Skulduggery Pleasant
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
(Illustrator: Tom Percival)
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 3, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0061231150
From School Library Journal
When 12-year-old Stephanie's eccentric Uncle Gordon dies, a mysterious man bundled in an overcoat, scarf, sunglasses, and a hat shows up at both the funeral and the reading of the will. This man, as it turns out, is Skulduggery Pleasant, a walking, talking skeleton who rescues Stephanie when she is attacked while alone in the house that she has just inherited. It seems that a particularly evil person named Serpine is trying to obtain a scepter that will allow him to rule the world. Stephanie is swept into a world of magic, secrets, power, and intrigue as she and Skulduggery try to keep one step ahead of Serpine and various other nefarious folk. Deadly hand-to-hand combat, nasty villains, magical derring-do, and traitorous allies will keep readers turning the pages, but it is the dynamic duo of Stephanie and Skulduggery who provide the real magic. The girl eagerly jumps into this new, dangerous, action-packed life, but she isn't sure that she has the guts or the power to pull it off. Skulduggery Pleasant lives up to his name, performing amazing feats with such self-effacing drollness that readers will wish they had a similar skeletal friend. Give this one to fans of Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl" books (Hyperion) or to anyone who likes a dash of violence and danger served up with the magic.—
This was an enjoyable read. It made it more pleasant by having a slightly larger print than most books and double spaced. It is a quick read aimed at YA that like a little magic mixed in with an evil villain that needs to be exterminated in order to save the world.
I'm afraid I didn't enjoy this as much as I could have had I not been coming off of reading the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society which was so good I didn't want it to end! When you come from reading a book you really, really liked (especially when you didn't expect to like it THAT much!) it's hard to wrap your head into whatever is the next book you pick up.
Actually this book was probably good in that respect since it was a simple read. The character of Skulduggery was good, though they never explain how he became alive again after he was dead.. but then again it was probably due to "magic".
This is a book that I think young people will enjoy, good characters and a good basic story.. and there are a number of Skulduggery Pleasant books out there!
posted by DesLily | 6:36 AM
6 Comments:
I read this one some months ago and felt as you did that it was enjoyable but not wonderful. It really does not help when you read something like this after something fantastic though... I completely agree. I struggle to find a suitable book after a brilliant one and whatever I choose never quite lives up. I never did get the rest of these to read and probably won't now.
cath: you are so right it's hard to read "the next book" when you can't get the one you just read out of your head! I agree too on the fact it was enjoyable but not so much I'd get more books.. but I do think kids would like them.
I'm prety sure my grandaughter has read them all, now that you mention it, and loved them. Perfectly suited to her age group I think.
This is why I usually take a break for a few days after I read a book that I love. You are so right that it is hard to transition to another book. I usually read magazines or something and then pick up the next book.
Cath: I thought the characters were good.. just that I'm finding too many ya books where they are "saving the world"..
Kath: ohhhh that's a good idea. But then again when I think of it, what are the chances you'd pick up another "really great book" right after you read one?.. lol..I feel lucky if I get 2 or 3 of those kind of books in a year. but I do enjoy the other books too..just some are way up there.
I've heard good things about this and it just sounds so neat! I think I'd better ease myself into something like this though. It would definitely be a bit of a shock to go from GLPPS to this :)
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