Thursday, January 19, 2012

The Blackhope Enigma by Teresa Flavin - OPTIONAL


Flavin, Teresa The Blackhope Enigma, 281 pgs. Candlewick Press, 2011. $15.99.

Language: G (no swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG

Blackhope Tower is the location of unexplained happenings. This is a place where skeletons have been known to inexplicably appear in the Mariner’s Chamber, a room where the famous painting of a renowned Renaissance painter, Fausto Corvo, is hung. The mystery deepens when Sunni Forrest and her brother Dean Rivers disappear into the painting. What waits for them in this painted world created by Corvo? Will they return?

This book has an intriguing premise, but fails to follow through. It is as though the author had a unique idea for a plot, but was unable to find the end. The book is mostly about setting up a story that has an exceptionally hurried resolution that was most unsatisfying. Add to this, vaguely draw supporting characters, subplots that go nowhere or are never resolved, and characters with absurd names and you have a most disappointing read.  

EL, MS—OPTIONAL. AEB, Social Studies Teacher

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