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3.5-3.75. An enjoyable read, funny, and at times worth a 4 or a 5. Clever mystery too. I'll continue with the series, but for me, this will be a mood read. I'll save these for when I'm in the mood for something light and need a laugh.
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I haven’t so thoroughly enjoyed a book in quite some time. Although the heroine may seem a bit too knowledgeable for age 11, keep in mind that this was 1950, pre MTV and video games. It was not unheard of for children to become experts in the area of their hobbies. Flavia and her families dynamics were delightful. The story was great.
I really loved this book because it is peppered with all manner of cultural, historical, scientific, and literary references that make the story rich. I enjoy the ...more
I really loved this book because it is peppered with all manner of cultural, historical, scientific, and literary references that make the story rich. I enjoy the ...more
I was charmed and entertained by the protagonist in this book. Also, I got a review of some basic chemistry, in the poison category, of course. Since I am a former girl, I was able to identify strongly with Flavia, the main character. However, Flavia could just as well have been a boy. What a wonderful perspective, at 11 years old, to look on the world. Such a welcome relief from some of the tortured and troubled detectives in the realm of mystery. I loved it that she had a bike and used it exte
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Die 11-jährige Flavia findet einen toten Mann im Gurkenbeet. Die kleine Chemikerin erkennt sofort: Er wurde vergiftet! Doch wer war es?
Noch immer kann ich kaum glauben, dass Flavia tatsächlich 11 Jahre alt sein soll. Sie hat viel Wissen, eine besserwisserische erwachsene Art an sich und ist selbstständig wie keine andere in diesem Alter. Teilweise war das recht lustig und interessant, aber an einigen Stellen ging es auch schon an die Geduld. Sowieso hat Flavia sehr viel beschrieben, der Autor ha ...more
Noch immer kann ich kaum glauben, dass Flavia tatsächlich 11 Jahre alt sein soll. Sie hat viel Wissen, eine besserwisserische erwachsene Art an sich und ist selbstständig wie keine andere in diesem Alter. Teilweise war das recht lustig und interessant, aber an einigen Stellen ging es auch schon an die Geduld. Sowieso hat Flavia sehr viel beschrieben, der Autor ha ...more
I found this book to be neither here nor there. It was well written and all, but I just didn't find compelling enough. It ended up dragging seriously in the middle. I don't think I will bother with teh rest of the series.
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Didn’t finish, made it about 1/3 of the way through (roughly 100 pages into it). Though the voice is original and the writing is clever (perhaps self-consciously so?), I felt the story was too over-the-top cutesy and sweet, as though it were written for children rather than adults, and I’m craving something meatier right now. Even so, I can see how some readers would find the main character and 1950s setting endearing.
I had read this book several years ago, but didn’t really remember it. I’m glad I went back and reread it. I found it quite charming. Some of the criticism I’ve read is the Flavia isn’t believable as an eleven year old child, but I disagree with that. She might be a little bit more adult than an average child of her age, but I certainly don’t find her unbelievable. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
Jan 18, 2011
Joseph
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Diane
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Chloe Smith
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Grace
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