What I Read in December Part III . . .
File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents by Lemony Snicket-- Middle Grades Fiction
This is a book of short mysteries brought to Lemony Snicket while he stays in Stained By the Sea investigating his large case. Each mystery is a few pages long and the solution is in the back of the book. There are more conclusions than there are mysteries, complicating things in true Snicket fashion. Some of the mysteries were easy to figure out while others baffled me. They're geared towards middle schoolers and more simplistic than the larger cases Mr. Snicket has worked on. I liked the noir-style illustrations by Seth and all the literary references (most of which I couldn't figure out). If you want to know what young Snicket has been up to since he last reported in from Stained By the Sea, check out this book. I don't know yet if any of these mysteries are relevant to the larger case.
Shouldn't You Be in School? by Lemony Snicket-- Middle Grades Fiction
Young VFD apprentice Lemony Snicket is still in Stained By the Sea trying to solve the perplexing mystery of the villain known as Hangfire. The key might be in the library. Lemony Snicket doesn't know who to trust or who can help. When the local school burns down, the school children are transferred to the Wade Academy. Lemony Snicket is suspicious of the happenings there and is certain that the school is connected to the series of arsons and the overall mystery he has come to solve. His chaperone wants to give up and return to the city but Lemony and his associates refuse to give up.
This is the best book in the series so far. I simply couldn't put it down. The plot moves quickly and is full of mysteries. Not much is resolved but this series acts as a prequel to A Series of Unfortunate Events. Things from ASOUE are starting to make sense and we are learning how ASOUE came to be, I think. I need to read them all again to be sure. The story is full of literary references - most of which I can't figure out. The one thing I hate about Lemony Snicket's books is that the adults are all either villains or incompetent idiots. The children are interesting and intelligent. I especially like Moxie Mallahan and Pip and Squeak. Moxie lives up to her name and is a good example of girl power. Pip and Squeak love to read and I enjoy trying to figure out which books Lemony recommends to them.
If you haven't read ASOUE and you want to, start with this series. If you've read all the previous books in this world, you'll want to read this series too. I can't wait to find out what happens next!
What I Read in December Part II . . .
Calico Palace by Gwen Bristow-- Historical Fiction/Romance
Kendra Logan travels with her mother on board the ship Cynthia around Cape Horn to a place called California. There they will join Kendra's stepfather Colonel Taine in a place called San Francisco. No one has ever heard of San Francisco in 1847 and Kendra does not relish going there, for she is not wanted. The crew members are all kind, especially Loren Shields. San Francisco is a muddy, uncivilized place but Kendra enjoys creating meals for her family and friends and the company of Ted Parks, the errand "boy" from Chase and Fenway. When gold is discovered near Sutter's Fort, Ted decides to try his luck. Kendra won't let him leave without her and despite the hardships, is determined to make the best of it. Her traveling companions include the the ex-sailor Hiram Boyd, a kind man nicknamed Pocket and a woman known as Marny, a gambling hostess from Honolulu. Marny's partner Delbert, two bodyguards known as "The Blackbeards" and their girlfriends round out the party. Kendra is shocked but intrigued by the beguiling Marny, obviously a woman with different morals than Kendra has been brought up with. For better or for worse, in the gold fields of California, the traveling companions become trusted friends. When Kendra's life takes an unexpected turn, her friends are there for her every step of the way. As San Francisco grows and changes, Kendra does too.
This book is a follow-up to Jubilee Trail. I recommend reading that one first. This book follows that one in time sequence, telling the story of how San Francisco came to be a city thanks to the gold rush. The characters are merely inserted into the history of San Francisco. The story is very slow to start and I didn't really get into it until a quarter of the way through. It just wasn't compelling enough to grab my attention. The plot starts and stops a lot as the author stops to explain the history of California. I found myself skimming parts of the book because there was too much history. I know a little bit about the gold rush and have seen demonstrations of panning for gold on TV. I wanted to know more about the characters and what was happening with them. Also, the history bits got repetitive after awhile. The story is not as compelling as Jubilee Trail for that reason. It does pick up a lot about 3/4 of the way through and I had a hard time putting it down.
This author has a formula to her romantic plots so I wasn't entirely surprised at the turns Kendra's story took but I thought the author tried too hard to insert romance where it didn't fit. There are some really odd pairings at the end of the book just randomly tossed in. They aren't developed enough to be believable. Though the romances are clean and technically kisses only, it IS set in the wild west. There's frank talk of who is going to bed with whom; frequent mentions of Blossom, a notorious Madame and her flower garden girls; gambling; drinking; unmarried couples being together and other things that go on in the wild west. There's also a lot of ethnic and racial stereotypes that while accurate for the time, bothered me to read. That sort of thing doesn't usually bother me in a period novel but there was a lot of it here and unnecessary at times too. I also felt like there was a pre-women's-liberation agenda going on in the author's head that she tried to push. There were far too many women interested in domesticity. That got boring fast.
The characters are almost shadow copies of those in Jubilee Trail, but not quite as lifelike. These characters are more stereotypes. The only character I really cared for was Marny. I loved her independent spirit and how she had the guts to leave her comfortable life and go after what she wanted. Though she chafes at the label of "Woman of easy virtue with heart of gold" she really does fit that stereotype. I especially loved how educated she was and how she used it to her advantage when she wanted to. I really felt for her during her ups and downs and wanted her to be happy. While I did want her to find someone who loved her and cared about her, I also wanted her to remain independent. I'm torn on how I feel about the outcome of her story. The only other character I liked was Pocket. He's so sweet and kind, plus he ends up working in the library! He's a true blue friend, one I would want by my side when the going got rough. He was the most supportive of the supporting characters.
Kendra could have been a great character but the decisions she makes turn her into exactly the sort of person she can't stand. I see why she made some of the choices she did and probably I would have too if I were her, but I didn't like the choices she made because they seemed out of character. She's supposed to grow and change but her growth isn't really all that visible. She just randomly realizes things at the end and her story is rushed to the inevitable conclusion. This is the author's fault for including too much history and not weaving her characters completely into the history of San Francisco.
What I Read in December Part I . . .
Marjorie's New Friend by Carolyn Wells -- Middle Grades Classic/Historical Fiction
The irrepressible Miss Marjorie Midget Mops Maynard is back for another
adventure. This one picks up where the last left off with Christmas and
continues to early March. While I love the Maynard family and their
closeness, this book wasn't as charming as Marjorie's Busy Days.
Her hijinks were less memorable and entertaining. There's also a strong
sexist slant to the story at times, which in 1909 was becoming less OK.
That was the year woman suffrage became a big issue again but it
doesn't show in this novel. Marjorie's new friend is a spoiled,
manipulative brat who learned from her spoiled, weak, manipulative
mother how to get her own way. I didn't like her very much.
Marjorie's in Command by Carolyn Wells -- Middle Grades Classic/Historical Fiction
When Mr. and Mrs. Maynard go on a trip, Marjorie and her siblings are
left to the care of Miss Larkin, a middle-aged spinster who is not used
to children. The children don't know what to make of Miss Larkin and she
isn't sure what to do about their frolicking and teasing.
The
story in this book was compelling enough to keep me reading later than I
intended. It's less episodic than the first two books because of the
Miss Larkin plot. I didn't know what to think about Miss Larkin.
Sometimes she's fun and sometimes she's stuffy. I don't know why the
Maynards would leave the children with a spinster in the first place but
Miss Larkin proved to be a surprise for me. I felt some sympathy for
occasionally and worried the children's "hi jinks" would upset her.
There aren't too many "'Jinks" in this story. The children mean well and
everything turns out all right. As with the other books, I enjoyed the
detailed descriptions of childhood and life in turn-of-the-century New
Jersey for an elite family. What ruined the book for me was the elitist
attitudes of the adults. They come across as completely uncaring and
rude towards a poor family who has lost everything. The solution to the
problem even has an elitist slant. I know this was common for the period
but it still really bothered me, especially since the children were so
innocent and honest in their motive. It wasn't good of the adults to be
so snobby. There is also a sexist slant to the novel. I wouldn't let the
attitudes of the period stop you from enjoying the series though.
They're fun and though not as timeless as Anne of Green Gables or Little
Women, fans of those classics will enjoy this series.
The Google Books edition is a faithful scan of the original book. No errors whatsoever.
Marjorie's Maytime by Carolyn Wells -- Middle Grades Classic/Historical Fiction
The Maynards go touring in their new motor car. Marjorie gets up to hi jinks and they make some new friends.
I
really liked seeing Marjorie's hi jinks. She's so bad but so funny.
She's as irrepressible as ever. I also liked seeing the difference
between city life on Fifth Avenue vs. "country life." The Maynards are
indulgent parents - probably more than most - but it was interesting to
note the city kids' view of people who live outside the city. I just
love their new friends who are more indulgent than the Maynard parents. What
I didn't like were the dated racist depictions of gypsies and playing
Indians. The section with gypsies is so improbable and stupid but it's
integral to the plot. There's also a section on playing Indians which I
skipped. These attitudes were common at the time and I think
unfortunately prevent this series from being a timeless classic.
Marjorie at Seacoate by Carolyn Wells -- Middle Grades Classic/Historical Fiction
The
Maynards go to the seaside for the summer. The children make new
friends and form a new club but their fun is threatened by a jealous
rival.
The description of their vacation reminds me of my
childhood at the beach. They always manage to have fun wherever they go.
Their new friends are boys, who I don't usually care for, but Marjorie
is such a tomboy that she like the company of boys. Their inventive
games and newspaper remind me a lot of Little Women. The introduction of
Hester shows the Maynards to be just a bit too good to be believable.
Hester is one crazy, messed up girl. She's downright crazy but she's
more real than the Maynards. The Maynards have good hearts and I can't
help but love them though. They're not perfect at any rate. There's
another impossibly good girl introduced who makes the Maynards more
balanced. I despise perfectly good children in novels.
The only
section I didn't really like was when Marjorie overheard something that
was SO obvious to me but she misunderstood and then took it upon herself
to solve her problem. She's shown to be naive and trusting here when
normally she's so outrageous. I didn't like that side of her. I also
found that section a bit elitist.
What I Read in November Part VI . . .
Murder at Marble House by Alyssa Maxwell -- Historical Mystery, Historical Romance
Only a few days after Emma Cross solves the mystery of the murder at The Breakers, she receives a mysterious phone call from her cousin Consuelo Vanderbilt. Consuelo is distressed and needs someone to talk to. Upon arriving at Marble House, Emma is confronted by Consuelo's mother Alva who insists Emma persuade Consuelo to marry the Duke of Marlborough... or ELSE is the implication. Cowed, Emma tries to reconcile her cousin to the idea of marrying the Duke. This only succeeds in alienating her eighteen-year-old cousin. Consuelo wants to be free to marry the man of her own choosing, a much older "old money" friend, Winthrop "Winty" Rutherford. Alva has even hired a fortune teller to tell Consuelo's fortune the way Alva wants it ... or ELSE is the implication... When the fortune teller ends up dead with Alva's new maid Clara standing behind with the murder weapon, Emma is distressed. She was the one who helped Clara find the job and is certain the girl didn't do it. When Consuelo goes missing, Alva begs Emma to find the girl and be discreet about it or else the Vanderbilts' reputation will be tarnished. Emma plunges head long into an investigation which brings her into close contact with Derrick Anderson once again. She can hardly deny her feelings for him, but she's determined to be her own woman.
This is another excellent book set in Gilded Age Newport, Rhode Island. The mystery has so many suspects with plausible motives yet they have alibis so I was unable to figure out who the murderer was. I did figure out they were lying about something but I didn't guess the extent of their perfidy. I was really surprised. I was also surprised at Consuelo's plot. I didn't really like how the author tweaked history a bit. It makes the story improbable, but I liked it anyway.
The setting is amazing. It's very different from the tourist Newport I know. I especially like that the author takes us to different parts of the island where tourists don't usually go. Since I visited Marble House over the summer, I loved the descriptions of the house, which is slightly different from the way the museum is decorated today. I have a love/hate relationship with Alva. I admire her dedication to women's rights but she scares me. I was looking forward to seeing Emma go toe-to-toe with Alva and I was not disappointed. Emma is the only one strong enough to stand up to Alva. I love that about her. I also love that Emma is determined to be an independent spinster. I admire her very much and like to think I would be like her if I lived in 1895. There's just enough romance to satisfy my inner romantic. Derrick is a bit cocky and I am not sure I like him but I think he is a good match for Emma and they could work things out. Consuelo is a sympathetic character. I felt bad for her but at the same time, I felt she was just so naive and sheltered, she wasn't able to make her own decisions. I just read her memoir All That Glitters so I'm aware of her story. I think readers will empathize with her and feel for her.
What I Read in November Part V. . .
Monkey Town: The Summer of the Scopes Trial by Ronald Kidd--Young Adult historical fiction
It's the summer of 1925 and hot as you know where in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee. Frances Robinson beats the heat by sipping ice cold Coca Colas in her father's drugstore and following her crush, Johnny Scopes, a teacher, around. Frances has grand visions of Johnny coming to appreciate her and love her one day soon. Her loyalty to Johnny is tested when Mr. Robinson, a member of the school board, questions Johnny about his teaching. Johnny admits he may have taught evolution when he was substituting for the usual science teacher. Even though it's in the textbook, teaching evolution is against the law in TN. Mr. Robinson and his friends decide that Johnny is the perfect person to test the power of the ACLU and see how the law holds up to a trial. Mr. Robinson is convinced that no harm will be done to Johnny and that the trial will bring in much-needed tourists and publicity. As the "trial of the century" begins, Frances begins to question everything she's been taught and understand that her father may not be the superman she always believed him to be. Before the summer is over, Dayton will be shaken to the core and nothing will ever be the same again.
I went into this book thinking I knew everything about the case from having studied Inherit the Wind in Junior High. The English, Social Studies and Science teachers combined to have us act out the play as we studied the play, government and evolution. It is one of my only happy memories of that time. I was quite shocked and sad to discover that the play is a highly fictionalized account of what actually happened! The real story is a bit less dramatic. The author of this book had to add in some drama to make it interesting. Though it's almost 90 years later, I feel the story is very relevant - more so than when I studied it in Junior High 70 years after the fact. I can easily see this happening again and I know that the questions raised in the novel are still relevant. I really liked how the author based the story on a real life woman but made the character a young adult instead of a little girl. It made the impact of the story more realistic and relevant to teens.
Frances is a complicated character. I wanted to like her but I didn't really. I found her annoying and selfish at first and very naive and silly at times. Yet, I did like her coming-of-age plot. I could relate to some of the questions she felt and coming to terms with the fact her Daddy has feet of clay. The author portrays a teen girl very accurately. Frances grew on me as she started to question everything.
Johnny Scopes is a minor character in the story. He's kind and friendly and rather bland. He isn't a fighter and he worries mainly about his job security. I felt bad for him because he was a victim in the whole thing.
I did not like Frances' father or the other men in town. I saw Frances' father as egotistical and a big dreamer. He came across as kind of slimy to me. On the other hand, I actually liked H. L. Mencken. Some of what he said was cruel but mostly he told the truth. I don't know much about him but he would be at home in today's world of tabloid journalism and snarky Twitter comments. At the same time, I liked how Frances got to know him and see a different side of him and how he made her think about the world around her.
I was hoping for more Clarence Darrow vs. William Jennings Bryan. My favorite part of the trial is when Darrow puts Bryan on the witness stand. I was surprised and sad at Darrow's feelings on the outcome of the trial.
If you don't know anything about the Scopes Monkey Trial then I would recommend this book. I would also recommend it to young teens. They could learn quite a lot from it.
What I Read in November Part IV . . .
Death in the Stocks by Georgette Heyer -- Historical Mystery
Arnold Vereker, a wealthy businessman, is found dead in the stocks in the village of Ashleigh Green, his weekend getaway, and no one much cares. His much younger half-sister Antonia, is the chief suspect, having spent the night alone in her brother's house unexpectedly and she was engaged to Arnold's employee, Rudolph Mesurier, whom Arnold loathed. If Tony didn't do it, surely her brother Kenneth, an eccentric artist did it. He claims he doesn't care about the money except that he's hard up right now. He just wants to go on being a bohemian artist and marry his fiance, Violet Williams. The rest of the family all hate Violet for being a gold digger. Tony's cousin Giles Carrington acts as solicitor and friend to his eccentric cousins and right hand man to the baffled Inspector Hannasyde who is on the case. When an unexpected person shows, another suspect is added to the growing list. Arnold was clearly murdered for his money but which one of them did it?
The mystery in this novel is engaging. The mystery is not as obvious as her Regency mystery type plots. I was certain I knew who the murderer was right away and then there were so many red herrings that I only figured it out just before the characters did. It came as a bit of a surprise but the clues were there. I had a hard time putting the book down but managed to make it last two nights. I enjoyed all the twists and turns but this is a very intellectual story and there isn't a lot of action. It's not a traditional murder mystery in that sense.
The writing style isn't bad but not as lively as her Regency novels. She inserts some period slang that is just as archaic as her Regency slang but readers familiar with the time period will recognize some of the words. (My favorite is "pimple"). I had no idea there were so many different ways of saying drunk in the 1930s. The contemporary 1930s setting is very much in evidence in this novel. It's a good thing they aren't American subject to Prohibition or the story would be a lot different and lose some of the color that makes it good.
The characters are unlikeable at first but they grow on you. Heyer seemed to have a set of stock characters to populate her mysteries and this unloving family is no different from the rest but they're a bit more eccentric and likeable once you get to know them. I did like Tony, being a fellow dog lover, I think we would get along. She's a bit impetuous but she's young. I liked her story though it seemed a little out of place. Her fiance Rudolph is not as likeable. He's weak and cowardly. He's hiding secrets but it quick to spill when confronted and is the most bizarre person of that sort I've ever encountered. Kenneth, Tony's brother, is the least likeable of the bunch. He's supposed to be an eccentric artist but I would label him as mad. He's temperamental and has really bad taste in art and women. His fiance Violet seems like a do-gooder but she has hidden depths that her fiance can not see. The other characters think she's a gold digger and that may be, but she's also struggling to get by during the Great Depression and she is engaged to Kenneth, who is not wealthy. I did really like the surprise character (who wasn't much of a surprise to the reader). He/She was charming and added some humor to the story. Giles is a good man but a little on the boring side. He doesn't have a larger-than-life personality like his cousins but I liked him.
This is the first of the Inspector Hannasyde mysteries and Inspector Hemingway makes an appearance too. Hannasyde didn't strike me as very bright but he has a wry sense of humor.
I liked this mystery the best of the three Heyer mysteries I've read but it doesn't compare with her Regency novels.
What I Read in November Part III . . .
Marjorie's Busy Days by Carolyn Wells-- Children's classic (Middle Grades Historical Fiction)
This children's book first published in 1908 is about a mischievous 12-year-old girl Majorie (also called "Midget" or "Mops") and her daily escapades with her friends and siblings. Marjorie can't help but get up to hi-jinks but she always listens to her parents' scoldings and promises not to do it again. Then she goes and does something else... To tell you what she gets up to would spoil the plot but it's very charming and funny. I really liked Marjorie. She's a real little girl who isn't perfect by any means and doesn't really want to try. She means well but ... she just can't help herself. Her whole family is loving and close-knit. Her parents may despair at some of her antics but they always have a hug and a kind word for their children when needed. I don't know why this series hasn't become a classic the way Anne of Green Gables did. It's a lot of fun and good slice of life for a wealthy girl living in the New York area in 1908.
Read this if you love Anne of Green Gables, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and the American Girl Samantha books.
Return to Thrush Green by Miss Read-- Historical Fiction
Spring comes to Thrush Green bringing changes to the sleepy village. Miss Fogarty is happy in her new classroom and content with her lodgings. She's thrilled when an old friend decides to move to Thrush Green. Miss Watson is a lovely supervisor, but the two women just aren't that close. May 1 brings Ma Curdle's fair back to the village but Ben notices that adults crave more sophisticated enjoyment and many of the rides have become too expensive to fix. Should he sell to a big-time promoter or should he limp along with his grandmother's fair? Molly is in favor of moving back to Thrush Green where she can keep an eye on her father. Albert Piggot has grown more dirty and cantankerous since his wife left him. Joan Young and Ruth Lovell receive bad news from Ealing- their father is ill and unable to work. He'll be returning to Thrush Green to recuperate and will want his house back. What will the Youngs do? Harold Shoosmith, a recent comer to the village, is upset by all the gossip surrounding the lovely widow who is searching for a place to live. Attracted by her car, he endeavors to help her find a place to stay in Thrush Green.
This series came back to it's roots in this book. I love the depiction of village life, unaltered in the last few years since we left the characters. There are three incredibly Victorian sisters to satisfy convention when modern life intrudes. I got caught up in the plot right away and wondered how everyone would work everything out. My favorite character is Dotty Harmer and her endless menagerie of animals. I can actually see myself as the crazy old lady of the village taking in stray animals. She adds a lot of humor to the story. I was pleased to catch up with Molly and Ben though I feel sorry for Molly to have such a nasty father. All the plots are predictable but no less enjoyable. The romance is very sweet.
