Official Review: Mystery of the Gable on Holly Drive
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Official Review: Mystery of the Gable on Holly Drive
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mystery of the Gable on Holly Drive" by Jenifer Rubloff.]
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Mystery of the Gable on Holly Drive is the fourth entry in a young adult mystery series featuring Betty Butters. Having spent her freshman year of high school at a Swiss boarding school (the setting for the previous three books featuring the young sleuth), Betty is now starting her sophomore year at a boarding school in Los Angeles. The change in location does not alter the international flavor of the series, with Betty finding occasions to practice her French and pursue her ongoing interest in fine art.
Betty’s arrival at Bradley Hall, the new boarding school, for the start of the new school year sets off new adventures, involving not only the new friends she makes but also artworks appearing and disappearing, questions about appropriate credit for a musical composer, and staying in touch with Alex, her French boyfriend now at school in Chicago.
Despite all of the interesting material available, author Jennifer Rubloff has not capitalized on it, and the book does not live up to the promise of the description provided. There were enough problems that this reader began to wonder if any editor had been involved prior to the book’s publication. Details such as the wrong character name being used or, in one instance, Betty heading toward the principal’s office before receiving the message that her presence was requested, not to mention many misplaced quotation marks and passages needing commas, all could have been avoided or corrected by having the book copy edited. This lack of attention to detail is evident from the opening pages and does not create a good impression.
That poor impression is borne out by the greater issues with the book’s plot developments and pacing. Although Betty’s new school needs to be introduced to readers, taking eleven chapters to do so seems a bit excessive, and much of the information provided – such as the background information provided for each of Betty’s teachers - could have been condensed and distributed throughout the narrative so that the story could have unfolded more smoothly and quickly. It is also unlikely that the young adults who are this book’s natural audience would be patient enough to continue reading once they encounter the chemistry lesson that is included in one of those chapters, especially since that lesson does not include any suggestion of connection to Betty’s eventual sleuthing activities.
Additional problems include very stilted and repetitive dialogue, and a frequent absence of adults, which may be connected to many of Betty’s actions seeming to belong to someone older than a high school sophomore. For example, the book opens with Betty arriving at her new boarding school on her own; it is difficult to imagine that she would not be met by someone on the school’s staff. And while there are occasional references to Betty’s guardian, he or she is conspicuous by their absence.
I would be interested in reading a review from a young adult reader, or from a fan of Betty Butters. As I do not read much young adult fiction, I will give this book the benefit of the doubt with 2 out of 4 stars.
***
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Betty’s arrival at Bradley Hall, the new boarding school, for the start of the new school year sets off new adventures, involving not only the new friends she makes but also artworks appearing and disappearing, questions about appropriate credit for a musical composer, and staying in touch with Alex, her French boyfriend now at school in Chicago.
Despite all of the interesting material available, author Jennifer Rubloff has not capitalized on it, and the book does not live up to the promise of the description provided. There were enough problems that this reader began to wonder if any editor had been involved prior to the book’s publication. Details such as the wrong character name being used or, in one instance, Betty heading toward the principal’s office before receiving the message that her presence was requested, not to mention many misplaced quotation marks and passages needing commas, all could have been avoided or corrected by having the book copy edited. This lack of attention to detail is evident from the opening pages and does not create a good impression.
That poor impression is borne out by the greater issues with the book’s plot developments and pacing. Although Betty’s new school needs to be introduced to readers, taking eleven chapters to do so seems a bit excessive, and much of the information provided – such as the background information provided for each of Betty’s teachers - could have been condensed and distributed throughout the narrative so that the story could have unfolded more smoothly and quickly. It is also unlikely that the young adults who are this book’s natural audience would be patient enough to continue reading once they encounter the chemistry lesson that is included in one of those chapters, especially since that lesson does not include any suggestion of connection to Betty’s eventual sleuthing activities.
Additional problems include very stilted and repetitive dialogue, and a frequent absence of adults, which may be connected to many of Betty’s actions seeming to belong to someone older than a high school sophomore. For example, the book opens with Betty arriving at her new boarding school on her own; it is difficult to imagine that she would not be met by someone on the school’s staff. And while there are occasional references to Betty’s guardian, he or she is conspicuous by their absence.
I would be interested in reading a review from a young adult reader, or from a fan of Betty Butters. As I do not read much young adult fiction, I will give this book the benefit of the doubt with 2 out of 4 stars.
***
Buy "Mystery of the Gable on Holly Drive" on Amazon
Latest Review: "A Vision of Angels" by Timothy Jay Smith
