Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival by Dene Low

Feb 02, 2010 Jennifer rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-historical-fiction

I added this disclaimer to my review after a lively conversation with some angry readers who turned out to be the author's grandson and school friend. Out of that discussion I read a blog post by the author. She made several points including that I had missed the satire and was probably someone who just bought into theories without critical analysis. I am not sure about that but I did miss that this book was satire. I thought it was more a spunky heroine, playing around with historical setting t...more

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Oct 16, 2011 Miriam rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: cover-love, mystery, ya, unfinished

The cover and title were so cute that it wasn't a huge shock (although it was a disappointment) to find that the prose was much too precious for my taste. However, my main complaint was that Low has no feel for Victorian society and its mores, and clearly didn't bother to do any research. Probably she's read a couple of romances set during the 19th century and "knows" that people had coming-out parties and cared about their reputations. And wore fancy dresses, of course. That's the main point of...more The cover and title were so cute that it wasn't a huge shock (although it was a disappointment) to find that the prose was much too precious for my taste. However, my main complaint was that Low has no feel for Victorian society and its mores, and clearly didn't bother to do any research. Probably she's read a couple of romances set during the 19th century and "knows" that people had coming-out parties and cared about their reputations. And wore fancy dresses, of course. That's the main point of setting novels in the past, right? The clothes? The attitudes and behaviors of the characters were totally anachronistic*, especially the interactions of individuals of differing classes and genders. No way would a police constable grab by the arm and groundlessly accuse of a crime an aristocrat with an important ministerial position and powerful connections. Not that a 20-year-old would really have such a position! This careless inaccuracy is particularly disappointing in a woman who has a PhD and lists herself in her bio as "teacher."

I wish I wasn't so bothered by this sort of issue, because I did want to see Petronella save Nearly Everyone. She seemed nice enough, even though her character was a little bland. I can see the appeal of this for tween girls who are imagining themselves in Petronella's shoes, having pretty dresses and a cute crush and a staunch best friend. The mystery is not scary or intense or complex.

*I wouldn't call them exactly contemporary, either, though. They actually felt vaguely... 1950s, maybe? Actually, I could see this entire book working really well transposed to the 50s! The cutesy sort of teasing way of flirting, the gendered-but-not-so-restricted behavior, the cops hassling the teens. Petronella could wear a poodle skirt! Jack could have a hot rod! And the bug-eating uncle is already reminiscent of the cheesy 1950s sci-fi films, with their ray guns and giant insects. It could be awesome! I'm guessing from her bio that Low was at least born in the 50s and probably has a good feel for that time.(less)

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Aug 04, 2011 Anna added it

A review on the back of The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival: Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone, by Dene Low, describes the narrative as "frothy," and nothing could be more true. The plot (best approached without looking too closely at the details, or it might collapse under the weight of its own frothiness) concerns the kidnapping of two dignitaries on the eve of narrator Petronella Arbuthnot's sixteenth birthday. With the aid of her insect-ingesting uncle Augustus, bosom friend Jane...more

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Mar 23, 2011 DeAnne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-library, young-adult

I loved this book. Loved it. It is a spot-on Regency spoof, without being spoofy at all. The story itself is entertaining, the protagonist's voice is delightful, the action is hysterical. The shades of Jane Austin are impossible to miss, but it's a delicate lavender shading. Anything more (or less), would be unseemly.

This is a lovely, light afternoon romp through wondrous estates, The Home Office, the seedy docks of London and mad Selleresque plots to overthrow the Crown.

This delightful comedy...more

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Dec 19, 2010 Erin Reilly-Sanders rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, teen, historical

For some reason I feel a little confused by this one. For one, I feel like I should have been better amused by this book. I enjoy mysteries, historical pieces, and especially books with a heavy handed sprinkle of smart humour. All these things we're present and yet I still didn't feel drawn in by the inescapable charm of the book. The characters are rather shallow but make up for it in witty dialog. The requisite romance is there but seems rather static- Petronella is in love with James, who is...more

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Nov 08, 2010 Emily Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

I struggled with what rating to give this book. The fact is, the plot is not brilliant. The kidnapping and the international intrigue weren't terribly compelling and were a bit hard to follow; I still have no idea why the Colombians were kidnapping the Panamanians . . . or was it vice versa? And I found Uncle Augustus's bug eating rather more annoying than funny, which is rather unfortunate because I think that's going to be the point of the entire series.

But for all this, I really liked the boo...more

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Oct 16, 2010 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Picture Junior Asparagus from Veggie Tales saying "that is disgusting" and you have an idea what is running through my head right now. Wow.
I don't even know where to begin. Maybe with the title.
It comes across kind of childish..."Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone" and that is what first caught my attention. It was a quick read, with a most facinating and disturbing plot.
Petronella is a young lady in Victorian England whose guardian and uncle is hosting her 16th birthday coming-out-party when he...more

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Mar 05, 2010 J.Elle rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a quick read. I would consider some of the dialogue to be witty, but my impression was that the author tried to outdo herself and it became rather repetitive. When was the last time you read a book where the word hirsute was used? Try 3 times. That's overkill, in my opinion. I realized rather quickly that rather than being a book about a mystery with bugs thrown in, this was a book about bugs with a mystery thrown in. A young girl's guardian accidentally ingests a beetle and finds he su...more

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Oct 31, 2009 Sandra Stiles rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grades

Petronella is preparing for her coming out party when disaster strikes. An unknown type of beetle flies into her Uncle's mouth. As her guardian she needs him to be there for her. He is suddenly behaving very peculiar. He is snatching bugs out of the air and eating them. As the party approaches her Uncle tries to behave himself. Unfortunately while trying to nab a tasty delight he causes the party tent to collapse on the guests. When everyone is removed they realize that the Count and Countess ha...more

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Jun 16, 2009 Books and Literature for Teens rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1800s, comedy-humor, historical-fiction, suspense-mystery, young-adult

What if your uncle (and guardian) started eating bugs? What if, on your coming out party, two important guest-and later, your dearest friend-were kidnapped? What if your heart's true love still treated you like a little sister? And finally, what if your pesky, insane relatives got wind of this scandal and came knocking at your door?
Preposterous you say! But it's exactly what happens to Petronella Arbuthnot. Now it is up to her, Uncle Augusts, the handsome Lord James Sinclair, several old biddy a...more

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Feb 17, 2010 Maureen E rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, fantasy, mystery, middle-grade-and-younger

I really, really wanted to like this book. Really, really. And it was fun. A light, sparkling romp through English country houses and London, complete with spunky heroine and bug-eating uncle. I did appreciate that Petronella was spunky but also very concerned with society’s rules (at least at the beginning) and very interested in clothes. Because, honestly, most of us are somewhat concerned with society’s rules and interested in clothes. So she rang a little more true as a girl of her times (La...more I really, really wanted to like this book. Really, really. And it was fun. A light, sparkling romp through English country houses and London, complete with spunky heroine and bug-eating uncle. I did appreciate that Petronella was spunky but also very concerned with society’s rules (at least at the beginning) and very interested in clothes. Because, honestly, most of us are somewhat concerned with society’s rules and interested in clothes. So she rang a little more true as a girl of her times (Late Victorian/Early Edwardian?) than many other historical fiction novels, where the heroine seems intent on proving just how much she hates society’s rules and has a mind above material things. The mystery itself was interesting, with enough gravity to it that the fact that they were running all over London trying to solve it didn’t seem quite so silly as it might have otherwise.

But.

I hate to say this. Unfortunately, two things detracted from the story for me. The first were some of the phrases Petronella used (it’s narrated in first person from her point of view). They just clunked. It was the same problem I’ve had with several of the Lady Emily Ashton mysteries–clearly they were meant to convey a sense of historicity. That is, they were meant to create the illusion that the book was actually written at the time it’s set. However, I am willing to swear that these particular phrases had never been seriously uttered or written by anyone since the early 19th century. So, the gambit to make me believe in the historical aspect of the book didn’t work.

The other problem I had was James. At first I liked the idea that she already had a secret crush on him and knew it, so her central journey wasn’t finding out that *gasp* she likes him. However, again, the description just grated on my nerves after about forty pages. It seemed like an average of once a page Petronella was gazing longing at him, detailing his adorable smile or great muscles or beautiful hair. It all got to be a bit much and *cough* like a certain series I could name but won’t. In the end, I didn’t believe in James as a character. Even worse, the fact that she would stop in the middle of an important investigation to stare longingly at him kept me from completely buying Petronella as an investigator.

Ultimate verdict? Very good premise with a shaky execution. If you’re in the mood for something light and humorous, it might be worth giving it a try.

Book source: Inter-library loan(less)

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Nov 03, 2009 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

I remember hearing part of this book in a writers workshop and thinking it would be great fun to read once it was published. I was not disappointed.

This little story is about the struggles of a girl whose guardian uncle accidentally ingests a strange beetle on her 16th birthday and becomes a voracious insectivore, much to her chagrin. As she tries to protect his good name, and therefore her own, she also has to help solve the mystery of who kidnapped a couple of guests at her coming-out party an...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Gloriana rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Middle to high school

I was originally attracted to this book for the sole stupid reason of its appearance. It is a little bitty hardback, about 10 inches tall, and it was dark brown with a mint green jacket. It looked like something made out of mint chocolate chip ice cream... Anyways, I picked it up, and it looked pretty interesting, so I bought it, not really knowing what to expect.
Despite the intimidatingly long title, this book really is a little gem. I went into it expecting something along the lines of Pride...more

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Jun 17, 2010 Robin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I liked this book more than I expected to. Of course, I'm a sucker for good titles and this one's very fun.

There is nothing earth-shattering or monumental in this book. You will not feel more intelligent after reading it. It's just for fun; perfect summertime reading.

I really enjoyed the writing style. It felt like a story from long ago; the author did that well. I think it would be a fun introductory mystery for a young girl. I also liked the way that the sixteen-year old girl, while fighting t...more

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Apr 15, 2010 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: from-library

I thought this book was really cute! It was weird, and that's what made it stand out and made it unique to me. I thought Petronella was a really intelligent, witty, slightly sarcastic narrator and that made her seem more modern to me. Their way of conversing in this book is hilarious, and I LOVED her uncle (: His affliction only made him all the more appealing and likable! I really enjoyed Petronella's story, though at times her vocabulary made her seem older than sixteen. Overall, funny charact...more

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Oct 21, 2009 Monica Edinger rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Monica by: Colleen Mondor

A most entertaining romp! The plot is a bit inconsequential, but the characters and setting are absolutely grand fun. There are a lot of books out there set in this time period with feisty female narrators, but too many are unable to sustain all aspects of it in the time. That is, I find anachronistic moments too often. Not so here --- Low keeps her characters Victorian, uses the right language, and circumstances too. This is the first, evidently, of a series so I'll be interested to see what ha...more

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Jun 17, 2010 Katy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Have you ever been to a melodrama on stage where they exaggerate the villans and hold signs that prompt the crowd to boo and hiss and then exaggerate the hero and hold signs to cheer? When one reads this book one feels as though one is attending just such an event! (One also speaks this way when one is introducing every chapter!) It is light and funny, but the exaggeration and silliness keep you from ever really caring about the characters. Petronella never felt real to me, but I enjoyed the wor...more

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Apr 12, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: utah-author

Dene Low is a local Utah author. I met her at Writing for Charity. And I simply had to pick up her book, especially in light of the delightful title and cover. As far as I can tell, Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone is Ms. Low's only published work, though she has completed three additional books about Petronella's adventures. Without further ado, the blurb:

You would think Petronella’s sixteenth birthday would be cause for celebration. After all, fashionable friends are arriving at her country es

...more Dene Low is a local Utah author. I met her at Writing for Charity. And I simply had to pick up her book, especially in light of the delightful title and cover. As far as I can tell, Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone is Ms. Low's only published work, though she has completed three additional books about Petronella's adventures. Without further ado, the blurb:

You would think Petronella’s sixteenth birthday would be cause for celebration. After all, fashionable friends are arriving at her country estate near London, teas are being served, and her coming out party promises to be a resplendent affair. Everything is falling nicely into place, until, suddenly—it isn’t. For Petronella discovers that her guardian, Uncle Augustus T. Percival, has developed a most unVictorian compulsion: He must eat bugs. Worse still, because he is her guardian, Uncle Augustus is to attend her soiree and his current state will most definitely be an embarrassment.

During the festivities, when Petronella would much rather be sharing pleasantries with handsome Lord James Sinclair (swoon), important guests are disappearing, kidnapping notes are appearing, many of the clues are insects, and Uncle Augustus is surreptitiously devouring evidence. It’s more than one sixteen-year-old girl should have to deal with. But, truth be told, there is far more yet to come . . .

While I enjoyed some aspects of this one, I just couldn't love it. At its core, the plot is just a simple mystery. But I think the primary reason that I didn't fall in love was that the writing was just too "Hey! Look at me!" It was just too tongue-in-cheek. Here are a couple of examples:

Although one may have stacks of money, not to mention an impeccable social position, there are times when one wishes for the homely pleasure of encircling parental arms. Such was the case when I surveyed the scene of the crime in the brightening dawn while being interrogated by Scotland Yard. (22)

When one's cherished guardian has become a social pariah with no aspirations to change, one must reconsider one's personal goals. With circumstances as they were, my future had the brilliance of squashed toadstools. (37)

It was charming at first, and then it became taxing.

And I never could determine who, exactly, the ideal reader for this book is. In someways it seemed to be a middle grade book (the length, the uncle hopping about eating insects, and the crazy relations), and in other ways it seemed to be a young adult book (the romantic interest, the vocabulary, and the ages of the characters).

I did laugh out loud at a few points. And I liked Petronella (and her flirtations with James) quite a bit. But, in the end, this book just didn't quite work for me. (less)

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Oct 27, 2012 Mara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-to-buy, 2012-reads, historical-fiction, satire

Cover Blurb: Not my absolute favorite; the title is what I got me to look at its synopsis, and then read it. It sounded too weird to pass up. The cover is kind of charming, but it doesn’t do anything for me.

What I Liked: Petronella is a very amusing, witty, sarcastic narrator; she was terrific. The other characters were all very good “supporting cast.” This book reminded me of a combination of The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place and A Series of Unfortunate Events: it had the time period an...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a frothy little yarn. Kind of bizarre in plot (great uncle Augustus accidentally swallows some sort of strange beetle that flies right into his mouth--and ever after that, he craves bugs to eat, but not human food). ICK!--and his niece Petronella has to help figure out how to save him, alongside two upper-crust muckity-mucks who happen to be kidnapped right during Petronella's official coming-out party ("coming out" in the archaic sense, not in the 21st century, of course). I almost wond...more

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May 12, 2011 Vivian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s

Something for the budding Jane-Austenette brimful of turn-of-the-twentieth century vernacular, sillyness, mystery, intrigue, friendship, scientific fantasy (an oxymoron?)-- all told with a flair for hyperbole. I kept visualizing this as a delightful movie--once I got past her Uncle's unfortunate transistion. A word of warning to the tweener: your vocabulary may swell a bit, if you stop to jot down unfamiliar words and later look them up.

Here is a running list of some of the vocabulary...
bellicos...more

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Nov 29, 2009 Sandra Stiles rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grades

Petronella is preparing for her coming out party when disaster strikes. An unknown type of beetle flies into her Uncle's mouth. As her guardian she needs him to be there for her. He is suddenly behaving very peculiar. He is snatching bugs out of the air and eating them. As the party approaches her Uncle tries to behave himself. Unfortunately while trying to nab a tasty delight he causes the party tent to collapse on the guests. When everyone is removed they realize that the Count and Countess ha...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Cat for TeensReadToo.com

All Petronella wants is for her sixteenth birthday luncheon, marking her debut into society, to be a success - but things go awry right from the start when her Uncle Augustus discovers a fondness for entomography (bug-eating).

Circumstances grow steadily worse when two important guests, Dame Carruthers and Generalisimo Reyes-Cardoza (a Panamanian dignitary) are kidnapped and held for ransom. It's just plain bad luck when Petronella's fortune-hunting relatives d...more

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Jan 26, 2010 catherine james rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, kids-tweens-teens, fiction, trt-reads, arcs-galleys-review

All Petronella wants is for her sixteenth birthday luncheon, marking her debut in society, to be a success; but things go awry right from the start when her uncle Augustus, discovers a fondness for entomography (bug-eating). Circumstances grow steadily worse when two important guests, Dame Carruthers and Generalisimo Reyes-Cardoza (a Panamanian dignitary) are kidnapped and held for ransom. It's just plain bad luck when Petronella's fortune-hunting relatives descend in the hopes of proving Uncle...more

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Jul 15, 2009 Timnah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: alternative-history, britain, fantasy, fiction, historical, mystery, science-fiction, young-adult, middle-grade-children-s

The author is my mother, and I read this book pre-publication. As manuscripts go through many changes during the publication process, I have held off on reviewing it until it was published, so that I could re-read it and review the published text.

Lest anyone think that I am biased in this review, let me include a reminiscence of my relationship with the art of writing and with my mother.

I was about seven years old. I took a story I had written into the kitchen and read it aloud to my mother, who...more The author is my mother, and I read this book pre-publication. As manuscripts go through many changes during the publication process, I have held off on reviewing it until it was published, so that I could re-read it and review the published text.

Lest anyone think that I am biased in this review, let me include a reminiscence of my relationship with the art of writing and with my mother.

I was about seven years old. I took a story I had written into the kitchen and read it aloud to my mother, who was baking cookies. When I was done, I asked her if she liked my story. She said it was fine, but the prince was rather wooden, and the talking horse was cliche. This hurt my feelings, and I said, "You're supposed to like my story. You're my mother."

She responded, "Don't you want to get to be a better writer?"

So you see, I have nothing to gain from posting a rhapsodical review of my mother's writing.

I will also note for the interested that my mother wrote this book for fun, as a spoof of scholarly writing, during occasional breaks from writing her doctoral dissertation. Her other inspirations include the brilliant books of Georgette Heyer and P. G. Wodehouse as well as the short stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Now, to the book.

Petronella is a graceful yet intrepid heroine who sets greater store by her brains and her relationships with dependable friends and relatives than she does by her social graces -- yet she is not likely to toss those graces overboard without a reason either. What I especially like about Petronella is that she fully understands the social mechanics of her world and the reasons for its many taboos, and that this understanding allows her to choose exactly when, how, and why she will transgress these laws in order to "do the right thing." And her closest friends and relatives (including the insatiable insectivore that is her guardian, Uncle Augustus T. Percival) not only support her in this, they daringly partner with her in every dangerous enterprise she attempts. In the course of the book, Petronella really does save nearly everyone. And she gently leads the reader to believe that, truly, anyone with half a brain could -- and should -- have done so.

Some readers might not appreciate the brief reflections on principles and philosophies that begin each chapter, arguing that these reflections slow the pace of the novel. I like these short interludes, because they demonstrate in a concrete way Petronella's intellectual mastery of every situation, even the most surprising or bizarre.(less)

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Jul 11, 2009 Alea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-for-review

This has got to be one of the strangest, cutest, most wonderful starts to a series I've ever read and I think I'm in love with it. The language, the characters, their behaviors to me everything was spot on.

Right off the bat we are introduced to Victorian manners and ways of doing things and then all of a sudden we find Uncle Augustus T. Percival having a bite to eat, a bite to eat of BUGS! His compulsion is just so hilarious, the way the author writes it, seeing him hopping around in the backgro...more

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Oct 06, 2012 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a funny spoof of Edwardian manners and culture, and is a quick read. Petronella is having her 16th birthday party when she suddenly discovers that her uncle and guardian has developed a very unique and disturbing habit: he eats bugs, and cannot stop himself from chasing them through the bushes and the garden. At the same time, two famous guests are kidnapped and held for ransom, and Petronella must save everyone, including her uncle. A very good, tongue-in-cheek read.

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Jul 10, 2010 Cathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, mysteries, teen-book

Great cozy for teens. Just prior to her big party, Petronella's uncle and guardian, Augustus, swallows a beetle from Central America and develops a taste for flies, butterflies and other insects. At her party a Central American count (?) and woman are kidnapped. Petronella, her uncle, friends Jane and James, who she wishes was more than a friend travel to London by train in search of the culprit. They are followed by Petronella's aunt's who keep interfering. A fun lark of a book.

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Aug 20, 2012 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Enjoyed this on the train ride to and from NYC. I thought the idea of Augustus' problem extremely creative, but sometimes a little squeamish. [I thought the author took great effort to make it palatable by inserting a lot of comic relief or using 'off screen' actions] The language and tone reminded me of some other books I've really enjoyed - the Incorrigible series, Cecelia & the Chocolate Pot, and Flora Segunda.

Do I wish Petronella was less swoony when it comes to a certain young man she k...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars - needed richer characters. Picked up from the library on impulse because of the utterly beguiling cover. The heroine is 16, but the book is ok for ages about 9 up. The story is an exciting mystery with a bit of romance and a lot of wonderful vocabulary words. I'd have loved it when I was 12. Don't be put off by the structure of the title - it may eventually become part of a series but for now it stands alone just fine as a charming debut.

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