Splendors and Glooms

De: Laura Amy Schlitz

Narrado por: Davina Porter

Audie Award Nominee, Children's Titles for Ages 8-12, 2013

Newbery Medal winner Laura Amy Schlitz's gothic novel in the grand Victorian tradition, Spledors and Glooms, is set in London and centered around the disappearance of a 12-year-old girl, who goes missing. Two children realize it is their guardian, a Venetian-born puppeteer and magician, who has kidnapped her and used his dark powers to imprison her mind and body in the form of a puppet and strive to return her to human form.

©2012 Laura Amy Schlitz (P)2012 Recorded Books

Yawn turned into a dropped jaw

I wasn't sure about this story at first. A Victorian Era piece, really? But I needed to read at least part of this award winning book to better share it in a presentation on award-winning books. So I began and hummed along and then, boom, I was sucked in. I could not let go! Davina Porter as a narrator was a delight. Her voices and accents manifested a visual of characters I could not have done just reading the words off the page. That being said, this magical story of an evil puppeteer, a witch, and the three children thrown into a plot of corruption and dispair had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Laura Amy Schlitz proves to be a master storyteller.

Haunting, gothic novel will break your heart when it ends.

The locations were described so vividly, I can still see them, hear them, and in some cases, smell them. The characters the author created were so real to me, I feel like I lost friends when the book ended. Lizzie Rose might just be my favorite character of all time and even Cassandra left me wishing she were real and I could have a chat with her. My two daughters (10 and 5) were likewise enthralled. I can't say enough good things about this book. I'm sure glad we discovered this story and this author.

Wish there was more.

Outstanding. Great for children and adults. Wish it continued on forever. Don’t have enough words!!

Most Excellent!

We really enjoyed this story as a family and listened to it in two sessions in the car. Most Excellent!

Slow start, but then it grabs you

After a slow and rather muddled beginning, the characters became interesting and the story developed at a good pace. Although this is categorized as a childrens book, I found it quite engaging even for my adult self. The author doesn’t dumb down either the characters or plot. And I can’t say enough about Davina Porter’s narration ! Sooo good 👍

Awesome

It was a great book the narrator really captured the mood of each page in her voice you could hear sadness and happiness The book was really interesting

Enchanting, a different sort of Victorian fantasy

I loved this story and the audible presentation. The children, the evil puppeteer, and the witch are seen from unique points of view. After listening to the story, I eagerly sought other books by Laura Amy Schlitz. She is a master storyteller!

So disappointing

I really wanted to like this book. I Really did. I've looked for another story by this author after reading "A drowned maiden's tale". I Loved that book. It hooked me from page one. So I was ready for more.
Was that a fluke, or this book a glitch? I Don't know.
All I know was that this book was really overwrought. So heavy handed. And after hours of listening and re-winding, I still don't know what the heck, is going on!
From flashes of a "witch" to a demonic puppet-master, to a lonely girl who lost here siblings to a terrible food poisoning. This story was all over the place. I just gave up.
Better luck next time. I still haven't given up on Schultz.