19th out of 160 books
—
230 voters
A Tangle of Knots
by
Lisa Graff
Told in multiple viewpoints, A Tangle of Knots is a magnificent puzzle. In a slightly magical world where everyone has a Talent, eleven-year-old Cady is an orphan with a phenomenal Talent for cake baking. But little does she know that fate has set her on a journey from the moment she was born. And her destiny leads her to a mysterious address that houses a lost luggage emp...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
February 12th 2013
by Philomel
(first published February 5th 2013)
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Jun 16, 2013
Stuti
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of dragon tales and readers in a slump
Recommended to Stuti by:
i can find cool books on my own too, you know
Shelves:
magical-realism
This is a demure, delightful, enchanting book. If it were a color, it'd be mauve.
Think rescuing a lighter for noble purposes was the most whimsy task you'd been sent to accomplish? Well, here's another.
Try searching fifty years for a suitcase.
It was a very old suitcase, but sturdy and well-loved, boxy and large as a small child, with worn corners and three small dimples near the left clasp. Across the top a cursive scrawl of silver thread spelled out the brand: St. Anthony’s.
But now now, this i...more
Think rescuing a lighter for noble purposes was the most whimsy task you'd been sent to accomplish? Well, here's another.
Try searching fifty years for a suitcase.
It was a very old suitcase, but sturdy and well-loved, boxy and large as a small child, with worn corners and three small dimples near the left clasp. Across the top a cursive scrawl of silver thread spelled out the brand: St. Anthony’s.
But now now, this i...more
I have a Talent for burning food into unrecognizable rock-like chunks that Ker-plunk when tossed into the garbage can. The people of Poughkeepsie either have a Talent or they don't. The worst thing for a person in Pookie - I mean Poughkeepsie - is to have no Talent. Those that don't tend to be "Middlings" or middle children. (That explains my Talent woes). Poor Middling Marigold is one of those with no Talents and she's desperately trying to find it. When we first meet her in the story, she is t...more
This book is nearly impossible to summarize, as it intertwines the stories of several families and individuals who live in a world in which most people have small Talents. Cady has a Talent for cake-making, Will has a Talent for getting lost, Zane has a Talent for spitting. Thanks to a series of unexpected events, they all end up in the same boardinghouse, run by a man obsessed with collecting blue suitcases--and Talents. Throughout the story motifs are repeated--the blue suitcases, a large beig...more
I very much enjoyed this fun little book about an orphan, but something holds me back from loving it.
The many coincidences did not bother me, because the themes of fate and destiny running through the book were consistent.
I saw most of the plot twists coming a million miles away. That didn't bother me too much, because I liked feeling clever when I was right. I'm not sure if the intended audience, who will have less background expectations, will see the twists telegraphed so obviously.
I wish t...more
The many coincidences did not bother me, because the themes of fate and destiny running through the book were consistent.
I saw most of the plot twists coming a million miles away. That didn't bother me too much, because I liked feeling clever when I was right. I'm not sure if the intended audience, who will have less background expectations, will see the twists telegraphed so obviously.
I wish t...more
A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff is spectacular! I loved this book from the first word to the last. It is different strands of one intricately woven story!
Each chapter gives you a look at one character and how they deal with everything going on around them. As you read, those seemingly unrelated strands get tangled together to give you the perfect blend of life.
In a world of Talented (those who have a special Talent) or Fair (those who don't or haven't found their Talent) people, is a cast of cha...more
Each chapter gives you a look at one character and how they deal with everything going on around them. As you read, those seemingly unrelated strands get tangled together to give you the perfect blend of life.
In a world of Talented (those who have a special Talent) or Fair (those who don't or haven't found their Talent) people, is a cast of cha...more
A great magical story where no one dies; no one is scarily evil; and the magic of the characters consists of everyday activities: being good at knitting, baking or, as the title suggests, tying knots.
The very last part is what I loved most about Knots. Everyone has a Talent. Those Talents are things that an everyday, average person could also be good at. Some Talents were useful: baking, and some were mundane: floating two feet off the ground. No one in the story had abilities that you would ty...more
The very last part is what I loved most about Knots. Everyone has a Talent. Those Talents are things that an everyday, average person could also be good at. Some Talents were useful: baking, and some were mundane: floating two feet off the ground. No one in the story had abilities that you would ty...more
One person I trust (and you should, too!) for middle grade recommendations is Charlotte of Charlotte’s Library. When she reviewed Lisa Graff’s A Tangle of Knots and mentioned fantasy and baking in the same breath, I knew this would be a book for me. And so it is – the charming story and tasty recipes included at chapter’s end are light, lovely reading.
A Tangle of Knots is a gem of a story: short, sweet, magical, and full of unexpected characters and connections. It centers on Cady, a diminutive...more
A Tangle of Knots is a gem of a story: short, sweet, magical, and full of unexpected characters and connections. It centers on Cady, a diminutive...more
A TANGLE OF KNOTS is a story told in bits and pieces, where every little bit connects and creates a whole that is lovely and magical. What at first seems random is interconnected, people moving in and out of each other's lives in the most unexpected ways.
Cady is an orphan with a Talent for baking cakes. That's talent with a capital T. The world of A TANGLE OF KNOTS is much like ours except for the fact that most people have Talents. It can take awhile to find yours, and it may not be impressive,...more
Cady is an orphan with a Talent for baking cakes. That's talent with a capital T. The world of A TANGLE OF KNOTS is much like ours except for the fact that most people have Talents. It can take awhile to find yours, and it may not be impressive,...more
Mar 20, 2013
Sharon Lawler
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
a-fiction-middle,
a-fantasy
Tangle of Knots brought together elements from some of my favorite books of the past few years! The characters all have a Talent, which makes the story reminiscent of Ingrid Law’s Savvy, and if they are seemingly untalented, they are labeled Fair, which reminded me of Jane in Lizzie Foley’s Remarkable. The setting is a slightly magical, but very real, Poughkeepsie, NY, and the characters are scattered across the realm of possibilities—pragmatic, oppositional, harried, adventurous, mysterious, co...more
IN A WORLD divided between those with special "Talents" and those who are merely "Fair," a mystery is waiting to be unraveled.
Eleven-year-old Cady is in the first group. Not only does she bake extraordinary cakes, she can ascertain a person's ideal variety of cake just by looking at them. She wins a lot of baking contests. Marigold Asher, on the other hand, is the only Fair member of a Talented family. She spends a lot of time looking for her Talent. And then there's the cantankerous Owner of th...more
I was surprised how complex this story was. So many different points of view all came together at the end and I almost feel like another 100 pages could have been added to the story.
We start the book with Cady baking her cakes at the orphanage. Ido t even know how to describe the plot from here because it is so interwoven with other stories. Marigold is desperate to find her talent, Zane uses his for mischief, Will is searching for an adventure, The Owner steals talents, V cannot communicate, M...more
We start the book with Cady baking her cakes at the orphanage. Ido t even know how to describe the plot from here because it is so interwoven with other stories. Marigold is desperate to find her talent, Zane uses his for mischief, Will is searching for an adventure, The Owner steals talents, V cannot communicate, M...more
A Tangle of Knots reminded me of Ingrid Law's Savvy. In both MG novels, we've got some characters with special, unique talents or powers. In A Tangle of Knots, readers meet a large cast of characters--children and adults, some more obviously talented than others in terms of magic. If we have a true main character, it would be Cady, a young girl with a talent for KNOWING precisely what kind of cake to bake for each person she meets. She has a way of knowing what each person's perfectly-perfect ca...more
May 15, 2013
Heather
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
tween readers
Shelves:
libr-264-tweens-9-13-age-group
Cady was left at the steps of Miss Mallory’s Home for Lost Girls. As she grew up there, she developed a special talent for baking cakes that perfectly matched any person anywhere. Miss Mallory on the other hand, had a talent for picking the right family for each orphaned girl who stayed with her, except Cady; but Miss Mallory strongly believed that the perfect parents were out there just waiting to adopt her. Marigold Asher longed to develop a talent. Both her brothers had one; Zane’s talent was...more
I'm definitely a reader who wants to understand everything that's going on from the very beginning of a text, even though mystery and tension in a book is so delicious! Tangle of Knots is definitely a book that you just have to let go and enjoy. I tried too hard in the beginning of the book to figure out how everyone would come together, and it was a frustrating experience. Once I let go and just enjoyed the story for the story's sake, I found this book to be a delight. The characters are inter...more
A Tangle of Knots is a colorful testimony of fate. Lisa Graff has tangled the stories of an assortment of characters into one endearing story of love and hope.
In this world, nearly everyone has a talent. You may be able to knit an afghan in minutes, lick a hundred envelopes in seconds, make a perfect match or tie a perfect knot. Mystery and irony carry the reader through a journey of amazing coincidences. When a car crash, a rogue hot air balloon and wordless woman collide with awkward man and a...more
In this world, nearly everyone has a talent. You may be able to knit an afghan in minutes, lick a hundred envelopes in seconds, make a perfect match or tie a perfect knot. Mystery and irony carry the reader through a journey of amazing coincidences. When a car crash, a rogue hot air balloon and wordless woman collide with awkward man and a...more
Sweet story that has a dark side similar to Something Wicked This Way Comes. In a world where everyone has a talent if you haven't found yours yet it can be a worrisome time. Cady, an orphan who wants to find a family, is a fantastic baker and can choose the perfect cake for everyone in the town. Cady's friend Marigold is searching for her talent along with one of her brothers. What is going on in the Old Luggage Emporium and its owner (a character who could be straight out of a Stephen King nov...more
Unravel this tale and you will find a gem, wrapped in the lives of an eclectic collection of individuals. You’ll also find cake. Dust off your cake pans and pull out the butter and flour, because you’ll need them, along with a delightful array of ingredients.
From Cady, who’s trying to find the perfect family, to Zane who finally, finally discovers that he’s not WORTHLESS, to V, voiceless and yet so skilled with words, this great little book is jam-packed with the most wonderful characters. They...more
From Cady, who’s trying to find the perfect family, to Zane who finally, finally discovers that he’s not WORTHLESS, to V, voiceless and yet so skilled with words, this great little book is jam-packed with the most wonderful characters. They...more
For a elementary school chapter book, I thought the plot and characters were quite appropriate for the intended audience. But I must say, I thought some of the language was too easy for them -- I would have liked it to challenge readers a bit more. (I was also quite surprised that the book contained two curse words, since the book was approved for ages 8+. It would be easy enough to white-out or edit for a personal library, but not for a library.)
However, one of the best aspects of the book was...more
However, one of the best aspects of the book was...more
Tangle of Knots isn't completely novel, but it blends together familiar elements: individuals' special abilities (Savvy), the ability to cook one's emotions into food (Like Water for Chocolate), and mystery (similar a little bit in feel to The Westing Game) to make a wonderful little j-fiction book. Lisa Graff clearly spent some time planning out to make all of the strands of the characters' story-lines come together, and although Tangle of Knots is a feel-good story in which coincidence/fate co...more
Children's fiction (4th-6th or even as a readaloud to/with 1st-3rd); lightweight magic and a bit of sweet suspense. The publisher's description will tell you that Graff has expertly "woven together" these characters' stories in a delightful mix of adventure, mystery, and cake recipes, and that is for the most part an accurate description. I enjoyed this tale, reading it through in one sitting, and could easily see it as a children's/child-and-parent book club selection--though there are a good 9...more
How many of you string up Christmas lights during the holidays? And how many of you get stuck untangling the massive hunks of bulbs and wire while some adult in your life is high up on a ladder, stringing them from the roof or the Christmas tree?
That is the whole idea behind this book. How the stories of many different people can become so tangled up in each other that you don’t know where one story ends and another begins. If there were one main character in this tangled up mystery, it would ha...more
That is the whole idea behind this book. How the stories of many different people can become so tangled up in each other that you don’t know where one story ends and another begins. If there were one main character in this tangled up mystery, it would ha...more
Everyone has a talent - someone can whistle, someone can spit, another can knit, and one can bake amazing cakes. Each talent is unique and special. Some people know their talent and use it, while others continue to look for their talent. Everyone's stories and talents intermingle as history and modern events collide.
A Tangle of Knots was touted as a story similar to Savvy by Ingrid Law. I loved Savvy, so I requested this title as soon as I was able! Yes, the book reflects similar talents that ch...more
A Tangle of Knots was touted as a story similar to Savvy by Ingrid Law. I loved Savvy, so I requested this title as soon as I was able! Yes, the book reflects similar talents that ch...more
This "Tangle of Knots" has several characters but the protagonist is Cadence - a young orphan - also known as Cady. There's a bit of mystery - and lots of recipes for cakes. Complicated recipes. Cady has a Talent for baking but I am guessing most ten year-olds out there might need quite a bit of help to reproduce Cady's masterpieces.
Because of the cake-baking and orphan protagonist, it is somewhat similar to "Cake: Love, chickens, and a taste of peculiar" by Magnin. But I really felt it is a yo...more
Because of the cake-baking and orphan protagonist, it is somewhat similar to "Cake: Love, chickens, and a taste of peculiar" by Magnin. But I really felt it is a yo...more
Hmmm... 2 stars seems kinda harsh, and yet, I don't really feel I can say that I actually liked this. The main problem for me was that every single element of the story felt...done before, as if all Graff did was take bits and pieces of other books, shuffle them around a little, and say, "done!" rather than using them to create something new and interesting. I didn't feel like this book at any point took on a life of its own, if that makes sense. And there are a lot of characters, and none of th...more
The world is divided between those with Talents and those who are Fair (or without Talent), but not all Talents are equal. Some are simple, like knot tying or spitting, while others are more complicated, like baking cakes. In Poughkeepsie New York, we meet a group of (mostly) Talented people, including Cady, the cake baker. Cady is an orphan and lives in a relatively unpopulated Orphanage (Miss Molloy's Talent is matching children to parents), yet for some reason Cady is 'unmatchable'. Still, th...more
First, I'm going to be totally honest and admit that I checked this book out from the library because of it's cover. I'm sure many of you will agree that it's just a beautiful cover. Don't you just want to jump right in and join the picnic?
Unfortunately, for me, the story didn't live up to the cover. I found it too confusing and rambling. However, this is one of those times when, knowing my students as I do, I strongly suspect they would really enjoy it and have no problem with the book. I'm wor...more
Unfortunately, for me, the story didn't live up to the cover. I found it too confusing and rambling. However, this is one of those times when, knowing my students as I do, I strongly suspect they would really enjoy it and have no problem with the book. I'm wor...more
This book was a very intriguing read! I haven't read a children's book in a long time, and this was a great re-introduction. A fun read with a cute story line. At first I didn't quite see how all the characters were related, but then I started noticing hints that the author was dropping about the character's interactions. Once I picked up on some of the hints, the story was even more fun to read as I was able to start untangling the clues. Overall, this is an excellent fun story for children abo...more
I think this is a most unique, clever story, and its premise, that everyone has a Talent, and therefore a place where they fit in the world, whether or not they know what it is, is something that everyone struggles with. My only problem with the style is that it was a little too frenetic, and felt like it rushed along, not really making sense, as if the reader is being carried along a swift river and hoping they will have "enjoyed the trip" when they reach destination. I think a little slowing d...more
A blurb about this book said it is "Savvy meets When You Reach Me", and I think that's a good analogy for A Tangle of Knots. The different points of view make this delightful - the reader becomes very invested in each character. Graff weaves a plot that is magical with almost everyone in the book having a Talent, but there is also a Talent stealer. I think I am a good reader, but as the story skipped around with characters in the beginning, none seeming to have anything thing to do with the othe...more
A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff
Target audience: Middle Reader
Rating: Dragon
Cady lives in a magical land where most people have a special talent, those without talents are called Fair. Cady’s talent is baking cakes, in fact, her skill is so formidable she need only look at someone to be able to bake that person’s perfect cake. Miss Mallory’s talent is matching orphans with the perfect family. Cady is the last remaining orphan at the House for Lost Girls in Poughkeepsie, NY. Her adoption sets i...more
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“Life is the grandest adventure one can go on, isn't it?' said the giant kindly (he seemed to be a very friendly giant). 'What else could a person ask for than just to be alive?'
Will knew exactly what else a person could ask for. 'Monsters,' he said. 'And cake.”
—
1 person liked it
More quotes…
Will knew exactly what else a person could ask for. 'Monsters,' he said. 'And cake.”

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