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A review by podanotherjessi
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is at least the third time I've read this, once in school when I was very young, at least once since then, and now. And I am pleasantly surprised at how well it holds up. It's not perfect, but it's a fun read.
There is some very outdated language. Mostly in reference to a character with a physical difficulty, and one directed toward a Chinese character. But for a book that's nearly 50 years old, that's not terrible. The Asian representation is dubious. Mrs. Hoo was hard to read at times.
Beyond that, however, the story itself is really fun! Even though I remembered a lot of details of the mystery, I still found myself surprised at some of the reveals. And I didn't find myself annoyed at the characters not figuring out what I already knew. The characters weren't super deep, but they did show growth, and there was some great theming around not judging on first impressions only.
The ending was maybe overly cheesy, but I didn't mind too much. I even felt myself getting a little emotional.
Overall, I don't know whether I could recommend this to someone who doesn't have the nostalgia attached that I do. But I think it could be a fun book to share with a child, while understanding there would need to be some discussion over the dated elements.
There is some very outdated language. Mostly in reference to a character with a physical difficulty, and one directed toward a Chinese character. But for a book that's nearly 50 years old, that's not terrible. The Asian representation is dubious. Mrs. Hoo was hard to read at times.
Beyond that, however, the story itself is really fun! Even though I remembered a lot of details of the mystery, I still found myself surprised at some of the reveals. And I didn't find myself annoyed at the characters not figuring out what I already knew. The characters weren't super deep, but they did show growth, and there was some great theming around not judging on first impressions only.
The ending was maybe overly cheesy, but I didn't mind too much. I even felt myself getting a little emotional.
Overall, I don't know whether I could recommend this to someone who doesn't have the nostalgia attached that I do. But I think it could be a fun book to share with a child, while understanding there would need to be some discussion over the dated elements.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
Moderate: Death