A review by ilonasuntila
The Haunted Showboat by Carolyn Keene

lighthearted medium-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

2.0

When I was a kid, I made my mom read these books to me over and over again. I was obsessed with them. Lately my mom mentioned that they were never good which made me question my memories. As it turns out, my mom was right.

Maybe I should have chosen some other book from the series. Maybe I’m not part of the target audience anymore. Or maybe I just didn’t notice the multiple major flaws of these books as a kid. Regardless, I bet I wouldn’t have enjoyed this novel at all if I hadn’t been a fan as a kid. 

Although the writing in decent for the most part, there are some poorly structured or otherwise bad scenes and descriptions. The plot is predictable except when it's filled with holes or doesn't make sense. The characters are shallow and boring. Nancy, who I foolishly excepted to be a super clever and smart girlboss kind of character, is just privileged and not nearly flawed enough. 

And let’s just say that it was very clear that the book was written in the late 50s, and not in a good way.