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.