Sunday, June 19, 2016

Book Review - FLICKERS by Arthur Slade (The Hunchback Assignments)

I'm so happy to post a review for this book. I hope everyone gets a chance to read it.

There is one word that can describe this cool, new book from Arthur Slade:
Unique, unique, unique, unique, unique, unique! Does that count as one word or six?!

And that’s saying a lot. The setting, the time period, the story and plot and the cover. Loved the art deco look. Once I opened it, I was instantly drawn into the characters’ lives. So well written. Throw in a little sci-fi and this novel appeals to everyone.

You’ve got twins with a curious past, old Hollywood, movie stars, glamour, parties, mysterious disappearances and very strange bugs. Plus true friendship.

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From the publisher:
A movie scream so piercing, so chilling and so powerful, it will open up another dimension and summon something beyond all imagining...

Far from the isolated prairie ranch where they were born, orphaned twins Isabelle and Beatrice Thorn are living a glamorous 1920s Hollywood life as wards of Mr. Cecil, a mysterious and influential director. Isabelle is a silent film starlet, destined for greatness in the very first talking picture—a horror flick that will showcase her famous scream, often seen but never before heard by audiences. Meanwhile, Beatrice spends her days hidden away on the Cecil estate with her books and her insect collection, scarves covering her birthmarks and baldness. But Beatrice’s curiosity about Mr. Cecil, the death of her parents, the appearance of scorpion hornets—creatures that should not exist on this earth—and the unsettling fates of two people who visited his estate is getting the better of her, and she’s starting to realize the director has truly dark designs for this movie.

I wanted it to be longer, so that’s always a good sign. There was a really interesting addition at the end of the book that was also unique to the genre. I was going to say what it was but I don’t want to spoil it for readers. If you have read it, I'd love to hear what you thought!

And the fact that he lives in my hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan makes it even more cool!


You can read other reviews of Middle Grade novels at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.