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brandypainter's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand is one of those books that I added to my TBR, but felt no urgency to read. Then one day I saw it on display at the library and thought: now's as good a time as any. But soon I was swamped with other things to read and I may have returned it unread if Shelver hadn't read it and started talking about how wonderful it is. So I kept it around, renewed it twice, and finally found the time to read it two days before it was due back. Yes. It is one of those reads that had me wanting to smack myself for not reading it sooner.
Victoria is not a likeable little girl. She was probably even less likeable to me due to the cringe-worthy way she had of reminding me of the more unpleasant aspects of my personality. Still, I love a character you can't help but like despite their unlikeableness, and Victoria is certainly one of those. She is an ambitious type-A perfectionist, who wants to conform the world and people around her to her standards. She is also a questioner though, and this is what makes her a hero. She will not settle for easy answers. She must know the truth at all costs. Lawrence, on the other hand, is one of those boys who is brilliant in a lazy way. (And we all know how much I love those.) He is exactly the sort of boy Victoria needs in her life. One who will disrupt her order, and make her see that it's okay to laugh too loudly and not always be perfect. Which is why her life is devastated when he disappears. Their dynamic is a special one, familiar to be sure, but special. I enjoy how Legrand made it complicated the way boy/girl friendships are when your 12. It was wonderful how they needed both of their strengths to win the day too.
The plot and setting of the book dazzled me the most though, and it isn't every day that I say that. This book is creepy. The wrongness of the town, the home, and Mrs. Cavendish seeps into every word and page leaving the reader feel an impending sense of doom the further in you get. The children make some seriously disturbing discoveries about what goes down in that house too. And then there are the bugs. Shudder. Yet it manages to maintain a humorous balance that keeps it from being too outright horrifying. As I was reading I couldn't help but think of the kids I know who would love it and imagine their reactions. It is going to be a hit with my students I'm sure. In many ways it reminds me of Roald Dahl minus a lot of the issues I find problematic with his books. I also think it's better written.
Anyone who enjoys being entertained with creepy (and slightly gross) horror that's not too over the top who love this book. I sure did.
The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand is one of those books that I added to my TBR, but felt no urgency to read. Then one day I saw it on display at the library and thought: now's as good a time as any. But soon I was swamped with other things to read and I may have returned it unread if Shelver hadn't read it and started talking about how wonderful it is. So I kept it around, renewed it twice, and finally found the time to read it two days before it was due back. Yes. It is one of those reads that had me wanting to smack myself for not reading it sooner.
Victoria is not a likeable little girl. She was probably even less likeable to me due to the cringe-worthy way she had of reminding me of the more unpleasant aspects of my personality. Still, I love a character you can't help but like despite their unlikeableness, and Victoria is certainly one of those. She is an ambitious type-A perfectionist, who wants to conform the world and people around her to her standards. She is also a questioner though, and this is what makes her a hero. She will not settle for easy answers. She must know the truth at all costs. Lawrence, on the other hand, is one of those boys who is brilliant in a lazy way. (And we all know how much I love those.) He is exactly the sort of boy Victoria needs in her life. One who will disrupt her order, and make her see that it's okay to laugh too loudly and not always be perfect. Which is why her life is devastated when he disappears. Their dynamic is a special one, familiar to be sure, but special. I enjoy how Legrand made it complicated the way boy/girl friendships are when your 12. It was wonderful how they needed both of their strengths to win the day too.
The plot and setting of the book dazzled me the most though, and it isn't every day that I say that. This book is creepy. The wrongness of the town, the home, and Mrs. Cavendish seeps into every word and page leaving the reader feel an impending sense of doom the further in you get. The children make some seriously disturbing discoveries about what goes down in that house too. And then there are the bugs. Shudder. Yet it manages to maintain a humorous balance that keeps it from being too outright horrifying. As I was reading I couldn't help but think of the kids I know who would love it and imagine their reactions. It is going to be a hit with my students I'm sure. In many ways it reminds me of Roald Dahl minus a lot of the issues I find problematic with his books. I also think it's better written.
Anyone who enjoys being entertained with creepy (and slightly gross) horror that's not too over the top who love this book. I sure did.
xxfelixxreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Eine echt gute Gruselgeschichte aber verstörend dass es ein Kinderbuch ist
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Bullying, Death, Child abuse, Ableism, Blood, Cannibalism, and Kidnapping
bookgirl4ever's review against another edition
3.0
Victoria is straight-laced, responsible, and on track to be perfect, just like her parents. As a kid she took under wing Lawrence who was the opposite to see if she could help him improve. What began as a project turned into an unlikely friendship. Then Lawrence and some other classmates of Victorias disappear and the grownups don't seem to care. Her last resort is to venture onto the grounds of the Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls, a gated school for orphans at the end of the road. While there she receive a secret note from a resident that says, "Help me!" Convinced that the Cavendish home has something to do with the disappearances and Alice Cavendish is hiding something, Victoria investigates further and finds a creepy, somewhat haunted house that is holding children from many generations past hostage in the attempt to rehabilitate them from degenerates to perfection.
Creepy and dark, I didn't like the way this book ended. Also it took over half the book to get past the set up. Way too long in my opinion.
Middle school.
Creepy and dark, I didn't like the way this book ended. Also it took over half the book to get past the set up. Way too long in my opinion.
Middle school.
lesdel70's review against another edition
5.0
This book will not disappoint, though it was 100% not what I expected. It’s The Mysterious Benedict Society gone down to a dark, sinister, and twisted realm. I loved it. Not going to reveal anything. Just. Read. It.
bibliobrittish's review against another edition
4.0
Apparently creepy middle grade is now my vibe. Cavendish is fantastic - thrilling, creepy, empowering. A perfect friendship story that digs into the roots of what scares us, not the obvious creepy crawlies (though there's plenty of that too) but failure, loneliness, lack of control, and plenty else. A dash of Coraline, a hint of Matilda, and a whole lot of Claire's original storytelling, The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is one to read far beyond the Halloween season.
hidekisohma's review against another edition
3.0
I got this book in a random lot from a library and thought it looked interesting so i thought i'd give it a shot
What did i think of this book? Well, i'll say the good things.
1. I liked the main character. She was kind of a bitch which i thought was refreshing. It was one of those, 'i'm a jerk, but a well meaning jerk'. Usually the kind of character she is would be the annoying antagonist of the main female character. not the villain, but that popular perfect girl in school that the main character can't stand. and honestly, it was very nice to see this kind of character as a main character. i liked it and i liked following her.
2. it read fast. I got this book done in 3 days and i only felt myself checking how much i had left in the book a few times.
3. The premise was enough to catch my attention
4. the first half of the book. I adored the main girl running around looking for her friend, looking for clues and the like.
Now for the stuff i didn't like.
1. the second half of the book. I don't know what happened, but once Victoria (main girl) got into the actual cavendish home i began to lose interest. It became one of those "perfection school" stories and while Victoria kept some of her spunk it came and went and felt really awkward at times
2. the ending. holy crap was the ending short. I remember looking at the book and going "there's 40 pages left. how are they going to answer all the questions and end it in 40 pages?" it honestly felt like the author went "oh crap. i've already hit 300 pages. i need to end this! umm.. then this and this happened. wrap everything upppp um.. (Throws stuff in a bag) here you go. here's the end." I don't normally say the book should have been longer, but.....the book should have been longer.
3. I lost track of some of the kids in the school. they were very forgettable with really no personalities and felt like they were there just to signify that there were indeed other children in the school.
4. the epilogue was extremely eyerolling.
Overall...it was OKAY but i felt like once victoria actually GOT to the house, the author didn't know what to do. it almost was like the school should have either been not really visited at all, or should have been the whole book. 1/2 the book was too short and a LOT of questions weren't answered. she tried to fit too much in too little of the second half of the book. overall a straight 3/5. Had some good ideas and good elements, but not fully fleshed out. I see that this is the author's first book, but i would definitely give her another chance.
What did i think of this book? Well, i'll say the good things.
1. I liked the main character. She was kind of a bitch which i thought was refreshing. It was one of those, 'i'm a jerk, but a well meaning jerk'. Usually the kind of character she is would be the annoying antagonist of the main female character. not the villain, but that popular perfect girl in school that the main character can't stand. and honestly, it was very nice to see this kind of character as a main character. i liked it and i liked following her.
2. it read fast. I got this book done in 3 days and i only felt myself checking how much i had left in the book a few times.
3. The premise was enough to catch my attention
4. the first half of the book. I adored the main girl running around looking for her friend, looking for clues and the like.
Now for the stuff i didn't like.
1. the second half of the book. I don't know what happened, but once Victoria (main girl) got into the actual cavendish home i began to lose interest. It became one of those "perfection school" stories and while Victoria kept some of her spunk it came and went and felt really awkward at times
2. the ending. holy crap was the ending short. I remember looking at the book and going "there's 40 pages left. how are they going to answer all the questions and end it in 40 pages?" it honestly felt like the author went "oh crap. i've already hit 300 pages. i need to end this! umm.. then this and this happened. wrap everything upppp um.. (Throws stuff in a bag) here you go. here's the end." I don't normally say the book should have been longer, but.....the book should have been longer.
3. I lost track of some of the kids in the school. they were very forgettable with really no personalities and felt like they were there just to signify that there were indeed other children in the school.
4. the epilogue was extremely eyerolling.
Overall...it was OKAY but i felt like once victoria actually GOT to the house, the author didn't know what to do. it almost was like the school should have either been not really visited at all, or should have been the whole book. 1/2 the book was too short and a LOT of questions weren't answered. she tried to fit too much in too little of the second half of the book. overall a straight 3/5. Had some good ideas and good elements, but not fully fleshed out. I see that this is the author's first book, but i would definitely give her another chance.
channywax's review against another edition
Creepy middle grade that I just loved. Loved the writing, the characters, everything. :)
lmn9812's review against another edition
5.0
My favourite book genre is middle grade, I love it. I especially love authors who do not pander to kids, who wrap them in cotton wool and protect their dainty little ears from anyone or anything that could possibly interfere with the idea that our world is perfect. Cavendish does not patronise, it is scary and truthful and is written beautifully by debut author Claire Legrand.
Victoria Wright is our main character and she is the most precocious child, obsessed with perfection and tidiness and everything been just so. She is a great character. Everybody, I think knows a girl like Victoria, who always looks perfect and has the top marks in the class. I loved her obsession with been grown up and proper and the fact that she convinces herself that Lawrence is merely a project, when it is clear that he is very special to her. Although she has her quirks, Victoria's heart is usually in the right place. She is determined to rescue Lawrence and defeat Miss Cavendish, and she stops at nothing to delve deeper into the mystery of the orphanage. I really liked Victoria, and I love that the message of the novel was sort of about accepting ones flaws.
Miss Cavendish was an deliciously evil villain, who seemed to have no boundaries in her quest to perfect children. She and her handyman, Mr Alice were so devious and cruel and terrifying and they really didn't hold back. She was one of those characters that you loved to hate, and I felt myself gasping with fear every time she walked into the room (because I'm such a grown up). The other adults in the town were also terrifying with their creepy fake smiles, and I think this would have scared me the most as a kid - parents are meant to be the savers, not slightly evil and deranged.
I think the writing really elevates this novel into the stratosphere. Claire never writes shock horror, it is always subtly done, and that makes it all the more terrifying. In a relatively short novel the characters are remarkably well developed - each seem unique and separate. Cavendish reminds me of my two favourite authors, Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman, but also manages to be original at the same time. I would give this book to a kid who hates reading, because its one of those books that you can't help but fall in love with. Utterly amazing, and I will definitely be reading and re-reading it in the future, although tonight a dark haired lady might be haunting my dreams.
Victoria Wright is our main character and she is the most precocious child, obsessed with perfection and tidiness and everything been just so. She is a great character. Everybody, I think knows a girl like Victoria, who always looks perfect and has the top marks in the class. I loved her obsession with been grown up and proper and the fact that she convinces herself that Lawrence is merely a project, when it is clear that he is very special to her. Although she has her quirks, Victoria's heart is usually in the right place. She is determined to rescue Lawrence and defeat Miss Cavendish, and she stops at nothing to delve deeper into the mystery of the orphanage. I really liked Victoria, and I love that the message of the novel was sort of about accepting ones flaws.
Miss Cavendish was an deliciously evil villain, who seemed to have no boundaries in her quest to perfect children. She and her handyman, Mr Alice were so devious and cruel and terrifying and they really didn't hold back. She was one of those characters that you loved to hate, and I felt myself gasping with fear every time she walked into the room (because I'm such a grown up). The other adults in the town were also terrifying with their creepy fake smiles, and I think this would have scared me the most as a kid - parents are meant to be the savers, not slightly evil and deranged.
I think the writing really elevates this novel into the stratosphere. Claire never writes shock horror, it is always subtly done, and that makes it all the more terrifying. In a relatively short novel the characters are remarkably well developed - each seem unique and separate. Cavendish reminds me of my two favourite authors, Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman, but also manages to be original at the same time. I would give this book to a kid who hates reading, because its one of those books that you can't help but fall in love with. Utterly amazing, and I will definitely be reading and re-reading it in the future, although tonight a dark haired lady might be haunting my dreams.
beccabeccalee's review against another edition
5.0
Legrand's novel begins the day Victoria Wright (who is, consequently, always right) realizes her best and only friend, Lawrence Prewitt, has gone missing. Not only is this thoroughly upsetting, it may also derail Victoria's efforts to reform the poor boy into something presentable. Victoria is someone who likes having things just so, and Lawrence, with his unkempt look and passionate piano playing, has become her pet project.
But as Victoria investigates the disappearance of her best and only friend, she realizes that the town of Belleville harbors a dark secret, and it lives in the Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls.
In Belleville, children are best seen and not heard. They are to win awards and scholarships, to make good grades and excel at sensible things like arithmetic and athletics. Occasionally, when children of Belleville meet expectations, they quietly disappear. Sometimes they come back... changed... and sometimes not at all. Most people forget, and those who remember learn to keep quiet.
The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is not only a story about a mysterious orphanage, cruel adults, and swarms of tiny black insects, it's also about the cost of perfection. Mrs. Cavendish is also someone who likes having things just so, and Victoria must face parts of herself if she ever wants to save her best and only friend.
Recommended for readers who like spooky page-turners with plenty of heart and imagination.
But as Victoria investigates the disappearance of her best and only friend, she realizes that the town of Belleville harbors a dark secret, and it lives in the Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls.
In Belleville, children are best seen and not heard. They are to win awards and scholarships, to make good grades and excel at sensible things like arithmetic and athletics. Occasionally, when children of Belleville meet expectations, they quietly disappear. Sometimes they come back... changed... and sometimes not at all. Most people forget, and those who remember learn to keep quiet.
The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls is not only a story about a mysterious orphanage, cruel adults, and swarms of tiny black insects, it's also about the cost of perfection. Mrs. Cavendish is also someone who likes having things just so, and Victoria must face parts of herself if she ever wants to save her best and only friend.
Recommended for readers who like spooky page-turners with plenty of heart and imagination.
nerdyfangirl's review against another edition
5.0
I was lucky enough to read an earlier version of this book, and I have no doubt that the finished copy will be even better. Claire Legrand has created a fabulous world that has just the right amount of eerie intensity and is filled with interesting characters. CAVENDISH is a fun and creepy book that I can't wait to have on my shelves! (Official review to come when the real thing comes out!)