2nd January 2014,Bloomsbury Children's
336 Pages, Paperback
Review Copy
Contents: Violence, tension, magic
Summary from: Bloomsbury Children's
Meet Knightley and Son - two great detectives for the price of one . . .
Darkus Knightley is not your average thirteen-year-old: ferociously logical, super-smart and with a fondness for tweed, detective work is in his blood. His dad Alan Knightley was London's top private investigator and an expert in crimes too strange for Scotland Yard to handle, but four years ago the unexplained finally caught up with him - and he fell into a mysterious coma. Darkus is determined to follow in his father’s footsteps and find out what really happened. But when Alan suddenly wakes up, his memory is wonky and he needs help. The game is afoot for Knightley & Son - with a mystery that gets weirder by the minute, a bestselling book that makes its readers commit terrible crimes, and a sinister organisation known as the Combination . . .
A funny, warm, fantastical crime caper with an unlikely hero and a brilliant comic cast, perfect for fans of Sherlock and criminally good storytelling.
Darkus Knightley is not your average thirteen-year-old: ferociously logical, super-smart and with a fondness for tweed, detective work is in his blood. His dad Alan Knightley was London's top private investigator and an expert in crimes too strange for Scotland Yard to handle, but four years ago the unexplained finally caught up with him - and he fell into a mysterious coma. Darkus is determined to follow in his father’s footsteps and find out what really happened. But when Alan suddenly wakes up, his memory is wonky and he needs help. The game is afoot for Knightley & Son - with a mystery that gets weirder by the minute, a bestselling book that makes its readers commit terrible crimes, and a sinister organisation known as the Combination . . .
A funny, warm, fantastical crime caper with an unlikely hero and a brilliant comic cast, perfect for fans of Sherlock and criminally good storytelling.
The Mole's Review
I was not impressed with the character of Darkus or his father, Alan, for that matter. They both had a two dimensional arrogance although Darkus ironically also demonstrated naivety at the same time which seems somewhat contradictory. Tilly has to be my favourite character in this book. While being intellectually on a par with Alan and Darkus she has a pivotal role in the story. She manages to have all the characterisation missing from the other 2 and brings a great deal to the story.
Then there's Uncle Bill who's no-one's uncle but once again has more than enough characterisation for one.
Overall I really loved this book although scenes in the tunnels did seem to try to contain too much detail and I felt a far simpler approach could have been adopted - I almost felt that I had to sketch it on paper to follow the detail. The best approach is to just carry on and follow what happens to who and when and not worry about the geography.
Aimed at the 9-11 year old readers this one will certainly appeal although it's title, sadly, may put girls off despite Tilly's role - which is not an insignificant one.
Suggested read from Nayu
For more excitement why not try Ministry of Pandemonium by Chris Westwood (Children's, 10 years +, 9/10E)
Suggested read from Nayu
For more excitement why not try Ministry of Pandemonium by Chris Westwood (Children's, 10 years +, 9/10E)
No comments:
Post a Comment