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Wrapped #1
Wrapped
Agnes Wilkins is standing in front of an Egyptian mummy, about to make the first cut into the wrappings, about to unlock ancient (and not-so-ancient) history.
Maybe you think this girl is wearing a pith helmet with antique dust swirling around her.
Maybe you think she is a young Egyptologist who has arrived in Cairo on camelback.
Maybe she would like to think that too. Agnes Wilkins dreams of adventures that reach beyond the garden walls, but reality for a seventeen-year-old debutante in 1815 London does not allow for camels—or dust, even. No, Agnes can only see a mummy when she is wearing a new silk gown and standing on the verdant lawns of Lord Showalter's estate, with chaperones fussing about and strolling sitar players straining to create an exotic "atmosphere" for the first party of the season. An unwrapping.
This is the start of it all, Agnes's debut season, the pretty girl parade that offers only ever-shrinking options: home, husband, and high society. It's also the start of something else, because the mummy Agnes unwraps isn't just a mummy. It's a host for a secret that could unravel a new destiny—unleashing mystery, an international intrigue, and possibly a curse in the bargain.
Get wrapped up in the adventure . . . but keep your wits about you, dear Agnes.
Maybe you think this girl is wearing a pith helmet with antique dust swirling around her.
Maybe you think she is a young Egyptologist who has arrived in Cairo on camelback.
Maybe she would like to think that too. Agnes Wilkins dreams of adventures that reach beyond the garden walls, but reality for a seventeen-year-old debutante in 1815 London does not allow for camels—or dust, even. No, Agnes can only see a mummy when she is wearing a new silk gown and standing on the verdant lawns of Lord Showalter's estate, with chaperones fussing about and strolling sitar players straining to create an exotic "atmosphere" for the first party of the season. An unwrapping.
This is the start of it all, Agnes's debut season, the pretty girl parade that offers only ever-shrinking options: home, husband, and high society. It's also the start of something else, because the mummy Agnes unwraps isn't just a mummy. It's a host for a secret that could unravel a new destiny—unleashing mystery, an international intrigue, and possibly a curse in the bargain.
Get wrapped up in the adventure . . . but keep your wits about you, dear Agnes.
313 pages, Hardcover
First published May 24, 2011
35 people are currently reading
4582 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Bradbury
11 books128 followersJennifer Bradbury is an English teacher living in Burlington, Washington. She and her husband took a two-month long bicycling trek from Charleston, South Carolina, to Los Angeles, California for their honeymoon, changing more than fifty flat tires along the way. She was also a one-day winner of Jeopardy! Shift is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 552 reviews
June 20, 2012
I dropped this book around page 100; it was just too fluffy, while at the same time annoying.
I don't think the things I didn't like will bother every reader. My chief gripe, a common with historical fiction, is that it was just too inaccurate. The way the characters thought, the ways they interacted, their public behavior, these were just not correct for the Regency period. But obviously for people who don't know or care much about history this won't matter. It's just a deal breaker for me because every other line I am all "Nooo, he/she would never say/do that!" and it totally takes me out of the story.
My other complaint is that I felt like the plot etc was really obvious, partly because the elements are so heavily telegraphed and partly because -- well, I've read this story before. This is basically some Elizabeth Peters mummy color tossed into a YA rewrite of the Pink Carnation series. Only even fluffier, and that's really saying something because Lauren Willig is pretty damn fluffy already. But she does better research, and has stronger characters. Like a lot of YA historical heroines Agnes didn't seem to have much to her aside from her anachronistic spunk.
But I don't want to slam the book. I could see a girl in her early teens who hadn't read a lot of this sort of story before really enjoying it. But if you are that girl, message me and I will recommend some similar-but-better books for you to read in a year or two.
I don't think the things I didn't like will bother every reader. My chief gripe, a common with historical fiction, is that it was just too inaccurate. The way the characters thought, the ways they interacted, their public behavior, these were just not correct for the Regency period. But obviously for people who don't know or care much about history this won't matter. It's just a deal breaker for me because every other line I am all "Nooo, he/she would never say/do that!" and it totally takes me out of the story.
My other complaint is that I felt like the plot etc was really obvious, partly because the elements are so heavily telegraphed and partly because -- well, I've read this story before. This is basically some Elizabeth Peters mummy color tossed into a YA rewrite of the Pink Carnation series. Only even fluffier, and that's really saying something because Lauren Willig is pretty damn fluffy already. But she does better research, and has stronger characters. Like a lot of YA historical heroines Agnes didn't seem to have much to her aside from her anachronistic spunk.
But I don't want to slam the book. I could see a girl in her early teens who hadn't read a lot of this sort of story before really enjoying it. But if you are that girl, message me and I will recommend some similar-but-better books for you to read in a year or two.
May 19, 2011
So first of all, let's comment on that GORGEOUS cover. Love it! It's not often that a cartoon/illustration cover can look YA, but this one completely does. So pretty! Second of all, I don't read a lot of historicals, but this one was great. It contained so many of my favourite things! It had a cool, forward thinking girl who I still found to be time-period appropriate. She was modern enough that readers can identify with her, but she wasn't just a modern girl transported back into a pretty dress. This book also contains a very cute love interest who just happens to appreciate an enterprising girl who can take care of herself. Plus there's the whole class difference thing that makes their feelings for each other tres forbidden and, in turn, a lot more fun to read about.
Love isn't the only thing this book contains, though. This book is all about Egyptology and Mummy curses, which I happen to find fascinating, and a lot of the action takes place at the British Museum, which is quite possibly one of the coolest locations ever at which to try and solve a mystery. Then there's the whole attitude of British Imperialism cloaking the characters' world views, and all the threats on England from Napoleon, and soon the whole book becomes full of conspiracies, with spies and everything.
Basically this is a super cool historical mystery. The characters are fun (it's lovely when a heroine can be super smart, brave, and sassy without being annoying or over the top), the writing is engaging, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. I like how the storyline was wrapped up (ouch, no mummy pun intended), yet it left potential for more books. I'm not sure if there will be a sequel, but if there is I will absolutely pick it up and read more about Agnes and Caedmon. In the meantime I have no qualms with recommending this book -- I wholeheartedly enjoyed it.
Love isn't the only thing this book contains, though. This book is all about Egyptology and Mummy curses, which I happen to find fascinating, and a lot of the action takes place at the British Museum, which is quite possibly one of the coolest locations ever at which to try and solve a mystery. Then there's the whole attitude of British Imperialism cloaking the characters' world views, and all the threats on England from Napoleon, and soon the whole book becomes full of conspiracies, with spies and everything.
Basically this is a super cool historical mystery. The characters are fun (it's lovely when a heroine can be super smart, brave, and sassy without being annoying or over the top), the writing is engaging, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end. I like how the storyline was wrapped up (ouch, no mummy pun intended), yet it left potential for more books. I'm not sure if there will be a sequel, but if there is I will absolutely pick it up and read more about Agnes and Caedmon. In the meantime I have no qualms with recommending this book -- I wholeheartedly enjoyed it.
August 12, 2015
I had really high hopes for this book. The Egyptology elements seemed like they'd be a somewhat different, but still period appropriate, thing to add to a Regency book. Unfortunately, it was just so... bland is the word I'm looking for, I think. For much of the book, I was honestly kind of bored. Especially with the conversations, which would just drag on and on. Even when the characters are supposedly in a time sensitive situation, and just keep talking and talking and talking... The villain is too obvious way too soon in the story, which both drains off much of the suspense and makes the main characters look more dim than they're meant to be. Worse, the goal is a sort of mystical MacGuffin that never really pays off in a satisfying way.
But really, the main character, Agnes, just didn't start out on the right foot with me. First scene, she's being fitted for her debut gown and insists on reading a book at the same time. I suppose this is supposed to introduce her as a rebelliously intellectual girl, but I could only think two things: 1) wouldn't that make your arms hurt after awhile? (apparently so, for the record) and 2) that must be really obnoxious for the poor seamstress to work around (Agnes didn't seem to care if it was or not). And then, to make matters worse, she quotes the first line of Pride and Prejudice. In multiple languages. Again, I suppose it's meant to show off her intelligence, but it just makes her look horribly pretentious.
I have no doubt that Bradbury truly loves Jane Austen and has done at least some research into the Regency period. But she seems to have read it without really absorbing it. Agnes doesn't really act or think like a young woman of her time and position (her father has title, money, and a fairly high government position) would. She isn't nearly as chaperoned as she ought to be, her thoughts are sometimes strangely modern, and she doesn't view class boundaries as strictly as she should. The romance is wildly inappropriate on multiple levels from a Regency perspective, but the characters involved only seem to think of it as being somewhat unlikely. Which, given how bland the characters are, sort of takes away the only bit of excitement the romance should have. Being more accurate would have added obstacles that would have made the story more interesting, I think.
I so wanted this book to be better, and it just wasn't. It wasn't terrible, just bland, and lacking the historical understanding that could have made it really exciting.
But really, the main character, Agnes, just didn't start out on the right foot with me. First scene, she's being fitted for her debut gown and insists on reading a book at the same time. I suppose this is supposed to introduce her as a rebelliously intellectual girl, but I could only think two things: 1) wouldn't that make your arms hurt after awhile? (apparently so, for the record) and 2) that must be really obnoxious for the poor seamstress to work around (Agnes didn't seem to care if it was or not). And then, to make matters worse, she quotes the first line of Pride and Prejudice. In multiple languages. Again, I suppose it's meant to show off her intelligence, but it just makes her look horribly pretentious.
I have no doubt that Bradbury truly loves Jane Austen and has done at least some research into the Regency period. But she seems to have read it without really absorbing it. Agnes doesn't really act or think like a young woman of her time and position (her father has title, money, and a fairly high government position) would. She isn't nearly as chaperoned as she ought to be, her thoughts are sometimes strangely modern, and she doesn't view class boundaries as strictly as she should. The romance is wildly inappropriate on multiple levels from a Regency perspective, but the characters involved only seem to think of it as being somewhat unlikely. Which, given how bland the characters are, sort of takes away the only bit of excitement the romance should have. Being more accurate would have added obstacles that would have made the story more interesting, I think.
I so wanted this book to be better, and it just wasn't. It wasn't terrible, just bland, and lacking the historical understanding that could have made it really exciting.
June 7, 2012
3.5 STARS
I really liked the premise of this story as it includes several of my favorite topics--Regency England, Ancient Egypt, and non-violent spy stories! Also, that cover art is just gorgeous! ;-)
Unfortunately, the story didn't quite weave together all that I could wish of those rich subjects in an ultimately satisfying way, but I still enjoyed it. Too, I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator was not my favorite. I didn't like the way she read Cademan (our swoony leading man), I'm sure I would have imagined him much more swoon-worthy had I read it on my own. So, I give the story the benefit of the doubt with 3.5 stars.
Even so, the story still held a good deal of charm. Our heroine, while perhaps quoting "A Lady" (as Jane Austen was known to her contemporary readers) to the point of it becoming a tad annoying and obsessive, was spunky and intelligent while still enjoying beautiful dresses. She was perhaps a bit too modern for the Regency period (note that most of A Lady's heroines, spunky and intelligent though they may be, still exerted their influence primarily in the confines of Regency society). Still, such capers as dressing up in her brother's clothes and prowling around at night with the attractive Egyptology assistant at the museum while trying to find a lost artifact that could mean the end of the British Empire should Napoleon get his hands on it, proved entertaining if not entirely plausible given the era. (Ditto her ideas about Egyptian artifacts, I sympathized with her views but am not sure they were really shared by most people of that era.) It was also fairly predictable. The ending, while a solid conclusion, also opens the way for sequels. I'm not sure Agnes Wilkins is a strong enough heroine to carry a series, but I would not be opposed to giving a sequel a try.
I really liked the premise of this story as it includes several of my favorite topics--Regency England, Ancient Egypt, and non-violent spy stories! Also, that cover art is just gorgeous! ;-)
Unfortunately, the story didn't quite weave together all that I could wish of those rich subjects in an ultimately satisfying way, but I still enjoyed it. Too, I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator was not my favorite. I didn't like the way she read Cademan (our swoony leading man), I'm sure I would have imagined him much more swoon-worthy had I read it on my own. So, I give the story the benefit of the doubt with 3.5 stars.
Even so, the story still held a good deal of charm. Our heroine, while perhaps quoting "A Lady" (as Jane Austen was known to her contemporary readers) to the point of it becoming a tad annoying and obsessive, was spunky and intelligent while still enjoying beautiful dresses. She was perhaps a bit too modern for the Regency period (note that most of A Lady's heroines, spunky and intelligent though they may be, still exerted their influence primarily in the confines of Regency society). Still, such capers as dressing up in her brother's clothes and prowling around at night with the attractive Egyptology assistant at the museum while trying to find a lost artifact that could mean the end of the British Empire should Napoleon get his hands on it, proved entertaining if not entirely plausible given the era. (Ditto her ideas about Egyptian artifacts, I sympathized with her views but am not sure they were really shared by most people of that era.) It was also fairly predictable. The ending, while a solid conclusion, also opens the way for sequels. I'm not sure Agnes Wilkins is a strong enough heroine to carry a series, but I would not be opposed to giving a sequel a try.
July 18, 2014
Review originally posted here.
The book has adventure, peril, a mystery to solve. It has romance. I'm sure there are many people out there who would enjoy it for those things. I couldn't. For one, Agnes annoyed me to no end. She too often allows her petulance and will lead her down roads she ought not go down. Despite knowing that she ought not go down them. She is selfish and, once the mystery is under way, can not stand for any part of it to be conducted without her. For example, when a person she and her partner (Caedmon) have consulted is attacked she convinces Caedmon (who is said person's godson and was requested by him) to wait to visit the hospital until she can go with him. Yes, a person has been attacked and is bleeding in a hospital, possibly dying, asking for the person in the world he's closest to and you make him wait hours because what is important is that you be there. Nice. I really couldn't figure out what Caedmon saw in her (other than she was also smart and liked Egyptology). It was rather hard for me to have any respect for him because of it.
But all of that is nothing compared to how annoyed I was by the evident lack of historical research. Or what I perceived to be a lack. Maybe the research was there, only disregarded because it was inconvenient? All I know is that the historical inaccuracies kept throwing me out of the story. One of them ruined it completely.
Historical Liberties Taken (the first I could have shrugged off if it weren't for all the ones that piled on top of it):
* Agnes asks her seamstress if she has read Pride and Prejudice and the seamstress says she has. The chances of a seamstress being able to read in 1815 are slim. If she could read, the chances of her being able to procure a copy of and then read Price and Prejudice are slimmer than slim.
* This a book that takes place in high society and the author has not a clue how members of the peerage are to be addressed. She has characters referring to landed aristocrats as "Mr." and "Mrs." Agnes's father is referred to as Sir Hugh at one point, and then Lord Wilkins at another. It has to be one or the other, it can't be both. The former implies he is no more than a baronet, actually a commoner and not a peer. We know that can't be the case because it is mentioned he is a member of the House of Lords. If he is Lord Wilkins than no one would have been calling Agnes Miss Wilkins (which everyone does), she would be Lady Agnes. This knowledge can be acquired in less than five minutes by performing a Google search.
* Agnes gallivants around London all by herself to a remarkable degree. She sneaks off to go to the British Museum by herself several times. Her mother allows her to go shopping for ribbon with nothing but a coachman. Which might be turned plausible if she were only shopping in Bond Street. Except the modiste her mother orders her clothes from is actually in the City, near the Tower.
* At one point there is a conversation in Agnes's home. Her entire family is there, as is Lord Showalter. During the conversation one of the brother's says "bloody" and the other one uses the phrase "smooth as a virgin's throat". In mixed company. In front of non-family member. Who happens to be their sister's suitor.
* This one is technically a spoiler (although one really shouldn't be shocked by it), but this is the one that caused me to do violence to the book by slamming it down hard (I was in the car, I couldn't throw it). Lord Showalter is a French spy but not, as Agnes assumes, a traitor. No, he is a French agent and not a British Lord at all, "Lord Showalter is a fiction, my past invented prior to my arrival here." Yes, because the British aristocracy is so stupid they simply accepted someone into their midst who claims a title that, prior to his introduction to them, had not existed.
* The British government alters the Rosetta Stone in the attempt to erase any trace of the adventure.
Why does any of that matter? Understanding of the time and place of a historical fiction novel you are writing is critical to making it genuine. Just like shoddy world building will ruin a fantasy novel, lack of a genuine setting will ruin a historical fiction novel. Some might argue that this is a YA novel and that most of its targeted audience won't know the difference. I think that makes it all the more important to get it right.
The book has adventure, peril, a mystery to solve. It has romance. I'm sure there are many people out there who would enjoy it for those things. I couldn't. For one, Agnes annoyed me to no end. She too often allows her petulance and will lead her down roads she ought not go down. Despite knowing that she ought not go down them. She is selfish and, once the mystery is under way, can not stand for any part of it to be conducted without her. For example, when a person she and her partner (Caedmon) have consulted is attacked she convinces Caedmon (who is said person's godson and was requested by him) to wait to visit the hospital until she can go with him. Yes, a person has been attacked and is bleeding in a hospital, possibly dying, asking for the person in the world he's closest to and you make him wait hours because what is important is that you be there. Nice. I really couldn't figure out what Caedmon saw in her (other than she was also smart and liked Egyptology). It was rather hard for me to have any respect for him because of it.
But all of that is nothing compared to how annoyed I was by the evident lack of historical research. Or what I perceived to be a lack. Maybe the research was there, only disregarded because it was inconvenient? All I know is that the historical inaccuracies kept throwing me out of the story. One of them ruined it completely.
Historical Liberties Taken (the first I could have shrugged off if it weren't for all the ones that piled on top of it):
* Agnes asks her seamstress if she has read Pride and Prejudice and the seamstress says she has. The chances of a seamstress being able to read in 1815 are slim. If she could read, the chances of her being able to procure a copy of and then read Price and Prejudice are slimmer than slim.
* This a book that takes place in high society and the author has not a clue how members of the peerage are to be addressed. She has characters referring to landed aristocrats as "Mr." and "Mrs." Agnes's father is referred to as Sir Hugh at one point, and then Lord Wilkins at another. It has to be one or the other, it can't be both. The former implies he is no more than a baronet, actually a commoner and not a peer. We know that can't be the case because it is mentioned he is a member of the House of Lords. If he is Lord Wilkins than no one would have been calling Agnes Miss Wilkins (which everyone does), she would be Lady Agnes. This knowledge can be acquired in less than five minutes by performing a Google search.
* Agnes gallivants around London all by herself to a remarkable degree. She sneaks off to go to the British Museum by herself several times. Her mother allows her to go shopping for ribbon with nothing but a coachman. Which might be turned plausible if she were only shopping in Bond Street. Except the modiste her mother orders her clothes from is actually in the City, near the Tower.
* At one point there is a conversation in Agnes's home. Her entire family is there, as is Lord Showalter. During the conversation one of the brother's says "bloody" and the other one uses the phrase "smooth as a virgin's throat". In mixed company. In front of non-family member. Who happens to be their sister's suitor.
* This one is technically a spoiler (although one really shouldn't be shocked by it), but this is the one that caused me to do violence to the book by slamming it down hard (I was in the car, I couldn't throw it). Lord Showalter is a French spy but not, as Agnes assumes, a traitor. No, he is a French agent and not a British Lord at all, "Lord Showalter is a fiction, my past invented prior to my arrival here." Yes, because the British aristocracy is so stupid they simply accepted someone into their midst who claims a title that, prior to his introduction to them, had not existed.
* The British government alters the Rosetta Stone in the attempt to erase any trace of the adventure.
Why does any of that matter? Understanding of the time and place of a historical fiction novel you are writing is critical to making it genuine. Just like shoddy world building will ruin a fantasy novel, lack of a genuine setting will ruin a historical fiction novel. Some might argue that this is a YA novel and that most of its targeted audience won't know the difference. I think that makes it all the more important to get it right.
September 12, 2023
Honestly I just didn't vibe with the book that much.
I was hoping for a lot more from the story and I felt like it fell pretty flat
I was hoping for a lot more from the story and I felt like it fell pretty flat
May 17, 2011
When I was little, I went through a serious phase of loving all things ancient Egypt, which grew into a Victorian detective novel love when I hit my teens. This book combines two of my greatest nostalgic loves so of course I had to pick it up! Overall, I was pleased with “Wrapped” and enjoyed it, but I didn’t love it.
The greatest strength of “Wrapped” lies in Agnes, its witty, independent and imaginative heroine. She falls into the typical heroine trope traps but is executed with a certain flair I found rather charming, and also manages to have several moments of surprising complexity I didn’t expect in what is essentially a light-hearted romp. For a novel with this sort of story, I think you need a heroine like Agnes, and she was what kept me reading throughout the occasional drops in pace. There was one thing about her that frustrated me and that was her frequent references to A Lady, the pen-name for Jane Austen. Agnes is a smart girl with a love of books, which I appreciated and related to, but her constant references to Austen began to grate on me very quickly. The other characters didn’t quite have the same impact on me and felt very stock, but they got the job done.
There really isn’t much for me to say about “Wrapped” because it’s a simple, light-hearted romp that one shouldn’t take too seriously. There dialogue is often anachronistic, some of the history doesn’t quite add up and the mystery at the centre of the story is pretty predictable, but it’s all very readable, often highly enjoyable and a good way to waste a few hours, which is in no way a criticism. I had fun reading about the Egyptian myths and rituals, It’s not going to break any boundaries or set a standard in historical YA, but it is a good fluffy read. I think younger YA readers may enjoy it more than I did.
3/5.
The greatest strength of “Wrapped” lies in Agnes, its witty, independent and imaginative heroine. She falls into the typical heroine trope traps but is executed with a certain flair I found rather charming, and also manages to have several moments of surprising complexity I didn’t expect in what is essentially a light-hearted romp. For a novel with this sort of story, I think you need a heroine like Agnes, and she was what kept me reading throughout the occasional drops in pace. There was one thing about her that frustrated me and that was her frequent references to A Lady, the pen-name for Jane Austen. Agnes is a smart girl with a love of books, which I appreciated and related to, but her constant references to Austen began to grate on me very quickly. The other characters didn’t quite have the same impact on me and felt very stock, but they got the job done.
There really isn’t much for me to say about “Wrapped” because it’s a simple, light-hearted romp that one shouldn’t take too seriously. There dialogue is often anachronistic, some of the history doesn’t quite add up and the mystery at the centre of the story is pretty predictable, but it’s all very readable, often highly enjoyable and a good way to waste a few hours, which is in no way a criticism. I had fun reading about the Egyptian myths and rituals, It’s not going to break any boundaries or set a standard in historical YA, but it is a good fluffy read. I think younger YA readers may enjoy it more than I did.
3/5.
March 19, 2011
Agnes Wilkins is a wealthy debutante in Regency England who speaks ten languages (and counting) and has a bit of a geeky streak. Bluestocking? Sign me up! She goes to the handsome Lord Showalter's "unwrapping" party (the grotesque practice of pirating mummies out of Egyptian pyramids and unwrapping them at upper class social gatherings) and decides to nick something small--just for kicks--only to uncover a scheme bigger than she could have imagined. I love this time period, and stories about the pampered rich girl who wants to do something more with her life is a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine. I also really liked the romantic lead.
However, this book breaks little new ground and was ultimately a bit... predictable. Wrapped a fun, breezy read, and Bradbury's writing is so easy to like, but I'm not sure it'll stick with me over time. I was a bit fascinated by Agnes's politics and wanted to know why she believed The British Museum essentially does a bad thing in 'stealing' historical treasures from other countries, especially as the dashing and equally geeky Caedmon (who works as a kind of curatorial assistant at the museum) holds a strong oppositional view. But alas, it was not much delved into.
I am so intrigued by this cover--design team seems to have chosen to go with a graphic novel/illustrated route--I wonder what's up with that? There are no pictures in this book, FYI.
However, this book breaks little new ground and was ultimately a bit... predictable. Wrapped a fun, breezy read, and Bradbury's writing is so easy to like, but I'm not sure it'll stick with me over time. I was a bit fascinated by Agnes's politics and wanted to know why she believed The British Museum essentially does a bad thing in 'stealing' historical treasures from other countries, especially as the dashing and equally geeky Caedmon (who works as a kind of curatorial assistant at the museum) holds a strong oppositional view. But alas, it was not much delved into.
I am so intrigued by this cover--design team seems to have chosen to go with a graphic novel/illustrated route--I wonder what's up with that? There are no pictures in this book, FYI.
January 16, 2018
This book was a light, enjoyable read. My one beef with it was that I was expecting there to be more... well... mummies.
Imagine my surprise when this turned out to be more of a spy story than a mummy story.
But past my initial disappointment, it was an enjoyable book.
Imagine my surprise when this turned out to be more of a spy story than a mummy story.
But past my initial disappointment, it was an enjoyable book.
August 18, 2016
I didn't really like it, but it wasn't terrible. Just that I wanted these characters to feel more intimate, more real and less staged. I wanted less quoting Austen and more character development. The thing that bothered me the most about this book was that I felt like the whole time the author was telling me about these characters and situations instead of using realistic dialogue and interactions and prose to SHOW me who these people really are.
March 20, 2017
Absolutely perfect blend of Egyptian mythology and the Regency period. I loved the history in the novel.
June 30, 2011
Review originally posted on: http://thebooksmugglers.com/2011/06/b...
Agnes Wilkins is sixteen, about to make her societal debut, and more than a little terrified at the prospect of coming out on the marriage market. Though Agnes is excited to attend parties, wear fancy dresses, loves her parents and is willing to emulate their dutiful roles in the peerage, she can’t help but feel that she isn’t quite ready for a husband. She longs for the adventure and romance she reads of in her darling A Lady novels (those anonymously written novels that include Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice) and yearns for something more from life. So, when she is invited to the most eligible bachelor’s home for her debut, one Lord Showalter, to attend a highly sensationalistic and unorthodox mummy unwrapping, Agnes is thrilled. She’s even more thrilled (though terrified) when she’s singled out by charming host Lord Showalter as the first guest invited to help remove the linens from the mummy in front of the entire party. When Agnes discovers a small iron figure in her ministrations, she secretly slips it into her bodice – even though she and the other guests have been promised that they can take home whatever trinkets they find in the mummy’s wrappings, Agnes follows some unknown impulse, not wanting anyone to know she has the figurine. Shortly after her small act of adventurous theft, Agnes decides to catch some air to calm her nerves only to be chased by one of the serving staff – for whatever reason, she cannot comprehend. Though she manages to elude her pursuer and return to the party, she discovers that the evening has been called to an abrupt end as an urgent message from the Museum reveals the mummy to be quite more important a specimen than Lord Showalter had earlier presumed.
Shortly thereafter, a man is discovered dead, his neck snapped violently. As fate would have it, it’s the same man that had chased Agnes on the grounds outside.
Suspecting the death could be more than a mere coincidence, this enterprising polyglot of a debutante finds herself ensnared in a mystery of spies, secrets, and the supernatural. With the help of a surly (but unmistakably handsome) Museum employee, Agnes must get to the bottom of the mystery behind the mummy – for the fate of England herself rests upon Agnes’s fashionable shoulders.
To enjoy Wrapped, one is asked to put aside an enormous mountain of skepticism and must suspend a copious amount of disbelief. Take dear Agnes Wilkins, for example. On top of being remarkably pretty and the daughter of an Earl (who I might mention is quite kindhearted, loves his wife, and believes his daughter to be not only a beautiful girl but also respects and encourages her studies), Agnes is also highly intelligent, well-read, well-versed in politics and current events, and a polyglot that can speak and read TEN languages. Mmm-hmm. There’s a lot of this sort of fantastic silliness throughout the book, and if you’re a natural skeptic, you may not be able to choke it all down. That said, I valiantly attempted to push aside my inner cynic and gave Wrapped as fair a shot as possible. And you know what? Wrapped was diverting. Pleasant. Frothy. Sometimes you want a pleasant and frothy. Certainly, there are worse ways to spend an afternoon.
The first bit that you should probably know about Wrapped is that it is, in fact, a historical spy-mystery, involving espionage of the highest order. Agnes’s England is mired in the last stage of conflict of the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon having escaped from Elba and tearing through Europe, threatening the United Kingdom in what will prove to be a final, decisive battle. Agnes’s father is an important head of state, and as such, Agnes has been able to glean information about Napoleon’s moves from eavesdropping on her father’s conversations with other influential peers in his study. With her older brother David away at war, sailing for Her Majesty’s Fleet, Agnes is very well-versed in the doings of France, and deeply patriotic. So, when she learns that her recovered supposedly ancient Egyptian trinket is, in fact, part of a French spy’s message apparatus, she is willing to do whatever it takes to solve the mystery for God and Country. Although the nature of the spy-mystery is somewhat predictable (truly, Agnes, you’ll have to have better wits about you if you plan to make a career of spy-hunting), I was pleasantly surprised by this twist in direction – instead of being a paranormal novel about Egyptian curses, it’s much more a pragmatic novel about cloak-and-dagger maneuverings in the days leading up to the battle at Waterloo. Agnes and her Caedmon do their fair share of skulking about in darkness, investigating ancient relics, and evading mysterious ne’er-do-wells, which is all rather fun and entertaining. Of course, there is a sort-of supernatural element to the story, but one can form one’s own opinion as to believe in the powers of Egyptian artifacts (or not).
In terms of characters, Agnes is likeable enough but hard to take seriously because of her ridiculous qualifications and abilities, especially for a girl of her age and station. Caedmon, her love interest, is also quite amiable, though uncommonly intelligent for a poor museum cleaning boy with no connections. Together, the pair make a nice, blandly sweet team – as remarkable and flavorful as tapioca pudding. This is indicative of the story overall: it’s all fine and good, but lacking in any real overall depth. Beyond the banality of the characters, however, the annoyance I had with Wrapped lay in the modern sensibilities that the author would repeatedly hammer home through her characters. Agnes is a well-off young girl in a time when well-off young girls had precious little freedom, and yet she thinks in very modern sensibilities. I know, I know; this is a retrospective fluff novel, but it’s a big pet peeve. Also high on the frustration meter were the repeated, ham-handed references to Jane Austen. There is virtually nothing that grates on my nerves more than an author picking out some literary icon (in this case, Austen) and refers to the works of said icon throughout the book in an attempt to be witty. In Wrapped, not only does Agnes refer to her favorite novels by A Lady, but she quotes, at length, from her favorite Austen books. Repeatedly. In different languages. This level of kitschiness drives me bananas.
Provided that one can ignore the kitsch; provided that one is able to overlook Agnes’s masterful single-handed control of Greek, Russian, Hebrew, and seven other languages (spoken AND written, mind you); provided that one can believe that Agnes and her paramour would be able to thwart a master spy and single-handedly alter the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo…one can enjoy the silly entertainment that is Wrapped. It’s kind of like National Treasure 2 in that way. 1 Diverting, mildly entertaining, and about as enriching as cotton candy. If you’re in the mood for cotton candy, Wrapped could be for you.
Agnes Wilkins is sixteen, about to make her societal debut, and more than a little terrified at the prospect of coming out on the marriage market. Though Agnes is excited to attend parties, wear fancy dresses, loves her parents and is willing to emulate their dutiful roles in the peerage, she can’t help but feel that she isn’t quite ready for a husband. She longs for the adventure and romance she reads of in her darling A Lady novels (those anonymously written novels that include Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice) and yearns for something more from life. So, when she is invited to the most eligible bachelor’s home for her debut, one Lord Showalter, to attend a highly sensationalistic and unorthodox mummy unwrapping, Agnes is thrilled. She’s even more thrilled (though terrified) when she’s singled out by charming host Lord Showalter as the first guest invited to help remove the linens from the mummy in front of the entire party. When Agnes discovers a small iron figure in her ministrations, she secretly slips it into her bodice – even though she and the other guests have been promised that they can take home whatever trinkets they find in the mummy’s wrappings, Agnes follows some unknown impulse, not wanting anyone to know she has the figurine. Shortly after her small act of adventurous theft, Agnes decides to catch some air to calm her nerves only to be chased by one of the serving staff – for whatever reason, she cannot comprehend. Though she manages to elude her pursuer and return to the party, she discovers that the evening has been called to an abrupt end as an urgent message from the Museum reveals the mummy to be quite more important a specimen than Lord Showalter had earlier presumed.
Shortly thereafter, a man is discovered dead, his neck snapped violently. As fate would have it, it’s the same man that had chased Agnes on the grounds outside.
Suspecting the death could be more than a mere coincidence, this enterprising polyglot of a debutante finds herself ensnared in a mystery of spies, secrets, and the supernatural. With the help of a surly (but unmistakably handsome) Museum employee, Agnes must get to the bottom of the mystery behind the mummy – for the fate of England herself rests upon Agnes’s fashionable shoulders.
To enjoy Wrapped, one is asked to put aside an enormous mountain of skepticism and must suspend a copious amount of disbelief. Take dear Agnes Wilkins, for example. On top of being remarkably pretty and the daughter of an Earl (who I might mention is quite kindhearted, loves his wife, and believes his daughter to be not only a beautiful girl but also respects and encourages her studies), Agnes is also highly intelligent, well-read, well-versed in politics and current events, and a polyglot that can speak and read TEN languages. Mmm-hmm. There’s a lot of this sort of fantastic silliness throughout the book, and if you’re a natural skeptic, you may not be able to choke it all down. That said, I valiantly attempted to push aside my inner cynic and gave Wrapped as fair a shot as possible. And you know what? Wrapped was diverting. Pleasant. Frothy. Sometimes you want a pleasant and frothy. Certainly, there are worse ways to spend an afternoon.
The first bit that you should probably know about Wrapped is that it is, in fact, a historical spy-mystery, involving espionage of the highest order. Agnes’s England is mired in the last stage of conflict of the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleon having escaped from Elba and tearing through Europe, threatening the United Kingdom in what will prove to be a final, decisive battle. Agnes’s father is an important head of state, and as such, Agnes has been able to glean information about Napoleon’s moves from eavesdropping on her father’s conversations with other influential peers in his study. With her older brother David away at war, sailing for Her Majesty’s Fleet, Agnes is very well-versed in the doings of France, and deeply patriotic. So, when she learns that her recovered supposedly ancient Egyptian trinket is, in fact, part of a French spy’s message apparatus, she is willing to do whatever it takes to solve the mystery for God and Country. Although the nature of the spy-mystery is somewhat predictable (truly, Agnes, you’ll have to have better wits about you if you plan to make a career of spy-hunting), I was pleasantly surprised by this twist in direction – instead of being a paranormal novel about Egyptian curses, it’s much more a pragmatic novel about cloak-and-dagger maneuverings in the days leading up to the battle at Waterloo. Agnes and her Caedmon do their fair share of skulking about in darkness, investigating ancient relics, and evading mysterious ne’er-do-wells, which is all rather fun and entertaining. Of course, there is a sort-of supernatural element to the story, but one can form one’s own opinion as to believe in the powers of Egyptian artifacts (or not).
In terms of characters, Agnes is likeable enough but hard to take seriously because of her ridiculous qualifications and abilities, especially for a girl of her age and station. Caedmon, her love interest, is also quite amiable, though uncommonly intelligent for a poor museum cleaning boy with no connections. Together, the pair make a nice, blandly sweet team – as remarkable and flavorful as tapioca pudding. This is indicative of the story overall: it’s all fine and good, but lacking in any real overall depth. Beyond the banality of the characters, however, the annoyance I had with Wrapped lay in the modern sensibilities that the author would repeatedly hammer home through her characters. Agnes is a well-off young girl in a time when well-off young girls had precious little freedom, and yet she thinks in very modern sensibilities. I know, I know; this is a retrospective fluff novel, but it’s a big pet peeve. Also high on the frustration meter were the repeated, ham-handed references to Jane Austen. There is virtually nothing that grates on my nerves more than an author picking out some literary icon (in this case, Austen) and refers to the works of said icon throughout the book in an attempt to be witty. In Wrapped, not only does Agnes refer to her favorite novels by A Lady, but she quotes, at length, from her favorite Austen books. Repeatedly. In different languages. This level of kitschiness drives me bananas.
Provided that one can ignore the kitsch; provided that one is able to overlook Agnes’s masterful single-handed control of Greek, Russian, Hebrew, and seven other languages (spoken AND written, mind you); provided that one can believe that Agnes and her paramour would be able to thwart a master spy and single-handedly alter the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo…one can enjoy the silly entertainment that is Wrapped. It’s kind of like National Treasure 2 in that way. 1 Diverting, mildly entertaining, and about as enriching as cotton candy. If you’re in the mood for cotton candy, Wrapped could be for you.
March 20, 2024
This just wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought it would be some kind of archaeology adventure but it really wasn’t that at all. I would also say that this is on the very young end of YA. The main character was a bit silly at times, the villain was completely obvious, etc. I’d recommend this book for someone who reads a lot of middle grade and wants to transition to YA.
I love the cover! It is so cute!
I love the cover! It is so cute!
July 20, 2011
Agnes Wilkins is about to make her debut into society, and she has already attracted the attention of a very rich man. But Agnes, a highly educated young woman, can't help but feel unfulfilled and desires something more in life than an advantages match. Then she is invited to a party where an ancient Egyptian mummy is unwrapped by the guests. When a small stone object slips out of the mummy's wrappings, Agnes steals it without realizing why. It doesn't take long before she learns that there's much more to this tiny object than she suspects.
There are so many reasons why I should have loved Wrapped, a Regency era historical fiction book that features a bookish heroine, a suspenseful plot, a star-crossed romance, and plenty of Jane Austen references. These are all features of books that I tend to enjoy. So why did this book ultimately fall flat for me? It wasn't poorly written, and it was well paced. Instead the problem arises from the fact that all of the elements that drew me towards this book have been better executed in other novels such as Y.S. Lee's The Agency Series, Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes novels, and Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl. In comparison, Wrapped ends up coming up a bit short.
One of the issues I had with Wrapped is it's protagonist, Agnes. I suppose it's not impossible for a seventeen-year-old girl to be well read, and known ten languages in an era where a girl's education was typically based around attracting a suitable match and running a household, but is it plausible? As a result, she can feel a little too perfect. I also found the Jane Austen quotes to be a bit tiresome after a while. The plot suffers from being too predictable. I'm not saying I saw every twist and turn coming, but it becomes obvious pretty quickly who the “bad guy” really is. The romantic subplot also left me cold. I felt as the book was often telling me about the growing affection between the couple, but I never actually felt any of it.
Wrapped isn't necessarily a bad book. It starts out promising enough, and the Egyptian angle is interesting. Unfortunately, it never ended up working out for me. I consider reading to be a very emotional experience. A book may have many of my favorite tropes, and solid writing, but if in the end I can't care about the characters, their stories, and their relationships, the book just won't work for me. Wrapped is a perfect example of this problem. I'm sorry to say that I cannot recommend this novel to others.
There are so many reasons why I should have loved Wrapped, a Regency era historical fiction book that features a bookish heroine, a suspenseful plot, a star-crossed romance, and plenty of Jane Austen references. These are all features of books that I tend to enjoy. So why did this book ultimately fall flat for me? It wasn't poorly written, and it was well paced. Instead the problem arises from the fact that all of the elements that drew me towards this book have been better executed in other novels such as Y.S. Lee's The Agency Series, Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes novels, and Prisoners in the Palace by Michaela MacColl. In comparison, Wrapped ends up coming up a bit short.
One of the issues I had with Wrapped is it's protagonist, Agnes. I suppose it's not impossible for a seventeen-year-old girl to be well read, and known ten languages in an era where a girl's education was typically based around attracting a suitable match and running a household, but is it plausible? As a result, she can feel a little too perfect. I also found the Jane Austen quotes to be a bit tiresome after a while. The plot suffers from being too predictable. I'm not saying I saw every twist and turn coming, but it becomes obvious pretty quickly who the “bad guy” really is. The romantic subplot also left me cold. I felt as the book was often telling me about the growing affection between the couple, but I never actually felt any of it.
Wrapped isn't necessarily a bad book. It starts out promising enough, and the Egyptian angle is interesting. Unfortunately, it never ended up working out for me. I consider reading to be a very emotional experience. A book may have many of my favorite tropes, and solid writing, but if in the end I can't care about the characters, their stories, and their relationships, the book just won't work for me. Wrapped is a perfect example of this problem. I'm sorry to say that I cannot recommend this novel to others.
May 5, 2011
Wrapped was a little bit of a mystery to me. It was a sweet, cute read but not at all what I was expecting.
I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the beautiful cover; I became even more interested when I read the summary. A girl who is unwrapping a mummy? At a soiree in Victorian England? Who is also a linguistic genius debutante? (As a foreign language teacher I couldn't help but be extremely pleased with that character revelation.) How could I say no?
Overall, I felt the characters were well written. However, I found myself liking Caedmon (despite his horrid name) more than I liked Agnes. (Okay, his name looked really cool, but I didn't like how it is pronounced.) In the beginning I felt like I identified with her a lot, but I began to feel differently the more childish she became. I realize she is supposed to be a teen and deserves some leeway in that category, but it really bothered me how she treated Lord Showalter and immediately fell in love with Caedmon. It was like one moment she hated him and then she was in love. I understand that this was supposed to mirror a certain A Lady novel, but it just seemed a teensy bit unrealistic with very little build up. (I work with teens and I know they can be a little stormy, so it just may be the old-lady me talking.)
The story itself started as a fun romp, but I was a bit confused by the ending. Their problem was solved nicely enough, but is there to be a sequel? I was a little dissatisfied by the lack of romance in the ending and hope there is a sequel so that I can find out what happens to the couple.
Overall, I would recommend this book to historical fiction lovers and girls who like handsome, intellectual guys.
I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw the beautiful cover; I became even more interested when I read the summary. A girl who is unwrapping a mummy? At a soiree in Victorian England? Who is also a linguistic genius debutante? (As a foreign language teacher I couldn't help but be extremely pleased with that character revelation.) How could I say no?
Overall, I felt the characters were well written. However, I found myself liking Caedmon (despite his horrid name) more than I liked Agnes. (Okay, his name looked really cool, but I didn't like how it is pronounced.) In the beginning I felt like I identified with her a lot, but I began to feel differently the more childish she became. I realize she is supposed to be a teen and deserves some leeway in that category, but it really bothered me how she treated Lord Showalter and immediately fell in love with Caedmon. It was like one moment she hated him and then she was in love. I understand that this was supposed to mirror a certain A Lady novel, but it just seemed a teensy bit unrealistic with very little build up. (I work with teens and I know they can be a little stormy, so it just may be the old-lady me talking.)
The story itself started as a fun romp, but I was a bit confused by the ending. Their problem was solved nicely enough, but is there to be a sequel? I was a little dissatisfied by the lack of romance in the ending and hope there is a sequel so that I can find out what happens to the couple.
Overall, I would recommend this book to historical fiction lovers and girls who like handsome, intellectual guys.
April 12, 2018
3.5
I knew the ending immediately! I feel really bad that I figured it out but I loved the characters. The characters in the book were lovable and amazing. But seriously I wanted to kill some of the men in the book because of how they spoke to Agnes. I mean I understood that was the normal at the time but I was still pissed at it. I mean I wanted to kill some them because they were really annoying! But I loved the romance and the Agnes's handmaid. I mean she was so excited that there was gossip for the handmaid. I loved the book but it won't be my favorite book.
I knew the ending immediately! I feel really bad that I figured it out but I loved the characters. The characters in the book were lovable and amazing. But seriously I wanted to kill some of the men in the book because of how they spoke to Agnes. I mean I understood that was the normal at the time but I was still pissed at it. I mean I wanted to kill some them because they were really annoying! But I loved the romance and the Agnes's handmaid. I mean she was so excited that there was gossip for the handmaid. I loved the book but it won't be my favorite book.
September 15, 2023
A YA mystery/romance with regency vibes, spies, Napoleon, and mummies. I mean, what more could you possibly want? It’s light on the romance and there’s virtually no teen angst, and the plot is unique and fun. Definitely recommended.
November 20, 2011
Can I just gush? For hours? Because this book is worthy of years of gushing. Jennifer Bradbury states in the author’s note that she wrote this book to “[combine] my loves for the Regency period, Egyptian mythology and history, and stories featuring spies and secret agents.” Does this not sound like the most perfect combination of awesome things? And trust me, it worked. Soooo well!!
Because of my love of Jane Austen (whose works are referenced and spoken of many times throughout the story), I adore any story set in the same time period. In the very first scene of the book, Agnes is reading Mansfield Park. Right there, I knew I would love her. She goes on to quote Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
The start is like many regency books with the girl getting ready for her debut and dislikes all the fuss over husband-hunting. Agnes was on the more romantic side of that rebellion though, in that she longed for a Jane Austen-like romance, not something set up and based on social standing. She was also not in complete rebellion over the season. While she disliked the stress over it, she was not as “oh goodness I will rebel against everything” like some regency heroines (see “The Season” “Bewitching Season” etc.). Agnes held her parents in high respect and wanted to please them. If this involved marrying some random guy, then she would, albeit begrudgingly, do it.
However from this typical beginning we get all Egypt-crazy and have a mummy unwrapping (which I never knew was “a thing” back then!) at a high-class party. Here is were she sees a mysterious young man for the first time, and we all just *know* that he’s her destined true match (and how right we are). Because while Lord Showalter might be the most eligible man in London, for all his impressive qualities (and big ego) we know he’s not her man.
I don’t want to ruin too much of the mystery and excitement of the storyline for you, but let me say, it’s pretty fantastic. Understanding Egypt's history more and the effect Napoleon had on the people of England was fantastic. She only took a few liberties which she explains at the end. Mostly the deviations were all “fixed” by the end of the novel. I love historical novels as long as they are creative enough, and this was SO creative.
The “mysterious young man” is Caedmon who, as a male lead, is pretty awesome. He’s the “not so rich” guy who falls for the rich girl, and holds out hope that it will all work out. I loved him for his intelligence, his confidence, and his spirit. He was so normal, I loved it! Even though this normal-ness made him a flatter character in general, I do think he compliments Agnes perfectly and is just a great guy.
She is totally setting this up for more books!! I’m so happy!! At least, the ending makes it seem like they could have many adventures. Although, it might be a way to end the book and give the readers knowledge of the characters’ future events. But I hope she writes more books about Agnes. She gave herself so much to write off of, and her characters are so amazing that more books are definitely needed!
As you can obviously tell, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book. Go read it.
P.S. The cover??? It’s completely gorgeous!! I would have read it just for the cover. . .
P.P.S. I read this in one day. Got it from the library at five and read it pretty much since then till about 10. It was THAT good.
Content Warning: Infrequent language (about two different words used around two-three times each).
Because of my love of Jane Austen (whose works are referenced and spoken of many times throughout the story), I adore any story set in the same time period. In the very first scene of the book, Agnes is reading Mansfield Park. Right there, I knew I would love her. She goes on to quote Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.
The start is like many regency books with the girl getting ready for her debut and dislikes all the fuss over husband-hunting. Agnes was on the more romantic side of that rebellion though, in that she longed for a Jane Austen-like romance, not something set up and based on social standing. She was also not in complete rebellion over the season. While she disliked the stress over it, she was not as “oh goodness I will rebel against everything” like some regency heroines (see “The Season” “Bewitching Season” etc.). Agnes held her parents in high respect and wanted to please them. If this involved marrying some random guy, then she would, albeit begrudgingly, do it.
However from this typical beginning we get all Egypt-crazy and have a mummy unwrapping (which I never knew was “a thing” back then!) at a high-class party. Here is were she sees a mysterious young man for the first time, and we all just *know* that he’s her destined true match (and how right we are). Because while Lord Showalter might be the most eligible man in London, for all his impressive qualities (and big ego) we know he’s not her man.
I don’t want to ruin too much of the mystery and excitement of the storyline for you, but let me say, it’s pretty fantastic. Understanding Egypt's history more and the effect Napoleon had on the people of England was fantastic. She only took a few liberties which she explains at the end. Mostly the deviations were all “fixed” by the end of the novel. I love historical novels as long as they are creative enough, and this was SO creative.
The “mysterious young man” is Caedmon who, as a male lead, is pretty awesome. He’s the “not so rich” guy who falls for the rich girl, and holds out hope that it will all work out. I loved him for his intelligence, his confidence, and his spirit. He was so normal, I loved it! Even though this normal-ness made him a flatter character in general, I do think he compliments Agnes perfectly and is just a great guy.
She is totally setting this up for more books!! I’m so happy!! At least, the ending makes it seem like they could have many adventures. Although, it might be a way to end the book and give the readers knowledge of the characters’ future events. But I hope she writes more books about Agnes. She gave herself so much to write off of, and her characters are so amazing that more books are definitely needed!
As you can obviously tell, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book. Go read it.
P.S. The cover??? It’s completely gorgeous!! I would have read it just for the cover. . .
P.P.S. I read this in one day. Got it from the library at five and read it pretty much since then till about 10. It was THAT good.
Content Warning: Infrequent language (about two different words used around two-three times each).
December 11, 2014
With a somewhat slow start, Wrapped launched into an intriguing and on-the-edge plot that kept me hopping from one page to the next, eager to see what happens.
The beginning was filled with high talk and poofy dresses. It takes a minute to get used to the language but once you settle in, you're ready for the action to start. That doesn't happen for another couple of chapters though. First we have to flesh Agnes out, show that she's not your typical society women concerned with debuts and marrying "right." Agnes wants adventure. She wants to travel. She wants to think about something other than fabric colors.
Enter the mummy, and her noticing a boy below her station, and that's when all of her troubles begin. Agnes adopts a secret that's more than just a novelty or a dream of a far away place. It shoves her right into the middle of something that she doesn't know if she's capable of handling or not. The easiest thing for Agnes to do would be to give up.
But she doesn't. She sticks through the problems right until the end. Even when things get dangerous, even when her well-being is at stake, Agnes stands hard and tall to get the job done. And that's what I loved about her. She didn't need to be saved. She thought for herself and did her own saving. In fact, she stepped in and saved other people of the male variety. Something mighty fantastic of a girl of the time.
I will admit, though, I had a hard time swallowing the end. Just based on what I know of the era, it doesn't seem to fit. But according to the author, things like this did happen. Of course we wouldn't know about it because, well, covers would be blown, wouldn't they? I had to suspend my disbelief a little bit for that part but it was worth it.
Wrapped is exceptionally well-written and captures the voice of the time perfectly (sometimes a little too perfectly at some points that it dragged). Agnes is all the YA heroine that we could ask for and then some. Even in her floofy dresses she blows a lot of these current YA chicks straight out of the water.
I really don't have much to say about Wrapped other than if you love Egypt and Victorian-era London, you'll want to dive right into this book. It's a history lesson and a fun adventure all rolled into one. You'll be biting your nails in suspense as the plot carries on and by the end, you'll be clapping for all that happened. I thought it was great.
The beginning was filled with high talk and poofy dresses. It takes a minute to get used to the language but once you settle in, you're ready for the action to start. That doesn't happen for another couple of chapters though. First we have to flesh Agnes out, show that she's not your typical society women concerned with debuts and marrying "right." Agnes wants adventure. She wants to travel. She wants to think about something other than fabric colors.
Enter the mummy, and her noticing a boy below her station, and that's when all of her troubles begin. Agnes adopts a secret that's more than just a novelty or a dream of a far away place. It shoves her right into the middle of something that she doesn't know if she's capable of handling or not. The easiest thing for Agnes to do would be to give up.
But she doesn't. She sticks through the problems right until the end. Even when things get dangerous, even when her well-being is at stake, Agnes stands hard and tall to get the job done. And that's what I loved about her. She didn't need to be saved. She thought for herself and did her own saving. In fact, she stepped in and saved other people of the male variety. Something mighty fantastic of a girl of the time.
I will admit, though, I had a hard time swallowing the end. Just based on what I know of the era, it doesn't seem to fit. But according to the author, things like this did happen. Of course we wouldn't know about it because, well, covers would be blown, wouldn't they? I had to suspend my disbelief a little bit for that part but it was worth it.
Wrapped is exceptionally well-written and captures the voice of the time perfectly (sometimes a little too perfectly at some points that it dragged). Agnes is all the YA heroine that we could ask for and then some. Even in her floofy dresses she blows a lot of these current YA chicks straight out of the water.
I really don't have much to say about Wrapped other than if you love Egypt and Victorian-era London, you'll want to dive right into this book. It's a history lesson and a fun adventure all rolled into one. You'll be biting your nails in suspense as the plot carries on and by the end, you'll be clapping for all that happened. I thought it was great.
June 8, 2012
Wrapped is a perfect title for this book, but another good one might have been Pride and Prejudice and Mummies.
In 1815, multilingual Agnes Wilkins would much rather be traveling the world on archaeological adventures than preparing to make her debut to London society. She gets more than she bargained for when her potential suitor Lord Showalter holds a mummy unwrapping at his garden party (something that was actually a fad in the 1800s, according to the author’s note). Agnes uncovers a mysterious artifact, and possibly a curse as well once a murder and burglaries start sweeping the neighborhood. Not one to ignore a mystery, Agnes aims to get to the bottom of it all…and still be home in time for tea.
What I liked: Agnes had a lot of spunk and I enjoyed her Jane Austen quotes in multiple languages. In addition, kudos to Ms. Bradbury for knowing that Austen’s books were first published anonymously. The tie-ins to the war with Napoleon was unique to this book – it seems that in many novels of the same setting, the war is barely mentioned. The ending tied up enough loose ends to satisfy me, while still leaving the door wide open for sequels, which sound more potentially interesting than the first book.
What I was not so crazy about: There is really nothing wrong with this book. My biggest problem was simply that it did not feel very original. Yes, the Egyptology plot was different, but besides that it felt quite a bit like other historical mysteries. The characters felt like archetypes, and the plot twists were fairly predictable. Lots of “talking heads” scenes, and nothing too exciting.
In short: This is a fun, very quick mystery with a bit of romance, but not outstanding. Still, I would be willing to read sequels in the future.
3 out of 5 stars.
Something similar: The Season by Sarah MacLean, The Agency series by Y.S. Lee
Something better: Sorcery and Cecelia by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia C. Wrede
Cover: I love it! I like that it’s drawn and not a photo like the vast majority of YA books today. Cover girl who looks like the main character? Also a check. Upon closer inspection, the ribbon from Agnes’ dress connects with part of the mummy’s wrapping to form the title. Very clever :)
In 1815, multilingual Agnes Wilkins would much rather be traveling the world on archaeological adventures than preparing to make her debut to London society. She gets more than she bargained for when her potential suitor Lord Showalter holds a mummy unwrapping at his garden party (something that was actually a fad in the 1800s, according to the author’s note). Agnes uncovers a mysterious artifact, and possibly a curse as well once a murder and burglaries start sweeping the neighborhood. Not one to ignore a mystery, Agnes aims to get to the bottom of it all…and still be home in time for tea.
What I liked: Agnes had a lot of spunk and I enjoyed her Jane Austen quotes in multiple languages. In addition, kudos to Ms. Bradbury for knowing that Austen’s books were first published anonymously. The tie-ins to the war with Napoleon was unique to this book – it seems that in many novels of the same setting, the war is barely mentioned. The ending tied up enough loose ends to satisfy me, while still leaving the door wide open for sequels, which sound more potentially interesting than the first book.
What I was not so crazy about: There is really nothing wrong with this book. My biggest problem was simply that it did not feel very original. Yes, the Egyptology plot was different, but besides that it felt quite a bit like other historical mysteries. The characters felt like archetypes, and the plot twists were fairly predictable. Lots of “talking heads” scenes, and nothing too exciting.
In short: This is a fun, very quick mystery with a bit of romance, but not outstanding. Still, I would be willing to read sequels in the future.
3 out of 5 stars.
Something similar: The Season by Sarah MacLean, The Agency series by Y.S. Lee
Something better: Sorcery and Cecelia by Caroline Stevermer and Patricia C. Wrede
Cover: I love it! I like that it’s drawn and not a photo like the vast majority of YA books today. Cover girl who looks like the main character? Also a check. Upon closer inspection, the ribbon from Agnes’ dress connects with part of the mummy’s wrapping to form the title. Very clever :)
June 7, 2011
Wrapped tells the story of Agnes Wilkins, a debutante whose thoughts and interests are decidedly not appropriate to a debutantes. She is poised, so to speak, on the cusp of womanhood, about to make her debut into high society so that the most eligible bachelor can snap her up. Only, she’s not sure at all that she wants to be snapped up. Or even if she’s ready for marriage. Then she attends a mummy unwrapping (apparently, this used to be great entertainment for the ton back in the days. I can see archaeologists swooning right now at the idea of such willful destruction) and things get very complicated.
You see, Agnes has a genius for languages. She knows about ten and most of them she has taught herself. This is quite an extraordinary feat, you guys. And an entirely admirable one. Anyway, so things happen and she realizes that the “artifact” she found in the mummy reveals a plot of Napoleon’s. A plot against England. So she teams up with a boy whose name I can’t remember for the life of me to unravel the plot and find the true artifact.
The book does have a slow start but it picks up pace and becomes a delightful romp through museums, hospitals and gardens. We stare down the barrels of gardens and shimmy down the vine from bedrooms. We see a love affair breaking down and indulge in some heart palpitations of our own where certain boy whose name I can’t remember is concerned. What I most like is Agnes’s habit of translating lines from an Austen novel into different languages. She is not even aware that she is doing it – in fact, it’s a habit when she gets too nervous.
Wrapped does give a glimpse of how frustrating life must have been for a woman who refuses to conform to societal expectations where gender expressions are concerned. In fact, it is frustrating even now. How many times have you heard or have been told to “behave like a girl?”
The end is a triumph not just for England but for the female gender as Agnes breaks stereotypes and moves on to a new stage in her life – one that doesn’t contain numerous visits to the dressmakers and tittering over tea.
You see, Agnes has a genius for languages. She knows about ten and most of them she has taught herself. This is quite an extraordinary feat, you guys. And an entirely admirable one. Anyway, so things happen and she realizes that the “artifact” she found in the mummy reveals a plot of Napoleon’s. A plot against England. So she teams up with a boy whose name I can’t remember for the life of me to unravel the plot and find the true artifact.
The book does have a slow start but it picks up pace and becomes a delightful romp through museums, hospitals and gardens. We stare down the barrels of gardens and shimmy down the vine from bedrooms. We see a love affair breaking down and indulge in some heart palpitations of our own where certain boy whose name I can’t remember is concerned. What I most like is Agnes’s habit of translating lines from an Austen novel into different languages. She is not even aware that she is doing it – in fact, it’s a habit when she gets too nervous.
Wrapped does give a glimpse of how frustrating life must have been for a woman who refuses to conform to societal expectations where gender expressions are concerned. In fact, it is frustrating even now. How many times have you heard or have been told to “behave like a girl?”
The end is a triumph not just for England but for the female gender as Agnes breaks stereotypes and moves on to a new stage in her life – one that doesn’t contain numerous visits to the dressmakers and tittering over tea.
November 12, 2013
This book is a fun adventure set in Regency England that takes the traditional plot and adds the unique element of Egyptian culture to provide more mystery than is usually found in traditional Regencies. Agnes is a great character. She's smart but unsure of herself and her place in the world as most teens are. She's flattered by Lord Showalter's attentions yet doesn't want to be tied down just yet. She's torn between duty and desire, much like her favorite literary hero Mr. Darcy (though in a different way). The mystery kept me very interested because it was so different from anything else I've read. I enjoyed learning about Ancient Egypt along with Agnes and Caedmon. It made the mystery more enjoyable because I couldn't figure it out right away. Though I guessed the villain, the big reveal came as a bit of a surprise. I liked the little bit of sweet romance too. My main complaints with the book were the inaccuracies in styles of address (for example, the same character is referred to as both Mr. and Lord when they're not the same at all.). Also, Agnes considers going to Scotland Yard to tell the police and I don't see how she can because Scotland Yard wasn't formed yet in 1815! I especially disliked the constant telling of how difficult it was to be a woman at that time. The author could have left out the telling and just shown the reader. If you're a high stickler for accuracy, don't read this book. Agnes is a teenager, this is a young adult book. Agnes does not behave according to the strict rules of propriety that dictate the behavior of young women in this era. I missed the period language as well. Teenagers are not stupid and they can and will read books that are more precisely detailed. For the simplicity of the language I would say this book is aimed at 12-14 year olds. It can be enjoyed by all ages 9+ though. I recommend this book if you enjoyed The Agency trilogy by Y.S. Lee, Bewitching Season by Marissa Doyle, La Petite Four by Regina Scott and The Season by Sarah MacLean. I can't wait for the sequel! I hope Agnes will have many more adventures to come.
July 27, 2011
First of all- the cover is BEAUTIFUL. That is what originally drew me to this book- I can't say enough about how much I love this book. And the premise- sounds so much fun! I rarely get to read about books that have to do with Egypt and the story sounded like it could be a big winner.
But sadly, that is where the trouble began. Perhaps my expectations were to high. I didn't like this book. In fact- I almost returned it to the library without finishing it. It was almost as if I was reading an "abridged" version of Wrapped. The book felt so rushed, I never really got involved with the characters. And I found the main romance completely unbelievable.
I will say- the bright spot of this book was in the villan (who will remain nameless for spoiler purposes). The author wrote the villan well and developed that character very nicely.
All in all, very disappointing. If I were to give this book stars- I would only give it a 2/ 5.
But sadly, that is where the trouble began. Perhaps my expectations were to high. I didn't like this book. In fact- I almost returned it to the library without finishing it. It was almost as if I was reading an "abridged" version of Wrapped. The book felt so rushed, I never really got involved with the characters. And I found the main romance completely unbelievable.
I will say- the bright spot of this book was in the villan (who will remain nameless for spoiler purposes). The author wrote the villan well and developed that character very nicely.
All in all, very disappointing. If I were to give this book stars- I would only give it a 2/ 5.
May 20, 2016
Wrapped is a fun YA historical mystery with mummy unwrapping parties, artifacts and curses, secret museum excursions and a sinister plot. There's also Regency society to navigate, with an inappropriate romantic interest for the heroine.
It's entertaining but without the level of complexity that I'd usually reserve for a 4 star book. Still a fun, light read. From the ending, it sounds like there should be a sequel, so I'll be keeping my eye out for the next one.
**Received free arc for review.
It's entertaining but without the level of complexity that I'd usually reserve for a 4 star book. Still a fun, light read. From the ending, it sounds like there should be a sequel, so I'll be keeping my eye out for the next one.
**Received free arc for review.
July 15, 2016
Fun and romantic and very like Alias set in an alternate-history Regency England.
September 11, 2016
A student recommended this one to me (actually put the book in my hand and made me check it out from the school library). I love that she loves it, but it just wasn't for me.
March 30, 2020
Wrapped is a fun Regency YA book with a little bit of a sweet romance and a lot of mystery. Agnes is a girl who wants more from life than parties and ball gowns. A young lady with a quick mind who loves to learn and wants to travel. I love that the author has Agnes reading Jane Austen, who was then only known as A Lady. Not only does Agnes frequently quote her, but she does so in multiple languages.
I have read the book before. This is the first time I have listened to it. If I had listened to it first, I would not have enjoyed it as much. I did not care for how the reader portrayed Agnes. I felt she made her too dramatic for the smart girl she was. And that was annoying.
I have read the book before. This is the first time I have listened to it. If I had listened to it first, I would not have enjoyed it as much. I did not care for how the reader portrayed Agnes. I felt she made her too dramatic for the smart girl she was. And that was annoying.
July 3, 2022
I knew they were gonna fall in love, but they had like 2 conversations one of which was an argument and they were both like boom love and i was there like bruh what/
December 16, 2011
Where do I begin with this book? I don't think I would have even finished it if I hadn't been listening on audiobook and in the car for a long ride anyway. It was so frustrating! Agnes, the main character, was never convincing as a member of her era. The book is set in 1815, yet Agnes repeatedly (as in over, and over, and over!) comments that museums should not be appropriating artifacts from other countries because the items should remain in their original countries. Um, that is NOT a period concept. The author tries to pretend that Agnes is just a rogue thinker by having other characters react to this with various degrees of outrage and scorn, but it doesn't work. The viewpoint is far too modern to have any place in this book. Agnes also disdains the ways in which wealthy women marry for money and prestige rather than for love. I'm sure that some girls did question this, but for Agnes it is never really a question, more an obvious worldview she has a hard time seeing past. Why doesn't everyone just agree with her??? She throws all propriety out the window in her quest to solve the problem, which is good for drama, but is not in keeping with her time period. Yes, all ends happily, but in real life she should have been far more anxious about the consequences. in real history she would not have been rewarded the way that she is, she would have been locked up by her parents. Reputation was far, far more important for wealthy young women in that era. In real life there simply were no other options aside from marriage. If you ruined your chances at marriage, you were a burden on your family. Yet Agnes never even hesitates to ditch her chaperone, run around at night with strange men, or dress inappropriately. And apparently her father is okay with that???
Agnes is also extremely self-absorbed. She is supposed to be nearly 17, but she acts far more like a 13 year old. An immature 13 year old. She's impulsive (which is not always a bad thing for a character) but she also refuses to admit her own mistakes. She's sullen and petty on several occasions. For instance, she knows that there is a threat to national security during a time of war, and yet she doesn't tell her father the minister anything about it because she's pissed off that he brushed her off while conferring with others over something he saw as both extremely important and not a concern of hers. When he later found out that it did concern her, he apologized, but she didn't forgive him. She was too intent on solving the mystery and getting all of the glory to "prove herself" to consider asking for help from people who were far more qualified to figure things out. Later she purposefully picks a fight in public with the socially impossible boy she likes essentially because he is doing a great job of staying poker faced when she shows up with the man she's supposed to marry. It is hugely important that their relationship stay secret, both for social reasons and for national security, and yet here is Agnes throwing a tantrum because the boy is not making it obvious that this is awkward for him.
Agnes is supposed to be this great scholar, and yet we never ever see her do anything smart. She can translate in several languages, which is a nifty skill, but she never uses any reasoning or logical thought at all. Even the villain, in his stereotypically bombastic reveal, is all "How could you not figure this out sooner? You're so self-absorbed!"
I won't even go into the bizarre fact that the entire book revolves around finding something paranormal, despite there being no other paranormal element in the book. Something that all of the relevant characters accept as a paranormal artifact essentially without question. (Agnes does question it, very briefly, twice, and both times different people say the exact same thing "Of course I believe this! I've seen things that couldn't be explained before!" But exactly what they've seen is never mentioned and Agnes never asks.) Yet the artifact is never used. If you're not going to make the book a paranormal book, why even introduce that element at all? It just makes the characters seem silly, running around trying to get their hands on mystical juju based on no evidence whatsoever. Instead of the artifact it could easily have been some other important tool, such as a codebook or secret plans.
Agnes is also extremely self-absorbed. She is supposed to be nearly 17, but she acts far more like a 13 year old. An immature 13 year old. She's impulsive (which is not always a bad thing for a character) but she also refuses to admit her own mistakes. She's sullen and petty on several occasions. For instance, she knows that there is a threat to national security during a time of war, and yet she doesn't tell her father the minister anything about it because she's pissed off that he brushed her off while conferring with others over something he saw as both extremely important and not a concern of hers. When he later found out that it did concern her, he apologized, but she didn't forgive him. She was too intent on solving the mystery and getting all of the glory to "prove herself" to consider asking for help from people who were far more qualified to figure things out. Later she purposefully picks a fight in public with the socially impossible boy she likes essentially because he is doing a great job of staying poker faced when she shows up with the man she's supposed to marry. It is hugely important that their relationship stay secret, both for social reasons and for national security, and yet here is Agnes throwing a tantrum because the boy is not making it obvious that this is awkward for him.
Agnes is supposed to be this great scholar, and yet we never ever see her do anything smart. She can translate in several languages, which is a nifty skill, but she never uses any reasoning or logical thought at all. Even the villain, in his stereotypically bombastic reveal, is all "How could you not figure this out sooner? You're so self-absorbed!"
I won't even go into the bizarre fact that the entire book revolves around finding something paranormal, despite there being no other paranormal element in the book. Something that all of the relevant characters accept as a paranormal artifact essentially without question. (Agnes does question it, very briefly, twice, and both times different people say the exact same thing "Of course I believe this! I've seen things that couldn't be explained before!" But exactly what they've seen is never mentioned and Agnes never asks.) Yet the artifact is never used. If you're not going to make the book a paranormal book, why even introduce that element at all? It just makes the characters seem silly, running around trying to get their hands on mystical juju based on no evidence whatsoever. Instead of the artifact it could easily have been some other important tool, such as a codebook or secret plans.
August 12, 2012
2.5 stars, really. I wavered between 2 and 3 stars and I thought, if I were a teacher I'd probably give this a low C, and if 5 stars is A, 4 is B, etc, then 3 is fine. The main issue, for me, was the deceptive description. It was so vague, that what I thought was going to be a book about Egyptology and mummies and such turned out to be a book on Napoleon and espionage and British patriotism. And it wasn't what I wanted.
The first half of the book felt bland. I didn't care about anything. The lackluster opening scene didn't help at all, she certainly could have chosen anything more gripping than trying on a dress with your mom. And the following chapter which describes the mummy unwrapping party, I felt like I didn't get to hear about the mummy at all and it was mostly about English party etiquette. There was no description where I wanted it to be. And then we launch into our espionage story and I was like oh. But wait, Egypt?
When we do get back to Egyptology, which is like halfway through the book, it's only on an elementary level, and any kid who had an Egyptology fetish when they were 8 will have already heard this stuff. "This hook takes the brain through the nose." "The scarab is a dung beetle." Blah blah blah. I dunno I was just like what is happening and why is it so basic.
The strangest thing to me was just the oddball habit that the author chose for her character. It's really awkward when the author thinks the character is being cute and you're like "what?" So the character is obsessed with languages, which is fine I guess since it has a bit to do with the story and its ending. However, the character is also obsessed with Jane Austen (which is done to death, but okay.) And she has a weird habit of quoting barely relevant quotes of Jane Austen in different languages at people when she's upset. Oh okay what now? That's uh...pretty strange there. It would have been much 'cuter' if, say, she slipped accidentally into a different language when getting upset, instead of like Jane Austen quotes layered on top of that? It just felt weird and forced and completely inhuman. Like a broken robot or something. Stop with the weirdo quirks.
I tell you what, I am close to swearing off of YA. I just...can't anymore.
But were there any good things? I guess. By the second half things started to get better, there were some nice moments I suppose, like when the character goes out in male drag at night to be in disguise. The love interest is cute enough and appropriate for the protagonist. There was a twist at the end I didn't see coming, I think maybe other people could have guessed by I didn't til close to the end, maybe just because I didn't care to guess either way, haha. The author did a good job at keeping most of the scenes relevant to the overall plot and didn't wander too much, and I would say there wasn't anything wrong with the prose style, although it lacked any sort of flourish as well.
Basically, it's not too good and it's not too bad. It's just there. If the first half hadn't been so boring, and I had cared more for the characters, and if I had been more aware of what the plot was even going to be about before I read it, instead of expecting a book more about Egyptology, I would have liked it better. But since it was more about an English debutante and being British and French spies and Jane Austen I was just like...meh. If that sounds like something you care about than go for it, but otherwise, don't bother.
The first half of the book felt bland. I didn't care about anything. The lackluster opening scene didn't help at all, she certainly could have chosen anything more gripping than trying on a dress with your mom. And the following chapter which describes the mummy unwrapping party, I felt like I didn't get to hear about the mummy at all and it was mostly about English party etiquette. There was no description where I wanted it to be. And then we launch into our espionage story and I was like oh. But wait, Egypt?
When we do get back to Egyptology, which is like halfway through the book, it's only on an elementary level, and any kid who had an Egyptology fetish when they were 8 will have already heard this stuff. "This hook takes the brain through the nose." "The scarab is a dung beetle." Blah blah blah. I dunno I was just like what is happening and why is it so basic.
The strangest thing to me was just the oddball habit that the author chose for her character. It's really awkward when the author thinks the character is being cute and you're like "what?" So the character is obsessed with languages, which is fine I guess since it has a bit to do with the story and its ending. However, the character is also obsessed with Jane Austen (which is done to death, but okay.) And she has a weird habit of quoting barely relevant quotes of Jane Austen in different languages at people when she's upset. Oh okay what now? That's uh...pretty strange there. It would have been much 'cuter' if, say, she slipped accidentally into a different language when getting upset, instead of like Jane Austen quotes layered on top of that? It just felt weird and forced and completely inhuman. Like a broken robot or something. Stop with the weirdo quirks.
I tell you what, I am close to swearing off of YA. I just...can't anymore.
But were there any good things? I guess. By the second half things started to get better, there were some nice moments I suppose, like when the character goes out in male drag at night to be in disguise. The love interest is cute enough and appropriate for the protagonist. There was a twist at the end I didn't see coming, I think maybe other people could have guessed by I didn't til close to the end, maybe just because I didn't care to guess either way, haha. The author did a good job at keeping most of the scenes relevant to the overall plot and didn't wander too much, and I would say there wasn't anything wrong with the prose style, although it lacked any sort of flourish as well.
Basically, it's not too good and it's not too bad. It's just there. If the first half hadn't been so boring, and I had cared more for the characters, and if I had been more aware of what the plot was even going to be about before I read it, instead of expecting a book more about Egyptology, I would have liked it better. But since it was more about an English debutante and being British and French spies and Jane Austen I was just like...meh. If that sounds like something you care about than go for it, but otherwise, don't bother.
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