Author: Andreas Steinhöfel
My Age Recommendation: 10+
Publisher: www.doublecluck.com
Publication Date: 5th April 2010
Pages: 208
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Jon
Synopsis
My name's Rico. I'm a detective. I notice things nobody else does. From a little piece of cheesy pasta lying on the pavement to something as big as what's going on in the building where I live...
Trouble is, I think a lot but not particularly quickly, which is where my friend Oscar comes in. He can work out anything. Together we could solve the biggest crime ever.
Jon's Review
What a fantastic name for a book! When I first looked at the cover, I couldn't wait to dive in and get to know Rico and Oscar and unravel the mystery. I soon realised the story was nothing like I expected. Written in a diary format and based in Berlin, the mystery that the so-called "Pasta Detectives" unravel spans the first five days of Rico's school holidays. From the very first sentence, the reader is thrust into Rico's world, or more accurately, the world as seen from his rather unique and insular perspective.
Unexpectedly, our protagonist has learning difficulties which impact his ability to articulate himself, remember details and know his left from right. No specific scientific label is attached to said difficulties and this is a good thing. Had the author tried to pigeon-hole Rico or attempt to explain away his personality with labels and scientific terms, I don't think I would have believed in his character. My only reservation is the rather odd label "child proddity" Rico uses to describe himself. What on earth possessed the author to use that term is beyond me, and I felt a little let down by this.
Despite the fact that Rico is at times considered stupid by other people in his life, I empathised with him but I didn't feel sorry for him, and for this I am grateful to the author. Rico has such a strong and robust character, unperturbed by other's opinions, that I felt a certain affinity with him. Obviously, this book is designed for young adults. In my opinion, children should not be made to pity the story's hero, irrespective of his or her personality or perceived shortcomings.
Oscar is the antithesis of Rico; he is highly articulate, considered clever to the point of being "gifted" and can recall precise facts and figures which he has committed to memory with ease. However, he is smaller than Rico and is portrayed as a rather weak and nervous little boy who wears a motorcycle helmet everywhere, so afraid is he of getting hurt.
Fate draws these two boys together. As unlikely as their friendship first appears, they complement each other and build a heart-warming bond. For me, this was the best part of the story as it stirred distant memories of my own childhood; boyhood friends becoming ferociously protective of one another in an age of all too short innocence.
The story itself is a masterpiece of mystery and intrigue. The supporting characters are richly described and the story flows smoothly making it an easy read. I have to say that both the plot and the twist in the tale are excellent. Admittedly I did guess the twist and the final outcome, but that comes from my years of reading mysteries. I'm certain young adults will find it a thrilling read, especially fans of Whodunit novels.
My only reservation is that in places the story is a little "edgy" (for want of a better word). Perhaps I'm old-fashioned, but I felt the way the author described Rico's mother was a tad unnecessary. Additionally, dealing with big issues like learning difficulties, death of loved ones and dysfunctional families is more than enough for a young adult novel, without adding complex problems such as depression, alcoholism and abandonment into the mix. Consequently, what would have been a rip-roaring thriller suitable for anyone from the age of 7 or 8 is instead (in my humble opinion as a father) better suited to a more mature audience (10+).
0 comments:
Post a Comment