I Am Half-Sick of Shadows – an early Christmas Present

Finding out that the wise publishers at Random House released Alan Bradley's new Flavia DeLuce novel, I Am Half-Sick of Shadows, just in time for Christmas was a nice way to ring in the season. For a few lovely days I was jumping in the car to drive through the snowy mountains to my little library listening to the best Christmas present ever, and the fact that it takes place over Christmas made the whole early present even better.

In this instalment of Flavia's adventures, Flavia's father, Colonel DeLuce has allowed a film company to make a movie at Buckshaw starring the most popular movie stars of the time, over Christmas. The revenue generated by renting the house will keep the struggling family afloat for a little longer.

It always seems that the town Vicar starts these murderous scenarios when he comes up with a plan to raise funds for the church. This time he plots to have the movie stars perform a Shakespearean vignette in the main hall at Buckshaw on Christmas Eve. Of course, as you can well imagine, hidden relationships, a snowstorm that leaves everyone trapped, and a scandalous murder, are really the presents under the tree. Add in the fact that Flavia's older sisters have taunted her with the notion that Santa, or Father Christmas as they call him, doesn't really exist, and you have a recipe for a Flavia-styled disaster. While everything else is going on below her, Flavia is in her chemistry lab brewing up two concoctions – an explosive one to create a spectacular fireworks show from the roof of Buckshaw to ring in Christmas Eve, and a sticky one to capture the man in the red suit in the act of delivering Christmas cheer. If you have read the three earlier books in this series, you know where those plans are heading!

I think this was my favourite of the books, although I really love them all. Jayne Entwistle's reading is as fantastic as ever, and I even think she produced an even richer rendition of Flavia and her world than in the earlier books, which would be hard to do because the voices were already so original, consistent, and perfectly suited to their characters.  

So, now that I've enjoyed a Christmas murder at Buckshaw, I must wait for more from Mr. Bradley and Ms. Entwistle. This will be a challenge, but definitely worth the wait!

If you haven't yet read the first three books, go and do so now!

They are:

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

The Weed that Strings the Hangman's Bag

A Red Herring Without Mustard

I downloaded I Am Half-Sick of Shadows from Library to Go. Check out this delightful soundbite for a sample of Flavia DeLuce!

Listen Up!

I Am Half-Sick of Shadows, (7 hrs: 24 min), Random House Audio, (2011)

Reader Profile: Jayne Entwistle

Today looks like a perfect day for a reader profile of Jayne Entwistle! The reader for the Flavia de Luce and Hunchback Assignments books is one of my favourites. If you go to her website, take a listen to her demo reel. How can she make so many distinct voices and characters? Astounding!

Entwistle was born in Blackpool, England, and lived in Tel Aviv, Canada, and the US after leaving the UK. Now she lives in L.A. and aside from her excellent work as an audiobook narrator, works as the Associate Artistic Director for the Improvatorium, an improv troup with "Semper Ridiculum" as its motto.  She will soon be seen in Dark Games – a thriller movie where she plays a psychotic mother.

Entwistle is the type of person I'd like to share tea with. Improv people usually scare me, though, so it would need to be tea in an enclosed, controlled setting where public embarassment was not on the menu.

You can listen to Entwistle's demo reel by going to her website, and clicking on "Media" and then "Movies and Voiceovers". Excellent stuff and very inspiring!

Unexpected Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

As with many great audiobook discoveries, I came across Alan Bradley's delightful Flavia de Luce series while trolling through Library to Go for a new book to listen to. It was even on my MP3 player for months before I tried it out. I'm sooo glad I did!

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is a fantastic mystery in the 'cozy' style – very Agatha Christie / Dorothy L. Sayers-like but young and fun at the same time – a very rare item indeed. Once I got started I was completely hooked. Flavia de luce is an 11 year old amateur chemist in 1950's England. She lives in a large, oddly designed manor house with her two older sisters, her distant father, and their handyman / chauffeur / gardener Dogger. Where other girls her age have pictures of film or music stars on their walls and mirrors, Flavia has pictures of Marie Curie and other famous chemists. She is particularly fond of brewing up poisons. When she finds a dead body in their garden, Flavia leaves her chemistry lab and sets out to help the police, whether they want her help or not, and clear her father's name.

I began spouting off about my newly found addiction at work and discovered several coworkers were also addicted. Now numbering three books, the series continues to be fresh and fun. One of the staff at the library I am branch head at laughed out loud when she looked at our hold shelf – the A-F section was filled with Alan Bradley books and audiobooks. She pointed out that it must have something to do with the fact that I tell everyone I know about this series! Obviously subtle is not in my nature. My patrons will be hearing me go on about this for awhile because Bradley has been contracted to expand the series to six books in total.

Although Flavia is eleven, the books are considered adult mysteries but their content is pretty tame and I can see adults and kids liking them – I would have loved these books as a teenager.

Jayne Entwistle, who also narrated the Hunchback Assignments series, does a fantastic job bringing Flavia and her family to life.

I downloaded all three titles from Library to Go. You can listen to the audio samples there, or at the Random House Audio links below.

Listen Up!
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, (9 hrs, 53 mins), Random House Audio, (2009)
The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, (9 hrs, 50 mins), Random House Audio, (2010)
A Red Herring Without Mustard, (10 hrs, 46 mins), Random House Audio, (2011)
I am Half Sick of Shadows – due in November, 2011

The Hunchback Assignments - Steampunk Audio

I was trolling through Library to Go a few months ago as I was completely out of listening material and I happened upon the Hunchback Assignments. I downloaded it but didn't listen to it for quite awhile as the title didn't really jump at me. I had bought the books for my library as well but the covers really didn't grab me either (they still don't). However, a desperate day with nothing to listen to lead to me getting absolutely hooked on the steampunk world of Modo, Octavia, the Permanent Association they work for, and the dreaded Clockwork Guild they are trying to defeat.

According to Wikipedia, Steampunk is:

a sub-genre of science fiction, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually the Victorian era Britain—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology or futuristic innovations as Victorians may have envisioned them; based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology may include such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne.

Modo, the main character, is a 14 year old secret agent with a gift for changing his usually grotesque figure (he brings to mind Quasi Modo of Hunchback of Notre Dame fame). He was taken in as an infant by Mr. Socrates, who raised and trained him for his future as an agent for the Permanent Association. For short periods he can reshape his entire physical structure to mimic that of someone else.

Octavia, a former thief who was also taken in by Mr. Socrates, is a few years older than Modo and works with him as an agent. Octavia cares deeply for Modo and knows there is something different about him, but he never lets her see his true grotesque form. Modo is absolutely in love with Octavia.

The Clockwork Guild is an organization bent on overthrowing the British government and taking over control of the country by creating super strong monsters that are part metal, part animal or human, and powered by steam.

Author Arthur Slade, hailing from Saskatoon, has created a dark Victorian world that exists alongside the real world. The books are excellent and the audiobooks are really well done. I've listened to the first two and I'm waiting for the third which is coming out soon.

I'd already enjoyed Jayne Entwistle's reading of Alan Bradley's Flavia DeLuce series (blog post on that series coming later this week). Occasionally she gets a bit squeaky when she voices Modo, but that's also part of his personality so it feels appropriate. He can be a bit of a whiner at times! It's a good contrast to Octavia's low, smooth tones.

I downloaded the first two books for free from Library to Go. You can listen to samples at the Random House Audio links below:

Listen Up

The Hunchback Assignments, (7 hrs, 15 mins), Listening Library, (2009)

The Dark Deeps, (8 hrs, 10 mins), Listening Library, (2009)
Empire of Ruins to be released soon!