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AUNT DIMITY SLAYS THE DRAGON, by Nancy Atherton.
Cover copy: As her eighth summer in the charming village of Finch approaches, Lori Shepard finds herself craving something to spice up her all-too-familiar routine. Her wish is fulfilled when a rowdy Renaissance festival comes to town, but Lori never anticipated the sort of excitement -- and mystery -- that the fair brings to the otherwise docile English village.
King Wilfred's Faire is unlike anything Lori has ever seen. The age of chivalry lives again within its faux-stone walls; wizards, wenches, magicians, and minstrals provide fairgoers with lighthearted entertainment. Lords quaff, jesters laugh, and knights do battle in the joust arena. Lori's neighbors are enchanted by the pageantry and accept King Wilfred's invitation to join in the fun. While they eat, drink and make merry, Finch is besieged by tipsy tourists, wandering wizards, and bellicose knights who threaten to turn the sleepy village upside down.
As the villagers attempt to rout the rampaging hordes, Lori discovers a dark layer of intrigue lurking beneath the fair's bright surface. Is a sinister figure stalking young Mirabel, the angel-voiced madrigal singer? Has a jealous rival sabotaged the Dragon Knight's weapons? Is an evil assassin trying to murder Good King Wilfred? Or has Lori's imagination run away with her yet again?
Consulting with her dear Aunt Dimity for otherworldly advice, Lori races to save her beloved village - risking her neck in the process - and attempts to keep medieval revelry from ending in modern-day tragedy.
Gender of detective: female
Lori is the sort of person who is repeatedly accused (by herself!) of letting her imagination run away with her. This winds up meaning that she notices something is wrong, and she's the one who gathers the evidence...and then, between jumping to conclusions and second-guessing herself, she completely fails to put everything together. It's her husband who takes the last step, and is actually the one who makes the accusation.
On the bright side, the novel mostly avoids Wacky Hijinx. I'm not sure how, Lord knows. Ironically, maybe the fact that it's told in first person helps: Lori is very self-conscious about her imaginative tendencies, and does her best to rein them in.
Aunt Dimity is a gimmick, nothing more and nothing less. Lori has this book, see, and when she writes in it, someone replies. Fortunately, Aunt Dimity is much more kindly natured than Tom Riddle, and serves as Lori's more prudent side, at least in theory. In practice...well, as I said, she reads as a gimmick, a way for the author to have her ditzy cake and eat it too. There are apparently many, many more in this series, but I don't think I'll be seeking them out.
*
Stef is making whimpery noises. Not so much because the well has run dry as because she's stretching. Tricky thing, stretching.
Cover copy: As her eighth summer in the charming village of Finch approaches, Lori Shepard finds herself craving something to spice up her all-too-familiar routine. Her wish is fulfilled when a rowdy Renaissance festival comes to town, but Lori never anticipated the sort of excitement -- and mystery -- that the fair brings to the otherwise docile English village.
King Wilfred's Faire is unlike anything Lori has ever seen. The age of chivalry lives again within its faux-stone walls; wizards, wenches, magicians, and minstrals provide fairgoers with lighthearted entertainment. Lords quaff, jesters laugh, and knights do battle in the joust arena. Lori's neighbors are enchanted by the pageantry and accept King Wilfred's invitation to join in the fun. While they eat, drink and make merry, Finch is besieged by tipsy tourists, wandering wizards, and bellicose knights who threaten to turn the sleepy village upside down.
As the villagers attempt to rout the rampaging hordes, Lori discovers a dark layer of intrigue lurking beneath the fair's bright surface. Is a sinister figure stalking young Mirabel, the angel-voiced madrigal singer? Has a jealous rival sabotaged the Dragon Knight's weapons? Is an evil assassin trying to murder Good King Wilfred? Or has Lori's imagination run away with her yet again?
Consulting with her dear Aunt Dimity for otherworldly advice, Lori races to save her beloved village - risking her neck in the process - and attempts to keep medieval revelry from ending in modern-day tragedy.
Gender of detective: female
Lori is the sort of person who is repeatedly accused (by herself!) of letting her imagination run away with her. This winds up meaning that she notices something is wrong, and she's the one who gathers the evidence...and then, between jumping to conclusions and second-guessing herself, she completely fails to put everything together. It's her husband who takes the last step, and is actually the one who makes the accusation.
On the bright side, the novel mostly avoids Wacky Hijinx. I'm not sure how, Lord knows. Ironically, maybe the fact that it's told in first person helps: Lori is very self-conscious about her imaginative tendencies, and does her best to rein them in.
Aunt Dimity is a gimmick, nothing more and nothing less. Lori has this book, see, and when she writes in it, someone replies. Fortunately, Aunt Dimity is much more kindly natured than Tom Riddle, and serves as Lori's more prudent side, at least in theory. In practice...well, as I said, she reads as a gimmick, a way for the author to have her ditzy cake and eat it too. There are apparently many, many more in this series, but I don't think I'll be seeking them out.
*
Stef is making whimpery noises. Not so much because the well has run dry as because she's stretching. Tricky thing, stretching.