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The Raven Mysteries #5
Magic and Mayhem
Join the wonderfully weird Otherhand family and their faithful guardian, Edgar the raven, and discover the dark secrets of Castle Otherhand. A trip to the circus has far-reaching consequences for the Otherhands when Fellah goes missing. Before long the Castle is plagued by a duck, a suspect fortune teller, and several cartloads of lethal cabbages. The family is Valevine is busy inventing a cabbage-counting machine; Minty is waiting to hear the secrets of the universe; and Solstice has discovered that Cudweed is concealing three hundred and forty-two rabbits in his bedroom. When chaos strikes and thieves infiltrate the Castle, it falls to Edgar to extract his family from a very fluffy predicament. Dedicated website on Raven www.ravenmysteries.co.uk
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2011
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123 people want to read
About the author
Marcus Sedgwick
109 books1,584 followersMarcus Sedgwickwas a British writer and illustrator. He authored several young adult and children's books and picture books, a work of nonfiction and several novels for adults, and illustrated a collection of myths and a book of folk tales for adults.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 26, 2019
"Cudweed once took up the violin, but stopped when someone asked who was struggling squirrels in the music room."
2.5 stars.
While that quote isn't really apart of the storyline, I still found it was the one that stood out to me.
This was... somewhere between just ok and good. I can't quite decide. This book involved the family going to the circus and Minty, the mother, meeting up with a fortune teller who was on the edge of telling her something important when a ruckus broke out and diverted attention.
Later back home, chaos breaks out and a surprise visitor turns up on the Otherhands doorstep. That's when the mystery of who this person really is and why they are actually there starts to unfold.
I didn't find this as funny as the previous books, and I have to admit that Cudweed did start to get a tiny bit on my nerves with all the animals, but it was still an ok read.
2.5 stars.
While that quote isn't really apart of the storyline, I still found it was the one that stood out to me.
This was... somewhere between just ok and good. I can't quite decide. This book involved the family going to the circus and Minty, the mother, meeting up with a fortune teller who was on the edge of telling her something important when a ruckus broke out and diverted attention.
Later back home, chaos breaks out and a surprise visitor turns up on the Otherhands doorstep. That's when the mystery of who this person really is and why they are actually there starts to unfold.
I didn't find this as funny as the previous books, and I have to admit that Cudweed did start to get a tiny bit on my nerves with all the animals, but it was still an ok read.
August 27, 2012
I love this series! Narrated by the family raven, Edgar, we see the Otherhands in all their crazy glory through his dry and witty voice. There is enough madcap action in these books to entertain 7 yr olds, while Edgar's voice carries enough subtlety and sarcasm to amuse teens and adults too.
As well as Edgar's fabulous narration, the story is chock-full of madcap characters, from head of the family Valevine with his incredible new invention to count cabbages, to the youngest, Cudweed, with his new-found friends Mucky Duck and Mr Whiskers the hamster in a top hat and dinner jacket. The only sane and sensible character is the lovely Solstice, who keeps Edgar in check and solves the mysteries.
The plot in this case is sufficiently complex to surprise, yet made clear enough for the youngest Otherhand fans to follow. Combining disparate elements gives the overall story a farcical element that is sure to have kids giggling, particularly delivered in Edgar's disapproving tones.
The quirky line illustrations support the text perfectly, complementing the story and adding to the overall goth atmosphere.
All in all, this in a fantastic package for young readers, which I greatly recommend. A confident reading level is needed to appreciate these stories, but the books can also readily be enjoyed as a shared read.
As well as Edgar's fabulous narration, the story is chock-full of madcap characters, from head of the family Valevine with his incredible new invention to count cabbages, to the youngest, Cudweed, with his new-found friends Mucky Duck and Mr Whiskers the hamster in a top hat and dinner jacket. The only sane and sensible character is the lovely Solstice, who keeps Edgar in check and solves the mysteries.
The plot in this case is sufficiently complex to surprise, yet made clear enough for the youngest Otherhand fans to follow. Combining disparate elements gives the overall story a farcical element that is sure to have kids giggling, particularly delivered in Edgar's disapproving tones.
The quirky line illustrations support the text perfectly, complementing the story and adding to the overall goth atmosphere.
All in all, this in a fantastic package for young readers, which I greatly recommend. A confident reading level is needed to appreciate these stories, but the books can also readily be enjoyed as a shared read.
March 11, 2017
This book was AMAZING! I especially like the part where all of the four thousand bunnies appeared. I can't believe that Cudweed made a duck, a hamster and a myna bird! I really don't like Cudweed's pet monkey, Fella. I extremely don't like Madam Zozo. And the ticket collector, otherwise known as Slippery Joe. Is that his name? I can't remember.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2017
Oh Otherhands. This is just as witty, warped, and occasionally wise, as the others (including revealing the identity of the world's scariest vegetable - you know who you are!), but there's something a bit missing about the plot. Similar to Vampires and Volts, the villains create such a massive rift in plot-space that I'm surprised Castle Otherhand wasn't swallowed whole. But I feel a little mean, because this book is very funny, just not as tightly plotted as 1,2, 3.
May 5, 2024
These are really easy and fun books to read, great stories from the raven mysteries, there is always something going on in the otherhand castle. A clever raven is a mysteries raven
December 17, 2012
Read this in swedish. The title is: "Häxerier och Hemskheter".
Another entertaining read, with Edgar as the narrator. What will the family Otherhand do without their ever clever "servant", Edgar the raven? The "action scenes" and suspense is not as good as Vampires and Volts, but it had it's hilarious moments. I think I've said it many times, but I'm in love with the illustrations. And I couldn't help being a little bias whenever there is a mention about rabbits in a book *wink* And it's sure ALOT of rabbits you'll get to see in this one!
Another entertaining read, with Edgar as the narrator. What will the family Otherhand do without their ever clever "servant", Edgar the raven? The "action scenes" and suspense is not as good as Vampires and Volts, but it had it's hilarious moments. I think I've said it many times, but I'm in love with the illustrations. And I couldn't help being a little bias whenever there is a mention about rabbits in a book *wink* And it's sure ALOT of rabbits you'll get to see in this one!
October 2, 2014
Another fun mystery told from the perspective of Edgar the Castles Raven. In this one he is very bored and longs for something to happen, so he is delighted when they go to the circus and that starts something.
"we went to the circus, and that was to be the start of it all.
The magic.
And the mayhem."
"'Oh, look,' cried Solstice. 'Fluffy bunnies. I do like fluffy bunnies. They're so uncool, they're cool.'
Little did we know then what significance bunnies would soon have in our lives...."
"we went to the circus, and that was to be the start of it all.
The magic.
And the mayhem."
"'Oh, look,' cried Solstice. 'Fluffy bunnies. I do like fluffy bunnies. They're so uncool, they're cool.'
Little did we know then what significance bunnies would soon have in our lives...."
July 15, 2011
Compared to all the amazing books I've read, this book is a ok read.
Not very interesting in the beginning, but alright in the end...
Not very interesting in the beginning, but alright in the end...
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews