heathersbike's review against another edition
This was good, but other than the flavor added by being set in China (which was neat, don't get me wrong) it was just your basic treasure hunt. And the character Mia - if one person sees themselves reflected and feels comforted, that's awesome.
But it didn't have the spark and originality of The Memory of Forgotten Things.
But it didn't have the spark and originality of The Memory of Forgotten Things.
theshenners's review against another edition
5.0
This was a quick but super fun read. I love books with riddles and puzzles. The quest to solve the emperor's riddle takes you on a mini tour of Fuzhou and delves into a bit of early Ming Dynasty history. It left me yearning to visit China when I was done. Full review to come on my blog. :)
paperbacks_and_ponytails's review against another edition
3.0
A fun adventure middle grade story of trying to solve a hundreds year old mystery. It was a little fast paced for my liking, kind of like National Treasure (where every piece seems to fit and the answers come to quickly
lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
Oh, how I wish there'd been more backmatter! All too often I had to stop and look up things: did the Emperor exist? What about the temples? etc. Oh well. Beyond that, the mystery and riddle solving will interest readers, and the diversity/identity issues are presented in a way that they can identify with easily.
kathyfox's review against another edition
3.0
Although I enjoyed the book, I found it too slow for the early middle grade audience.
music3x143's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book as an advanced copy and finally got to it now. The moment I started, I never wanted to put it down!
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
Mia is not thrilled about going on a family trip to China with her mother, older brother Jake, and Aunt Lin. She would rather stay home and hang out with her friends. Once they get to the apartment that her mother and aunt grew up in, things don't seem so bad. She's been going to Chinese school, so she can speak to people and read street signs. Plus she loves hanging out with her aunt, who promises they will have all kinds of fun adventures. But when her aunt disappears suddenly, Mia doesn't believe it is by choice. No one else thinks there is anything amiss, so it falls on Mia to start investigating. She believes that it is related to a search for an ancient treasure that Aunt Lin had looked for as a teenager. A map and a series of clues hidden in an old painting give Mia the push she needs. This is an exciting historical mystery and modern day adventure, with some good information about the Cultural Revolution thrown in as well. Highly recommended for grades 4 & up.
elsanore's review against another edition
4.0
This was a solid story I read to my second grader. I liked reading about Mia's trip to her family's homeland in China, figuring out an evolving relationship with her teen brother and getting to know a distant uncle. I didn't like Mia's poor decisions, going off on a grand treasure hunt without telling her mom or uncle. My son liked the riddles and the intense confrontation at the end of the story.
abigailbat's review against another edition
4.0
Mia is not thrilled to be spending a month of her summer vacation in China visiting her mother's hometown, far away from her best friends and everything she likes to do. When Ying, a childhood friend of her Aunt Lin's, shows up and they start to talk about the treasure hunting they used to do when they were young, Mia is intrigued. And when her aunt suddenly leaves, saying she's going to spend some time with friends, Mia is suspicious. Her aunt has told her about the legend of Emperor Zhu Yunwen and his hidden treasure and Ying seemed angry that Aunt Lin had shared details about their search with Mia.
No one else in Mia's family is concerned about Aunt Lin; she has a reputation for being flighty and taking off on her own for various adventures. But Mia's got a bad feeling. She doesn't trust Ying. She doesn't think her aunt would leave without telling her first. So Mia sets off to solve the riddles of the emperor and find the clues that will lead her to his treasure and, she hopes, to her aunt.
I am not normally a mystery reader, but I loved this book. The strong sense of place and the cultural details had me feeling like I was on a trip to China myself. The pacing is just right - not too breakneck or too slow or too long.
I would hand this to kids who love the history mysteries in the 39 Clues series or to kids who love armchair traveling and enjoyed Where the Mountain Meets the Moon or Dumpling Days by Grace Lin.
No one else in Mia's family is concerned about Aunt Lin; she has a reputation for being flighty and taking off on her own for various adventures. But Mia's got a bad feeling. She doesn't trust Ying. She doesn't think her aunt would leave without telling her first. So Mia sets off to solve the riddles of the emperor and find the clues that will lead her to his treasure and, she hopes, to her aunt.
I am not normally a mystery reader, but I loved this book. The strong sense of place and the cultural details had me feeling like I was on a trip to China myself. The pacing is just right - not too breakneck or too slow or too long.
I would hand this to kids who love the history mysteries in the 39 Clues series or to kids who love armchair traveling and enjoyed Where the Mountain Meets the Moon or Dumpling Days by Grace Lin.