Friday 15 March 2013

Speaking from Among the Bones

Finished March 15
Speaking from Among the Bones by Alan Bradley, read by Jayne Entwistle

This is the fifth in the series featuring Flavia De Luce, the 12-year-old girl who keeps stumbling across crimes. Besides being an avid chemist with a passion for poisons, and her own lab, Flavia is always wanting to know more about her mother, who died when off exploring when Flavia was very young. Here she does learn a bit more about her, and about herself too.
Her older sister Ophelia is about to make her official debut as church organist, and Flavia has been tasked with accompanying her to the church for practice. When Ophelia complains about a deficiency with one of the organ pipes, Flavia is introduced to a behind-the-scenes world of the church she didn't know existed. Returning to investigate later, she comes upon the scene where workers are beginning to disinter the bones of the local saint, Saint Tancred, who has been buried there for 500 years. But unfortunately, another body is found in the tomb chamber, and Flavia is off to discover just who is behind it and why.
Her search leads her to another estate in a nearby village, to the home of one of the choir members, and back to the church again and again.
As the ancestral home that Flavia and her family is threatened due to financial circumstances, Flavia must also begin to face losing the life she is used to. We see more depth from her family members, with Ophelia moving on with her own life, and Daphne beginning to show more sisterly feelings.
Definitely a worthy continuation of this wonderful series.

3 comments:

  1. I love Flavia too, this is on the pile.

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  2. I'm sure you'll enjoy it Irene, definitely a good one.

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  3. I loved this one: thought that he added so much more interpersonal complexity, especially between sisters. Flavia is becoming even more of a fascinating character as the books go on...

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