looks decent.