Speaking From Among the Bones

Friday, January 24, 2014


Speaking from Among the Bones
by Alan Bradley
★★★★


This is the fifth book in the Flavia de Luce mystery novels. Each one features Flavia, an 11-year-old detective, as she investigates a murder in a small English town. Honestly each of the mysteries blends together in my mind, but the characters' relationships stand out. As long as Flavia and Dogger are main characters in these books I will never grow tired of them.

Flavia's awkward fumbling to figure out who she is as a young woman and who her missing mother was is enthralling. She is such a brilliant girl, but she's also been neglected by her depressed father. He is caught in the midst of money troubles and has to put their home, Buckshaw, up for sale. Left to her own devises she tries hard to act older than she is, but she's still vulnerable.


"As was your mother, you have been given the fatal gift of genius. Because of it, your life will not be an easy one."

This mystery revolves around a young man, Crispin Collicut, who is found dead in the church. At the same time the bones of a saint are being exhumed and a missing diamond might be at the heart of the story. The writing in the series is always good and this addition is no exception. I particularly loved learning more about the Vicar Denwyn Richardson and his wife Cynthia and their deceased daughter Hannah.

BOTTOM LINE:
I love Flavia and I'm so glad Bradley keeps adding to the series. If he keeps writing them I will keep reading them.

"I was learning that the best conversations consisted of keeping quiet and listening and speaking, when one spoke at all, and a single syllable."

"Was sorrow, in the end, a private thing? A closed container? Something that could be borne only on a single pair of shoulders?"

"'I'm sorry,' I said, aware even as I spoke, what useless things, really, words of sympathy are, even though they're sometimes all we have."


10 comments:

Sandy Nawrot said...

I'm fairly sure I would like this series, because I like precocious kids. I do have the first one, but have never picked it up. No reason why, just laziness or distraction or something. Maybe this will be enough to give me a poke to get started.

Marie said...

I just started reading the first book in the series a day or two ago. I haven't had much reading time, but little by little I've made it about 100 pages in and I'm loving it! I'm looking forward to this weekend when I'll actually be able to spend some time getting lost in it.

Anonymous said...

I read the first book in the series, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, several years ago. I enjoyed it, but Flavia reminded me of Josephine Leonides from Agatha Christie's Crooked House, and I just couldn't like her.

Also, the author's name makes me giggle. Allen-Bradley is one of my husband's main suppliers (electrical components) at work.

Kailana said...

Sadly I have heard that the most recent book in the series is the last one. :( I was reading this series, but they got destroyed in our move and I haven't replaced them all yet. I was in the midst of book 3, so hopefully I can get back to them soon. :)

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Sandy - I think you might like them. You should try the first one on audio.

Marie - I thought the first one was a great introduction to their family. Enjoy!

abibliophilessytle - I haven't read that Christie book, but I've definitely been put of by certain characters in books before.

Kailana - I hope you get a chance to. I enjoy them so much!

Allie said...

I haven't read any of these, but I keep seeing them pop up....perhaps I need to start the series!

Anonymous said...

I'm with Allie! I see these books discussed by all my bookish people and I must read them. Argh! The TBR pile grows!

Anonymous said...

What's with the two covers? US vs UK? I like the colorful one.

Anonymous said...

This is one of those series I keep telling myself I need to try - I think I would love them!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Allie - I think you'd like them, very fun characters.

Figandthistle - They are great!

bkclubcare - Yes, just different countries. I love the colorful ones as well. Each book in the series is a bright, beautiful color.

Carrie - They are so fun!