Skulduggery Pleasant

Starred review from February 5, 2007
Stephanie Edgley's uncle, a bestselling novelist, dies and leaves her his fortune. But the money doesn't interest her nearly as much as the odd, overdressed figure who appears at the funeral. He turns out to be the eponymous hero, the skeleton of a man, back from the dead to avenge his family's murder at the "red right hand" of Nefarian Serpine. Turns out, Stephanie has also inherited the family gene for sorcery, and she teams with Skulduggery to defeat the villain. Violent clashes with various cretins ensue. Some supporting characters, such as the magic world's "Elders," blend together, and Serpine's motivation is of the vague "I will rule the world!" variety. But plucky Stephanie and her dapper, urbane mentor make up for this slight lack of definition and clarity. Skulduggery is as caustic and witty as Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus, but a man (er, skeleton) of fewer words. First novelist Landy, a Dublin playwright, excels at dialogue; the repartee between the two leads recalls Hepburn and Tracy in its ongoing, affectionate contest of verbal one-upmanship. (When Stephanie complains about Skulduggery's high-falutin' vocabulary, he retorts, "You should read more," to which she replies, "I read enough. I should get out more.") Landy sets the tale on the Irish coast and reaches into Celtic lore for a cameo from the son of Finn McCool, but there's nothing old-fashioned about the way this story unspools. The book may be hefty but it moves at warp speed. An utterly charming debut, perfect for the Potter crowd. Ages 8-12.

May 1, 2018

Gr 5-8-Long-time favorite fantasy series "Skulduggery Pleasant" is officially jumping the pond to land on U.S. shelves. After the death of her uncle Gordon, 12-year-old Stephanie's quiet life is thrown into chaos as an epic mystery unfolds involving her uncle's secret abilities, a mythical secret, and an ancient threat. Stephanie is involved further by Skulduggery Pleasant, an ace detective skilled in elemental magic who is investigating Gordon's death. He also happens to be an undead skeleton with a flair for the dramatic. The unlikely duo's investigations will uncover a plot to reawaken the old gods and destroy the world as they know it, with a path already steeped in blood. With breakneck pacing, this witty adventure is populated by a campy cast of characters including a woman who fights trolls in the middle of the night and an unsightly tailor for the magically gifted. Though at times tending towards grisly descriptions of violence, this page-turner is nevertheless a sure recommendation for fans of fast-paced fantasy and mystery alike. New editions of the book's sequels will follow this year. VERDICT If not already on shelves, this is a first-purchase for collections with interest in smart, and dark, speculative fiction.-Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

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