Scan barcode
A review by asreadbykat
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson
4.0
True Rating: 4/5 Stars
My Thoughts
I'm writing this review as a re-read of this first book, and upon reading it a second time I remembered how much I enjoyed it. This is a fun middle grade read that includes some interesting puzzles, realistic characters, and some dark mystery.
Elizabeth Somers lives with her financially poor and emotionally neglectful aunt and uncle in a small town where she doesn't seem to fit in. She loves reading, and any kind of codes and puzzles, like anagrams. One winter, she's told that she's going to spend 3 weeks at a hotel called Winterhouse while her aunt and uncle go on vacation. Elizabeth certainly isn't expecting much, but Winterhouse is even more than she ever could have expected. She meets interesting people, is accepted and even makes a friend. But there's a secret in Winterhouse that's determined to come out, and Elizabeth just can't let this puzzle go.
This book is a perfect winter read. There are plenty of descriptions of ice and snow, talk of skiing and ice skating, and it even takes place over Christmas. Besides that, the mystery is just intriguing enough to keep the story moving, but light enough (most of the time) to avoid destroying to the cozy feel of the book. What makes it even better is that Elizabeth's life doesn't suddenly pull a "fairy tale" at the hotel; she still has some trouble fitting in, has fights and disagreements, and still acts like a very believable 11 year old. although admittedly one with a large vocabulary from reading.
If I had to nitpick with the plot of the book, I'd say it's not quite as strong as it could be because it's rushed at the end. Elizabeth finds the key to the mystery far too easily at just the right time, and there's no buildup or explanation about certain aspects of the characters or story. However, that doesn't detract from the book's fun.
If you just want a cozy read this winter, or have a young reader in your family, this book may just be the one.
My Thoughts
I'm writing this review as a re-read of this first book, and upon reading it a second time I remembered how much I enjoyed it. This is a fun middle grade read that includes some interesting puzzles, realistic characters, and some dark mystery.
Elizabeth Somers lives with her financially poor and emotionally neglectful aunt and uncle in a small town where she doesn't seem to fit in. She loves reading, and any kind of codes and puzzles, like anagrams. One winter, she's told that she's going to spend 3 weeks at a hotel called Winterhouse while her aunt and uncle go on vacation. Elizabeth certainly isn't expecting much, but Winterhouse is even more than she ever could have expected. She meets interesting people, is accepted and even makes a friend. But there's a secret in Winterhouse that's determined to come out, and Elizabeth just can't let this puzzle go.
This book is a perfect winter read. There are plenty of descriptions of ice and snow, talk of skiing and ice skating, and it even takes place over Christmas. Besides that, the mystery is just intriguing enough to keep the story moving, but light enough (most of the time) to avoid destroying to the cozy feel of the book. What makes it even better is that Elizabeth's life doesn't suddenly pull a "fairy tale" at the hotel; she still has some trouble fitting in, has fights and disagreements, and still acts like a very believable 11 year old. although admittedly one with a large vocabulary from reading.
If I had to nitpick with the plot of the book, I'd say it's not quite as strong as it could be because it's rushed at the end. Elizabeth finds the key to the mystery far too easily at just the right time, and there's no buildup or explanation about certain aspects of the characters or story. However, that doesn't detract from the book's fun.
If you just want a cozy read this winter, or have a young reader in your family, this book may just be the one.