Book Review – The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith by Loris Owen
Welcome to the dazzling new world of Quicksmiths, where you will encounter Strange Energy, the Mowl, Wormholes, Dark Forces and the tantalising riddle of the Ark of Ideas.
When Kip Bramley receives a cryptic invitation, delivered by a beetle shaped drone which appears to be breathing, his world will change forever. Soon he finds himself chasing riddles and solving puzzles on a crazy treasure hunt set 400 years earlier by a mysterious genius. As things get dangerous, it seems much more is at stake for Kip and his family than winning top marks at his strange new school…
My rating:
I received this from the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
This is the sort of book that I was genuinely thrilled about. It’s a fantasy, but it’s also a mystery, and it sounded really cute. The idea is just great. Sadly, for me, the execution was a little obvious and tropey. Still a great read but not quite what I hoped for. Though super bonus points for having the fantasy be sort of sciencey and really encouraging that way of thinking!
Kip is really unhappy with life when we meet him, he’s had to move and has no friends and a stereotypically awful new school. So much so I got vague Matilda vibes (not that that’s a bad thing, mind). The riddles and mystery of getting to the school were really fun, and once there his life is luckily much happier!
Kip’s friends are good fun, though amused by how easily Leela and Timmi fold in given the apparent age difference. I kept forgetting they were so much older. The way the lessons work is a nice way of letting us see into the world and how things work, without showing us everything. I’d have loved a little more detail, but that’s because I’m a giant nerd and found the concept really fascinating.
Eartha’s riddles were definitely the high point for me – they were complex and well thought out while not being totally improbable that two first-year newbies would solve them before adults.
However, there were things I found very obvious – the bullies and bad guy elements didn’t surprise me at all.
I’m definitely intrigued by the rest of kip’s storyline though – I’m dying to know more in fact! Part of the reason I’ll be picking up book two for sure. This is a fun series with real potential. 3.5 stars.
Buy The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith from Waterstones.
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