The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place Book Review

Greetings! Welcome to my review for The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry!
Summary:
After the death of their overbearing headmistress, seven girls find themselves in a precarious situation. Relinquish freedom and return to their miserable home lives? Or band together to deceive a village and live together? Join the Sisterhood for an engaging mystery with a Victorian English setting and gothic vibes.
Personal Review:
One aspect that stood out to me was the creative setting of Victorian England. The vocabulary and attitudes of the characters seem to be accurate as well.
Another feature I enjoyed was the camaraderie between the girls. Each has a special talent or skill that allows them to work together as a team. They made some questionable choices, but their resourcefulness is to be commended.
I also liked how some of the adults are not completely unhelpful. Most middle-grade novels that focus on independence and a group of kids spurn all adult aid and predict them as nothing more than a nuisance or a hindrance, so this story offers a unique experience.
As the story has a large cast, the adjectives attached to the character names are very helpful, even if they’re a little annoying after a while.
One twist caught me completely off-guard, something I always find surprising in a middle-grade novel.
Admittedly, I found myself caring more about the characters than the actual murder.
Overall, this would be a great mystery for a reader too young to embark on Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie adventures but too old for Encyclopedia Brown, like Murder 101!
Content Review:
Language – None!
Sexual – One girl is a bit of a flirt, and some of her advances are described. However, nothing is too inappropriate.
Violence – Some corpses are seen.
Spiritual – There’s a church, but it’s implied that the pastor, a very minor character, is a drunk.
Other – Some older characters drink.