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awaywithforestfae 's review for:
Greenglass House
by Kate Milford
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What a beautiful and suspenseful middle grade mystery!
Milo lives in the inn, Greenglass house, with his parents, who run it. He is looking forward to another quiet Christmas with no guests. Surprisingly, not one, not two, but five unknown and mysterious guests turn up out of the blue. They all seem to be investigating the house, but how does it all connect together? And is someone up to something more nefarious?
Firstly, the wintery atmosphere in this book was perfect! A great read for January, and I think this would have been even more perfect in the lead up to Christmas! The snowy and harsh conditions not only made for perfect circumstances in a mystery, but were ideal for a seasonal reader such as myself.
I also loved the fantasy roleplaying game angle throughout the book (DnD style) and how Milo utilised his character's "skills" to investigate the goings on in the inn. I think this is what pushed this book up in my rankings, for sure! It also made me think differently about how to approach learning new skills at work, and I think I will definitely be using some of Milo's ideas in the future.
The cast of characters were all really interesting, with varying backgrounds so they all felt distinct, but also not too far fetched (within the verisimilitude of the book of course). I also ADORED the lens of each character telling a story, and this revealing more about their personality and their intentions. It really got my brain thinking!
I wasn't as into the orphan narrative as other parts, but I understand that the author adopting around the time of writing the book influenced this as part of the storyline. And it definitely serves a function in the book, shaping Milo's perspective further.
I guessed some of the twists, and not others. I didn't find it too predictable for a children's mystery which is good. The end didn't feel as fulfilling as other parts of the book, but I still thought it was a heartwarming and sweet finale.
All in all, an interesting, sweet and atmospheric middle grade mystery. I'd recommend if you like a good mystery, children investigating odd goings on, etc. I think if you enjoyed "Wildwood" then you would like this!
Milo lives in the inn, Greenglass house, with his parents, who run it. He is looking forward to another quiet Christmas with no guests. Surprisingly, not one, not two, but five unknown and mysterious guests turn up out of the blue. They all seem to be investigating the house, but how does it all connect together? And is someone up to something more nefarious?
Firstly, the wintery atmosphere in this book was perfect! A great read for January, and I think this would have been even more perfect in the lead up to Christmas! The snowy and harsh conditions not only made for perfect circumstances in a mystery, but were ideal for a seasonal reader such as myself.
I also loved the fantasy roleplaying game angle throughout the book (DnD style) and how Milo utilised his character's "skills" to investigate the goings on in the inn. I think this is what pushed this book up in my rankings, for sure! It also made me think differently about how to approach learning new skills at work, and I think I will definitely be using some of Milo's ideas in the future.
The cast of characters were all really interesting, with varying backgrounds so they all felt distinct, but also not too far fetched (within the verisimilitude of the book of course). I also ADORED the lens of each character telling a story, and this revealing more about their personality and their intentions. It really got my brain thinking!
I wasn't as into the orphan narrative as other parts, but I understand that the author adopting around the time of writing the book influenced this as part of the storyline. And it definitely serves a function in the book, shaping Milo's perspective further.
I guessed some of the twists, and not others. I didn't find it too predictable for a children's mystery which is good. The end didn't feel as fulfilling as other parts of the book, but I still thought it was a heartwarming and sweet finale.
All in all, an interesting, sweet and atmospheric middle grade mystery. I'd recommend if you like a good mystery, children investigating odd goings on, etc. I think if you enjoyed "Wildwood" then you would like this!