Comments on: Splendors and Glooms: Nina’s Take

By: Splendors and Glooms by Laura Ann Schlitz | Hope Is the Word

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Ann Schlitz | Hope Is the Word — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 10:05:37 +0000

[...] of good discussion here and here on SLJ’s mock newbery blog, Heavy Medal (don’t miss the [...]

By: Sonderbooks » Blog Archive » Review of Splendors and Glooms, by Laura Amy Schlitz

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 01:18:26 +0000

[...] in two groups I’m part of: Capitol Choices, and the Cybils Awards. I’d already heard speculation about it for the Newbery Medal on Heavy Medal blog. So I wasn’t surprised to find excellent writing. The story, however, [...]

By: Rachael S

Rachael S — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:15:29 +0000

I think Grisini is about as nuanced as he can be within the confines of a “Victorian” novel. The first thing we learn about him has to do with his petty capriciousness:

“Some days he came home with sausage rolls or meat pies and announced a feast, kissing his fingertips in praise of his own generosity. Other days, he crept off like a cat and slunk back satisfied, never bothering as to whether Parsefall or Lizzie Rose had anything to eat.” (page 14 of the ARC)

I feel like those two sentences tell us almost everything we need to know about Grisini, and I find that kind of small-minded, cowardly, self-aggrandizing banality totally believable. He also provides a foil for Parsefall, as someone who has no redeeming value aside from his artistic talent.

By: Brandy

Brandy — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 01:10:20 +0000

I neither loved nor hated this book. There is not much I can say to counter Nina’s argument of its excellent qualities. As a detached reader I recognize the masterful artistry of it. I think Grisini being all bad was part of the Victorianesque feel of the novel, as is what annoyed me most about the book-the utter goodness of Lizzie Rose. I understand why she had to be written that way for what the novel was trying to do, but that was why I couldn’t love it. Being a character reader I found myself frustrated by this, too much of it was told from her perspective and the whole time I was desperately wishing she would either get a personality or we could get more of the story from Parsefall (who I found fascinating). I realize this is a me-as-a-reader problem and not a flaw with the writing itself. It will be a challenge for me to get really excited about this one, but at the same time I agree with all of the arguments for it. This is a vexing position to be in.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:59:53 +0000

I’d agree with this as a somewhat dense middle-grade novel; I think the three children display a child’s understanding of the world and interest in their places within it, with Lizzie Rose appropriately starting to peek beyond that understanding. I thought Clara’s father was probably the one who gets the most sympathy from the reader! The most affecting moment for me (but there are so many) is when Parsefall is hoping to join the puppetry company. That’s one of the few moments when I thought the book shared something with the readers that crosses/connects between our world and the world in the book; otherwise the world there feels very self-contained. (I am, probably, not making a whole lot of sense.)

I didn’t connect with this enough to care much about whether it gets an award or not, but it is certainly worthy of one.

By: GraceAnne

GraceAnne — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:55:56 +0000

I confess to being of two, and possibly three, minds about this. I know that Newbery is up to age 14, but this read really made me think Printz rather than Newbery at first. The structure and vocabulary had me thinking a lot about teen readers. But – yes, another but – I thought of the ten year old I was, and knowing how fullheartedly she would have loved this. It feels older, and yet.
I realize I am not approaching this coherently.

By: Jonathan Hunt

Jonathan Hunt — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:51:20 +0000

GraceAnne, can you talk about why you think this one is for 12 and up? Personally, I see it as a middle grade novel, pitched to an audience of 4th to 8th graders, but leaning more to the juvenile side. While I do think the vocabulary is challenging, and the pacing is leisurely, everything else seems to appeal to the younger end of that spectrum (i.e. 4th to 6th), which is not to say that older children will not gravitate to the book. I would love to hear anecdotal evidence of how children are responding.

By: Nina

Nina — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:40:17 +0000

Grace Anne, as long as you can see if for “12 and up”, why would you be on the fence about age level…since the Newbery is for “children” through age 14?

(I myself can also see plenty of 10 yr old readers for this).

By: Jess

Jess — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 22:51:37 +0000

It didn’t take any effort at all to “get [my]self in the mind of its perfect reader” – I loved this one both as my kind of story and as an absolutely distinguished piece of writing.

I didn’t have any issues with Grisini as a complete villain – there were plenty of other characters that fit into a gray area, more than enough to make me happy (the witch, Mrs. Pinchbeck, Clara’s parents). The language, the setting, the historical details, the fantastical elements – it all fit together perfectly. It’s at the top of my list so far.

By: Dean Schneider

Dean Schneider — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 21:02:55 +0000

I agree that this is an excellent, challenging, well-plotted novel perfect for a Newbery. So far, I have had two of my 6th graders (11 years old) read it and like it a lot.