Author: Phillip Pullman
Summary (from Goodreads): “BEWARE THE SEVEN blessings . . . ” When she first utters these words, 16-year-old Sally Lockhart doesn’t know their meaning. But when an employee of her late father hears them, he dies of fear. Thus begins Sally’s terrifying journey into the seamy underworld of Victorian London, in search of clues to her father’s mysterious death.
Opinion: To me, Sally was very much a spunky female Sherlock Holmes. Except, her strength was less in detection and more in her cunning and drive. She isn't a 'goody two shoes' and doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. In a time when women were held to certain standards, Sally makes her own standards. She took the story from an average mystery to a thrilling adventure that kept me turning the pages.
Ratings
Girl Power: 5 (Sally is clever, brave, and drives the story)
Writing Style: 3 (I read it a while ago and I remembered so little of the writing style, I looked up excerpts of it before writing this. It's simple, straight-forward with a poignant description here and there, but it's the story and the characters that are memorable, not the style)
Plot: 3 (The book markets itself and starts out reading like a mystery, but ends up being more of an adventure/thriller. The mystery is solved offstage by someone other than Sally, though Sally gets her moments to shine, rescue, and even kill.)
Overall: 3.5
This wasn't one of my favorite books and Sally wasn't one of my favorite heroines, but she was memorable with all the makings of a strong female character; she certainly deserves a spot on this blog.
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