World Famous Comics: A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama
A Drowned Maiden's Hair: A Melodrama
By: Laura Amy Schlitz Publisher: Candlewick Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Candlewick Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 400 Publication Date: April 08, 2008 Reading Level: Young Adult Release Date: April 08, 2008
Product Description: "People throw the word 'classic' about a lot, but A DROWNED MAIDEN'S HAIR genuinely deserves to become one." — WALL STREET JOURNAL
Maud Flynn is known at the orphanage for her impertinence. So when the charming Miss Hyacinth chooses her to take home, the girl is pleased but baffled, until it becomes clear that she’s needed to help stage elaborate séances for bereaved patrons. As Maud is drawn deeper into the deception, playing her role as a "secret child," she is torn between her need to please and her growing conscience —- until a shocking betrayal shows just how heartless her so-called guardians are. Filled with fascinating details of turn-of-the-century spiritualism and page-turning suspense, this lively novel features a feisty heroine whom readers will not soon forget.
Wonderful Book I read this book in a matter of a few days, and I read vigorously, wanting to know what would happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time- from beginning to end.
It's about an 11-year-old girl named Maud Flynn who was adopted by 3 old ladies who were sisters. Maud found out later that they held seances to con people out of their money. They adopted Maud so she could pretend to be ghosts during their seances.
I loved this book and I think you will, too. This is the best book I have read in a long time. I did not want this book to end!
Wonderful Book I read this book in a matter of a few days, and I read vigorously, wanting to know what would happen next. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time- from beginning to end.
It's about an 11-year-old girl named Maud Flynn who was adopted by 3 old ladies who were sisters. Maud found out later that they held seances to con people out of their money. They adopted Maud so she could pretend to be ghosts during their seances.
I loved this book and I think you will, too. This is the best book I have read in a long time. I did not want this book to end!
fairly tedious Just like another reviewer said, this is better than some Newbery winners. It's the story of the orphan Maud Flynn, who is adopted by a trio of spinster sisters. They need her for their own purposes, but I don't want to spoil the story for you. Suffice it to say this: the story moves slowly, too slowly for my taste, and then you figure out what's going to happen. The last pages were completely predictable and I was speed-reading through the pat dialogue in order to get to the end.
The book is competently written, though without any flashes of originality. The plot is fairly tightly wound, without the flaws you see in other celebrated writers (Rosoff, Farmer). The problem is that the story is not interesting - I mean, I don't know about you, but I already knew that seances were fake, and that most fortunetellers were not for real. So making that a central part of the book was like trying too hard to breathe life into the dead corpse of a cliche. I finished the book, but it goes right back to the used bookstore.
Melodrama succeeds! This tale may be a melodrama (exaggerated, emotional), but it's a twisty, sad, fun story that kept my interest. It is truly a novel, as I have never read a story quite like this one. Maud is an orphan adopted by three elderly sisters. She's asked to be a "secret child", and she agrees. She eventually is told the family secret, and goes along willingly at first. But she matures as a character, meets other compelling characters (especially the deaf mute), and the story proceeds to its satisfying ending.
Wonderful I picked up this novel by chance based on other reviews I'd read and I'm glad to say that I wasn't disappointed. A Drowned Maidens Hair is reminiscent of L.M. Montgomery's indomitable Anne with an E. as well as, Frances Hodgson Burnett's long neglected garden girl. But don't worry the book has it's own unique voice that pulls you in from the start.
11 year old orphan Maud Flynn is a troublesome child. she has a habbit of telling boastful stories, she's disobedient, disagreeable, ill-mannered, and mouthy. To make matters worse she's not what most poeple wold call pretty, In short Maud's chances of being adopted are slim to none.
So no one is more suprised then Maud herself when on a day just like most others, she is adopted on sight be the fashionable and elegemt Hyacinth Hawthorn. Maud cannot believe her good fortune and is determined to turn over a new leaf, to be "perfectly good" anything to make Hyacinth love her. Even if Hyacinth's sister's, Stern austre Judith and dowdy sad Victoria are absolutely against Mauds coming to Hawthorn Grove. Even if she has to be a "secret child" Hiding upstairs when the door bell rings, unable to go outside. Maude must not be seen by anyone outside the house. But why. She'll found out soon enough, and then the question will be. How many secrets can one little girl keep? and how far will she have to go to be loved.
I was completly swept up in this story, all the characters are fully fleshed out and believable. I whole heartedly recommend A Drowned Maidens Hair to anyone looking for a memorable reading experience.
Anything Goes Trivia
Last Kiss
Megaton Man
Trevor
