suzannedix's review against another edition
4.0
Another amazing free verse by Glenn. The content is mature and not suited for a middle school reader but I thought Glenn’s storytelling is brilliant.
A short but stunning mystery.
A short but stunning mystery.
jolson's review against another edition
3.0
Not great but not bad. I wish there was more mystery and more “whodunit” in the story.
taradz_phd's review against another edition
Loved the format and different viewpoints. A great way to get hesitant kids to experience poetry.
engpunk77's review against another edition
3.0
So a teacher is murdered on the first page, and every page is a poem expressing the reactions of dozens of different people. Some of the poems are enjoyable and well-written enough to enjoy independently, but that's not why I liked it. The juxtaposition of sometimes completely conflicting perceptions of the same man, the same experience, or the same conversation was insightful & insight inspiring. This I see in life; something I do in my classroom is both something remembered fondly by some students and something loathed and resented by others... The feelings, reactions, perceptions of this man reveal a teacher's impact and his flaws as a person. The ending deals with the truth about our mortality and importance (from a cynic's point of view). A quick read, not very suspenseful, but this was well done. Best suited for urban high school students.
Warning: Some swearing, some adult content, characters are clearly from diverse but challenging backgrounds. I'm not sure my rural high school students would be as interested as those from Albany, for example. I'm not putting it out in my middle school classroom even though that's where I found it (from a previous teacher).
Warning: Some swearing, some adult content, characters are clearly from diverse but challenging backgrounds. I'm not sure my rural high school students would be as interested as those from Albany, for example. I'm not putting it out in my middle school classroom even though that's where I found it (from a previous teacher).
carissaenero's review against another edition
3.0
"Learning about life is a painstaking task,
But it has to be done with
Relish."
Who Killed Mr. Chippendale? is the first novel in verse that I've ever read, and I must say that it leaves me wanting to read more novels in verse of different genres. This one in particular is said to be a mystery in poems, but I find that it's more of character study of Robert Chippendale as well as of the other characters. Each page is a different POV which at first can be confusing, as it makes it hard to keep track of those who are relevant to the plot, but you get used to it.
I liked how the author showcased different reactions of Mr. Chippendale's death. As the reader, you are left wondering what kind of person he really is underneath all of the impressions he has on the others. Most have positive reviews of him, some despise him, and a few don't really care. It makes me think of how my own death would be like; how would people react? Would my death matter to them? Would they rejoice instead?
I give this a 3/5 stars. It's easy to read and I appreciated the thoughts it provoked out of me, but it sort of left me wanting more. I wish some of the POVs had more relevance or connection to the overall plot. The ending also felt a bit lackluster. Still, I enjoyed reading it and I felt like I learned a bit even if only a little.
But it has to be done with
Relish."
Who Killed Mr. Chippendale? is the first novel in verse that I've ever read, and I must say that it leaves me wanting to read more novels in verse of different genres. This one in particular is said to be a mystery in poems, but I find that it's more of character study of Robert Chippendale as well as of the other characters. Each page is a different POV which at first can be confusing, as it makes it hard to keep track of those who are relevant to the plot, but you get used to it.
I liked how the author showcased different reactions of Mr. Chippendale's death. As the reader, you are left wondering what kind of person he really is underneath all of the impressions he has on the others. Most have positive reviews of him, some despise him, and a few don't really care. It makes me think of how my own death would be like; how would people react? Would my death matter to them? Would they rejoice instead?
I give this a 3/5 stars. It's easy to read and I appreciated the thoughts it provoked out of me, but it sort of left me wanting more. I wish some of the POVs had more relevance or connection to the overall plot. The ending also felt a bit lackluster. Still, I enjoyed reading it and I felt like I learned a bit even if only a little.
aliciaprettybrowneyereader's review
4.0
Book combines two of my favorite reading genres: poetry and crime.
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