Official Review: The Firma Twins and the Purple Staff of ...
Posted: 28 Apr 2021, 11:20
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Firma Twins and the Purple Staff of Death" by D. H. Timpko.]
Complicated hieroglyphics riddles. An ancestral priest mummy. Horrifying blood-drinking rats. A demanding school play. This is all part of life for twins Isis and Electra Firma.
The Firma line is an oddity. They come from a long generation of twins that started thousands of years ago. Isis’ and Electra’s parents each have an identical sibling; their brothers, their grandparents, their aunts, and their uncles all have a twin. But, the twelve-year-old sisters soon discover that there’s more to their genes: A deeper secret lurks in their family tree—something magical and dangerous.
On their twelfth birthday, studious Isis—much to her sister’s chagrin—picked to see the mummy exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. What should be a much-anticipated birthday bash, proves to be anything but.
In the middle of the exhibition, a mummy miraculously comes to life and warns Isis to find the Purple Staff of Death. From here on out, Isis endures a series of strange and unexplained occurrences: an eerie black limousine spying on them, the sudden disappearance of gray squirrels, and an out-of-body experience (that car crash must have affected her head). Nevertheless, Isis, Electra, and their best friends Kelly and Phoenix embark on a treasure hunt for the Purple Staff of Death—only to be entangled in a skein of problems.
Aimed at middle school readers, The Firma Twins and the Purple Staff of Death by D. H. Timpko is the first book in the series entitled A Firma Twins Adventure. Though this installment can be read alone, it builds the background for this high-paced adventure-mystery genre.
Timpko constructed a witty, energetic, and whimsical plot. It was a thrill getting caught in the embedded side conflicts. I especially enjoyed how ancient history and urban geography info-bytes were knitted into the storyline. In a wink, the story became both entertaining and informational. The reader is swept away on an expedition throughout Washington D.C. and its famous landmarks. For example, I learned something about the Mall, the Smithsonian, and President’s Park. Occasionally, an interesting fact about ancient Egypt, Rome, or Greece will pop up here and there; for instance, many of the characters’ names were inspired by these civilizations.
Timpko’s character development is tiptop; their tone is a perfect match to their demeanors, quirks, and roles. Moreover, the twins (and their friends) are portrayed as active and inquisitive. I appreciated that these protagonists could—possibly—have a positive influence on younger readers. Also, there was a fair, though small, representation of different family structures. For example, an adoptive family and a strong, but imperfect family (the Firmas).
As a result, I rate The Firma Twins and the Purple Staff of Death a perfect 4 out of 4 stars. In my opinion, there is no negative aspect and absolutely nothing to dislike about this book; hence, a lower rating would be baseless. Moreover, I cannot wait to grab the next tome. The few errors found were minor; without a doubt, this book was professionally edited.
A fusion of Night at the Museum and National Treasure, this book would be perfect on a summer reading list. Also, I’d highly recommend it to picky readers. Anyone who enjoys mummies and ancient Egyptian themes will be pleased with this story. There are a few instances of borderline profanity and mentions of needles and blood; therefore, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone sensitive to these issues.
******
The Firma Twins and the Purple Staff of Death
View: on Bookshelves
Complicated hieroglyphics riddles. An ancestral priest mummy. Horrifying blood-drinking rats. A demanding school play. This is all part of life for twins Isis and Electra Firma.
The Firma line is an oddity. They come from a long generation of twins that started thousands of years ago. Isis’ and Electra’s parents each have an identical sibling; their brothers, their grandparents, their aunts, and their uncles all have a twin. But, the twelve-year-old sisters soon discover that there’s more to their genes: A deeper secret lurks in their family tree—something magical and dangerous.
On their twelfth birthday, studious Isis—much to her sister’s chagrin—picked to see the mummy exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. What should be a much-anticipated birthday bash, proves to be anything but.
In the middle of the exhibition, a mummy miraculously comes to life and warns Isis to find the Purple Staff of Death. From here on out, Isis endures a series of strange and unexplained occurrences: an eerie black limousine spying on them, the sudden disappearance of gray squirrels, and an out-of-body experience (that car crash must have affected her head). Nevertheless, Isis, Electra, and their best friends Kelly and Phoenix embark on a treasure hunt for the Purple Staff of Death—only to be entangled in a skein of problems.
Aimed at middle school readers, The Firma Twins and the Purple Staff of Death by D. H. Timpko is the first book in the series entitled A Firma Twins Adventure. Though this installment can be read alone, it builds the background for this high-paced adventure-mystery genre.
Timpko constructed a witty, energetic, and whimsical plot. It was a thrill getting caught in the embedded side conflicts. I especially enjoyed how ancient history and urban geography info-bytes were knitted into the storyline. In a wink, the story became both entertaining and informational. The reader is swept away on an expedition throughout Washington D.C. and its famous landmarks. For example, I learned something about the Mall, the Smithsonian, and President’s Park. Occasionally, an interesting fact about ancient Egypt, Rome, or Greece will pop up here and there; for instance, many of the characters’ names were inspired by these civilizations.
Timpko’s character development is tiptop; their tone is a perfect match to their demeanors, quirks, and roles. Moreover, the twins (and their friends) are portrayed as active and inquisitive. I appreciated that these protagonists could—possibly—have a positive influence on younger readers. Also, there was a fair, though small, representation of different family structures. For example, an adoptive family and a strong, but imperfect family (the Firmas).
As a result, I rate The Firma Twins and the Purple Staff of Death a perfect 4 out of 4 stars. In my opinion, there is no negative aspect and absolutely nothing to dislike about this book; hence, a lower rating would be baseless. Moreover, I cannot wait to grab the next tome. The few errors found were minor; without a doubt, this book was professionally edited.
A fusion of Night at the Museum and National Treasure, this book would be perfect on a summer reading list. Also, I’d highly recommend it to picky readers. Anyone who enjoys mummies and ancient Egyptian themes will be pleased with this story. There are a few instances of borderline profanity and mentions of needles and blood; therefore, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone sensitive to these issues.
******
The Firma Twins and the Purple Staff of Death
View: on Bookshelves
Sorry I can't tell you what it is, except that it is purple! Thanks for stopping by!
That's new info. 
