My Photo
Name:
Location: Vero Beach, Florida, United States

My name is Pat and I live in Florida. My skin will never be smooth again and my hair will never see color. I enjoy collecting autographs and playing in Paint Shop Pro.,along with reading and writing. Sometimes, I enjoy myself by doing volunteer "work" helping celebrities at autograph shows. I love animals and at one time I did volunteer work for Tippi Hedren's Shambala Preserve.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

 

rip62001[1]

(This is my 8th read for RIP)

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Bantam; (January 19, 2010)
ISBN-10: 0385343493

 

41C8PX[1]

Amazon : It's the beginning of a lazy summer in 1950 at the sleepy English village of Bishop's Lacey. Up at the great house of Buckshaw, aspiring chemist Flavia de Luce passes the time tinkering in the laboratory she's inherited from her deceased mother and an eccentric great uncle. When Flavia discovers a murdered stranger in the cucumber patch outside her bedroom window early one morning, she decides to leave aside her flasks and Bunsen burners to solve the crime herself, much to the chagrin of the local authorities. But who can blame her? What else does an eleven-year-old science prodigy have to do when left to her own devices? With her widowed father and two older sisters far too preoccupied with their own pursuits and passions—stamp collecting, adventure novels, and boys respectively—Flavia takes off on her trusty bicycle Gladys to catch a murderer. In Alan Bradley's critically acclaimed debut mystery, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, adult readers will be totally charmed by this fearless, funny, and unflappable kid sleuth. But don't be fooled: this carefully plotted detective novel (the first in a new series) features plenty of unexpected twists and turns and loads of tasty period detail. As the pages fly by, you'll be rooting for this curious combination of Harriet the Spy and Sherlock Holmes.

I just finished reading this book about an hour ago.  Many have read it and the books that follow it already and loved the books.

As many know I have been in a slump plus stressed out to the point it’s hard to get my mind off of things let alone seriously get into what I’m reading and it seriously hampers my enjoyment of the books I’ve been reading… so take this with a grain of salt.

I did enjoy the book and Flavia and her whole family which Mr Bradley very nicely gave very individual personalities to, which in turn flavored the book quite well.

The mystery itself was laid out very well and I really did not piece it together any before Flavia did!   I did however have a bit of difficulty  with her being so adult at such a young age.   Was she extremely smart and into chemistry.. yes… in fact, almost more so than is believable….so I did have some difficulties there…but at the times I was not envisioning her of the age she was, then the story seemed better to me.   I know I have read many YA books before and this is not the first time I thought the protagonist “too young” or written too old for the age. But I will admit that this doesn’t happen often . 

Over all, considering my lack of enthusiasm for anything I’ve read lately, I did enjoy this book and I can see where most who take up the book to read will also enjoy it.

*little things that I enjoyed*:  Flavia named her bicycle.  (me too! Mine was named Nellie Bell) .  I loved that she could get the better of her older sisters.  (I was once known to chase my brother who was 5 yrs older than me, around the yard with a big earthworm in my outstretch hand)  

This is a book I am sure many of you will enjoy if you like YA books and a good mystery.

7 Comments:

Blogger My Gallery of Worlds said...

Ummm I just lover her name ;) Sounds like a very fun read Pat. Lol your poor brother, that must have been a "remember when" story. My kids have lots of those and they never get tired of telling them <3

11:47 AM  
Blogger Kathleen said...

I think I would enjoy this one. Flavia sounds like a very precocious young lady and I like those sorts of main characters.

1:08 AM  
Blogger Kailana said...

I am sorry things are still clouding your ability to read, Pat. I hope everything gets better for you soon!

4:47 AM  
Blogger Cath said...

I had mixed feelings about this one too. Mostly quite good, but some of it I thought was a little fantastical. LOL. Still, I have book 2 on my library pile and am eager to read it, so we'll see,

9:53 AM  
Blogger Jodie Robson said...

I enjoyed Flavia's precociousness, I must admit, and found it plausible given her background. But as you point out, she could be her age when getting back at her sisters!

I'm sorry you're still struggling with the slump - hope it's better soon.

12:58 PM  
Blogger Susan said...

Hi Pat, I'm sorry to hear you are in a reading slump, and that things in your life are affecting your ability to read. I hope it doesn't last much longer for you.

I know what you mean though, as my life is in free-fall right now. I'm turning to books as my constant that never changes!

I haven't read any of this series yet, and I feel like a Bad Canadian because I haven't. I have seen other reviewers who think flavia is a little young and precocious for how she acts, though most enjoy the mystery aspect.

Hugs from up north in Canada!

11:49 PM  
Blogger Carl V. Anderson said...

I love Gladys. And she keeps on making appearances in the other Flavia books. I especially like the relationship between Flavia and Gladys (her bike) in the third book. I do hope you keep reading these when you are in the mood for them because Flavia continues to be a delight.

12:43 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home