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The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Book 1 in the series:Flavia de Luce

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Flavia de Luce, an eleven-year-old aspiring chemist and amateur detective, discovers a dead body in her family's garden, leading her to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding the murder. Set in 1950s England, the book follows Flavia's witty and precocious narration as she navigates through the intricate plot filled with unique characters and a charming setting. The writing style is described as quirky, fun, and filled with delightful language that captures the essence of the time period.

Characters:

The characters, especially Flavia and her sisters, are well developed and add depth to the story, with themes of sibling rivalry and family dynamics.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by humor and vivid descriptions, effectively capturing Flavia's quirky and intelligent perspective.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around Flavia de Luce, an intelligent 11-year-old girl, who investigates the murder of a stranger found in her family's cucumber patch, intertwining family history, chemistry, and secrets.

Setting:

Set in the 1950s English countryside, the setting plays a vital role in establishing the atmosphere of the story, featuring a dilapidated manor and a small village.

Pacing:

The pacing is predominantly quick and engaging, though it experiences some slow moments in exposition, which doesn't detract significantly from the overall flow.
IT WAS AS BLACK IN THE CLOSET AS OLD BLOOD. THEY had shoved me in and locked the door. I breathed heavily through my nose, fighting desperately to remain calm. I tried counting to ten on every intake ...

Notes:

The protagonist, Flavia de Luce, is an 11-year-old chemistry prodigy with a passion for poisons.
The story is set in the 1950s in the English countryside, specifically in the fictional village of Bishop's Lacey.
Flavia discovers a dead body in her family's cucumber patch, which launches her into a murder investigation.
The novel's plot revolves around the themes of family dynamics, sibling rivalry, and past secrets.
Alan Bradley, the author, did not visit England until after he wrote this book, despite it being set there.
Flavia's interactions with her sisters, Ophelia and Daphne, add a humorous and relatable aspect to the story.
The book addresses issues of class and nostalgia for a bygone era in England after World War II.
The title is derived from a quote by William King about pie, hinting at the book's blend of sweetness and dark themes.
The book won the Debut Dagger Award of the British Crime Writers' Association before its publication.
The series has expanded to include multiple sequels, confirming its popularity and the charm of its main character.

From The Publisher:

WINNER OF THE AGATHA

ARTHUR ELLIS

DILYS

DEBUT DAGGER AWARDS

"Wonderfully entertaining . . . sure to be one of the most loved mysteries of the year . . . [Flavia is] a delightful, intrepid, acid-tongued new heroine."-Chicago Sun-Times

It is the summer of 1950-and at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, young Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events: A dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. Then, hours later, Flavia finds a man lying in the cucumber patch and watches him as he takes his dying breath.

For Flavia, who is both appalled and delighted, life begins in earnest when murder comes to Buckshaw. "I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn't. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life."

Ratings (66)

Incredible (10)
Loved It (29)
Liked It (11)
It Was OK (9)
Did Not Like (6)
Hated It (1)

Reader Stats (139):

Read It (68)
Currently Reading (1)
Want To Read (52)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (16)

4 comment(s)

Incredible
4 days

I was happy when I found this will looking through my local second hand store pocket books but I didn't have too high hopes for it. I ended up absolutely adoring this cozy mystery with 11 year old Flavia as the main character. Was a fun and puzzling mystery!

 
It Was OK
1 week

“The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie” is an surprisingly entertaining tale of an eleven year of chemist/sleuth on a mission to solve a suspicious death that takes place in her our backyard.Flavia de Luce is an aspiring chemist living with her father and two sisters at Buckshaw estate in 1950’s England.

When she, her father, and the cook find a dead bird on their doorstep with a stamp pinned to its beak, Flavia is intrigued. When Flavia discovers a man lying in the cucumbers patch behind her house and watches him as he takes his final breathe, she is appalled yet delighted.

As the novel progresses, Flavia goes on a journey to discover who the mystery man in the garden was as well as learns about the man her father was during his school days. In addition, this novel touches upon themes such as class, loyalty, and to a certain extent guilt.

I enjoyed this book was much because Flavia is a well written character who can exhibit childlike behavior as well as command respect from adults. I also liked how although Flavia has a wealth of knowledge, I don’t feel that she brags about it.

 
Loved It
1 month

I really enjoy Flavia. She is such a fun personality.

 
It Was OK
6 months

I really enjoyed this book, Flavia is an amusing heroine who is very smart - although at times is still very young. The mystery is interesting and Flavia's attempts to solve it funny.

 

About the Author:

Alan Bradley is the New York Times bestselling author of many short stories, children's stories, newspaper columns, and the memoir The Shoebox Bible. His first Flavia de Luce novel, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, received the Crime…

 
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