Something Rotten by Alan Gratz

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5023393648138226536.post-83943831113434445472008-01-17T08:39:00.001-05:002008-01-17T14:59:45.140-05:002008-01-17T14:59:45.140-05:00Something Rotten by Alan Gratz<DIV> Age Level: Teen Format: Book <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p> The place is <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on">Denmark</st1:country-region>, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tennessee</st1:place></st1:State>, and the smell hits Horatio Wilkes the minute he pulls into town to visit his best friend, Hamilton Prince.  The Prince family owns the local paper plant that’s polluting the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Copenhagen</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">River</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, but the paper plant isn’t the only thing stinking up the place.  <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hamilton</st1:place></st1:City>’s father has been murdered, by poisoning, and the killer is still at large.  No one, except for Hamilton and Horatio, believes that Rex Prince has been murdered, so it’s up to the two of them to figure out who’s behind it.  But that won’t be easy.  There are too many suspects, among them are Olivia, Hamilton’s ex-girlfriend, Trudy, Hamilton’s mom who just married Claude, Hamilton’s uncle, and those are just the suspects that are near at hand.   <o:p> </o:p> The premise sounds familiar, right?  We all know the story of Hamlet, but, trust me when I say that in the hands of Alan Gratz, this is a mystery that will keep you guessing.  There are twists and turns in this plot, along with one-liners that keep the tale crackling on.  In Something Rotten, you truly meet the character of Horatio and understand why, over everyone else in his life, <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Hamilton</st1:place></st1:City> (or Hamlet) choose this guy to be his best friend, and the only person he truly trusted. <o:p> </o:p> Very entertaining adaptation – and no, it doesn’t end how you think it will.   Reviewed by Sara</DIV>AC Lib Book Review Teamnoreply@blogger.com0