Although Hector Fitzbaudly has always lived a plush life on the posh side of the River Foedus, he’s yearned to slip away from his comfort... read full description
reviews
May 26, 2010
Sam
rated it: 
This is not a bad book; it is quite well written with a very intricate plot. However, it is a very dark book that left me quite a bit upset overall.
Young Hector Fitzbaudly has found himself thrust into a life of poverty as a result of a horrible scammer and blackmailer by the name of Gulliver Truepin. Truepin's misdeeds lead Hector's father to kill himself, placing Hector all alone on the bad side of town without a penny to his name. Hector vows to get his revenge and quickly finds a More...
Young Hector Fitzbaudly has found himself thrust into a life of poverty as a result of a horrible scammer and blackmailer by the name of Gulliver Truepin. Truepin's misdeeds lead Hector's father to kill himself, placing Hector all alone on the bad side of town without a penny to his name. Hector vows to get his revenge and quickly finds a More...
May 11, 2010
Kerstin
rated it: 
Kurzbeschreibung:
Hector schwört Rache. Sein Vater ist von dem hinterlistigen Betrüger Gulliver Truepin in den Ruin getrieben worden und vor Gram gestorben. Und das wird Truepin büßen müssen. Unter einem Vorwand schleicht Hector sich auf dem schaurigen Schloss der eiskalten Lady Mandible ein, wo Truepin – inzwischen in der Maske des vornehmen Baron Bovrik – ein luxuriöses Leben führt. Die Lady bereitet gerade das jährliche Mittwinterfest vor, und Hector bekommt den Auftrag, für eine besonder More...
Hector schwört Rache. Sein Vater ist von dem hinterlistigen Betrüger Gulliver Truepin in den Ruin getrieben worden und vor Gram gestorben. Und das wird Truepin büßen müssen. Unter einem Vorwand schleicht Hector sich auf dem schaurigen Schloss der eiskalten Lady Mandible ein, wo Truepin – inzwischen in der Maske des vornehmen Baron Bovrik – ein luxuriöses Leben führt. Die Lady bereitet gerade das jährliche Mittwinterfest vor, und Hector bekommt den Auftrag, für eine besonder More...
Feb 13, 2010
Stephanie
rated it:
Murder
Eyeballs
Puzzling riddles
Leeches
...and Butterflies?
The Eyeball Collector has got it all. A villain as dastardly as Count Olaf, with an eyepatch and multiple disguises. An orphan straight out of a Dickens novel with thieving compatriots reminiscent of the Artful Dodger and company. A cold and imperious noble, Lady Mandible, who has mysterious plans of her own. A spine-shivery, gothic atmosphere tinged with menace.
At firs More...
Eyeballs
Puzzling riddles
Leeches
...and Butterflies?
The Eyeball Collector has got it all. A villain as dastardly as Count Olaf, with an eyepatch and multiple disguises. An orphan straight out of a Dickens novel with thieving compatriots reminiscent of the Artful Dodger and company. A cold and imperious noble, Lady Mandible, who has mysterious plans of her own. A spine-shivery, gothic atmosphere tinged with menace.
At firs More...
Nov 11, 2009
Richuaby
rated it:
a minor charachter in this book was trupein he was the infamous eyeball collector.He went town to town scamming people but he wanted to go into "retirement" so he needed to pull of the mother on all shams and his victams were the fitzbaldy's, hector the son of mr. fitzbaldy wanted to revenge his fathers name and his life so he fallowed trupein now know as the baron to town and his knowlegde of butterflies intrested him becuase his host was throughing a midwinter fest and she needed but
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Oct 19, 2011
Karissa
rated it:
This is the third book in Higgins Tales from the Sinister City series. All of these tales are separate stories, but the characters do have some cross over from book to book. I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first two books, but it was still a wonderful story. Unlike previous stories this story didn't really have any element of magic to it; it was a creepy and fun historical mystery with a heavy Victorian overtone to it.
Hector is the son on a wealthy wine merchant. H More...
Hector is the son on a wealthy wine merchant. H More...
Sep 06, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
Higgins is a really good author. I immensely enjoyed The Black Book and wish I'd read the middle one, The Bone Magician, which I somehow missed.
Hector Fitzbaudly, a child of wealth and learning, is suddenly paupered and orphaned because of the actions of a conartist who blackmails his family. Hector wanders into Urbs Umida (the seedy side of town we were introduced to in The Black Book) blindly, focused only upon revenge. When he gets his chance, will he take it?
I More...
Hector Fitzbaudly, a child of wealth and learning, is suddenly paupered and orphaned because of the actions of a conartist who blackmails his family. Hector wanders into Urbs Umida (the seedy side of town we were introduced to in The Black Book) blindly, focused only upon revenge. When he gets his chance, will he take it?
I More...
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Oct 06, 2009
Elizabeth
rated it:
Edward Gorey once said, "I suppose I know a few tots who would like my books." In his day the man perfected the art of the macabre, helping to raise whole generations of children with a taste for the darkly humorous. Kids who continue to indulge such tastes have a strange array of books to choose from these days. They could read some Lemony Snicket, find old Charles Addams cartoons, or perhaps dip a toe in the waters of F.E. Higgins. I first read an F.E. Higgins book roundabout two yea
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Nov 15, 2009
Scarlett
rated it: 
I didn't realize when I picked up this book that it was part of a series. In fact, I didn't realize it until I got to the author's note at the end. It reads well as a standalone but I still want to read the other books. I love the setting... sort of a Victorian fantasy world. Nothing strictly speaking supernatural happens, but in the same style as A Series of Unfortunate Events rather improbably things happen and I believe the book is not set in "our world." It was quite dark and
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Aug 08, 2010
Audra
rated it:
Hector Fitzbaudly gets his wish to experience the seedier side of Urbs Umida when his father is blackmailed with a secret form his past. Finding himself penniless and homeless, Hector realizes this is not the life he wants and he decides to seek revenge. Unfortunately, the Eyeball Collector is a master of disguise! This book is called a “polyquel” by the author, as it contains elements from both The Black Book of Secrets and The Bone Magician as well as its own mysteries. This book may not inte
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Jul 30, 2011
The first I'd heard of F.E.Higgins was when she gave a speech at my daughter's school Speech Day last July, and handed a prize to my little treasure. She of course plugged her three books - The Black Book Of Secrets, The Bone Magician, and this one.
Then, an eerie coincidence. My Dad gives me a copy of 'The Eyeball Collector' a few days later as a birthday present. Spooky!
It's a great little gothic yarn. It will be a few years before my young'un will have the stomach to read this! More macab More...
Then, an eerie coincidence. My Dad gives me a copy of 'The Eyeball Collector' a few days later as a birthday present. Spooky!
It's a great little gothic yarn. It will be a few years before my young'un will have the stomach to read this! More macab More...
Dec 06, 2009
Terry
rated it:
What's not to like about a story where a boy loses his father and everything they owned, seeks revenge, and along the way ends up chasing a one-eyed lunatic to the mansion of an even more deranged noble lady, where he gets to encounter some pretty disturbing food and clothing choices, an angry hog that wants its own revenge, and mysterious deaths? The language is a little more advanced than the average brain-candy that's often published for this age group, but the story is well worth it! Recom
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Sep 05, 2010
Annette
rated it:
The final book of the trilogy by F.E. Higgins. All these books are very fresh in their ideas. This one in particular is full of intrigue, scandal, plotting, death and murder!
Written in the perspective of a young boy whose father was blackmailed and ultimately died, leaving young Hector alone and penniless. His drive to seek revenge on the blackmailer leads him to a strange manorhouse called Withypitts Hall, run by the eccentric Lady Mandible who has an odd taste for the macabre.
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Written in the perspective of a young boy whose father was blackmailed and ultimately died, leaving young Hector alone and penniless. His drive to seek revenge on the blackmailer leads him to a strange manorhouse called Withypitts Hall, run by the eccentric Lady Mandible who has an odd taste for the macabre.
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Dec 04, 2009
Brittany
rated it:
Higgins just keeps getting better and better! The Eyeball Collector is written in a theme similar to Charles William's Descent Into Hell as a boy is overtaken by his need for revenge. Beautiful writing, and disgusting at some points, when the boy realizes his need for repentance in the worst of situations. Higgins' themes of the fruit of repentance and forgiveness are getting clearer and clearer, but she still adds to the mystery, so I'm hoping for a fourth installment!
May 20, 2011
Angie
rated it:
This is the 3rd book that started with Black Book of Secrets. I didn't realize that they had some connections of characters & places until I got into it, so I have skipped the Bone Magician. They can be read as stand alone, but are probably better read in sequence. This story I liked a little better than the first book. A little bit more sinister than the first with some characters that are into creepy stuff. Fairytale like story.
Nov 19, 2010
Kendall
rated it:
I love this series that is a well-written nod to classics of the past. Although dark at times, the book is well-crafted and weaves a tale of complicated characters. Along with the other two books--The Black Book of Secrets and the Bone Magician, the book explains the happenings in Pagus Parvus and Urbs Umida...two cities filled with citizens who seem to all hold secrets. A very entertaining read...could be enjoyed by adults and kids alike.
May 25, 2011
Kate
rated it:
While this is obviously a book geared for the middle school boy, I still found myself enjoying the twists, turns and sinister implications of it as I read. The characters were many times stunning and malicious, but any boy reading this would be happily creeped out by the way the story flows.
I was reminded a lot of the Unfortunate Events series, but this had its own flavor and style. Very nicely done. A high recommend from me on this one!
I was reminded a lot of the Unfortunate Events series, but this had its own flavor and style. Very nicely done. A high recommend from me on this one!
Jan 23, 2010
Sandy
rated it:
Possibly the strangest of the series so far... but also my favorite. You think you know what might happen, but there is no way to predict because this is not our world - and yet it is. This is a very unusual "series" in that it is not continuous and the characters are different in each book. Familiar characters do show up or walk through and "ah-ha" moments appear to shed light on past mysteries.
Jun 14, 2011
Jeanette
rated it:
The eyeball collector was similar to his other books. Set in the same style and simply a different dark adventure. The story ended up with a nice moral conclusion.
The story is about a boy who lost his father because a swindler ruined the family's reputation. They lost everything.The boy went from being wealthy to a paulper. He vowed to find the swindler and get revenge for his father and family reputation.
The story is about a boy who lost his father because a swindler ruined the family's reputation. They lost everything.The boy went from being wealthy to a paulper. He vowed to find the swindler and get revenge for his father and family reputation.
Oct 25, 2009
Nathan
rated it:
Great sequel to The Black Book of Secrets in the uniquely dark world of F.E. Higgins where everyone has a dark secret past. The story again pits the good-hearted heroes against wholly decadent and twisted villains who seek to feed their dark lusts at the expense of the innocent and again the struggle is not only against their evil plots and devices alone, but also against becoming as corrupted as the villains in the process of foiling their evil plots and exacting revenge.
I am greatl More...
I am greatl More...
Jan 12, 2010
April
rated it:
Faux-Victorian mystery novel. The writing and the plotting are brisk and don't get bogged down on atmosphere, which I appreciate, plus the book's title is cool and will appeal to kids.
Dec 31, 2009
Laura
rated it:
This book seems perfect for Middle School-age boys: moments of humor, that deliciously gross factor that age group loves, a world they can believe. And riddles.
The plot is pretty simple: boy's father dies after losing his fortune, boy plots revenge, boy almost realizes revenge. The titular man is a blackmailer (among other things) and the to-be-revenged-upon character, with just enough "ewww" in him. Lady Mandible is creepy, and the name! Really: mandible? Love. It.
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The plot is pretty simple: boy's father dies after losing his fortune, boy plots revenge, boy almost realizes revenge. The titular man is a blackmailer (among other things) and the to-be-revenged-upon character, with just enough "ewww" in him. Lady Mandible is creepy, and the name! Really: mandible? Love. It.
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Apr 19, 2011
Timmy
rated it:
SO far the book is relly kid of boring but im still going to read it because it sounds like it has a good ending and also a very wierd twist in the middle. well from the people that have read it telll me.
Feb 22, 2011
Ilyanna
rated it:
Third book in the not-a-trilogy. Dickensian young-adult fiction. Well conceived and written, not predictable. Not hugely memorable, but still an enjoyable read.
Dec 17, 2010
Fenestra
rated it:
Murder
Eyeballs
Puzzling riddles
Leeches
...and Butterflies?
WTF?
Hector is a plucky and likeable hero, with a special gift of riddling and another of cultivating butterflies. The antagonist, the ever-devious Baron Bovrik de Vandolin, is a wonderfully developed character who justifies his trespasses against Hector with flashbacks of his childhood.
The writing style F.E. Higgins uses is simply put: entrancing. Higgins More...
Eyeballs
Puzzling riddles
Leeches
...and Butterflies?
WTF?
Hector is a plucky and likeable hero, with a special gift of riddling and another of cultivating butterflies. The antagonist, the ever-devious Baron Bovrik de Vandolin, is a wonderfully developed character who justifies his trespasses against Hector with flashbacks of his childhood.
The writing style F.E. Higgins uses is simply put: entrancing. Higgins More...
Sep 20, 2009
Colleen
rated it: 
quick read but will not be following up on the series. some disturbing stories in there and not a fan of riddles
Sep 28, 2011
This book is a good sci-fi book for a begining chapter book reader. I got it from the IUS Library.
