The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie- Alan Bradley
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is one delightful read! But once again, I am slightly confused as to who the audience for this book might be. Reasource Links suggests it is an adult book suitable for high school students. It was sent to our Snow Willows committee by the publisher to review for the grade 7-9 awards. The protagonist is an eleven-year old budding chemist, sleuth and all-around enchanting character. Although I might not have picked this up because of that, I truly enjoyed this and would be most willing to read others with this heroine. It reminds me somewhat of Hotel Paradise by Martha Grimes (not one of her fabulous Richard Jury novels), which also sports an adolescent main character.
Flavia finds herself caught up in a most astounding mystery. A dead bird on the doorstep and a dead body in the cucumber patch. A father who is inexplicably afraid, several indifferent sisters and an enterprising inspector combine to make this an unforgettable read. Richness of language and a beautiful flowing plot captivate the reader.
So my recommendation is; adult readers, give it a try. High school readers looking for something a little more challenging but a whole lot of fun, give it a try! I don’t think any of you will be disappointed.
Filed under Adult, High School, Historical Fiction | Comments (2)2 Responses to “The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie- Alan Bradley”
Thanks for this review! I’ve been eyeing this book in our library — it really does have an interesting title! You convinced me to put it in the To-be-read pile!
Thanks for the comment- I do truly enjoy a novel that has an appeal for multiple generations. I hope you enjoy it.