2 out of 4 stars
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The Jewelled Jaguar by Sharon Tregenza is a 216-page children’s book set in the English county of Pembrokeshire. Griffin’s mother gets sucked into a sinkhole under their house. While she is in a coma, Griffin is sent to live with Uncle Rhodri and his family. His uncle speculates that the sinkhole occurred because of an Aztec knife that Griffin’s mother found ten years earlier. The knife, known as the Jewelled Jaguar, is connected to a shipwreck from a few hundred years ago, and Uncle Rhodri thinks it is cursed.
The author has a nice writing style which is suitable for children ages 9-12. The short chapters are ideal for children who want to read a few chapters at a time. The writing is easy to understand, with no overly sophisticated words.
The characters are fleshed out well and I could clearly picture each of them. Griffin is a likable boy who has to get used to living with his eccentric relatives in their creepy old house. Dr. Blythe Merrick is an interesting supporting character. Although he is an old friend of Griffin’s mother and uncle, there is a subtle sense that there is more to him than meets the eye. Uncle Rhodri’s dilapidated old house, known as the Spike, provides a spooky setting with bats, nearby caves, and strange noises. The imagery is so clear that I felt like I was right there in the house, listening to the scary noises.
My main problem with this book is that the plot is not very cohesive. I found it difficult to determine what the central plot was through a large part of the story. In the beginning, it seemed that the Aztec knife was going to be the primary storyline, but it gets thrown to the back burner for long stretches. Most of the book focuses on Griffin’s adjustment to living with his uncle’s family, and going exploring with his cousin Cinnamon. There is no sense of a main plot moving forward. Instead, there are disjointed chapters about the children playing, the knife going on display, visits to see Griffin’s mother in the hospital, Cinnamon’s pet rat, etc.
The relationship between Griffin and Cinnamon is mainly what kept me interested, as the random plot points don’t gel until the latter sections of the story. The ending is certainly exciting and the author ties up the loose ends. Still, a tighter plot along the way would have made for more enjoyable reading.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. The well-drawn characters and vivid setting were not enough to offset a weak plot. I would recommend this book to children ages 9-12 who enjoy reading about interesting characters and don’t mind waiting for a clear plot to emerge.
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The Jewelled Jaguar
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