Splendors and Glooms

I wasn't sure about this story at first. A Victorian Era piece, really? But I needed to read at least part of this award winning book to better share it in a presentation on award-winning books. So I began and hummed along and then, boom, I was sucked in. I could not let go! Davina Porter as a narrator was a delight. Her voices and accents manifested a visual of characters I could not have done just reading the words off the page. That being said, this magical story of an evil puppeteer, a witch, and the three children thrown into a plot of corruption and dispair had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Laura Amy Schlitz proves to be a master storyteller.

I really wanted to like this book. I Really did. I've looked for another story by this author after reading "A drowned maiden's tale". I Loved that book. It hooked me from page one. So I was ready for more.
Was that a fluke, or this book a glitch? I Don't know.
All I know was that this book was really overwrought. So heavy handed. And after hours of listening and re-winding, I still don't know what the heck, is going on!
From flashes of a "witch" to a demonic puppet-master, to a lonely girl who lost here siblings to a terrible food poisoning. This story was all over the place. I just gave up.
Better luck next time. I still haven't given up on Schultz.

It was a great book the narrator really captured the mood of each page in her voice you could hear sadness and happiness The book was really interesting