Review of "Mandrake's Plot" by Helen Laycock

-

Mandrake's Plot Suitable for readers aged 7 – 12.
Synopsis:

Evie and Mia meet on a train on their way to St.Agatha’s Boarding School for Girls. When they are dropped off at a disused railway station in the middle of nowhere with no one to meet them, they trek through the pelting rain and darkness for miles until they find a sign to St.Agatha’s which points to an unlikely overgrown track leading up a mountain path.

The school is a foreboding place, set high up on a mountain, surrounded by a sea of mist, and overlooking a loch. Coming face to face with the grotesque caretaker, Mandrake, does nothing to allay their fears. What is the significance of the strange rings worn by Miss Blackthorn, the head teacher? Why does Evie not receive any post from her parents? 

Evie and Mia stumble across a forgotten burial chamber where the skeleton of Sister Beatrice lies, clutching a note. The note details a curse which she has laid on the land. Locked in the chamber as a punishment, the girls uncover an old book within which is the antidote to the curse, but it is hidden in code.

The girls then make a terrible discovery. Are they daring and innovative enough to plan a scheme that will foil evil and get them out of a dangerous situation?

Review:

Mandrake's Plot is a well crafted story filled with mystery and suspense. It is an ideal book for the younger reader aged 7-12. In Chapter 1 we meet Evie who is on her way to her new school, St Agatha's in Scotland. She meets Mia, her new friend and I couldn't help but be reminded of Harry Potter on his first train journey to Hogwarts. To be clear, this is not an attempt to capture the magic of the Potter books and St Agatha's is not a school for magic. This is truly an original and unique story.

The school appears to be a foreboding place with gargoyles guarding the entrance and an old caretaker called Mandrake. The author has depicted the characters well, with rich description they spring to life before you. The dialogue is realistic and the story is very easy to read. The narrative, well written and filled with vivid imagery, flows nicely. There are hints along the way that give the reader clues as to what may happen and as a reader it's good to be kept guessing for a while. By the end of the book, I was reminded a little of Enid Blyton's tales of the Famous Five. Mandrake's Plot is very much on that level and is a fabulous tale with an air of intrigue and mystery at its heart.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

75th Anniversary of The Guinea Pig Club & Sir Archibald McIndoe

-
Image
The Guinea Pig Club was formed on the grass, outside of Ward III at the Queen Victoria Hospital, in East Grinstead in 1941. A group of young men, all airmen who had received burns and were in the care of plastic surgeon Archibald McIndoe decided to form a drinking club to pass the time while they were stuck in the hospital. It was to become a way of maintaining contact with one another when they were finally discharged, and annual reunions have continued to this day. Initially, they called it the Maxillonians, after the Maxillo Facial Unit where they received treatment, but later it would change to the Guinea Pig Club when an airman announced how they were all just "bloody guinea pigs" to the Maestro. The Maestro, of course, was Archibald, who the men sometimes called Archie or the Boss. They looked up to him because when they first arrived, no matter how severely injured and disfigured they were, no matter how wretched, lost, and alone they felt, he looked into t
Read more

Why Do I Keep At It? Homage To Tazzie, Guest Post By Author Paulette Mahurin.

-
Image
Today my guest post is from Paulette Mahurin, author of "The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap." Here she talks about her reasons for writing and why her work is so vital. I sincerely hope you find this to be both interesting and inspirational. Paulette Mahurin is a Nurse Practitioner in Ojai, CA, where she lives with her husband and their two rescue dogs.  She is passionate not only about writing but also about rescuing dogs which they have been involved with for many years. All of the profits from her books go towards the first no-kill animal shelter (SPARK) in Ventura County, CA, a most worthy cause. _________________________________________________________________________________ I have had several loves in my life, but ranking at that top is Tazzie, my beloved rottweiler girl, who went on to the  rainbow bridge September, 2011, seems like yesterday. I still miss her, the wagging of her little stubby tail when I came  home, the drool at the side of
Read more

Remembering The Brave Few: Battle of Britain Pilots

-
Image
I recently watched the film 'First Light' again - I've lost count of how many times that makes now, but it's so beautiful and evocative, and I lose myself in the drama. Some of you will know it's an adaptation of the book, First Light , a personal and frank account of life during the Battle of Britain by author and former WW2 pilot, Geoffrey Wellum DFC. Geoff is now 95 years old, but he remembers his experiences as a Spitfire pilot most vividly. Geoff 'Boy' Wellum 92 Squadron Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Geoff was 18 years nine months when he completed his initial training and arrived fresh and eager at 92 Squadron at Biggin Hill. Nicknamed 'Boy' by his Squadron Leader Brian Kingcombe, he was to have the most harrowing induction into the life of a fighter pilot in RAF Fighter Command. Initially, while he might have felt keen to join in the fight and send the enemy packing, he soon realised just what hell he was embroiled in. Like
Read more