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As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia de Luce, #7)

Alan Bradley

Start date: July 15, 2022

Finish date: August 7, 2022

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Next book for all our Flavia fans.
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What Members Thought

Dec 30, 2014 Susan in NC rated it liked it

I'm not quite sure what Alan Bradley was going for here; another notch in Flavia's crime-solving belt? Check. A coming-of-age story of a remarkably precocious, brilliant but lonely girl who really seemed alone in the world after being shipped off to a somber, supposedly haunted boarding school in Canada? Check - as Flavia says three-quarters of the way through this confusing jumble of a story, "My whole life had been lived in doubt - doubt about my mother, doubt about even my own identity...not I'm not quite sure what Alan Bradley was going for here; another notch in Flavia's crime-solving belt? Check. A coming-of-age story of a remarkably precocious, brilliant but lonely girl who really seemed alone in the world after being shipped off to a somber, supposedly haunted boarding school in Canada? Check - as Flavia says three-quarters of the way through this confusing jumble of a story, "My whole life had been lived in doubt - doubt about my mother, doubt about even my own identity...not knowing sometimes if I were foundling or changeling, taunted by sisters...capable of being as exquisitely cruel as those in any fairy tale. Where identity was concerned, I was a raw sore - an open wound. I was quickly learning that I couldn't exist in a world of shifting shadows and whispered half-truths."

That's when our girl decides she's had it with her Aunt Felicity's experiment in training her to become part of the super-secret Nide group and she wants to go home - thankfully, at the end of this rather bizarre episode in Flavia's very eventful young life, she is aboard ship heading back to her beloved England. I wonder how Bradley will handle her homecoming? I was appalled that nobody from Buckshaw, save the loyal Dogger (and the repellant Undine), wrote to Flavia while she was at school - no letters from her father, Aunt Felicity, or sisters Daffy and Feely?!? I wouldn't expect the rotten sisters so much, but her father couldn't drop a line? Flavia's loneliness and longing for love and approval always tugs at my mother's heart, but her homesickness and stark "aloneness" in this outing was painful.

I can't wait to see where Bradley takes Flavia next; I thought the next several adventures would take place at her new school, kind of a Harry Potter, precocious kids vs. the headmistresses vibe, but that is off the table now as the Canadian episode is finished (I hope Bradley doesn't pull a "who killed JR?" and have the next book open with Flavia waking up - it was all just a bad dream!) It had some good moments filled with the dry, dark humor fans of the series expect and love - Flavia making friends with girls her own age was rather painful but interesting, Flavia interacting with adults is always priceless, if even more confusing than usual in this book. I must admit I lost patience with all the secretive nonsense! Flavia being devious is a brilliant thing to behold, but in this book EVERY character had something to hide, nobody could tell anyone anything or answer any questions - very frustrating and made me want to throw the book across the room more than once...

I have read and savored every one of Flavia's adventures and can't wait for the next one; I recommend them to everyone I know! Again, I don't know what the point of this book was exactly, but any time spent with Flavia is time well-spent, and I have absolute faith in Mr. Bradley's story-telling. I would recommend this book to series fans but wouldn't start reading with this book - if you haven't read any of Flavia's adventures, do yourself a favor and dive right in with "the Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie" - you're in for the ride of your life! ...more

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Dec 27, 2014 Julie Durnell rated it it was amazing

Shelves: england-uk, mystery

You had me at the opening line-"If you're anything like me, you adore rot. It is pleasant to reflect upon the fact that decay and decomposition are what make the world go round."
Oh Flavia, what a joy this last adventure was to read! Although suffering from being "banished" from her beloved Buckshaw and laboratory she pulls through like a trouper and solves the mystery to boot! And a very good mystery it was of the decapitated body stuffed up the chimney. While I miss the interaction between Fee ...more

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Jan 01, 2015 Wendy rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2015-reads, series, mystery

So excited for the release of the newest Flavia de Luce mystery (Jan 6th). Flavia and a new Downton Abbey - hooray!!! Just finished this today and was so disappointed! I can usually count on this mystery series to be a fun, quick read, but I did not like the setting or any of the other characters. It was all very confusing for me. There was some kind of secret society within a secret group and I didn't know who was who. The entire mystery of whose body was found in the chimney never rang true to ...more

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Jan 23, 2015 Becky rated it really liked it

Shelves: reviewcopy, 2015reviews

I enjoyed reading Alan Bradley's As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust. It is a series that is oh-so-easy to enjoy. That being said, some titles I love more than others. I almost always love Flavia, the heroine. But I don't always love the particulars of each murder case. The sixth book was probably my least favorite, in a way. (Though I'd probably need to reread all the books in the series to truly reach this conclusion.)

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust isn't like the others in the series, for bett ...more

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Jul 17, 2015 Jenn Estepp rated it really liked it

Shelves: sleuths-and-gumshoes, kindling

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

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Jun 14, 2015 Robin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust is the 7th book in the Flavia de Luce series. In the previous book, Flavia has learned some interesting things from her aunt about her dead mother and Flavia is about to follow in her mother's footsteps. She has been sent away from her family to a boarding school in Canada. Not long after she arrives, a skeleton tumbles out of the chimney in her bedroom, and she has another mystery to tackle.

Flavia is one of my favorite characters, and this series is also a favo ...more

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