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Fire Spell

3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 · rating details · 1,768 ratings · 533 reviews

Clara disappears on her birthday. Exceptionally wealthy and exceptionally lonely, she requested that a puppeteer and his two orphan helpers stage a spellbinding show for her in the vast empty house. But then the curtains close and darkness falls ...

The puppeteer, Grisini, kidnaps Clara and uses his sinister powers to imprison her body and mind in the form of a marionette....more

Paperback, 400 pages

Published September 13th 2012 by Bloomsbury (first published August 28th 2012)

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Jan 28, 2013 Barb Middleton rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gothic

"I think I can. I think I can." This little engine that could is chugging through the 2013 Newbery Medal list mentioned in a previous post. My non-picky appetite seems to stack the most recently devoured book on the top of the pile making it number one for my own personal list. Argh! My top 5 are pretty much interchangeable. So many terrific books! Glad I'm not judging the "most distinguished" book of the year... Right now I'm guessing: Splendors and Glooms, Crow, Starry River of the Sky, and Th...more "I think I can. I think I can." This little engine that could is chugging through the 2013 Newbery Medal list mentioned in a previous post. My non-picky appetite seems to stack the most recently devoured book on the top of the pile making it number one for my own personal list. Argh! My top 5 are pretty much interchangeable. So many terrific books! Glad I'm not judging the "most distinguished" book of the year... Right now I'm guessing: Splendors and Glooms, Crow, Starry River of the Sky, and The One and Only Ivan. What's your pick?

While Splendors and Glooms meets the Newbery criteria with its unusual and complex plot, characters, themes, and language; it might not be all that likable to folks not hankering for the Victorian mood and language that slowly builds at the start entwining different plot points into an exciting climax. Not that this matters when choosing a Newbery - that falls under personal taste which is not measured in winning books. The book is creepy and depressing in parts with Lizzie Rose and Parsefall being abused and Clara neglected, to humorous scenes with the wacky dog and Pinchbeck reliving her acting days with Lizzie Rose. Remember the hubbub surrounding The Tale of Despereaux because of the violence in it? I think this might rile up some for the same reason. On the blog Heavy Meda l the discussion about the pacing being slow and boring just goes to show some are gonna love it and some are not. It's worth deciding for yourself.

The first chapter introduces Clara Wintermute, the sole survivor of cholera that took the life of her four brothers and sisters. Life is one mournful event after the other with trips to the family mausoleum at Kensal Green cemetery for holidays and birthdays. Clara feels guilty because she lived and her parents neglect her in their grief. When Clara sees a marionette troupe she convinces her dad to have them perform at her birthday party. She likes the girl who plays the music, Lizzie Rose, and the boy, Parsefall, who works the puppets, but she is frightened of Mr. Grisini, owner of the show. Clara disgraces herself at the performance and soon after vanishes. Grisini is the prime suspect but when he disappears, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are left trying to survive with no money.

Circumstances force them to flee London to Strachan's Ghyll, a frigid place that contrasts wonderfully from the smoggy London atmosphere. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are befriended by a witch who is by no means a one-sided villain. She is an interesting study of manipulation and loneliness. All the characters have interesting changes except Grisini, who remains the one-sided villainous character from beginning to end. Lizzie Rose tries to control her environment through cleanliness and caring for those around her. She responds in kindness and rejects hate. Parsefall is a victim who finds relief through the craft of puppetry. His view of people is what motivates him at the end of the novel. All of the buildup and multiple viewpoints are essential to the plot and characters' actions that leads to an exciting climax.

The Dicken's-like orphan Parsefall adds to the Victorian feel and is a masterful example of character voice. He calls an expensive gem a "gewgaw" and tells Lizzie Rose to not involve the "coppers" with Grisini because "You don't know 'im the way I do." He is a streetwise, illiterate boy who is not as tough as he tries to appear. The witch is another fascinating piece of character building who is vicious and vulnerable. Only Lizzie Rose can truly see her lonliness, but then only Lizzie Rose can truly see the loyalty of Parsefall. Loveable Lizzie Rose is like the comical dog she hauls around who has unconditional love for all the odd (and normal) characters she crosses paths with. Clara becomes friends with Lizzie Rose and must decide whether or not she'll help the children in the end, as well as, forgive her parents and herself in order to move forward with life.

Some of the content to know about beforehand are: a kidnapping, two swear words, characters attacked - one child maimed, a female character having to deal with unwanted male attentions, lots of characters with child abuse and neglect issues, hint of a suicide (due to magic), and many deaths (all except one happen in the past). This gothic tale is best for older readers.

Slow? Boring? Violent? Newbery possibility? Decide for yourself. This one definitely distinguishes itself.

Reading Level 5.5(less)

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Apr 04, 2013 Linda (Miss Greedybooks) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-suspense, fairy-tales-fables, witches, ya

London 1860.

Gaspare Grisini with his puppet caravan intrigues Clara Wintermute enough to beg for a performance of the fantoccini at her 12th birthday party. The orphans, Parsefall ("I ain't done nuffink), and Lizzie Rose are his helpers.

I enjoyed this story - I would call it a grim fairy tale (pun intended), it is a Newbery metal winner, but I can't say I loved it. It was kept in grimy, dark & foggy London mostly - it added to the gloomy part. The splendor was hinted at more than brought to...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Teresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Set in Victorian London in 1860, Fire Spell will appeal to young readers with a penchant for magical adventure and fantasy. Clara Wintermute comes from a wealthy but rather melancholy family, not surprising given that all her siblings were wiped out by cholera. She longs for some excitement in her life and this comes in the shape of the puppeteer, Grisini, a Fagin-like character and his young urchin assistants, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall (the Artful Dodger?). Unfortunately, in true Victorian melo...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Special K rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juv-ya, first-reads

I must admit, I am pretty shocked at all the good reviews and high ratings I'm seeing for this book.

So no one else felt that this story just dragged on and on, and that you had to just force yourself to bite the bullet and finish it? And no one else felt disappointed with the skimpy plot and the pages and pages of useless should-have-been-edited-out-stuff about putting on slippers and walking dogs and such? Did anyone raise an eyebrow at the scary (for kids) imagery of witches burning alive, or...more

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Apr 08, 2013 Jim Erekson rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is tricky. I've been reading so many picturebooks that I had to shift gears to rate a novel. Why? Because I spent so much more time on this book that I want to rate it higher. Just because I read it and liked it, I want to say I "really" liked it. But truth be told, I don't know how many people I'll go out and recommend: "You're going to need to read this book." Again, a five would have to be beyond 'recommendable' and into the 'must have' and 'will re-read' category, and a four would have...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Lu Benke rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: best-reviewed-juvenile-fiction-2012, good-audiobooks

Death, temptation, religion--they are all in here. But the charm of the book for me was in the puppetry-related scenes and the descriptions of the settings. I'm no longer a big fan of fantasy where all things are possible and the deus ex machina reigns supreme, but the magical elements in this book are actually minimal. It is more a story about the characters. The book decidedly got more interesting to me when Cassandra came on the scene. She's the witch, but she is more like a not-nice-yet-stil...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Emma rated it 4 of 5 stars

The year is 1860, and a young Clara Wintermute is looking forward to her twelfth birthday party, in which a puppeteer is coming to create a magical puppet show for Clara and her friends. While the puppet show will be enchanting, Clara is more excited to see the two children who help with the puppet show. They are unlike anyone Clara has ever met, and she actually feels like they genuinely like her, unlike her other friends. For Clara is a very lonely little girl, and it feels as if the ghosts of...more The year is 1860, and a young Clara Wintermute is looking forward to her twelfth birthday party, in which a puppeteer is coming to create a magical puppet show for Clara and her friends. While the puppet show will be enchanting, Clara is more excited to see the two children who help with the puppet show. They are unlike anyone Clara has ever met, and she actually feels like they genuinely like her, unlike her other friends. For Clara is a very lonely little girl, and it feels as if the ghosts of her deceased siblings are everywhere she goes. After the puppet show, Clara Wintermute goes missing. Parsefall and Lizzie Rose, the two orphans who worked as puppeteers, might be the only ones who can save Clara. Tied to Clara’s fate are two dangerous magicians, caught in an age-old battle for power. Amidst the grey world of Victorian London, three children will have to confront magic and ancient curses.

I bought this book at Foyles in London, mainly because Stacey from Pretty Books had heard it was good, and because it looked like the perfect book to buy in London, with Big Ben and St. Paul’s on the cover. I actually read this book in Paris and I quickly got wrapped up in it. I adore the cover art, and the novel as a whole captures and even lives up to the eerie and beautiful picture depicted. I loved the atmosphere presented in the novel, and how Victorian customs, especially pertaining to death, were dealt with in the novel. It was well-researched and interesting historical fiction. The story takes us into the minds of various different characters, from the rich to the poor, the good to the evil. All the characters were all well written and intriguing, and it was nice to see London of the mid 19th century from the perspective of characters from different social standings. Even as I spent my days in Paris I found my mind being drawn back to this book, which I was reading at night. It was well written with a fast moving and unique plot. In the middle I was feeling a little let down, wishing there had been more explanation as to why Grissini did what he did to Clara. In the end, I was very happy with the ending and how the novel took you there. Full of spells, puppetry and impossibilities, Fire Spell was enjoyable read for lovers of fantasy.

4/5(less)

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Nov 30, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bea-2012, 2012-favorites

4.5 Stars.

Any reader who has found themselves enraptured by the world of Charles Dickons will be happy to surround themselves with a similar beauty and grime in the aptly titled Splendors and Glooms. Laura Amy Schlitz utilizes her fantastical prose to steep us in the wonders of a Victorian child’s world. Children have the capacity to believe in anything, and they feel everything so acutely–such is the shape of the magic in this story.

Three children brought together through a set of unfortunate c...more 4.5 Stars.

Any reader who has found themselves enraptured by the world of Charles Dickons will be happy to surround themselves with a similar beauty and grime in the aptly titled Splendors and Glooms. Laura Amy Schlitz utilizes her fantastical prose to steep us in the wonders of a Victorian child’s world. Children have the capacity to believe in anything, and they feel everything so acutely–such is the shape of the magic in this story.

Three children brought together through a set of unfortunate circumstances are bound by need. Clara, the only surviving child of a wealthy family feels incredibly alone despite her place in good society. Knowing that her parents would have rather she died than her twin brother, she feels she is not really allowed to live life when her parents are so fixated on death. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are the poor assistants to the foreign puppet master, Grisini. Lizzie Rose knew family and love at one time, and refuses to comport herself as anything but a lady of the most humble nature, certain things will turn out in the end. Parsefall is a nine-fingered thief and skilled young puppeteer who pushes away all of Lizzie Rose’s attempts to treat him as a brother, his sense of reality too acute for the feelings and responsibilities of others.

While a unique and mystifying magic drives the story of Splendors and Glooms, it is the strong characters and their relationships that make this such a memorable book. The children involved are brave, and so hopeful despite their close acquaintance with the hard realities of life and death. Grisini is precisely the type of manipulative villain one should most fear, the type who will stop at nothing to gain a better foothold in the world and can charm the right people into giving it to him. Cassandra, an old rival of Grisini, determined to hold onto her pampered life with tooth and nail can easily be marked as one of the most complex and sympathetic villains I have yet to encounter. I am in awe of Laura Ann Schlitz’s ability to make me open my heart not only to these children, but to the very woman who puts them in the greatest danger.

Splendors and Glooms brings to life the wonder and innocence to be found in a puppet show, the beauty of weightlessness, and the power of belief. Unaware of their positions as pawns in the machinations of sorcery, these three children take us through the streets of London to the English countryside. Each setting holds its dangers, but as ever, in Splendors and Glooms looks are deceiving. A perfect winter read, the cool creepiness of the story settled in the wonderland of the snow covered country manor makes it an ideal companion for chilly winter evenings.

For once I adore both the US and UK covers, and though I do prefer the title Splendors and Glooms for its nuance, the text used for Fire Spell is beautiful–I can almost hear it crackling. I find it very interesting that in a story featuring three children, we get a picture of all three only by seeing both covers together–the UK cover features Clara, the US Parsefall and Lizzie Rose.

Beautifully written, Laura Amy Schlitz will captivate readers of all ages. Splendors and Glooms is not only one of my favorite Middle Grade reads of the year, it is one of my favorite reads of the year period. Seriously friends, read this book. The twists and turns of the plot, while not always unpredictable were always filled with the power to horrify or fill my heart with warmth. It is a story woven so subtly that you hardly know how you have been drawn in until it has already taken you.

Originally reviewed at Bunbury in the Stacks.(less)

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May 05, 2013 The Writer of Dream Things rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: friendship, middle-grade

Splendors and Glooms is the type of book I wish I'd written. Set in Victorian England, rife with orphans and evil puppeters, mystery and magic, the story tells the tale of Clara, a rich girl whose supposedly easy life is not so easy at all, and Parsefall and Lizzie Rose, orphan apprentices to a puppeter who is more than he seems. The past of the puppeter and his connection to a witch named Cassandra and an intriguing stone called a fire opal draw the children into a web of treachery and evil mag...more Splendors and Glooms is the type of book I wish I'd written. Set in Victorian England, rife with orphans and evil puppeters, mystery and magic, the story tells the tale of Clara, a rich girl whose supposedly easy life is not so easy at all, and Parsefall and Lizzie Rose, orphan apprentices to a puppeter who is more than he seems. The past of the puppeter and his connection to a witch named Cassandra and an intriguing stone called a fire opal draw the children into a web of treachery and evil magic--a web they may not escape.

While the book is not fast-paced by any means, I finished it within three days, grabbing it any chance I could get when I wasn't doing my chores or spending time with my family. The book is peppered with funny, touching moments that even out the sorrowful, eerie tone. Whether a kind constable or melodramatic landlady, the characters make this book feel as homey as a Charles Dickens novel--it makes the time period shine and come alive in the readers' minds.

The children are all superbly developed, often in surprising ways. While Parsefall and Lizzie Rose have a brother-sister relationship, it is by no means easy-going or overly affectionate. I found myself wanting to reach out and adopt these two sad children through the pages of the novel. Clara was by no means just a spoiled rich brat; she had a sadness and a story all her own, with struggles to overcome. And the names! Wintermute and Parsefall and Lizzie Rose--completely enchanting and otherworldly and absolutely WONDERFUL!

While I found this book in the Juvenile section of my local library, I think teenagers and adults alike would be charmed by this beautiful, haunting, and heartwarming tale. While it was not quite as eerie as I was expecting, it was a wonderful surprise to discover what truly lay within its covers. There were a few sprinklings of language here and there--taking the Lord's name in vain--that stop this book from being a complete five stars in my opinion, but I definitely recommend this book for those searching for something to remind them of the classics from childhood.

Four stars!(less)

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Apr 05, 2013 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Ages 9-12

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, juv-fiction, magic, newbery-honor, adventure, juv-mystery

Clara Wintermute, the only child of a wealthy doctor and his wife, is spellbound by master puppeteer Gaspare Grisini's puppets and invites him to perform at her home for her twelfth birthday party. Grisini and his two orphaned assistants, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall Hooke, are impressed by the kind of lifestyle Clara has. However, sad and lonely Clara lives in a grief-stricken home as the only surviving child who didn't eat diseased watercress seven years prior.

When Clara is kidnapped the night af...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Avery Maxwell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, mystery, 5th-grade-and-up

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 01, 2013 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile-fantasy

It took me a while to warm to this book, and I finally realized that it was the villain of the first half, Grisini, that I didn't like. He was just too slimy to be believable, and that annoyed me greatly. The other villain, Cassandra, was more believable to me, and I found her to be a convincing classic villain...powerful enough to get away with a great deal, and convincing enough that no one would stop her until it was too late.
I liked Clara and Lizzie Rose more than Parsefall, until it became...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Pamela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: award-winning, engrossing, fantasy, middle-grade, readin2013

Having not really loved the two previous books I'd read by Laura Amy Schlitz, I was a bit hesitant about trying Splendors and Glooms. Anything that gets slapped with the "Dickensian!" label automatically makes me raise an eyebrow, and I generally don't have good luck with award winners/honorees. However, this story really grabbed me--Ms. Schlitz should really keep writing longer books. I mean, this one could have been a lot longer and more detailed and I think it would have been perfect (but the...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Definitely my favourite book I have ever read. This book is amazing, consisting mainly of horror, historical fiction, and fantasy, with just a little bit of romance (though it can be interpreted differently with different people).

There was not a single character I ended up hating. And what I mean by that is not that I thought the characters were all 'good' and faultless, but that they were all interesting, had depth, and this book shows how 3 kids with very different personalities come together...more

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Feb 16, 2013 Dorota rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-kids

SO PROUD OF MY KID'S TASTE IN BOOKS

I found this book laying around on the sofa after one of my Twin Terror Daughters had finished it.

After leafing through it I found it quite good, so stayed up all night and read it myself. The official summary / review says "Dickens would have been proud"; I say so would Dr Who:

Let's just say - the book was cool!

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Feb 13, 2013 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-literature, 4th-grade, 5th-grade, 6th-grade, england, london, magic, magicians, marionettes, orphans, kidnapping, witches, curses, historical-fiction, great-britain, newbery-author, newbery-honor-author, newbery-honor-book

Clara has been living in the shadow of her dead brothers and sisters for a long time. Every birthday and holiday her father and mother take her to the family mausoleum where the rest of the children are buried. Clara hates this. She wants joy in her life.

She finds a way to bring some joy into her house when she encounters a puppet show one day on a walk with her governess. She begs her father to contract the performers for a special presentation at her house for her birthday. Her father strongly...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Deborah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-school, fantasy

This is a historical novel with some magic/fantasy thrown in, a very nice combination! It is about two orphaned children, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall, work for a puppeteer in Victorian England and what happens when the puppeteer is called to give a show at the birthday party of a rich little girl named Clara. The story is told from varying points of view including each of the three children and several adults that also appear in the story. Another reviewer commented that some of the imagery is har...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Grace rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am a sucker for gothic books featuring urchins and evil people. I just am. They have to be seriously evil people, though - sinister, threatening. And this book delivers.

This book was absolutely delightful. The children are smart and resourceful, the adults complex and frequently incorrect, and almost everything's grimy to the touch. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are assistants to the suspicious puppetmaster Grisini, invited to entertain at Clara Wintermute's birthday party. Lizzie Rose and Parsefa...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Tim Roast rated it 4 of 5 stars

The novel starts in a fog-hit London 1860 and follows orphans Parsefall and Lizzie Rose. They've been taken in by the evil Grisini the puppet-master to help him with his puppet act. Gaspare Grisini is wonderfully painted as the evil, sinister, shifty old man a la Fagin. Theirs is a life of poverty and they are summoned to do a birthday performance for Clara, a 12-year-old child who lost all 4 of her brothers and sisters to cholera. At the performance there is a brilliantly-written scene of the s...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Margaret rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is not a book for young children, juvenile fiction though it may be. However, I do feel that it is juvenile rather than young adult fiction, despite the scenes of women being burned alive. I've read other decidedly juvenile fiction books where folks die gruesome deaths (the Grimm fairy tales come to mind) and some evem have cannibles. It can still be jivenile fiction.

The chapters are short and perspective changes each chapter. However, time is linear and so progresses every chapter: you're...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Hilary rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, grades-5-6, grades-7-8, historical-fiction

When Clara Wintermute asks to have "The Phenomenal professor Grisini and His Venetian Fantoccini" perform for her birthday she is surprised and exhilarated when her father reluctantly agrees. Not only will the puppet show be exciting, but she knows Grisini will bring along his two apprentices who she hopes to befriend during tea before her party guests arrive. Lizzie Rose, the girl, is gracious, and Parsefall, the boy, is impatient, but Clara is thrilled to have companionship that usually eludes...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Cleo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books, review-copy

Splendors and Glooms has been called Dickensian, but it has its own distinctive style. Clara Wintermute, the only (living) daughter of a wealthy doctor, is spellbound by the master puppeteer Gaspare Grisini's puppets, and invites him to perform at her home for her birthday party. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are Grisini's two orphan assistants, and are dazzled by Clara's home. They've never seen such wealth. Clara seems to have everything they lack: loving parents and enough to eat. But the truth i...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Emmet O'Neal Library- Children's Department rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, mystery, fantasy, scary

This one is dark, dark, dark. It has all the elements of a truly macabre tale: fire, fog, ice, blood, and, of course, orphans.

Gaspare Grisini does marionette shows with his two charges, Parsefall and Lizzie Rose. He has taken them in, but he is certainly not fatherly. The day after performing in the Wintermute home for Clara Wintermute’s birthday party, the children discover that Clara has gone missing and suspect Grisini. But what has he done with her?

Their problems are compounded when Grisini...more

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Oct 13, 2012 Allison rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, childrens

A story reminiscent of a Grimm fairy tale, with setting, telling, and characters so Victorian I could practically smell the fog. I've seen the word "dickensian" used multiple times in descriptions. It was obvious that Schlitz was painstaking not only in her research, but also in her construction and development of the story and characters. This book is complex--surprisingly so for a children's book. The pacing is slower than most, but the story is intriguing and the rounded characters likable, d...more

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Oct 08, 2012 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Splendors and Glooms is a creepy, captivating story; dark and light at once. Gaspare Grisini, is a devilishly evil puppeteer who owns two children that do his bidding and work: Lizzie Rose, noble and true and Parsefall, a talented scamp. They perform marionette shows around the streets of Victorian London, an “icy stew of mud and straw, horse manure and urine.”

It is at one of these shows that their paths cross with Clara Wintermute, the daughter of a well to do doctor. Clara’ life, though bless...more Splendors and Glooms is a creepy, captivating story; dark and light at once. Gaspare Grisini, is a devilishly evil puppeteer who owns two children that do his bidding and work: Lizzie Rose, noble and true and Parsefall, a talented scamp. They perform marionette shows around the streets of Victorian London, an “icy stew of mud and straw, horse manure and urine.”

It is at one of these shows that their paths cross with Clara Wintermute, the daughter of a well to do doctor. Clara’ life, though blessed, is far from happy. Her four siblings have all died of cholera and she bares the secret shame of surviving. Secrets and lies, combined with magic and morbid cruelty unite the children in a fight for survival and a desire to live with honest care and love.

The final part of the story develops through the tale of the dying witch, Cassandra. She has drawn her lasting power from the fire opal that is now consuming her very life. As she tries to save herself she calls them all from the city. Grisini, Lizzie Rose, Parsefall and the magic that surrounds, consumes and saves them. Spells are woven and broken as the children discover only they can undo the folly and malevolence placed on earth by the blinding greed of adults.

This book makes my skin crawl. The image rich language brings history to life – every bit of it; the feel, the sound, the smell. Poverty is here, desperate and raw – in striking contrast between those with warm food and gifts and parties. Those with
means and those without is strongly is a vivid image in this book for me. That children can be bought and sold because there is no one to care for them, and then once bought, there is no public eye to their continuing care and well-being makes me wonder. Have times changed all that much?

Read Splendors and Glooms for its unique story, its incredible language, it’s vivid look into history and lingering images that stay with you long after you are done reading. Will you be inspired to learn more, to take action and to recognize the need to kindnesses in our lives no matter how small?
(less)

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Sep 26, 2012 Donna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The setting is Victorian London. There is plenty of fog, crime, hunger, urchins, and orphans. Clara sees a puppet show in the park and wants them to perform at her birthday. Her parents, having lost Clara’s two siblings and her twin to Cholera, tend to give her what she wants. Grisini, the puppet master, and his two young assistants,(orphans that he has “saved”) are enthralled with Clara’s house. Clara is enchanted with the assistants and wants to become friends.

Enter Cassandra, the witch. Ther...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-award-possibilities, newbery-honor

While this book is too dense for my personal tastes, the writing is excellent with no missteps. Every character is fascinating--even the ones who seemed like they were going to be stock figures at first (that is, most or all of the adults). Nicely atmospheric of London, the English countryside, AND Venice. This isn't a particularly talky or intellectual book and probably has a wider potential audience than it would seem. It certainly has a well-earned shot at the Newbery, but is not, frankly, a...more

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Sep 07, 2012 The Rusty Key rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reviewed by Rusty Key Writer: Jordan B. Nielsen

Recommended for: Ages 10 to 12 for explicit violence against children, overt suggestion of adult sexuality and alcoholism, and overall macabre tone. The third person narrative is split between two female characters and one male character, but though the male character is sufficiently boyish, the preciousness of the Victorian Gothic genre is likely better suited to girls.

One Word Summary: Dreary.

As an exercise in genre replication, Splendors and Glo...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed reading this suspense-filled tale of magic and mystery set in 1860 London and Strachan's Ghyll in 1861. While it takes awhile for all the connections among the characters to be revealed, I appreciated being given the time to figure out what each one's secret was. This is one of those books in which it's hard to decide which person is most evil: Cassandra the witch or her archnemesis, the puppet master. Clearly, the author has more sympathy for Cassandra since she reveals aspects of the...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Clara is entranced by the puppetry of Grisini when she sees a street show in 1860, so she asks if he can entertain at her birthday party. She is also interested in his "children", who are really orphans who work for him, and would like to have them to tea before the party. Lizzie Rose's father was an actor, and she is fairly well brought up, but Parsefall is entrenched in being a street urchin and can only think about what he can steal from Clara's house. Clara is glad to talk to the children be...more Clara is entranced by the puppetry of Grisini when she sees a street show in 1860, so she asks if he can entertain at her birthday party. She is also interested in his "children", who are really orphans who work for him, and would like to have them to tea before the party. Lizzie Rose's father was an actor, and she is fairly well brought up, but Parsefall is entrenched in being a street urchin and can only think about what he can steal from Clara's house. Clara is glad to talk to the children because her mother has never recovered from the death, from cholera, of four of Clara's siblings. Every birthday and holiday is spent visiting their tomb and looking at pictures. After Grisini leaves Clara's, Clara disappears. It is thought that she has run away, but when a new puppet shows up looking suspiciously like Clara, Lizzie Rose thinks something more sinister has occurred. Shortly after being questioned by the police, Grisini leaves the house and does not return. Thinking he is injured and not in his right mind, his wards fear for their survival, but are kindly taken care of by their landlady, Mrs. Pinchbeck. After a while of trying to continue the shows to earn a small amount of money, Lizzie Rose finds a letter to Grisini in Parsefalls pocket, and the two set out to the estate of the sender, a Cassandra Sargredo who lives at Strachan's Ghyll. Cassandra worked with Grisini years ago and needs his help, but doesn't want to ask for it. There is more evil at work than the fact that Clara is a puppet, and if Lizzie Rose and Parsefall aren't careful, they will fall under the curse of the fire store amulet that has enslaved Cassandra for so many years. Can they manage to elude this magic and return Clara to her grieving family?
Strengths: This was an enthralling book-- like watching a really good Masterpiece Theater. Schlitz does an excellent job at depicting this time period (or a bit later-- think A Drowned Maiden's Hair), and the wealth of details really made the plight of all the children that much more harrowing.
Weaknesses: As much as I would LIKE Dickens to be the new Dystopis (http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/2...), I have not been able to convince my students of this. I will probably buy a copy, especially if my picky reader daughter likes it, but it may take a bit of selling for students to pick it up. (less)

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About Laura Amy Schlitz

Laura Amy Schlitz has spent most of her life as a librarian and professional storyteller. She is currently a librarian at the Park School in Baltimore, where she has worked since 1991. She is a winner of the 2008 John Newbery award for her book Good Masters, Sweet Ladies!

Ms. Schlitz lives in the Loch Hill section of Baltimore County. She is single with no children.

She has also been a playwright,...more

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Books by Laura Amy Schlitz

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village

The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm

The Hero Schliemann: The Dreamer Who Dug for Troy

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Quotes from Fire Spell

“You know how it is. Someone pretends to love you, and you give too much away.” — 4 people liked it

“He pried Clara's arms loose and stood up, smoothing his wrinkled coat. Clara looked straight into his face. Her eyelids were red, but her gaze was like a lance. Dr. Wintermute had a sudden, uncomfortable conviction that she had seen into his soul. It was a look he was to remember often in the weeks to come.” — 1 person liked it

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Fire Spell

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