suzannedix's review against another edition
4.0
Great mystery with Queenie!
Loved this early look at Julie’s upbringing and the mystery of finding out just where the Murray Estate pearls had disappeared to. Fantastic read though this one lacks the emotional punch of Code Name Verity.
Middle and high school read. Grades 7 and up.
Loved this early look at Julie’s upbringing and the mystery of finding out just where the Murray Estate pearls had disappeared to. Fantastic read though this one lacks the emotional punch of Code Name Verity.
Middle and high school read. Grades 7 and up.
kaylynm37's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
3.25
liralen's review against another edition
5.0
Take Code Name Verity and dial it back a few years—to an earlier time, when Verity's life is...simpler. For a while.
Verity is of course not Verity here: she's Julie, a (young) lady whose life is starting to see some upheaval. And...oh gosh. I loved her in Verity, but I love her more in Pearl for being able to see...not the cracks, exactly, but to see her grow and change so much throughout the story. Take this:
Also interesting is that Julie tries on a couple of romances over the course of the book. They're...I don't want to say 'play romances', exactly, but it's clear that she's young and testing the waters and figuring some things out. And oh I desperately want to see a modern-day Julie with a modern-day Ellen...
Right, I think I'm about done rambling. The plot's solid here, but it's the characters rather than the plot that really carry the story. Did not disappoint.
Verity is of course not Verity here: she's Julie, a (young) lady whose life is starting to see some upheaval. And...oh gosh. I loved her in Verity, but I love her more in Pearl for being able to see...not the cracks, exactly, but to see her grow and change so much throughout the story. Take this:
"I want Mary to get out more," Sandy confessed. "She'll have to, if I marry her."For context, Mary has Treacher Collins syndrome, which is genetic and affects her appearance but not her intellect. This conversation sums Julie up fairly well, I think—she's not ill-willed, but she is privileged enough to be thoughtless about that privilege. She's willing to revise her perspectives, and to take herself to task, but she doesn't always realise on her own when she would. She's not perfect, and I love that about her.
"Sandy!" I teased. "Would you really?"
"Well, why not?"
"But what if she wants children?"
He stared at me as uncomprehendingly as if I'd spoken in cant. "What if she does?"
"They might be like her. Isn't it risky?"
"They might all be as beautiful as you," he said coldly, "which would be riskier."
I felt properly slapped.
Sandy took a swallow of his sherry.
"They'd be your nieces and nephews, in any case," he added. "So get used to the idea."
I thought about it and felt so ashamed of myself I wanted to weep. (266–267)
Also interesting is that Julie tries on a couple of romances over the course of the book. They're...I don't want to say 'play romances', exactly, but it's clear that she's young and testing the waters and figuring some things out. And oh I desperately want to see a modern-day Julie with a modern-day Ellen...
Right, I think I'm about done rambling. The plot's solid here, but it's the characters rather than the plot that really carry the story. Did not disappoint.
lucypoppleton6's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
First off, I'd like to say that it's important to read Code Name Verity before reading this book. I feel like it's definitely meant to further the character development already presented in CNV.
*This book includes multiple scenes with sexual assault.*
When Julie comes home from school for the summer at the age of 15 (about to be turning 16), she stumbles into a mystery, involving her local pearls and the people in her town. She is the one who must solve it while also exploring her own identity, including her sexuality. The Pearl Thief basically confirms that Julie is bisexual while also explaining where the nickname "Queenie" comes from. JULIE AND ELLEN! While the book starts off a little slow, by the end, you won't want to put it down. I loved to be able to learn more about Jamie and Julie's family more.
The book includes a diverse cast of characters, including Mary, a librarian who is hard of hearing, and the McEwen family, Scottish Travellers who face numerous acts of discrimination throughout the book.
*This book includes multiple scenes with sexual assault.*
When Julie comes home from school for the summer at the age of 15 (about to be turning 16), she stumbles into a mystery, involving her local pearls and the people in her town. She is the one who must solve it while also exploring her own identity, including her sexuality. The Pearl Thief basically confirms that Julie is bisexual while also explaining where the nickname "Queenie" comes from. JULIE AND ELLEN! While the book starts off a little slow, by the end, you won't want to put it down. I loved to be able to learn more about Jamie and Julie's family more.
The book includes a diverse cast of characters, including Mary, a librarian who is hard of hearing, and the McEwen family, Scottish Travellers who face numerous acts of discrimination throughout the book.
slayquoia's review against another edition
4.0
i have not read a book with straight people in SO LONG
theinkdrinker's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
arohaup's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and War
lucy_bookworm's review against another edition
4.0
I will start by saying that I have not read Code Name Verity, but I am now interested in reading it as I have heard so much about it! The Pearl Thief does stand alone.
The book is set in the 1930s in Scotland & Lady Julia Beaufort-Stuart has returned home from boarding school to spend the summer at her family estate. Unfortunately following the death of her grandfather, the house is to be sold to cover debt and will be converted into a school.
When she wakes up in hospital with a head injury, everything changes. She discovers that a traveller family had helped her on the night of her injury, and when one of the historians working on the estate goes missing, Julia realises that her injury might not have been an accident. To figure out what happened, she befriends the traveller family, particularly Euan McEwen & his sister Ellen. As Julie grows closer to the McEwan family, she witnesses some prejudice & discrimination but also finds herself exploring things that were previously unfamiliar to her. When further things come to light, Julia realises that somebody is trying to frame her new friends for one or more crimes – can she figure out what’s going on?
The characters have little quirks & flaws that make them feel real. They are mostly likeable, and Julia develops well from schoolgirl to young lady as the story progresses. The writing is dramatic & evocative, with great attention to detail and touches that make them “real”. You can smell the musty air in the library and the dampness about your feet as you wander along the riverbank.
The storyline itself is slightly strange, it’s not exactly a mystery, more of a coming-of-age story with a bit of a mystery so different aspects dominate at different times. We have family history (Julia’s and also that of the McEwan’s), prejudices that are appropriate to the time period as well as still identifiable today, issues around class and an exploration of the roles of men & women in post-war Britain!
The research is impeccable about Scottish freshwater pearls, which were traditionally gathered by tinkers or travellers like the McEwan family.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator suited the storyline with her scottish accent!
I think this will appeal to the young adult reader market that it seems to be targeted at.
The book is set in the 1930s in Scotland & Lady Julia Beaufort-Stuart has returned home from boarding school to spend the summer at her family estate. Unfortunately following the death of her grandfather, the house is to be sold to cover debt and will be converted into a school.
When she wakes up in hospital with a head injury, everything changes. She discovers that a traveller family had helped her on the night of her injury, and when one of the historians working on the estate goes missing, Julia realises that her injury might not have been an accident. To figure out what happened, she befriends the traveller family, particularly Euan McEwen & his sister Ellen. As Julie grows closer to the McEwan family, she witnesses some prejudice & discrimination but also finds herself exploring things that were previously unfamiliar to her. When further things come to light, Julia realises that somebody is trying to frame her new friends for one or more crimes – can she figure out what’s going on?
The characters have little quirks & flaws that make them feel real. They are mostly likeable, and Julia develops well from schoolgirl to young lady as the story progresses. The writing is dramatic & evocative, with great attention to detail and touches that make them “real”. You can smell the musty air in the library and the dampness about your feet as you wander along the riverbank.
The storyline itself is slightly strange, it’s not exactly a mystery, more of a coming-of-age story with a bit of a mystery so different aspects dominate at different times. We have family history (Julia’s and also that of the McEwan’s), prejudices that are appropriate to the time period as well as still identifiable today, issues around class and an exploration of the roles of men & women in post-war Britain!
The research is impeccable about Scottish freshwater pearls, which were traditionally gathered by tinkers or travellers like the McEwan family.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator suited the storyline with her scottish accent!
I think this will appeal to the young adult reader market that it seems to be targeted at.
thebooktrail88's review against another edition
4.0
I started to read The Pearl Thief without realising it was a children’s book (it was on kindle) but it quickly captured my attention and interest. I’ve not read the others in the book but i can see this being a good series - there is a lot that adults will appreciate and I learned a lot about the art of pearl fishing in Scotland that I had never heard of! Perthshire apparently was quite a hotbed of pearl finds in the olden days.
There’s also mention of Shakespeare themes and books in general which added another interesting layer to the novel. The writing is fresh and easy to read too which helps and very evocative - there’s a sense that you can see and feel the scenery, hear the characters and there’s plenty to engage readers as a result.
A formerly wealthy family is living on an estate with a crumbling castle, mirroring their reversal of fortune. A girl who yearns for a grander life is sent there and becomes embroiled into the mystery of a missing man. This took me back to the days of the Famous Five (I’m not that old but I read them as a child hehe) and the sense of adventure that books often don’t have as an adult.
I want to be Julie now and dress up like her. Can I please?