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Title: "A Lady's Guide to Marvels and Misadventure" by Angela Bell
Series: The Librarian of Boone's Hollow Book 1
Format: AudioBook
Narrator: Beverley A. Crick
Length: 12 hours 28 minutes
Date Published: February 27, 2024
Publisher: Recorded Book Inc.
Stars: *** 1/2
Blurb:
Miss Clara Marie Stanton's family may be eccentric, but they certainly aren't insane.
London, England, 1860
When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.
London, England, 1860
When Clara's ex-fiancé begins to spread rumors that her family suffers from hereditary insanity, it's all she can do to protect them from his desperate schemes, society's prejudice, and a lifetime in an asylum. Then Clara's Grandfather Drosselmeyer brings on an apprentice with a mechanical leg, and all pretense of normalcy takes wing.
Theodore Kingsley, a shame-chased vagabond haunted by the war, wants a fresh start far from Kingsley Court and the disappointed father who declared him dead. Upon returning to England, Theodore meets clockmaker Drosselmeyer, who hires him as an apprentice, much to Clara's dismay. When Drosselmeyer spontaneously disappears in his secret flying owl machine, he leaves behind a note for Clara, beseeching her to make her dreams of adventure a reality by joining him on a merry scavenger hunt across Europe. Together, Clara and Theodore set off to follow Drosselmeyer's trail of clues, but they will have to stay one step ahead of a villain who wants the flying machine for himself--at any cost.
My Thoughts:
I'm a bit torn with my thoughts on this book. I wanted to LOVE it but I have to admit to just LIKING the book.
The story-line was fun but I found it overly flowery and wordy.
I didn't really like the main female character, Clara, very much. She was spoiled and thought she had to control everything and everyone. I did, though, appreciate how she learned to rely on God for His strength and not only in herself by the end of the book.
Arthur/Theodore, the main male character, was a bit of a pushover and Clara was downright MEAN to him for most of the book. I did enjoy the fact that he learned to accept God's forgiveness and began to see his worth as a man.
I wish that there was more of Grand, Clara's Grandfather, in the story. He was a very interesting character as was Clara's mother and her menagerie of mix-matched animals.
This was only my second time listening to an audiobook. I wonder if the fact that the narrator had a flowery British accent affected my enjoyment of the story or if it was the fantastical elements of the story.
At any rate, LIKED but not LOVED...
Onto the next book :)
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P.S.
This book fills the following prompts:
1. My Favorite Color - Turquoise
2. Headwear - Bonnet
3. Illustrated Scene
4. Someone Wearing Period Clothing ~ Clara and Theodore
5. A Bird ~ Owl
6. Jewelry ~ Pocket Watch
7. Cityscape
That brings the tally to:
7
prompts filled in just one book!
