“Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd” by Alan Bradley – On a Reclusive Trail
Even though she is basically a genius for her age, she still finds herself rejected from Miss Bodycote's Female Academy, and so Flavia sets out on the long trip back home to England.
Though she is happy to return, the homecoming isn't exactly going as smoothly as planned with her father having suddenly fallen ill and moved to the hospital where he is expected to recover, but cannot take visitors.
Her life now ruled by boredom, Flavia relieves it in any way possible, which one day entails delivering a message to a reclusive wood carver from the Vicar's wife.
Upon making her way to his cabin, Flavia immediately senses something is amiss, and her suspicions are confirmed when she finds the man's body hanging upside down on the back side of his bedroom door... The only witness being an indifferent cat.
And so begins Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley, the latest in the series of Flavia de Luce mysteries. As a quick disclaimer, each book in the series stands by itself and can be read as the first one with no problems whatsoever.
Moving onwards, just like the previous ones it sends tumbling down a surreal and sometimes ridiculous path to the ultimate truth. Her investigations take her to adventurous territories, such as a famous children's book author, an alleged real-life witch, and the afore-mentioned cat who refuses to speak under any circumstances.
As has become customary for the series, there are more than enough strange questions and weird turns to be taken to keep your interest in the story; unlike Flavia, you don't risk experiencing any boredom while reading this book.
The plot is very quirky and charming in its own ways despite the dark themes encountered within, greatly benefiting from Flavia's intelligent and upbeat voice.
Speaking of which, the narration may very well be the element that holds the entire book together and makes it shine harder than the rest of the works in the genre. Flavia is a fantastic observer and she spares no expense in sharing her thoughts on human nature and behaviour, often dropping irreverent and bold remarks that get you laughing out loud.
As the story progresses Flavia's remarks become less and less moored in comedy, rather going for deep thinking and sympathy. Her reflections become increasingly serious, touching largely on the subject of adulthood and coming-of-age.
While she often discusses topics in manners that wouldn't befit a regular non-genius twelve-year-old, we never lose the sense that we are seeing the story through the eyes of an inexperienced child, no matter how naturally smart or gifted she may be.
In turn, this helps to preserve the book's lighter tone, and perhaps even a semblance of innocence that just makes Flavia all the more endearing and adds to her depth.
To turn the attention to the rest of the characters for a moment, it ought to be noted that despite their reduced appearance when compared to the protagonist, Bradley still manages to give them enough originality and relatively complex characters.
Whether it's due to their physical features, mannerisms, reputation or specific actions, it's quite easy to differentiate between the characters and follow everyone's story without confusion or tediousness.
It's certainly a fantastic starting point for anyone looking to get into the series, just like it's a must for those of you who are already hooked on Flavia de Luce.
 | Alan BradleyPersonal site Alan Bradley is a Canadian author whose body of work mostly revolves around the mystery genre, being best-known for penning the Flavia de Luce series, which begins with the book The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. On July 5th, 2007, Bradley was awarded the Dagger award in London. |
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