Review: Interesting Ideas
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 5, 2012
This is a fairly short book aimed at the 9 to 16 year old age range, a very difficult age to write for as levels of reading, interest and comprehension vary considerably through this age range. I am very very well over this age range but I enjoyed the story which I felt was full of new ideas, there are many stories that start in a similar way from "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871)" and possibly earlier when a child or children step through something into another world, but this one is different and full of new ideas. The story starts slowly with the slightly implausible cooperation of a teacher at the boarding school and sets the scene and allows for the development of the relationships between the children in the story. After this the story develops a pace and ends with a satisfying conclusion which although a bit hurried does also leave the option for further books in the series.  Up to this point I would have given the story 5* but I then gave it to a 10 year old to read, one who likes fantasy and science fiction. Her conclusion "boring" on quizzing her, the reason was the slow build up and she would have given up until I told her that the story was much more exciting later. She read the rest and could not understand the puzzles, without explanation, which were well beyond her.My conclusion, an excellent book, but probably better for the older age range and even adult. If there is a sequel I will read it but probably not give it to the 10 year old to read.