alanabie's review
3.0
Calendula Proof by Steve McManus is, simply, delightful.
Calendula Proof by Steve McManus is, simply, delightful.
It turns out that this is not in fact the 45th installment of these books, but it’s only the second. The book definitely fooled me! The story and scene felt lived in. The kids constantly called back to old adventures, and I accepted that I had dropped in on the latest of an installment mystery series like Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys.
The mystery itself was intriguing and funny, although littered with lucky breaks and coincidences to make sure the kids were always on the right trail. I did especially like that there were chapters from the bad guy’s perspective. His chapters were my favorite, and the writing there had a different feel than the rest of the book, so it really stood out. It had a decent maturity to it, so even as an adult I didn’t feel bored reading it.
I would say that the cast is a little large. We’re thrown right into the story, and it seems like of the seven kids, Gustavo and Lola are the ones with distinct personalities. The other four boys mostly blend together, and “Tag Along Taylor” is only noticeable as she’s such an unwilling participant. I think it would benefit from more deliberate characterization early on, so I felt like I knew who was who.
Calendula Proof by Steve McManus is, simply, delightful.
It turns out that this is not in fact the 45th installment of these books, but it’s only the second. The book definitely fooled me! The story and scene felt lived in. The kids constantly called back to old adventures, and I accepted that I had dropped in on the latest of an installment mystery series like Nancy Drew or The Hardy Boys.
The mystery itself was intriguing and funny, although littered with lucky breaks and coincidences to make sure the kids were always on the right trail. I did especially like that there were chapters from the bad guy’s perspective. His chapters were my favorite, and the writing there had a different feel than the rest of the book, so it really stood out. It had a decent maturity to it, so even as an adult I didn’t feel bored reading it.
I would say that the cast is a little large. We’re thrown right into the story, and it seems like of the seven kids, Gustavo and Lola are the ones with distinct personalities. The other four boys mostly blend together, and “Tag Along Taylor” is only noticeable as she’s such an unwilling participant. I think it would benefit from more deliberate characterization early on, so I felt like I knew who was who.
yourbookfriend's review
4.0
Calendula Proof is a fun, fast paced mystery reminiscent of Scooby Doo or Nancy Drew. The kids in the MAS each have unique personalities, and the dialogue feels authentic to kids their age. I enjoyed the shifting perspectives, which let the reader in on key information as the protagonists piece it together. I did wonder about audience at times with the perspective shifts to the older characters, which I’m not sure would resonate as much with the younger intended audience. A nice, quick, low stress read.
tbthewriter's review
3.0
“Calendula Proof” is a fun, satirical read with entertaining characters and writing. The Mysterious Adventurous Society put me in the mind of Scooby Doo and his gang of crime solving friends.
There were parts and descriptions that were long and slowed down the reading process from over detailed information in places, but overall it was a simple, fast-paced read with good writing.
I would recommend this book to fans of middle grade fiction such as Nancy Drew or Goosebumps (due to its humorous nature).
There were parts and descriptions that were long and slowed down the reading process from over detailed information in places, but overall it was a simple, fast-paced read with good writing.
I would recommend this book to fans of middle grade fiction such as Nancy Drew or Goosebumps (due to its humorous nature).
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