Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
funny
mysterious
fast-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:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-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:
Complicated
EXTREMELY cute and endearing. I read all of the Nancy Drew books in 4th grade, and I feel like in reading level and mystery level these follow right up- except they're more reflective of a modern world, and address racism/classism/privilege as a matter of course (humorously and intelligently).
Also, it's set in an all-girls boarding school. classic setting for some excellent murders.
Gosh the girls are just so great!!
Also, it's set in an all-girls boarding school. classic setting for some excellent murders.
Gosh the girls are just so great!!
adventurous
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Re-read.
What a great Holmes-Watson style of story, especially since it takes place in a girls school in the 1930s! Stevens has a visible love for the Golden Age of Crime fiction, and the tradition of boarding school stories, and uses these to create a brilliant story with a pair a compelling leads.
Hazel's voice caught me from the beginning, and although their investigation is great and expertly orchestrated by the author, I loved even more the relationship between the two girls, and how it transforms them. At first, Daisy is not very likeable, but through their shared experience, she starts to change, considering her investigating partner’s point of view, while Hazel becomes a little more confident. Can’t wait to see how Stevens develops them and what adventures they’ll be having.
What a great Holmes-Watson style of story, especially since it takes place in a girls school in the 1930s! Stevens has a visible love for the Golden Age of Crime fiction, and the tradition of boarding school stories, and uses these to create a brilliant story with a pair a compelling leads.
Hazel's voice caught me from the beginning, and although their investigation is great and expertly orchestrated by the author, I loved even more the relationship between the two girls, and how it transforms them. At first, Daisy is not very likeable, but through their shared experience, she starts to change, considering her investigating partner’s point of view, while Hazel becomes a little more confident. Can’t wait to see how Stevens develops them and what adventures they’ll be having.
View-halloo! A marriage of Christie, Conan Doyle and Blyton together comes a wonderfully delightful book set in the 1930s at an English boarding school named Deepdean. With the whodunnit vibe in the air at a traditional all-girls boarding school, Daisy Wells & Hazel Wong sets out gathering clues for the murder of the Science Mistress, Miss Bell.
This is surely the beginning of the furtjer adventures of Wells & Wong. I laughed aloud in certain passages, and cannot wait to read the next one with all the nostalgia of the school days and all the bunbreaks in between!
This is surely the beginning of the furtjer adventures of Wells & Wong. I laughed aloud in certain passages, and cannot wait to read the next one with all the nostalgia of the school days and all the bunbreaks in between!
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
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
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
mysterious
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
I have mixed feelings about this book. I read it because some of my eighth grade girls have read this series and just loved it, so I thought I would check it out, especially since it is a mystery and my students are always asking for mysteries. I wasn't really very fond of it truthfully, but I am not sure if the problem is the book, or if it is me. I found it too predictable, incredibly insensitive, almost offensive in that way, and one of the characters was extraordinarily unlikable. That said, I have to view this book through a few filters: I am an adult reading a middle grade novel so of course it is too predicable for me. It is set in 1934, so some of the insensitivies that I find offensive (such as the use of the word "oriental" to describe a character of Chinese descent) are actually a sign of the times (even though the original publishing date is 2014), so I may be looking through too PC of a lens. Lastly, the character of Daisy treats her best friend Hazel abhorrently, I don't even know why Hazel puts up with it, but again, is that a sign of the times? How did girls treat each other in 1934 before women were empowered in society? Also, at the end, I have to show a bit of compassion for Daisy, as we get a glimpse of her own family life and that is one of complete neglect. Though her family is extremely wealthy, her mother ignores Daisy and views her as an inconvenience. Daisy's uppitiness could simply be a defense mechanism.
Other issues that I had are the fact that three murders happen at a boarding school for girls, and none of these poor girls receive any kind of help dealing with these traumas. Again, am I too modern for this timeline? But mostly, I just can't stand the whitewashing. Hazel constantly laments her dark hair and dark eyes, always ashamed that she can't be as beautiful as blonde haired, blue eyed Daisy. Barf, just barf. I know this is set in 1934 but is that really the image we want to portray to our girls today? Maybe if we could sit down and talk about it with our daughters, but let's get real, these 13 year old girls are reading this on their own and not discussing it with anyone but each other, if at all.
On the positive side, it is a clever little mystery for a middle grader- the twists that I saw coming a mile away I think may still be unpredictable for a young teen so that would keep the pages turning. Also, this is a clean book. The only swearing is one "bloody" at the end, which in the States is not even really a swear. There are a few references to "canoodling" but that is it. In the end, this book was not my cup of tea, but I may have my 13 year old daughter read it to see her opinion. I may not be giving the maturity level of my students the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they do see the inequities that I do as well, but think the mystery overshadows them enough to enjoy the book.
Edited to add: I have read some other reviews of this series and it turns out it originated in England and the copy I have read (and the rest of the series that are in my library) have been Americanized, from the titles to some of the vocabulary. I find this interesting and I wonder if it would be better if I had read the original. Just an interesting thought.
Other issues that I had are the fact that three murders happen at a boarding school for girls, and none of these poor girls receive any kind of help dealing with these traumas. Again, am I too modern for this timeline? But mostly, I just can't stand the whitewashing. Hazel constantly laments her dark hair and dark eyes, always ashamed that she can't be as beautiful as blonde haired, blue eyed Daisy. Barf, just barf. I know this is set in 1934 but is that really the image we want to portray to our girls today? Maybe if we could sit down and talk about it with our daughters, but let's get real, these 13 year old girls are reading this on their own and not discussing it with anyone but each other, if at all.
On the positive side, it is a clever little mystery for a middle grader- the twists that I saw coming a mile away I think may still be unpredictable for a young teen so that would keep the pages turning. Also, this is a clean book. The only swearing is one "bloody" at the end, which in the States is not even really a swear. There are a few references to "canoodling" but that is it. In the end, this book was not my cup of tea, but I may have my 13 year old daughter read it to see her opinion. I may not be giving the maturity level of my students the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they do see the inequities that I do as well, but think the mystery overshadows them enough to enjoy the book.
Edited to add: I have read some other reviews of this series and it turns out it originated in England and the copy I have read (and the rest of the series that are in my library) have been Americanized, from the titles to some of the vocabulary. I find this interesting and I wonder if it would be better if I had read the original. Just an interesting thought.