From the back cover:
It is the summer of 1950 – and a series of inexplicable events has struck Buckshaw, the decaying English mansion that Flavia’s family calls home. A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath. Then someone steals a slice of Mrs. Mullet’s unspeakable custard pie that had been cooling on the kitchen window … As the noose tightens, Flavia decides it is up to her – and her fully equipped Victorian chemical laboratory – to piece together the clues and solve a murder.
Mysteries are one of the only two or three genres that I really don’t regularly like. I thought this was changing, given that I’ve read several mysteries this year and enjoyed pretty much all of them. That’s why I immediately chose this book from Amazon Vine. I wanted to test my theory and it sounded great. While this book has an interesting plot and should have had an interesting main character, I found that it didn’t work for me.
First, Flavia is not as appealing as she should be given the many blurbs about how awesome she is. In a sense, she is awesome, given her intelligence and ingenuity, but she doesn’t feel like an eleven-year-old girl. There isn’t much that is girlish about her and I feel that she could have been a boy just as easily. Her deep passion for chemistry and certainty about her life’s direction do remind me of that weird stage of youth; it doesn’t really occur to her that others think she is strange, she just goes her own way and pursues her own interests. So as a character, she was a bit hit-and-miss with me.
I read an ARC, and I hope this is corrected in the proper version, but the name of the murdered person changed halfway through the book. Talk about confusing! I also thought that there was too much exposition. Flavia explained how she came to her various conclusions and it all seemed fairly obvious.
I did like the old-fashioned British feel of the book; even if we weren’t told that this takes place in 1950, it would be easy to guess somewhere around the proper time. I liked all the little bits of information about chemistry and postage stamps and boys’ schools. And I was interested in the conclusion to the mystery once I’d figured out who the villain was and who the victim was. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie just wasn’t a major success for me. It succeeded in small ways, but not enough for me to be interested in continuing the series.
I have heard so many good things about this book and this is the first time I’ve heard a word said against it. I’m still interested in picking it up, but perhaps I’ll wait until I find a copy in the library.
Jackie (Farm Lane Books)’s last blog post..What do you think of adverts?
I have this in my TBR — I like mysteries, so I’m hoping I’ll like it. A good copyeditor would have picked up on the inconsistencies and corrected them. I wonder if I have a finished book or an ARC.
Beth F’s last blog post..Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
I bought a finished book, so hopefully they will have caught those errors. It will probably be a long time coming but I’ll be interested to come back and compare notes after I have read it.
Nicole’s last blog post..Progress: Notes From A Reading Life ~ July 16
Sorry this didn’t work for you. I think I’d still like to read it since I do enjoy mysteries.
Kathy’s last blog post..Review: Two Years, No Rain
Oh no! I’ve heard so many good things about this book. I’m thinking of taking it to the shore with me.
Julie P.’s last blog post..Review: Dial Emmy for Murder & Giveaway
As yet, I’m the only negative review I’ve seen, so you will all probably still like it! I’m just the odd one out I expect.
I think yours is the first actual review of this book I’ve read, but from people talking about it on LibraryThing I’ve actually seen quite a few people who agree with you, although some really do like it. I think I’ll take your word for it and skip this one.
I’m glad someone finally wrote a post with a mixed opinion of the book. I have read tons of reviews, all positive but yet when I read the synopsis I wasn’t all that crazy about it at all. And then I have been burned by books who had positive reviews only. I usually found that I didn’t like the books all that much and didn’t get what the hype was all about. I think I will stick to my decision to pass this book up.
lilly’s last blog post..If you love them, keep them + The Divorce Party giveaway
Sorry you didn’t like this one! I read my library’s copy, and I don’t remember any confusion about the victim’s name, so it looks like the typo was caught and fixed. Flavia kind of reminded me of me when I was little, just a little more, ah, extreme! I was a tomboy, though.
Belle’s last blog post..The “Write” Priority
The name change thing is weird. I’ve heard good things about this one, though.
Anna’s last blog post..Interview With Steve Luxenberg, Author of ANNIE’S GHOSTS
I’m not a huge fan of mysteries, either — especially murder mysteries! As a genre, it just really doesn’t appeal to me. But like you, I’m sure I would dig the “old-fashioned British feel of the book” — that’s awesome! Of course, all you have to do is shout “BRITISH!” and I’m in.
Meg’s last blog post..Famous Megs, volume one
I’ve been really curious about this one. I passed up a chance to get it the other day, deciding if I do, I’ll wait until it is out in paperback. It does sound good though.
Literary Feline’s last blog post..TGIF: Appearances Aren’t Everything, the TBR Room & Friday Fill-Ins
I’ve read in another review how the main character doesn’t feel like a child. Hopefully they changed the name of a victim to just one in the final version.
Vasilly’s last blog post..What My Children Are Reading – July 16th
I don’t normally love mysteries either, but this one just worked for me. I loved Flavia – although I agree she does seem a little bit old for her age – but I think my 11-year-old self would have gotten along with her like gangbusters.
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Sorry you didn’t enjoy this one. It sounds like the protagonist may have been a bit too precocious for my liking as well.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this book. I just finished it and I loved it. As for the name change, I think the victim was using an alias and that may be why there was some confusion about his name? I can see why some people might not like Flavia, but I loved her being a chemistry lover myself!
.-= Lahni´s last blog ..Book Review: The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson =-.
I love mysteries, and of course, there were parts of this that bothered me. However, Flavia was great. Just because she loved chemistry and is a bit tomboyish certainly doesn’t mean she can’t be a girl. For that time period, especially, children were a bit more free (particularly when the mother was out of the picture) to explore the things that interested them. She is intrepid and curious. I liked that about her and found it refreshing to have such a protagonist.
.-= jenn´s last blog ..The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley =-.
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