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A review by mo_mentan
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
4.0
this feels in some ways like one of these children's books that i love: over the top, excentric characters, the weirdest things are never questioned, children have to be grown ups, odly creepy for children's books, british humour. a touch of jk rowling's sarcasm (i despise that woman but i love her pointy narration), preferably an omniscient narrator, a mystery... i feel like i'm forgetting all of the titles tho haha. coraline maybe?* some addams family vibes, but more sinister. a little "the weird sisters" but more magical. but then also a touch of ronald dahl? a series of unfortunate events? oh god i'm making a mess of this.
anyways, this book is not that. there are too many characters and i feel like it doesn't get the balance between real world and unquestioned, vague ficitional world right. it isn't whimsical enough in some ways. it isn't quite believable (turtles relationship to her mother), but then its commentary is somewhat too on the nose. it isn't real enough when it comes to the details on law etc. but it tries to be, and then again there is a man with several aliases and idk. it just seems inconsistent.
i liked it tho, much more than this review sounds like. i liked turtle, i liked some of the commentary on feminism and ableism (though much of it is quite outdated and at times frankly problematic).
the riddles were fun and it is my fault that i didn't get to guess quite as well as one could becuase i listened to the audiobook.
the ending seemed somewhat dragged out and there were too many turns. the patriotism i didn't like, as well as the fact that the millionaire was a nice guy in the end and all the bad stories were made up (i guess? it was implied hoo actually stole from westing? idk)
i'm confused and i don't quite know what to think. i'd like a three hour video essay setting it in perspective and comparing it to world politics, youtube drama and late stage capitalism while spoonfeeding me the symbolism and deeper emotional meaning.
* as i thinking of the graveyard book? i knew this was by neil gaiman! but no, i think it was just a book with similar illustrations and a similarly eerie theme and a girl named ava or so but i cant find it and it drives me mad!!!
edit: ahhhh i found it!!! it was the same illustrator indeed! but the girl's called ada!
another edit: ooooh and the scandalous sisterhood of prickwillow place!
anyways, this book is not that. there are too many characters and i feel like it doesn't get the balance between real world and unquestioned, vague ficitional world right. it isn't whimsical enough in some ways. it isn't quite believable (turtles relationship to her mother), but then its commentary is somewhat too on the nose. it isn't real enough when it comes to the details on law etc. but it tries to be, and then again there is a man with several aliases and idk. it just seems inconsistent.
i liked it tho, much more than this review sounds like. i liked turtle, i liked some of the commentary on feminism and ableism (though much of it is quite outdated and at times frankly problematic).
the riddles were fun and it is my fault that i didn't get to guess quite as well as one could becuase i listened to the audiobook.
the ending seemed somewhat dragged out and there were too many turns. the patriotism i didn't like, as well as the fact that the millionaire was a nice guy in the end and all the bad stories were made up (i guess? it was implied hoo actually stole from westing? idk)
i'm confused and i don't quite know what to think. i'd like a three hour video essay setting it in perspective and comparing it to world politics, youtube drama and late stage capitalism while spoonfeeding me the symbolism and deeper emotional meaning.
* as i thinking of the graveyard book? i knew this was by neil gaiman! but no, i think it was just a book with similar illustrations and a similarly eerie theme and a girl named ava or so but i cant find it and it drives me mad!!!
edit: ahhhh i found it!!! it was the same illustrator indeed! but the girl's called ada!
another edit: ooooh and the scandalous sisterhood of prickwillow place!