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A review by twilliamson
Peril at Price Manor by Laura Parnum
5.0
Disclosure Statement: I received a digital copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions shared in my review are exclusively and authentically my own and have not been influenced in any way by the publisher or author.
Peril at Price Manor is all about B-movie tropes and finding your own voice, a delectable combination of important thematic meaning and humorous (mis)adventure. Halle, a wannabe Scream Queen, finds trouble at the Price mansion, where movie-maker Maximus Price lives with his children, Argyle and Paisley. As the trouble unfolds, Halle and the Price twins have to look within themselves for their best traits and rely on themselves to save Price Manor, their town, and maybe the world.
Parnum's characters are delightful, playing with archetype but never being so lazy as to only be one-dimensional. Halle is street-smart, but insecure about her own value; Paisley is athletic and active, but lacks direction for her ambition; Argyle is intelligent and ambitious, but lacks the executive skills to manage what he wants. As the story advances, each of the three kids have to learn to overcome their limitations and embrace their own authority, learning to think, act, and speak with the intent of being seen, heard, and believed.
In many ways, Peril at Price Manor is all about bridging the gap between childhood and adolescence, of learning what it means to take on a mantle of authority. While the stakes might be fantastic and even a bit silly, Parnum writes the story with a real thematic conviction. All too often, I think middle grade literature misses some of the point of this critical age of transition, of learning how to be who you are, but Parnum keeps this idea at the forefront of much of the book. She deals, too, with the problems of helicopter parenting, or of authority figures who forget that it is just as important to equip children with the tools to function with authority and agency in their own lives.
Whether you're looking at the book for its B-movie tropes (which are seriously delightful) or for the conversations the book can open, Peril at Price Manor is an often hilarious adventure fit for any kid approaching that transition between the child they are and the person they will eventually become.
Peril at Price Manor is all about B-movie tropes and finding your own voice, a delectable combination of important thematic meaning and humorous (mis)adventure. Halle, a wannabe Scream Queen, finds trouble at the Price mansion, where movie-maker Maximus Price lives with his children, Argyle and Paisley. As the trouble unfolds, Halle and the Price twins have to look within themselves for their best traits and rely on themselves to save Price Manor, their town, and maybe the world.
Parnum's characters are delightful, playing with archetype but never being so lazy as to only be one-dimensional. Halle is street-smart, but insecure about her own value; Paisley is athletic and active, but lacks direction for her ambition; Argyle is intelligent and ambitious, but lacks the executive skills to manage what he wants. As the story advances, each of the three kids have to learn to overcome their limitations and embrace their own authority, learning to think, act, and speak with the intent of being seen, heard, and believed.
In many ways, Peril at Price Manor is all about bridging the gap between childhood and adolescence, of learning what it means to take on a mantle of authority. While the stakes might be fantastic and even a bit silly, Parnum writes the story with a real thematic conviction. All too often, I think middle grade literature misses some of the point of this critical age of transition, of learning how to be who you are, but Parnum keeps this idea at the forefront of much of the book. She deals, too, with the problems of helicopter parenting, or of authority figures who forget that it is just as important to equip children with the tools to function with authority and agency in their own lives.
Whether you're looking at the book for its B-movie tropes (which are seriously delightful) or for the conversations the book can open, Peril at Price Manor is an often hilarious adventure fit for any kid approaching that transition between the child they are and the person they will eventually become.