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Flavia de Luce Series #4
Alan Bradley
Delacorte Press
December 6, 2011 / ISBN: 078602352X
Amateur Sleuth / England / Historical - 1950s
Amazon
Reviewed
by L J Roberts
First Sentence:
Tendrils of raw fog floated up from the ice like agonized spirits
departing their bodies.
Young Flavia
de Luce, in an effort to win the attention and affection of her
family, works in her chemistry lab on a plan to capture Santa. Her
family, struggling for means to maintain their family home, has
rented portions of the house out as a set and housing for a film
crew. But a death strangulation by celluloid film has Flavia looking
for a killer.
Atmospheric descriptions immediately take us to a completely unexpected
locale and introduce us to truly unique characters. Flavia is smart,
clever and wonderfully imaginative. I love the relationship she
has with Gladys, her bicycle, and Dogger, the houseman. Her two
sisters are as emotionally cruel as only sisters can be.
The chemical information is fascinating. Bradley communicates the
magic of science, as well as the majesty of those who believe science
is separate from God. The facts about WWII, and those civilians
who fought behind the scenes, exemplified British pride "She
was more than brave." She said. "She was British."
Bradley's writing is visual, involving and at times, emotionally
touching. His characters are ones for whom you come to care deeply.
I Am Half-Sick of Shadows is a wonderful book in a completely
enchanting series.
Reviews
of other titles in this series
The
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie #1 [review]
The Weed That Swings the Hangman's Bag #2 [review]
A Red Herring Without Mustard #3 [review]
I Am Half-Sick of Shadows #4 [review]
The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches #6 [review]
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