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Theodosia Throckmorton #1
Der Fluch der schwarzen Katze
Theodosia Throckmorton verfügt über eine besondere Gabe: Sie kann die Flüche und schwarze Magie auf alten Kultgegenständensehen und bannen. Eines Tages bringt ihre Mutter von einer Ausgrabung in Ägypüten eien Statue mit - eine Statue der Göttin Bastet in Form einer schwarzen Katze. Theodosia ist alamiert - einen derart mächtigen bösen Fluch hat sie noch nie gesehen: Er bedroht nicht nur sie und ihre Eltern, sondern das ganze Land. Zwielichtige Gestalten versuchen, die geheimnisvolle Statue in ihren Besitz zu bringen. Um das Unheil abzuwenden, muss Theodosia all ihre Fähigkeiten einsetzen und sogar ihr leben riskieren... Ein spannender und faszinierender Abenteurroman, in dem eine tapfere und begabte jund Heldin den Mächtigen des Bösen trotzt und sie durch Klugheit und List besiegt. - mitten in der pulsierenden Atmosphäre Londons zu Beginn des vorigen Jahrhunderts.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 9, 2007
About the author
R.L. LaFevers
15 books2,028 followersR.L. LaFevers (Robin Lorraine when she’s in really big trouble) grew up surrounded by shelves of old dusty books and a passel of brothers. She has also spent a large portion of her life being told she was making up things that weren’t there, which only proves she was destined to write fiction. She is the author of over fourteen books for young readers, including THEODOSIA AND THE SERPENTS OF CHAOS, (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) which received starred reviews and was a Junior Library Guild selection, a Booksense Summer Pick, and nominated for the Malice Domestic’s Agatha Award, and the NATHANIEL FLUDD, BEASTOLOGIST series. R.L. also writes the His Fair Assassin books using her full name, Robin LaFevers, but cannot get Goodreads to link the two, so you have to check out a separate profile for that. So sorry for the inconvenience!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 757 reviews
December 30, 2023
Dieses Buch dient als Platzhalter. Ich habe nicht direkt dieses Buch gelesen, sondern ich habe die entsprechende Hörspielreihe gehört.
Mich hat sofort angesprochen, dass es um Ägypten, Ausgrabungen und einen alten Fluch in der Geschichte geht. Alles, was irgendwie mit dem Alten Ägypten zu tun hat, fasziniert mich.
Und so konnte mich auch diese Geschichte sehr gut unterhalten! Alleine das Thema ist schon spannend für mich und die Hörspielreihe außerdem auch sehr gut vertont.
Mich hat sofort angesprochen, dass es um Ägypten, Ausgrabungen und einen alten Fluch in der Geschichte geht. Alles, was irgendwie mit dem Alten Ägypten zu tun hat, fasziniert mich.
Und so konnte mich auch diese Geschichte sehr gut unterhalten! Alleine das Thema ist schon spannend für mich und die Hörspielreihe außerdem auch sehr gut vertont.
March 14, 2011
I became aware of this series through Amazon.com's "People who like X book also read Y" book listing. It was under the listing for the Enola Holmes books, which I love, and the premise of this series seemed wonderful - Nancy Drew crossed with Indiana Jones. (While reading it, I thought more of the "Mummy" movie with Brendan Frasier, which I quite enjoy).
However... *sigh*
Other reviews have commented on a few flaws in the book. An American author writing British characters, and with the nigh inevitable Americanisms slipping through.
Worse, in my opinion, is the fact that while this is set in Edwardian times, it's very easy to forget this fact because it doesn't feel like a period book. There are a few expressions now and again which give it a feel of a different period, but, often, because of the modern expressions and general mode of being, I would forget that it was set in an older time period until I was jolted into remembrance by a carriage, or comments about deportment.
Beyond these faux pas, though, it just wasn't very good. The characters never felt really real or particularly believable. They are all charicatures and cut-outs - even our heroine.
Also, I never felt any really sense of tension or immediacy or danger. Even when , you never really get the sense that it's all that important, or that Theodosia really cares all that much.
Also, while I was irritated with the general uselessness of the parents, I understand how a child can end up going off on their own and having adventures - even with parents less oblivious than the ones in this book. But when the
Overall, a thoroughly meh story, doubly disappointing because of the very promising premise.
I find myself having a hard time deciding between 2 stars and 1 and 1/2...
However... *sigh*
Other reviews have commented on a few flaws in the book. An American author writing British characters, and with the nigh inevitable Americanisms slipping through.
Worse, in my opinion, is the fact that while this is set in Edwardian times, it's very easy to forget this fact because it doesn't feel like a period book. There are a few expressions now and again which give it a feel of a different period, but, often, because of the modern expressions and general mode of being, I would forget that it was set in an older time period until I was jolted into remembrance by a carriage, or comments about deportment.
Beyond these faux pas, though, it just wasn't very good. The characters never felt really real or particularly believable. They are all charicatures and cut-outs - even our heroine.
Also, I never felt any really sense of tension or immediacy or danger. Even when , you never really get the sense that it's all that important, or that Theodosia really cares all that much.
Also, while I was irritated with the general uselessness of the parents, I understand how a child can end up going off on their own and having adventures - even with parents less oblivious than the ones in this book. But when the
Overall, a thoroughly meh story, doubly disappointing because of the very promising premise.
I find myself having a hard time deciding between 2 stars and 1 and 1/2...
August 22, 2010
Like Roald Dahl's Matilda before her, Theodosia Throckmorton can't get any respect. At the young age of eleven she already has a formidable knowledge of Egyptian theology and black magic but her parents are too consumed with running their museum of antiquities to notice. Even worse, the elder Throckmortons often unwittingly place themselves in harm's way, forcing Theodosia to rescue them (but always behind the scenes in order to spare their pride.) I think kids will love the many jabs at adults' apparent cluelessness. After all, what child hasn't pondered how life would be better if only they were in charge? Theodosia's adventures are not only thrilling, they're wish fulfillment - i.e. what theoretically would happen if a bright kid was afforded with the perfect venue for their talents?
Unfortunately LaFevers isn't quite successful in capturing the voice of a young Edwardian girl. She makes a good effort to insert period expressions into the text but a strong (contemporary) American twang remains. I didn't think this marred the story at all but, if that type of thing bugs you, you've been warned.
Oh, also, look up the meaning of the name "Theodosia" if you're not familiar. I did so on a whim and thought it was a clever choice, given the book's subject matter.
Unfortunately LaFevers isn't quite successful in capturing the voice of a young Edwardian girl. She makes a good effort to insert period expressions into the text but a strong (contemporary) American twang remains. I didn't think this marred the story at all but, if that type of thing bugs you, you've been warned.
Oh, also, look up the meaning of the name "Theodosia" if you're not familiar. I did so on a whim and thought it was a clever choice, given the book's subject matter.
October 19, 2011
This was adorable! I SO would have eaten it up at 10-12 years-old! I think the reader, Charlotte Perry, made it even more delightful.
I liked Theodosia's spunk and cleverness; I'm a sucker for headstrong, independent, creative heroines. I also like that it's strongly hinted that she has access to magic that most people don't and that the Egyptian gods and goddesses are watching over her, but that's not central to her point of view - she knows she has skills and she assumes most people do or she wonders what they do to protect themselves from feeling curses and such. Then she moves on and goes about her work. I felt that was a good way to show that she was aware of but not consumed with her special abilities.
I enjoyed her adventures and was glad the author let her do things that were totally outside the realm of probability for a girl at the turn of the last century.
I think kids, girls in particular, who were disappointed with Rick Riordan's Egyptian series might find this a little more palatable. It's adventurous, a little scary but not at all nightmare-inducing, suspenseful, and funny. Theodosia Throckmorton is my new favorite 11-year-old hero.
I liked Theodosia's spunk and cleverness; I'm a sucker for headstrong, independent, creative heroines. I also like that it's strongly hinted that she has access to magic that most people don't and that the Egyptian gods and goddesses are watching over her, but that's not central to her point of view - she knows she has skills and she assumes most people do or she wonders what they do to protect themselves from feeling curses and such. Then she moves on and goes about her work. I felt that was a good way to show that she was aware of but not consumed with her special abilities.
I enjoyed her adventures and was glad the author let her do things that were totally outside the realm of probability for a girl at the turn of the last century.
I think kids, girls in particular, who were disappointed with Rick Riordan's Egyptian series might find this a little more palatable. It's adventurous, a little scary but not at all nightmare-inducing, suspenseful, and funny. Theodosia Throckmorton is my new favorite 11-year-old hero.
February 2, 2015
I have to admit that I enjoyed this story more than I thought I would. The magic of visiting Egypt and climbing to the top of the pyramid of Cheops really appealed to me. To sail on the ocean in a steamship (not to mention, getting there as a stowaway). To visit Alexandria. To ride on a train to Ciaro and visit a biazzar. To visit an archeological dig in the Valley of Kings. Wonderful!
I was a little annoyed with the young girl in the story at first. She seemed a little too much . I quickly grew attached to her though. She was fun and clever and it was exciting to follow her exploits to see what was going to happen next.
I know that the reading level is aimed at a very young audience, but why should they have all the fun? Next story?
I was a little annoyed with the young girl in the story at first. She seemed a little too much . I quickly grew attached to her though. She was fun and clever and it was exciting to follow her exploits to see what was going to happen next.
I know that the reading level is aimed at a very young audience, but why should they have all the fun? Next story?
January 17, 2018
Bottom line: if you're in the mood to read a compelling book about genius 10-year-old girls solving mysteries, read Alan Bradley instead.
Theo's parents are horrible - particularly her father. What a despicable, loveless cretin he is - and to what end? His complete lack of involvement in Theo's life except to belittle, nag or ignore serves no purpose except possibly to allow Theo the freedom to do what she will. I contend that an absent-minded, loving father would allow the same potential for mischief. I dislike how generally neglectful all adults in this book are when it comes to children: Theo rooms in a closet, sleeps on stone, complains of hunger, and clearly states she is lonely and starved for her parent's attention. Adults are portrayed as self-centered and mean-spirited as a rule, only interested in their own agendas, and any adult who shows the least interest or respect to a child are a novelty.
Regardless of these sticking points, the book was not well-done anyway. Even with story elements of ancient Egyptian mythology, magic spells and curses, and the endless possibilities provided in a museum setting, the story is still just far-fetched and silly. I know this was written for a YA audience, but it still seems the author underestimates his readers. As for me, I won't be picking up this series again.
Theo's parents are horrible - particularly her father. What a despicable, loveless cretin he is - and to what end? His complete lack of involvement in Theo's life except to belittle, nag or ignore serves no purpose except possibly to allow Theo the freedom to do what she will. I contend that an absent-minded, loving father would allow the same potential for mischief. I dislike how generally neglectful all adults in this book are when it comes to children: Theo rooms in a closet, sleeps on stone, complains of hunger, and clearly states she is lonely and starved for her parent's attention. Adults are portrayed as self-centered and mean-spirited as a rule, only interested in their own agendas, and any adult who shows the least interest or respect to a child are a novelty.
Regardless of these sticking points, the book was not well-done anyway. Even with story elements of ancient Egyptian mythology, magic spells and curses, and the endless possibilities provided in a museum setting, the story is still just far-fetched and silly. I know this was written for a YA audience, but it still seems the author underestimates his readers. As for me, I won't be picking up this series again.
February 26, 2010
Not sold. After reading (and not finishing) Percy Jackson, I thought all I needed was a change up in mythology. I love Egyptian anything, so Theodosia seemed a sure bet. Not so much, though. Unlike Percy Jackson, this one is NOT well-written.
The main character and narrator is a bookish 11-year-old whose language usage isn't fitting either for a too-smart youngster, or a 1905 character. Plus, I have serious doubts that ANY 11-year-old would be reading hieroglyphs, daughter of the curator or not. She also appears to have no sense of humor.
Additionally, I don't like the supporting characters, including the parents who are brilliant but out of the loop. (Why this recurring theme in children's lit?)
I guess if I were 11 years old, I would relish the idea of warding off evil magic all by myself, but as an adult, the idea doesn't appeal. Partly because magic, spirits, and curses aren't to be trifled with, and partly because ancient Egyptians, for as amazing as they were, actually didn't have the power to come back to life.
I'll be returning this one to the library, having only read 4 chapters.
The main character and narrator is a bookish 11-year-old whose language usage isn't fitting either for a too-smart youngster, or a 1905 character. Plus, I have serious doubts that ANY 11-year-old would be reading hieroglyphs, daughter of the curator or not. She also appears to have no sense of humor.
Additionally, I don't like the supporting characters, including the parents who are brilliant but out of the loop. (Why this recurring theme in children's lit?)
I guess if I were 11 years old, I would relish the idea of warding off evil magic all by myself, but as an adult, the idea doesn't appeal. Partly because magic, spirits, and curses aren't to be trifled with, and partly because ancient Egyptians, for as amazing as they were, actually didn't have the power to come back to life.
I'll be returning this one to the library, having only read 4 chapters.
February 17, 2009
Egypt. Magic. Mystery. Museums. Curses and cutthroats. Nazis. Secret societies and stowaways. Did I mention Egypt and mummies?
It is fun, engaging, with the promise of more to come, including, hopefully, more explanation regarding Theo's unique abilities.
It is fun, engaging, with the promise of more to come, including, hopefully, more explanation regarding Theo's unique abilities.
April 3, 2020
Theodosia Throckmorton is a precocious young girl who is an adept both at Egyptology, and the sinister curses of ancient Egyptian magic. She works constantly to protect her family and the museum they work at from different curses, but when her mother brings the evil Heart of Egypt back from the Valley of Kings, she finds the whole of England is at risk.
Well, everybody has their own likes and dislikes, and I shouldn't be saying my opinion has more value than anyone else's, etc, etc, but I'm not going to mince words. I hate this book.
I hate this book, please don't read it.
Theodosia Throckmorton... the term 'Mary Sue' is thrown around too often, and sometimes just used as a label of a character someone doesn't like. But Theodosia is as Mary Sue as you can get without being a parody. She is good at EVERYTHING, and smarter than EVERYONE. Her father is a professional Egyptologist, has been for all of his adult life, but she reads hieroglyphics better than him. She bumps into a brotherhood of experts on ancient magic, and she knows magic better than them. She was bullied at school because she was smarter than the other girls. She's just perfect, and surrounded by cretins who don't recognize it. Mary Sue.
Reading the depiction of Egypt in this book is painfully awkward. The book is full of curses, explicitly evil, from Egypt. Why? Because the items attached to the curses were looted from tombs? No, because they're evil. Magic from Egypt = evil. Every single example, explicitly evil. Some off-hand mention is made of good Egyptian gods, but the constant refrain is Egypt is full of evil curses. I don't want to say racist, it's just an uncomfortable level of dismissal for an entire culture. The ONLY actual Egyptian in the book is a porter who is servile and speaks in 'yes missy' pidgin English. Damn, I don't want to say racist, it's just SO unsympathetic and uncomfortable!
Everyone in this book is an awful person. Theodosia treats everyone like garbage. She dislikes people based on looks. She's condescending towards everyone. Her desperate attempts to get parental approval are pathetic, her parents are awful, and I wish this were a more adult book so it could end with her having the revelation that her parents are bastards and walking away from them. No, of course not, the book ends with her realizing her parents DO love her, despite several hundred pages of them having absolutely no concern for her well-being. Her parents are upset over how badly the British are treating Egyptians - could it be they actually have a conscience? No, guess again, they're upset because an Egyptian nationalist movement would interfere with their archaeology. How does Theodosia react to actual flesh-and-blood Egyptians living in poverty and misery with no control over their own country? Quote; "I heaved another sigh of boredom."
The biggest problems I had were with the characters, but there was no joy in the story either. It was just choked with lame coincidences that kept the plot moving. The Heart of Egypt is stolen, so Theodosia goes to a rival museum in hopes of getting some information. She follows a random guy from there and, wouldn't you know it, HE was carrying the Heart of Egypt. She bumps into a mystic brotherhood and they reveal everything about the Heart of Egypt and the enemy trying to sabotage England, and, having delivered exposition, proceed to be 100% useless for the rest of the book so that Theodosia has to do everything. When she finally gets to Egypt with the Heart of Egypt she has to return it to its original tomb to break the curse. You'd think that her parents' porter wouldn't take her to the tomb alone, since doing so would absolutely cause him to be fired if the family found out - or arrested if anything actually happened to her. Good news for this railroad-plot, he agrees to take her without hesitation.
I get that this is a kid's book, I shouldn't be expecting high literature. But, can't we expect a little more from what we feed our children's minds with? And as far as being for kids, it a huge disappointment there, too. So many awful lessons are packed into this wreck; disrespecting parents, lying to parents, treating your brother like he's less than you, insulting anyone you dislike, dropping out of school because it's not good enough for you, wallowing in arrogance, treating your pet like an inconvenience, desperately seeking the approval of crappy "loved ones", forgiving emotionally abusive "loved ones" when they act contrite... way to enable those abusers, JUST what I want my daughter to learn.
Finishing this book was like bearing nails scraped on a chalk board. I only did so to be able to write this review, and having done so I passionately hope to never read anything by this author again.
Well, everybody has their own likes and dislikes, and I shouldn't be saying my opinion has more value than anyone else's, etc, etc, but I'm not going to mince words. I hate this book.
I hate this book, please don't read it.
Theodosia Throckmorton... the term 'Mary Sue' is thrown around too often, and sometimes just used as a label of a character someone doesn't like. But Theodosia is as Mary Sue as you can get without being a parody. She is good at EVERYTHING, and smarter than EVERYONE. Her father is a professional Egyptologist, has been for all of his adult life, but she reads hieroglyphics better than him. She bumps into a brotherhood of experts on ancient magic, and she knows magic better than them. She was bullied at school because she was smarter than the other girls. She's just perfect, and surrounded by cretins who don't recognize it. Mary Sue.
Reading the depiction of Egypt in this book is painfully awkward. The book is full of curses, explicitly evil, from Egypt. Why? Because the items attached to the curses were looted from tombs? No, because they're evil. Magic from Egypt = evil. Every single example, explicitly evil. Some off-hand mention is made of good Egyptian gods, but the constant refrain is Egypt is full of evil curses. I don't want to say racist, it's just an uncomfortable level of dismissal for an entire culture. The ONLY actual Egyptian in the book is a porter who is servile and speaks in 'yes missy' pidgin English. Damn, I don't want to say racist, it's just SO unsympathetic and uncomfortable!
Everyone in this book is an awful person. Theodosia treats everyone like garbage. She dislikes people based on looks. She's condescending towards everyone. Her desperate attempts to get parental approval are pathetic, her parents are awful, and I wish this were a more adult book so it could end with her having the revelation that her parents are bastards and walking away from them. No, of course not, the book ends with her realizing her parents DO love her, despite several hundred pages of them having absolutely no concern for her well-being. Her parents are upset over how badly the British are treating Egyptians - could it be they actually have a conscience? No, guess again, they're upset because an Egyptian nationalist movement would interfere with their archaeology. How does Theodosia react to actual flesh-and-blood Egyptians living in poverty and misery with no control over their own country? Quote; "I heaved another sigh of boredom."
The biggest problems I had were with the characters, but there was no joy in the story either. It was just choked with lame coincidences that kept the plot moving. The Heart of Egypt is stolen, so Theodosia goes to a rival museum in hopes of getting some information. She follows a random guy from there and, wouldn't you know it, HE was carrying the Heart of Egypt. She bumps into a mystic brotherhood and they reveal everything about the Heart of Egypt and the enemy trying to sabotage England, and, having delivered exposition, proceed to be 100% useless for the rest of the book so that Theodosia has to do everything. When she finally gets to Egypt with the Heart of Egypt she has to return it to its original tomb to break the curse. You'd think that her parents' porter wouldn't take her to the tomb alone, since doing so would absolutely cause him to be fired if the family found out - or arrested if anything actually happened to her. Good news for this railroad-plot, he agrees to take her without hesitation.
I get that this is a kid's book, I shouldn't be expecting high literature. But, can't we expect a little more from what we feed our children's minds with? And as far as being for kids, it a huge disappointment there, too. So many awful lessons are packed into this wreck; disrespecting parents, lying to parents, treating your brother like he's less than you, insulting anyone you dislike, dropping out of school because it's not good enough for you, wallowing in arrogance, treating your pet like an inconvenience, desperately seeking the approval of crappy "loved ones", forgiving emotionally abusive "loved ones" when they act contrite... way to enable those abusers, JUST what I want my daughter to learn.
Finishing this book was like bearing nails scraped on a chalk board. I only did so to be able to write this review, and having done so I passionately hope to never read anything by this author again.
August 15, 2017
- Short review -
Theodosia Throckmorton is essentially the female lovechild of Amelia Peabody and Walter Emerson (from the Amelia Peabody novels). Read it.
- Long review -
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos was an absolutely delightful experience. I was drawn to the cover and the premise from the beginning but as all good things which appear too good, I had my doubts. But without stressing too much, I dove into this book and was not disappointed by the journey it took me on!
Theodosia, a child genius, is an adorable character that I became attached to fairly early on. I would categorize her as either a mini-Amelia Peabody or the lovechild of Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson as I imagine them. If you are unaware of what I am referring to, I talk of the Amelia Peabody novels written by Elizabeth Peters which takes place in the late 18th century Egypt, recounting the tales of Peabody and her husband excavating artifacts, solving murder mysteries, and debunking curses. Theodosia Throckmorton clearly seems to be a children’s version of that series with bits of fantasy sprinkled in for good fun.
While the likability of this one doesn’t solely rely on the mystery, that part of it was rather fun. I would even go so far as to say that Theodosia Throckmorton is actually far less predictable than the Amelia Peabody novels. What makes Peabody’s novels interesting are the characters but Trockmorton holds its own with a marvelous set of characters, an engaging story, and easy writing style. The Amelia Peabody novels are satisfying and something I look to for comfort, but there is an excitement in Theodosia’s character that makes me eager to read more. And I assure you, I am on my way to ordering more books in this series as we speak.
So if you have enjoyed Amelia Peabody or even a character such as Flavia de Luce or just happen to like the premise of clever young girls solving crimes, you are going to fall in love with Theodosia Throckmorton very easily. I am not a big reader of children’s fiction but this is a series that I just know I am going to devour this year.
Theodosia Throckmorton is essentially the female lovechild of Amelia Peabody and Walter Emerson (from the Amelia Peabody novels). Read it.
- Long review -
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos was an absolutely delightful experience. I was drawn to the cover and the premise from the beginning but as all good things which appear too good, I had my doubts. But without stressing too much, I dove into this book and was not disappointed by the journey it took me on!
Theodosia, a child genius, is an adorable character that I became attached to fairly early on. I would categorize her as either a mini-Amelia Peabody or the lovechild of Amelia Peabody and her husband Emerson as I imagine them. If you are unaware of what I am referring to, I talk of the Amelia Peabody novels written by Elizabeth Peters which takes place in the late 18th century Egypt, recounting the tales of Peabody and her husband excavating artifacts, solving murder mysteries, and debunking curses. Theodosia Throckmorton clearly seems to be a children’s version of that series with bits of fantasy sprinkled in for good fun.
While the likability of this one doesn’t solely rely on the mystery, that part of it was rather fun. I would even go so far as to say that Theodosia Throckmorton is actually far less predictable than the Amelia Peabody novels. What makes Peabody’s novels interesting are the characters but Trockmorton holds its own with a marvelous set of characters, an engaging story, and easy writing style. The Amelia Peabody novels are satisfying and something I look to for comfort, but there is an excitement in Theodosia’s character that makes me eager to read more. And I assure you, I am on my way to ordering more books in this series as we speak.
So if you have enjoyed Amelia Peabody or even a character such as Flavia de Luce or just happen to like the premise of clever young girls solving crimes, you are going to fall in love with Theodosia Throckmorton very easily. I am not a big reader of children’s fiction but this is a series that I just know I am going to devour this year.
February 27, 2012
I like fantasy ...fantasy movies ...fantasy books ...and no matter how mediocre the movie or book, I know there will be action, adventure, and magic. Give me a big screen, a bowl of popcorn, a soda and I'm entertained.
This book was just that ...entertaining and fun. It has flaws but in the end, it satisfies. While certain parts of the story reminded me of the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the book, The Red Pyramid, the plot has some unique twists, is original, and has a fun main character. Theodosia is the brilliant and sensible heroine whose parents don't pay attention to her because they are too busy pursuing their own careers running their Museum of Legends and Antiquities and making museum purchases. They don't notice when Theo's governess quits. They don't notice that Theo doesn't go to school. They don't notice that Theo sleeps in a coffin in a closet. But Theo knows shes special even if her parents don't. She knows that she is protecting them from all the evil magic they bring into their museum. Theodosia can see and feel the magic oozing from ancient artifacts. While other kids, like her brother, are in school, Theo spends her days at the museum helping her parents and teaching herself how to cure the museum from the curses in the objects her parents keep collecting around the world. Things don't always go as planned and when she accidentally casts a curse into her cat it becomes crazed and wild. However, when Theo's mom brings home ,The Heart of Egypt, things become really dicey because the curse from this artifact can topple countries. When the beginnings of plagues and war begin in Britain, Theo knows that it is from The Heart of Egypt and that if she doesn't return it to the tomb where her mother found it, innocent people will die and chaos will rule. The problem is that there are others who want The Heart of Egypt too. Others who will even kill for it.
What I liked. LaFevers does a nice job making many characters as suspects in the stealing of The Heart of Egypt. An interesting twist in the plot is when the parents become suspects as a result of working so long around black magic without protection. It is suggested that the magic can be absorbed by human bodies and cause people to make evil choices without even realizing it. Perhaps her parents stole The Heart of Egypt? Comic relief comes in the form of a crazed cat who attacks people at the museum after Theodosia accidentally tosses the curse from an artifact into the body of her cat. Sticky Will, the pickpocket, was fun with his Dickens-like voice and character and was a nice addition to the kids caper. The recipes for curing curses was unique and Theodosia goes into detail on how she approaches the removal of a curse. Theodosia grows as a person becoming confident in her parents love for her and confident in her unique power to remove curses.
What lacked. Henry, Theo's brother, sounded old when we first met him and then young later on. His character was supposed to be the irritating younger brother but he didn't always come off that way in the dialogue. Also, Theodosia's power of seeing the magic on the artifacts is never explained. It is hinted that she sees Isis in the hallway and the presence of gods but she seems to be the only person with this unique ability. Her superpowers are never explained. I thought the fortune-teller in Egypt could have revealed some of this. The setting is 1906 in Great Britain and it was hard figuring out the time period. Most came through the political dialogue between the parents and the sights and sounds of the time period are not described much. When Theo goes to Egypt there are more descriptions of the country; however, it could have been set in today's time versus the turn of the century. The ending leaves many questions such as how did the villians escape, why did one's face get eaten away by sand, did he die, how did the other get his hand out of the wall, and more. I'm hoping the next book will answer some of the questions and show Theodosia learning more about her unique power.
Was it worth reading? Definitely. Grab your bowl of popcorn and enjoy!
This book was just that ...entertaining and fun. It has flaws but in the end, it satisfies. While certain parts of the story reminded me of the movie, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and the book, The Red Pyramid, the plot has some unique twists, is original, and has a fun main character. Theodosia is the brilliant and sensible heroine whose parents don't pay attention to her because they are too busy pursuing their own careers running their Museum of Legends and Antiquities and making museum purchases. They don't notice when Theo's governess quits. They don't notice that Theo doesn't go to school. They don't notice that Theo sleeps in a coffin in a closet. But Theo knows shes special even if her parents don't. She knows that she is protecting them from all the evil magic they bring into their museum. Theodosia can see and feel the magic oozing from ancient artifacts. While other kids, like her brother, are in school, Theo spends her days at the museum helping her parents and teaching herself how to cure the museum from the curses in the objects her parents keep collecting around the world. Things don't always go as planned and when she accidentally casts a curse into her cat it becomes crazed and wild. However, when Theo's mom brings home ,The Heart of Egypt, things become really dicey because the curse from this artifact can topple countries. When the beginnings of plagues and war begin in Britain, Theo knows that it is from The Heart of Egypt and that if she doesn't return it to the tomb where her mother found it, innocent people will die and chaos will rule. The problem is that there are others who want The Heart of Egypt too. Others who will even kill for it.
What I liked. LaFevers does a nice job making many characters as suspects in the stealing of The Heart of Egypt. An interesting twist in the plot is when the parents become suspects as a result of working so long around black magic without protection. It is suggested that the magic can be absorbed by human bodies and cause people to make evil choices without even realizing it. Perhaps her parents stole The Heart of Egypt? Comic relief comes in the form of a crazed cat who attacks people at the museum after Theodosia accidentally tosses the curse from an artifact into the body of her cat. Sticky Will, the pickpocket, was fun with his Dickens-like voice and character and was a nice addition to the kids caper. The recipes for curing curses was unique and Theodosia goes into detail on how she approaches the removal of a curse. Theodosia grows as a person becoming confident in her parents love for her and confident in her unique power to remove curses.
What lacked. Henry, Theo's brother, sounded old when we first met him and then young later on. His character was supposed to be the irritating younger brother but he didn't always come off that way in the dialogue. Also, Theodosia's power of seeing the magic on the artifacts is never explained. It is hinted that she sees Isis in the hallway and the presence of gods but she seems to be the only person with this unique ability. Her superpowers are never explained. I thought the fortune-teller in Egypt could have revealed some of this. The setting is 1906 in Great Britain and it was hard figuring out the time period. Most came through the political dialogue between the parents and the sights and sounds of the time period are not described much. When Theo goes to Egypt there are more descriptions of the country; however, it could have been set in today's time versus the turn of the century. The ending leaves many questions such as how did the villians escape, why did one's face get eaten away by sand, did he die, how did the other get his hand out of the wall, and more. I'm hoping the next book will answer some of the questions and show Theodosia learning more about her unique power.
Was it worth reading? Definitely. Grab your bowl of popcorn and enjoy!
July 25, 2010
At the library I picked up a copy of Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris and quickly realized I had picked up the second book in the series. Since it was obvious to me that I would adore the series, I took the book back and found the first one so I could start at the beginning.
Now I cut my mystery reading teeth on Elizabeth's Peter's Amelia Peabody series. In that one Peabody and Emerson have a son who promises to be a better Egyptologist than either of them. He's so perfect at it (and everything else) that he's on my list of most annoying series characters ever. Theodosia is a lovely and refreshing parody of characters like Rameses.
Theo's parents specialize in Egyptian antiquities. Her father runs the museum and her mother mans the digs. What they don't realize is their precious antiquities are usually cursed. She has the inborn talent to recognized cursed items and the know-how to neutralize them.
Like her male counterpart, Theo has a cat of dubious personality. The cat becomes even more a difficult creature to handle when its accidentally cursed. The cursed cat brings to the book a nice mixture of humor and suspense.
I've only scrapped the surface of this book. Although Theo tends to ramble at times, I loved the book and I plan to read the other books in the series.
Now I cut my mystery reading teeth on Elizabeth's Peter's Amelia Peabody series. In that one Peabody and Emerson have a son who promises to be a better Egyptologist than either of them. He's so perfect at it (and everything else) that he's on my list of most annoying series characters ever. Theodosia is a lovely and refreshing parody of characters like Rameses.
Theo's parents specialize in Egyptian antiquities. Her father runs the museum and her mother mans the digs. What they don't realize is their precious antiquities are usually cursed. She has the inborn talent to recognized cursed items and the know-how to neutralize them.
Like her male counterpart, Theo has a cat of dubious personality. The cat becomes even more a difficult creature to handle when its accidentally cursed. The cursed cat brings to the book a nice mixture of humor and suspense.
I've only scrapped the surface of this book. Although Theo tends to ramble at times, I loved the book and I plan to read the other books in the series.
November 7, 2021
Theodosia is a young girl who can see the curses that stick to the artifacts which her mother brings home from Egypt. The fact that she is the only one who can see these curses leads to slightly infuriating situations. Because she is a young girl, most adults do not take her serious. It is therefore up to Theodosia to save the world, together with the help of her brother, a pickpocket and a secret society.
Theodosia is a wonderful character. She is witty, spunky, brave and smart. She does make some stupid decisions, getting herself into some very dangerous situations. Theo doesn't go to school, it would just get in the way of her education. Damn this girl knows a lot, while also having a great sense for adventure. She did things I would never dare to do. Theo is a mix between Hermione and Indiana Jones.
Even though Theodosia has to save the world, the fact that she has to cure her cat is just as important to her. She is a young girl, with her own problems. She has to take care of her parents (they are so busy with work they will forget to eat), her grandma is quite difficult to deal with, ... I loved that about this story, giving a real touch between the magic.
Overall, this was a fun middle-grade read with a wonderful main character. The rest of the series looks very promising and I will definitely continue.
Theodosia is a wonderful character. She is witty, spunky, brave and smart. She does make some stupid decisions, getting herself into some very dangerous situations. Theo doesn't go to school, it would just get in the way of her education. Damn this girl knows a lot, while also having a great sense for adventure. She did things I would never dare to do. Theo is a mix between Hermione and Indiana Jones.
Even though Theodosia has to save the world, the fact that she has to cure her cat is just as important to her. She is a young girl, with her own problems. She has to take care of her parents (they are so busy with work they will forget to eat), her grandma is quite difficult to deal with, ... I loved that about this story, giving a real touch between the magic.
Overall, this was a fun middle-grade read with a wonderful main character. The rest of the series looks very promising and I will definitely continue.
July 16, 2014
Ahh. That was extremely satisfying. A nice feel for London in the Late Victorian. Theodosia is a marvelous character, taking a very studious and practical attitude towards magic when dealing with the ancient Egyptian artifacts in the museum her father runs. Whenever he stays overnight working on something, she beds down in a sarcophagus with a blanket and her cat, Isis.
LaFevers has positioned her story of good versus evil as struggle to use the power of the ancients to affect the modern world powers. There should be lots of adventure leading up to WWI.
On a side note: I really like that Theodosia's adventures take her out in the world just enough to make her sympathetic to the appalling conditions many endure at the time. Like Sally in The Shadow in the North: A Sally Lockhart Mystery, the author takes advantage of the opportunity to make a very privileged character a little more sympathetic and modern. Also, the development of the relationship between Theo and her brother is clever without being too mushy, as they start to discover each other as people, rather than just siblings.
LaFevers has positioned her story of good versus evil as struggle to use the power of the ancients to affect the modern world powers. There should be lots of adventure leading up to WWI.
On a side note: I really like that Theodosia's adventures take her out in the world just enough to make her sympathetic to the appalling conditions many endure at the time. Like Sally in The Shadow in the North: A Sally Lockhart Mystery, the author takes advantage of the opportunity to make a very privileged character a little more sympathetic and modern. Also, the development of the relationship between Theo and her brother is clever without being too mushy, as they start to discover each other as people, rather than just siblings.
July 26, 2008
Theodosia is a charming character that is very clever; although, no adults seem to take her seriously. She still manages to take curses of artifacts that her mother, an archeologist, ships back from Egypt. One of the artifacts has a curse so powerful it could cause problems for all of England. Theodosia teams up with a street thief and Lord Wigmore (the head of a secret society) to stop the group The Serpents of Chaos and to return the artifact. I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down. The voice was compelling and the historical details accurate. For all of you who want a book all about Hermione Granger, you will defintely enjoy Theodosia.
July 26, 2016
3.5/5*
Kalau suka/penasaran dengan fantasy dan dewa dewa Mesir, pasti bakal suka dengan buku ini. Theo agak terlalu pintar buat anak seumurnya tapi petualangannya seru untuk diikuti.
Barangkali cuma Theo anak yg tidur di sarkofagus dan jenius baca hieroglif.
Eniwei, vocabnya Theo dan narasi di novel ini level tinggi.
Kalau suka/penasaran dengan fantasy dan dewa dewa Mesir, pasti bakal suka dengan buku ini. Theo agak terlalu pintar buat anak seumurnya tapi petualangannya seru untuk diikuti.
Barangkali cuma Theo anak yg tidur di sarkofagus dan jenius baca hieroglif.
Eniwei, vocabnya Theo dan narasi di novel ini level tinggi.
April 25, 2021
the origin of gatekeep gaslight girlboss
January 19, 2022
Love this one.
November 16, 2023
Den var spännade och man fick lära sig en del om egyptisk mytologi och det var väldigt lärorikt. Alltid ett plus att en liten kisse var med 🐈⬛
January 2, 2019
Check out this review and more on my blog!
I’m a firm believer that a good children’s book is a book that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. If I’d read Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos when I was around ten years old I think I would have adored it, but as a twenty-seven year old it could only fall into the realms of ‘that was cute’. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth reading, though!
This book has one of the most enticing premises to a Middle Grade novel for me. Eleven year old Theodosia Throckmorton’s parents oversee London’s Museum of Legends and Antiquities, her father working as the curator and her American mother a keen archaeologist who frequently spends months at a time in Egypt so she can fill the museum with her finds.
Unfortunately for Theodosia (and fortunately for her parents) while they’re unaware of the dangerous artefacts they’re handling, Theodosia has the ability to see curses and she’s been teaching herself how to break them so no one comes to any harm, and her parents haven’t the faintest idea how much trouble she gets into along the way.
After six months in Egypt, Theodosia’s beloved mother returns home with an artefact that could make the museum famous: The Heart of Egypt. Unfortunately it’s steeped with curses, and before Theodosia can break the curse the artefact goes missing from a locked safe. When she encounters pickpockets, Germans and secret societies, Theodosia is swept into an adventure to find The Heart of Egypt and save all of Britain from an ancient Egyptian curse.
If there are any children in your life who are fans of history, particularly ancient Egypt, this book will be right up their street. I know I would have loved this book if it had been around when I was younger, and even as an adult I love stories with children front and centre who have a lot to contribute to the plot. Especially when these children are surrounded by adults who won’t listen to them because they’re children.
Having said that, there were some elements of this book I couldn’t quite believe even when taking into account that it’s a Middle Grade book involving magic and curses. For its target audience this book does a great job, but I imagine even some children, particularly any older children who pick it up, might find some elements of it hard to believe. The way the curses are described and how Theodosia breaks them is wonderful, it’s clear LaFevers has put a lot of thought into that element of the story, but there are moments when other adults ask things of Theodosia that make zero sense. Why would any adult entrust the safety of Britain to an eleven year old? However capable she might seem, it’s a tad ridiculous and it’s a hell of a lot to ask of a child, too.
I don’t go into a Middle Grade novel expecting some kind of explicit political commentary or a James Bond style mystery, but given how much thought LaFevers has clearly put into the magic in these books it would have been nice to see some of that in other areas of the story, too. It would have made the weaker elements of the story far stronger if Theodosia had decided to take action herself, rather than being assigned to a task by an adult who should be dealing with the problem himself.
As this story takes place in Edwardian London, I also would have liked to have had more of a feel of the Edwardian era in the story. Theodosia and her family always felt like characters to me, they never quite felt real, which is a shame – in fact I’ve left this story with absolutely no idea what her parents even look like. I’m all for readers being able to use their imagination, and what they look like doesn’t really matter, but it seemed odd to me that Theodosia never really describes what anything looks like unless it’s an Egyptian artefact – it meant the rest of her world felt like it was lost in a fog in contrast.
To the novel’s credit, though, it’s a charming little story and a really easy read, and there are moments where the villains are genuinely quite sinister. The highlight of this book is definitely the Egyptian curses and how they work, but there is potential there for the rest of the world building and the character work to improve throughout the rest of this series.
I’m a firm believer that a good children’s book is a book that can be enjoyed by both children and adults. If I’d read Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos when I was around ten years old I think I would have adored it, but as a twenty-seven year old it could only fall into the realms of ‘that was cute’. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth reading, though!
This book has one of the most enticing premises to a Middle Grade novel for me. Eleven year old Theodosia Throckmorton’s parents oversee London’s Museum of Legends and Antiquities, her father working as the curator and her American mother a keen archaeologist who frequently spends months at a time in Egypt so she can fill the museum with her finds.
Unfortunately for Theodosia (and fortunately for her parents) while they’re unaware of the dangerous artefacts they’re handling, Theodosia has the ability to see curses and she’s been teaching herself how to break them so no one comes to any harm, and her parents haven’t the faintest idea how much trouble she gets into along the way.
After six months in Egypt, Theodosia’s beloved mother returns home with an artefact that could make the museum famous: The Heart of Egypt. Unfortunately it’s steeped with curses, and before Theodosia can break the curse the artefact goes missing from a locked safe. When she encounters pickpockets, Germans and secret societies, Theodosia is swept into an adventure to find The Heart of Egypt and save all of Britain from an ancient Egyptian curse.
If there are any children in your life who are fans of history, particularly ancient Egypt, this book will be right up their street. I know I would have loved this book if it had been around when I was younger, and even as an adult I love stories with children front and centre who have a lot to contribute to the plot. Especially when these children are surrounded by adults who won’t listen to them because they’re children.
Having said that, there were some elements of this book I couldn’t quite believe even when taking into account that it’s a Middle Grade book involving magic and curses. For its target audience this book does a great job, but I imagine even some children, particularly any older children who pick it up, might find some elements of it hard to believe. The way the curses are described and how Theodosia breaks them is wonderful, it’s clear LaFevers has put a lot of thought into that element of the story, but there are moments when other adults ask things of Theodosia that make zero sense. Why would any adult entrust the safety of Britain to an eleven year old? However capable she might seem, it’s a tad ridiculous and it’s a hell of a lot to ask of a child, too.
I don’t go into a Middle Grade novel expecting some kind of explicit political commentary or a James Bond style mystery, but given how much thought LaFevers has clearly put into the magic in these books it would have been nice to see some of that in other areas of the story, too. It would have made the weaker elements of the story far stronger if Theodosia had decided to take action herself, rather than being assigned to a task by an adult who should be dealing with the problem himself.
As this story takes place in Edwardian London, I also would have liked to have had more of a feel of the Edwardian era in the story. Theodosia and her family always felt like characters to me, they never quite felt real, which is a shame – in fact I’ve left this story with absolutely no idea what her parents even look like. I’m all for readers being able to use their imagination, and what they look like doesn’t really matter, but it seemed odd to me that Theodosia never really describes what anything looks like unless it’s an Egyptian artefact – it meant the rest of her world felt like it was lost in a fog in contrast.
To the novel’s credit, though, it’s a charming little story and a really easy read, and there are moments where the villains are genuinely quite sinister. The highlight of this book is definitely the Egyptian curses and how they work, but there is potential there for the rest of the world building and the character work to improve throughout the rest of this series.
December 27, 2013
I really wanted to like this book. The idea of a girl who works secretly in her parents' museum, undoing the curses on the objects as they come in, could not be more compelling. Unfortunately, neither Theodosia, her parents, the curators, nor her brother and the friendly pickpocket are at all sympathetic characters. Theodosia is the worst: after she botches a curse removal (the only one I saw her do, after all her grand brave talk about her own skills), she manages to get her cat possessed by demons or evil spirits or something. And then she leaves it alone in the museum full of cursed objects to go on her Christmas holiday -- without even leaving it a bowl of milk. When she eventually gets back to the museum after her holiday, she goes off on an adventure, chasing one thug after another across the wrong side of London. The cat -- that Theodosia cursed -- is completely forgotten.
I didn't care about the mystery Theo was trying to solve. I didn't believe there was a mystery, just a neglected 11-year-old girl trying to make adventure for herself. But she broke something precious and can't be bothered to put it right for days at a time. I gave up waiting for her to realize what was important by page 130.
It's too bad. I would love to read about a heroine to rival Harry Potter, as the Booklist blurb promised. If Harry had been this heartless, he wouldn't have been riveting either.
I didn't care about the mystery Theo was trying to solve. I didn't believe there was a mystery, just a neglected 11-year-old girl trying to make adventure for herself. But she broke something precious and can't be bothered to put it right for days at a time. I gave up waiting for her to realize what was important by page 130.
It's too bad. I would love to read about a heroine to rival Harry Potter, as the Booklist blurb promised. If Harry had been this heartless, he wouldn't have been riveting either.
October 24, 2017
Theodosia, genannt Theo, hat die seltene Gabe Flüche zu spüren und zu erkennen. Wenn man, wie sie Eltern hat, die im Museum arbeiten, ist das mehr als nützlich. Ihre Mutter bringt aus Ägypten das 'Herz Ägyptens' einen Skarabäus mit, welches mit einem bösen und machtvollen Fluch belegt ist. Nicht nur Theo, ihre Eltern und ihr Bruder sind Gefahr, nein, jetzt gilt es ganz England zu beschützen, dabei ist Theo doch noch ein Kind.
Richtig spannendes Kinderbuch, das Kinder in die Welt der Museen und Archäologie entführt. Sehr schade, dass die weiteren Bände nicht übersetzt wurden!!!
Richtig spannendes Kinderbuch, das Kinder in die Welt der Museen und Archäologie entführt. Sehr schade, dass die weiteren Bände nicht übersetzt wurden!!!
May 5, 2009
This was a fairly good book---I thought it seemed more interesting to me as an adult than to my 9 year old who read it with me. She did great though, she learned a lot of new words! Oddly enough, this made me think of The DaVinci Code for children, complete with a clandestine society bent on protecting the secrets of Egypt.
June 15, 2022
I don't understand why the naysayers trashed this book. I guess it all comes down to a matter of taste, but if you enjoy an exciting adventure with a smart little girl, a clever pick pocket and a secret society, this book would be just the ticket. This story has Egyptian magic, thrills, archaeology, villainous chases through pyramids, and all kinds of elements which makes for an exciting escape.
I am looking forward to continuing on with this series!
I am looking forward to continuing on with this series!
July 22, 2016
Kalau kamu menyukai sejarah dan misteri, kamu akan menyukai cerita petualangan Theodosia ini. Saya sendiri langsung jatuh cinta sama tokoh Theodosia begitu baca blurb-nya. Terbayang, betapa serunya keseharian anak perempuan satu ini. Hihi…
Petualangan dimulai ketika Ibu Theodosia pulang dan membawa berbagai artefak dari Mesir. Salah satunya adalah Jantung Mesir yang seharusnya tidak boleh dibawa keluar Mesir karena akan mengundang berbagai bencana. Yuphs, tentu saja Theodosia yang mengetahui hal tersebut karena ia memiliki kemampuan unik : mampu membaca kutukan-kutukan kuno dalam setiap artefak, merasakan kehadiran roh-roh jahat, sekaligus membuat penangkal-penangkal untuk berbagai kutukan tersebut. Petualangan semakin seru dan menegangkan karena kebanyakan orang dewasa tidak mempercayai (kemampuan) Theodosia, sementara Theodosia harus mengembalikan Jantung tersebut kembali pada tempatnya.
Mengikuti petualangan mengembalikan Jantung Mesir bersama Theodosia, saya ikut terbawa frustasi karena keterbatasannya, sekaligus tergelak geli mengingat betapa berani sekaligus lucunya gadis ini. Karena bukan hanya Jantung Mesir, beberapa kutukan artefak melompat keluar di malam hari. Membuat Theodosia sibuk luar biasa! Apalagi ketika Isis, kucing kesayangannya terkena salah satu kutukan. Dengan berbagai jimat di tubuhnya, Theodosia yang selalu merasa bertanggung jawab terhadap setiap artefak -sekaligus kutukan di dalamnya- berusaha menghilangkan kutukan-kutukan tersebut.
Dengan tegang, saya mengikuti langkah demi langkah petualangan Theodosia. Ikut mencermati setiap tersangka, menelusuri lorong-lorong gelap museum, mengumpulkan bahan demi bahan penolak kutukan, mengikuti pria-pria mencurigakan di gang-gang sempit, sampai akhirnya menyusun rencana nekat demi mengembalikan Jantung Mesir. Berbahaya tapi seru!
“Berani! Kalau saja Ayah tahu …
Aku mengangguk, yakin setelah semua yang kulalui, aku bisa mengatasi apa pun…
Lalu aku melakukan sesuatu yang akan dilakukan oleh orang pemberani dalam situasi seperti ini.
Aku jatuh pingsan.” (halaman 356)
Yuk, ikut membaca petualangan seru Theodosia!
Selamat membaca, ya …
\(^-^)/
Petualangan dimulai ketika Ibu Theodosia pulang dan membawa berbagai artefak dari Mesir. Salah satunya adalah Jantung Mesir yang seharusnya tidak boleh dibawa keluar Mesir karena akan mengundang berbagai bencana. Yuphs, tentu saja Theodosia yang mengetahui hal tersebut karena ia memiliki kemampuan unik : mampu membaca kutukan-kutukan kuno dalam setiap artefak, merasakan kehadiran roh-roh jahat, sekaligus membuat penangkal-penangkal untuk berbagai kutukan tersebut. Petualangan semakin seru dan menegangkan karena kebanyakan orang dewasa tidak mempercayai (kemampuan) Theodosia, sementara Theodosia harus mengembalikan Jantung tersebut kembali pada tempatnya.
Mengikuti petualangan mengembalikan Jantung Mesir bersama Theodosia, saya ikut terbawa frustasi karena keterbatasannya, sekaligus tergelak geli mengingat betapa berani sekaligus lucunya gadis ini. Karena bukan hanya Jantung Mesir, beberapa kutukan artefak melompat keluar di malam hari. Membuat Theodosia sibuk luar biasa! Apalagi ketika Isis, kucing kesayangannya terkena salah satu kutukan. Dengan berbagai jimat di tubuhnya, Theodosia yang selalu merasa bertanggung jawab terhadap setiap artefak -sekaligus kutukan di dalamnya- berusaha menghilangkan kutukan-kutukan tersebut.
Dengan tegang, saya mengikuti langkah demi langkah petualangan Theodosia. Ikut mencermati setiap tersangka, menelusuri lorong-lorong gelap museum, mengumpulkan bahan demi bahan penolak kutukan, mengikuti pria-pria mencurigakan di gang-gang sempit, sampai akhirnya menyusun rencana nekat demi mengembalikan Jantung Mesir. Berbahaya tapi seru!
“Berani! Kalau saja Ayah tahu …
Aku mengangguk, yakin setelah semua yang kulalui, aku bisa mengatasi apa pun…
Lalu aku melakukan sesuatu yang akan dilakukan oleh orang pemberani dalam situasi seperti ini.
Aku jatuh pingsan.” (halaman 356)
Yuk, ikut membaca petualangan seru Theodosia!
Selamat membaca, ya …
\(^-^)/
September 14, 2012
This was a cute story about a resourceful 11-year-old girl named Theodosia who more or less lives in a British Museum around 1905. Her shockingly neglectful parents are Egyptologists, her father runs the museum and her mother combs Egyptian tombs for artifacts. Theodosia can see and sense magic, which is a good thing, since most of the artifacts that her mother brings back are cursed. Theo identifies the cursed items and attempts to "cure" them. Naturally, her parents and the other adults at the museum are oblivious to her efforts. Then her mother comes home with a prize find: the Heart of Egypt. Of course it's cursed. And of course it disappears. Theo must figure out what happened to the Heart, break the curse, and save Britain!
Considering that this is a kid's book, I won't grade it too hard on the prose. It's well written, though Theo seems a little too modern in her speech and actions. I would also like to have seen more description, but my memories of spooky museums from the movies filled in nicely. (I was thinking of the museum scene in "Hellboy" or the three "Mummy" movies with Rachel Weiss and Brendan Frasier.) The two things that bothered me were 1)Theo's parents constant neglect and 2)the idea that Wigmere would task our heroine with returning the Heart of Egypt to the tomb, by herself with no aid. Really? That plot point was so ridiculous that I expected him to be a double-agent or something. But no, the fate of Britain was left to an 11-year-old who has to convince her parents to return to Egypt, stow away on the ship, find her way to the tomb, and dodge German bad guys, all on her own. Good plan, guys. Maybe Theo should've joined the Serpents of Chaos. At least they seemed better staffed.
Oh well. I think kids will like this book. It's a fun idea.
Considering that this is a kid's book, I won't grade it too hard on the prose. It's well written, though Theo seems a little too modern in her speech and actions. I would also like to have seen more description, but my memories of spooky museums from the movies filled in nicely. (I was thinking of the museum scene in "Hellboy" or the three "Mummy" movies with Rachel Weiss and Brendan Frasier.) The two things that bothered me were 1)Theo's parents constant neglect and 2)the idea that Wigmere would task our heroine with returning the Heart of Egypt to the tomb, by herself with no aid. Really? That plot point was so ridiculous that I expected him to be a double-agent or something. But no, the fate of Britain was left to an 11-year-old who has to convince her parents to return to Egypt, stow away on the ship, find her way to the tomb, and dodge German bad guys, all on her own. Good plan, guys. Maybe Theo should've joined the Serpents of Chaos. At least they seemed better staffed.
Oh well. I think kids will like this book. It's a fun idea.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2008
Theodosia sees evil spells and spirits. Her methods of dealing with these problems as well as her eventual meeting with other people who recognize their presence and are committed to keeping them from harming England and the World makes for an exciting adventure.
I was quite taken with this new book published in 2007. Theodosia a child often neglected by her loving but preoccupied archologist parents sees and feels evil spells. Her parents who do not share her ability continue to bring cursed objects back to the family museum. Combining the elements of adventure, mystery and thriller we watch a spunky young girl find her place in a society who neither understands nor appreciates her gifts. A great read for 4th - 8th graders. Probably a hard sell to boys but a definite yes for girls. I look forward to this becoming part of a series.
Reviews:
1) School Library Journal (April 1, 2007) Characterise the protagonist as a cross between Nancy Drew and Indiana Jones, but suggest there is a bit of difficulty in going between the dialogue of an 18th century child and a modern teen. I did not find this problematic and appreciated their suggestion that this book will make interesting reading for those interested in Egypt.
2) Library Media Connection (November/December 2007)
Suggests this book is excellent for the middle school crowd and looks forward to sequels to follow. They also give a list of books that those interested in this book will be interested in reading.
I was quite taken with this new book published in 2007. Theodosia a child often neglected by her loving but preoccupied archologist parents sees and feels evil spells. Her parents who do not share her ability continue to bring cursed objects back to the family museum. Combining the elements of adventure, mystery and thriller we watch a spunky young girl find her place in a society who neither understands nor appreciates her gifts. A great read for 4th - 8th graders. Probably a hard sell to boys but a definite yes for girls. I look forward to this becoming part of a series.
Reviews:
1) School Library Journal (April 1, 2007) Characterise the protagonist as a cross between Nancy Drew and Indiana Jones, but suggest there is a bit of difficulty in going between the dialogue of an 18th century child and a modern teen. I did not find this problematic and appreciated their suggestion that this book will make interesting reading for those interested in Egypt.
2) Library Media Connection (November/December 2007)
Suggests this book is excellent for the middle school crowd and looks forward to sequels to follow. They also give a list of books that those interested in this book will be interested in reading.
October 5, 2007
Theodosia Throckmorton practically lives in the museum. Her parents work there and they're so caught up in their work, finding and studying ancient Egyptian artifacts, that they leave her on her own a lot. Luckily, Theo has plenty to keep her busy. There's the curses for one thing. Nearly every artifact her parents have brought home lately has been covered in black magic and curses, and Theo is the only one who's able to sense them and get rid of them. When Theo's mother brings home a powerful artifact called the Heart of Egypt, Theo knows right away that it's brimming with powerful curses, but before she can start setting it right, the Heart of Egypt is stolen... and it's up to Theo to get it back.
A rip-roaring fantasy adventure that will delight young (and old) Egyptologists. I really have no idea how much (if any) of the book is based on actual Egyptian myths or artifacts, but I really enjoyed reading it. Although the adventure in the book is neatly wrapped up at the end, it smacks of a series and I'm hoping there will be a sequel!
A rip-roaring fantasy adventure that will delight young (and old) Egyptologists. I really have no idea how much (if any) of the book is based on actual Egyptian myths or artifacts, but I really enjoyed reading it. Although the adventure in the book is neatly wrapped up at the end, it smacks of a series and I'm hoping there will be a sequel!
November 24, 2015
This book probably only deserves four stars, but I'm giving it five stars anyway, because I just adored it so much. I've always loved ancient Egyptian civilization, and I'm a sucker for a strong female protagonist, which Theodosia certainly is. One part Hermione Granger, one part Indiana Jones, and one part Matilda, intelligent and rather more clever than most eleven year-olds, Theo is also ambitious, brave, and filled with enough panache for two girl archeologists. I loved her as an adult, and I'm certain 10 year-old me would been positively obsessed. I'll certainly be reading the rest of this series. That said, the narration had it's issues: sometimes the fast pace detracted from the emotional development of the story, and on occasion the first-person narration lost it's footing and felt clunky for a chapter or two before evening out again.
December 26, 2012
Pretty sure I first put this on my list because Theodosia is the child of museum curators, and much of the action centers around a turn-of-the-century museum. Theodosia is a delightful character. For the first third of the book, I wasn't quite sure where things were going but then the discovery of a secret society working to protect the world from ancient curses made things pick up considerably.
That being said, some of the stuff about Egypt and ancient curses made me vaguely uncomfortable. It was right on the line of being racist, and I could never quite get over that nagging sense that this wasn't quite the best choice for an author.
That being said, some of the stuff about Egypt and ancient curses made me vaguely uncomfortable. It was right on the line of being racist, and I could never quite get over that nagging sense that this wasn't quite the best choice for an author.
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