A review by genny
The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane, by Julia Nobel
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Just what I needed to get me out of my reading slump: a middle-grade mystery with endearing characters in a gloomy-yet-cozy boarding school setting. It did remind me of Harry Potter, but maybe that's my own bias showing, as English boarding schools always remind of Harry Potter. 😅Â
Emmy is a protagonist you'll root for from the very beginning; there were times I wanted to just hug her. Jack and Lola are great foils to her character. I wish we were given time to linger over their more mundane school days so we could feel even more immersed in the setting. I did love all of the talk about architecture! As for the mystery, it was intriguing enough with a suitably thrilling climax, though some of the twists were easy to guess. This is a middle-grade, though, so I'm not docking points for that. I think this would be a nice starting point for young readers interested in the genre!
Emmy is a protagonist you'll root for from the very beginning; there were times I wanted to just hug her. Jack and Lola are great foils to her character. I wish we were given time to linger over their more mundane school days so we could feel even more immersed in the setting. I did love all of the talk about architecture! As for the mystery, it was intriguing enough with a suitably thrilling climax, though some of the twists were easy to guess. This is a middle-grade, though, so I'm not docking points for that. I think this would be a nice starting point for young readers interested in the genre!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Abandonment and Violence
Minor: Injury/injury detail, Blood, and Death of parent