Author: Iain Reading
ISBN: 978-1508488866
Rating: 8/10
Genre: Young adult, action, adventure, mystery
"'True,' Marieke said, nodding absently. 'But to be honest, I'm far more curious to find out how these other two paintings ended up here.'
Marieke reached out and pointed toward a pair of paintings that were hanging off in the corner on the opposite of the fireplace.
'What do you mean?' Vega asked, turning her head to look at what she was gesturing to.
'Well, in light of the fact that this Van Gogh over here is almost surely authentic,' Marieke replied, 'then I can only assume that the Monet and Pissaro hanging right over there are authentic as well.'"
I received this book with a request to provide a review. I had not heard of the author or the series of books. This book is the 5th in the series of the Kitty Hawk books and the first book in the series I had read. I have since received the 1st book and this will be my next review.
I was unsure of what I was going to think about this story. The appearance of the book was different to what I am used too and the writing was smaller and there were a number of drawings, diagrams and notes in the book to help the reader understand the numerous codes and cryptic messages which Kitty, Charlie, Mateo, Vega and Giulia are trying to solve and find the answers to. Although I was unsure about the use of photos and diagrams in the book this was a great help to the reader to help understand the codes and to help me decipher the messages. If these had not been in the story and I had to use the text alone I would have struggled to understand the encrypted messages with the ease which the author provided me with.
Whilst reading the book, the way all the spectacular places in Europe which Kitty and Charlie visit are described has made me want to visit and explore these vast and interesting countries. I now want to experience these cities and countries. However, I have visited a number of the places which Kitty and Charlie visit. Innsbruck, a lovely area in Austria where I enjoyed the peaks of the Alps to ski. Kitty and Charlie visit Dachau, the Nazi Concentration Camp, although I have not visited this camp, I have visited Auschwitz and the description which Reading gives of the camp perfectly talks about the feelings and emotions which you experience walking around the site. It perfectly shows how the work in the concentration camps still has a major influence across the world, how the atrocity of the Nazi's still need to be remembered and never forgotten. The accurate and informative descriptions Reading gives of the Concentration Camp and of the Cathedral of Light in Nuremberg in a young adult book provides teenagers and young adults with, possibly, their first understanding of Nazi Germany, this book could start a love of history for a whole new generation.
I was interested throughout the story, I wanted to know why Mateo, Vega and Giulia's father was involved in the organisation which is associated with spies and undercover groups. I wanted to know how the original paintings by Van Gogh, Monet and Pissaro were on the wall of their home rather than being on the walls of a museum. I wanted to know who both Inspector Alighieri and Herr Weinberg were and why Inspector Alighieri was so determined to catch Herr Weinberg and why Herr Weinberg was so determined to avoid Ispector Alighieri. Wanting to know the answers to these questions kept me both gripped and engrossed in the story and determined to understand why there was a mysterious person in a secret room no one knew about in the childhood home of a traditional, close-knit, Italian family.
Although these were all questions I wanted to know the answers to I was unable to have all of them answered when the book finished. I still wanted to know more about Herr Weinberg and what his part in the mystery of the masterpieces was. I still wanted to know why and how the Italian father, who was balding, overweight with glasses, wore shorts, sandals and white socks pulled up to his knees, had found himself in a ring of art dealers, dealing with embezzled and stolen pieces of art, which was violently and forcefully taken during the mass genocide of Jews and other religions and cultures which were not seen as the desired "Aryan Nation". Hundreds of thousands of pieces of art were taken from people who Hitler did not see as deserving of the spectacular pieces of art. These pieces were given or sold to Nazi supporters and a large number of pieces of art were never seen again. In order to answer these remaining questions amongst many others I do hope Reading writes a 6th book of Kitty's next adventure to help me answer these questions and to find out what other amazing cities and countries she explores which will be added to my own bucket list.
For Kitty and Charlie I want to know when they will realise they are meant to be together! Although nothing happened between them, there were a number of opportunities when I thought something would happen and they would realise they wanted to be together. Now they have both thrown coins into the Trevi Fountain; 1 coin: you will return to Rome, 2 coins: you will find romance, 3 coins: will lead to marriage. Kitty threw, possibly, 3 coins into the Fountain and Charlie threw 2 so the next book could allow the reader to see what fate there is for Kitty and Charlie.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and I have been provided with another Iain Reading book which I will be starting shortly and providing a review once complete. I look forward to finding out what the first adventure Kitty has. I would recommend this series to a friend, I hope any future books by Iain Reading which I read are as interesting, informative and funny.
Rating: 8/10
10 word review: Would definitely recommend, but what did happened to Herr Weinberg?
My next review will be another Iain Reading book, Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yokon Gold. The 1st book in the Kitty Hawk series. I look forward to seeing what happened to Kitty to bring her to Rome on her adventures.
Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you enjoy it. If there are any books which anyone can recommend then please let me know, I look forward to hearing from you...Steph xx
No comments:
Post a Comment