Into the Attic Darkly by Robin Cannon

You may know Robin Cannon.  She is a retired WHPS elementary level teacher and still resides here.  She reached out to our Teachers and Friends Book Club to read and discuss her book Into the Attic Darkly this month.  This is not a book I would have picked up, which is kinda the point of a book club--read and discuss what you might not've yourself.

This is a whodunit mystery, with some serious generational trauma thrown in.  Dan is a hot shot lawyer and Ellen is his social climbing wife.  They have two boys, Tom (who mostly narrates in first person, but sometimes it abruptly switches to 3rd) and Eddie, plus their nanny Dulcie.  Eddie is in need of mental help and is sent away after a violent outburst nearly ruins one of his parents' dinner parties.  Dan and Dulcie have an affair, which Tom discovers and documents via photos (using the camera Dulcie gave him...).  Dan is shot dead and Ellen dies of a heart attack (or poisoning...) on the same day.  Tom is blamed, but is innocent.

So first the title.  It's literal in that the two boys like to play in the spooky attic.  It's also figurative in that the dark attic is where Eddie, Tom, and Dulcie all seem to retreat mentally (and to an extent physically) when things go sour.  

Second, there are all kinds of abuse going on here that isn't easy to read.  No, these parents aren't beating their kids senseless or starving them or anything like that, but a license to breed argument would be supported with their words and behavior.  Why bother having children?  

Third, I didn't care for Dulcie.  I know she is only half the guilty parties in the affair, but.  I found her insincere and just...I don't even know, but I did not like her at all.

There are quite a few nods to the local area in the fictional town, the biggest being the Rivoli.  If you don't know what that means here in West Haven, Google it.

I'm interested to hear what my book club has to say and from the author.  I'll be adding this to our collection come next school year.

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. and do not reflect those of WHHS or WHPS. 

Mistress of All Evil by Serena Valentino

I am back from my trip to England.  I spent a long weekend with my sister and her family at Lakenheath AFB. 

This Disney villain series was highly recommended by several of my Disney obsessed friends.  They are billed as back stories and what happens after the movies, all intertwined in-universe style.  I had purchased the set for the WHHS Library, as the vendor reading level is on the younger side but with a range of interest age.  I've had trouble keeping them on the shelf because they are so popular.  Naturally I wanted to read one, so I chose Maleficent of Sleeping Beauty.

I hated it.  

I'm sorry, but this was terrible.  I'm actually sad to have read it, because I almost feel it's ruined the character for me.  

I do not see the allure.  The tale does not match what we know about the character (and I'm not buying the in-universe style: we know when the fairy tales are set, you can't change that).  The writing itself is definitely for 11-12 age, which means many of our lower-level readers can access it, but for me, I felt I was reading something way to simplistic for the subject.  

Back to the shelf this one goes, not the display.

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. and do not represent WHHS or WHPS.