Book Review of "The Ides of April" by Mary Ray

Hylas is a Greek slave. His master is the affluent Caius Pomponius. One day Hylas wakes to discover that his master was murdered in bed while asleep in a room in his villa. Suspicion instantly falls on the household slaves; who else in the villa could have committed the vile crime? In Rome when one slave was suspected of murder every single slave in the house was executed, whether man, woman or child. Soldiers soon arrive, arrest the slaves, and herd them to prison. Hylas, however, manages to escape arrest and flees the house. It is only a matter of time before he will be missed and the soldiers start searching for him. Hylas is frantic, and for good reasons. His own mother is one of the slaves facing torture and death in a Roman prison. Trusting his life into the hands of people he hardly knows, Hylas must somehow prove that the murderer was not one of the slaves while evading capture himself.

This exciting mystery set just after the time of Christ is so thrilling that I could not put it down. The author connected me emotionally with the characters and compelled me to pause a moment to imagine how it might have felt like to be a slave in Rome. I found myself growing exceedingly angry at the distorted form of justice displayed by the Roman Empire in such murder cases.

At the same time, I was moved by the mercy showed to Hylas by people who are virtual strangers. When an author can invoke so many different emotions while juggling a complicated cast of characters I cannot help but be greatly inspired. 

                       

 Inspirations 4 Writing

How does it feel like to be a slave? How does it feel like to be an escapee with your life on the line? Ponder these questions and try to imagine yourself in such circumstances. Then write feelingly about a character who is either a slave, an escapee running from some danger, or both.

Book Review of "Sparrows in the Scullery" by Barbara Brooks Wallace

Colly Trevelyan is an eleven-year-old boy who has been coddled and protected by his wealthy parents for all of his life. When he receives the news that his beloved parents were killed in a carriage accident, he is devastated. He knows his life is about to change for the worse, but he could not have possibly imagined how worse… 

On a cold dark night, two men creep into his room and kidnap him. He is taken to The Broggin Home for Boys, an institute that is run by the miserly and cruel Mr. and Mrs. Crawler. The façade of the institute is that of a loving refuge for homeless boys where they will be educated and taken care of. In reality, Mr. and Mrs. Crawler use orphaned boys as free labor in factories.

It is all Colly can do not to slip into despair. Why was he kidnapped and taken here? Who kidnapped him? Will he ever be rescued?

This riveting mystery story has been a favorite of mine for years. From the start, the author opens a window into Colly’s heart and mind, vividly describing his thoughts and emotions during his abduction and while he is at The Broggin Home for Boys. The way she describes Mr. and Mrs. Crawler and also the other poor orphans at the institute renders them unforgettable. Years after reading it I could still recall the details of the Crawlers appearances and even the names and characteristics of the boys. I remember that when I was a little girl listening to a recording of the novel on tape I exclaimed to my mom, “Someday I want to write a book just like this!” If an author has the ability to inspire young people in their desire to be a writer you know that they have to be good!

Inspirations 4 Writing

The title of the story at first appears enigmatic and unintelligible. After all, what do sparrows have to do with a mystery story about orphans? Upon reading it, however, the meaning of the title becomes clear. Titles like these always inspire me to carefully choose significant names for my novels, a name that catches your eye and holds deep meaning that is fully understood only when you read the book.  

Book Review of "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin

The famous and eccentric millionaire Sam Westing has been reported dead. Sixteen potential heirs to his 200 million dollar estate gather in the old Westing mansion to hear the reading of his will and to learn which one of them will inherit his fortune. Sam Westing will not let the answer be found quite so simply, however. In his will, Sam states that his life was taken from him by one of the people then present in the room. Which one is up to them to find out. Here’s the catch: the only way to find out is to play “The Westing Game.”  Instructing them to team up as pairs of two, Sam has each team given a set of clues. They have a limited amount of time. Whoever discovers the answer first wins the fortune and wins The Westing Game. 

When I finished this story all I could say was, “This is the best mystery novel I have ever read!” Abounding with disguises, mind-boggling riddles, word games, and unforgettable characters, this will prove to be an exciting and memorable adventure. Perhaps it was its unique plotline that made it the only mystery to ever win the Newbery Medal.

Inspirations 4 Writing 

I don’t know about you, but reading this book made me want to write my own story that contained riddles and word games! Take this idea and see what type of unique story you can create. Perhaps it is a story about a clue that leads to a clue and so forth until you reach a treasure….perhaps it is about a puzzle that leads to an answer as in "The Westing Game." Perhaps….Well, I will let you fill in the gap. The possibilities are endless!