Melusine

by Lynne Reid Banks

What is the sinister mystery of Chateau Bois Serpe?

Roger, his parents, and twin sisters arrive at this crumbling ruin in the wilds of France, anticipating a holiday that's "different." And so it proves, but not as they'd hoped. The owner, the strange daughter Mesuline, whom Roger first meets tending her father's goats. She is like no girl he has ever seen, with her brusqueness and her expressionless black eyes, and as he gradually befriends her, he begins to realize that there is something very wrong about her, about the chateau, and about her life within it.

Roger senses a cry for help. How can he know that by trying to answer it, he will involve himself and his family in a shocking drama that reaches its climax in a grisly discovery and sudden death?

Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Mystery, France, Childrens, Science Fiction Fantasy

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Lynne Reid Banks is a British author of books for children and adults. She has written forty books, including the best-selling children's novel The Indian in the Cupboard, which has sold over 10 million copies and been made into a film.
Banks was born in London, the only child of James and Muriel Reid Banks. She was evacuated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada during World War II but returned after the war was over. She attended St Teresa's School in Surrey. Prior to becoming a writer Banks was an actress, and also worked as a television journalist in Britain, one of the first women to do so. Her first novel, The L-Shaped Room, was published in 1960.
In 1962 Banks emigrated to Israel, where she taught for eight years on an Israeli kibbutz Yasur. In 1965 she married Chaim Stephenson, with whom she had three sons. Although the family returned to England in 1971 and Banks now lives in Dorset, the influence of her time in Israel can be seen in some of her books which are set partially or mainly on kibbutzim.

Reviews

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting! Wish the ending was a little bit longer though, it could have been explained more thoroughly.

[Capn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that starts a bit like an Enid Blyton story of a boy, Roger, and his twin sisters driving with their parents to a holiday in France, but soon becomes something a little strange and quite depressing. The crumbling chateau, situated somewhere near La Rochelle & Niort in the Vendees, is owned and let by a Mssr. Serpe (if the snakes on the cover didn't tip you off). Mssr. Serpe has a daughter (or daughters..? Part of the mystery), Melusine, who lives with him in abject poverty, tending to their herd of goats, while they rent out the remaining grand rooms to guests. There's a mysterious locked tower, a lost road, a secret tunnel, and Serpe seems a right villain.
Like I said, Enid Blyton-esque, until it isn't. This book could warrant a sexual assault-trigger warning. There's also a scary near-drowning and a serious car crash thrown into the mix. And on top of that, some . . . well, it's either magical realism or pure fantasy. I'm leaning towards the latter, as Roger knows what he has seen and experienced can't be real, though it was (there was a disturbing bit with a psychologist towards the end).
Roger's parents are likeable (and competent), and Mssr. Serpe is quite another sort. There's a slimy lawyer in there as well, an accidental death, trespassing, an attempted murder with a rifle at close-range, and then the snakey stuff which I won't spoil. Lots of French dialogue as well, and it's written around well (if you can read it, bon. If you can't, you'll be able to get the gist without it being pedantically translated).
The story concludes in an open-ended manner, and I found it to be gratifying. There have been a few good Puffin Plus Thrillers I've read, and this is another.

[Heta Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would want my kids to read this book (if I had them). When you look at the recommended books for young adults, its a litany of depression, suicide, anorexia, death of parents, an endless drudgery of "board of education approved fiction" where all the book descriptions sound the same. Don't get me wrong, I am sure they are great books... but as a kid, if someone handed me that list I wouldn't have wanted to read almost any of them. I realize that educators want to use books as a way to bring up some of the tough topics of situations kids are likely to experience in their lifetime, but it strikes me as being a lot like the movie Schindler's List: I know its supposed to be a great film and everyone raves about how good it is, but it took me many years after the movie was released before I actually saw it: When I go out to see a movie, or went to a video store to check one out, I am rarely in the mood to watch something I know will be depressing even if I know its supposed to be really good. (I eventually rented the DVD from Netflix in physical form so that I'd have to watch Schindler's list in order to be able to return it to get another DVD. So the next time I was in the mood for something depressing, it was right there and it was indeed a very powerful film).

Anyways, Melusine is a book that touches on a really rough topic, that of parents abusing sexually abusing children, but it isn't the main focus of the story and isn't listed on the back cover. Instead, the book presents as a mystery with possible supernatural elements. It is exactly the type of book I would want to pick up as a kid (or now), and that is what made this such an intriguing book for me. The main character saw something suspicious about incest, but wasn't quite sure what he saw and brought up the situation with his parents, both directly and indirectly because he wasn't sure what to do. It seems like a perfect book for a young adult to read that could spark discussion with the parents about incest, and what to do if you see something that may indicate a friend of yours is being abused, but it is all done within the context of a supernatural mystery instead of the "This Book Will Teach You Something" genre that gets on all the board of education recommended book lists...

I feel like this book is likely to get really overlooked, but it is a gem of a find.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a while ago, but all I can remember is that Banks creates a story based on a French tale, and the tale adds an air of mystery and magic, in the form of shape-shifting. For Banks, this piece is almost folk-loric, and indeed, is based supposedly upon the legendary creature Melusine (more to follow, on research if this is a real compiled legend.) In this way, the story is a little phantasy or sci-fi-ish. I gobbled it up like a really fantatstic breakfast.

[Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those books that manages to walk the line between fantasy and reality effortlessly. Suspension of disbelief is not even needed, as the story weaves reality and French legend together to create a mystery. This is the story of a forgotten part of France that a French girl inhabits and the English boy who discovers them both.

[Olivia West · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely interpretation of an obscure French myth with an innocent examination of the concept of good vs. evil and the role — or lack thereof — of God in our lives. The pace was certainly plodding and I don't think it has any repeat value, but I'm definitely glad I read it and will be thinking this book over for some time now.

[Kappie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, quick read that still addresses some tough subjects in a way that kids can understand.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lynne Reid Banks is best known for her Indian in the Cupboard series, and an adult novel, the L-Shaped Room. But she wrote many other books for children and teens. Melusine is a modern take on an obscure French myth- but I can't say too much about it without spoiling the plot. Paul- a British teen- his parents, and his annoying twin sisters are spending their French holiday at an old, run-down Chateau.

Most of the chateau is empty (except for his family's rooms), and there's a locked tower where Paul is forbidden to go. He befriends the chatelaine's daughter, Melusine, a mysterious girl with a secret. When Paul finds out Melusine is being abused by her father, he's determined to help her. This book touches on some serious issues like child abuse, but it never gets too dark/heavy for younger readers. It starts off very slow paced, and I wish Melusine's condition was explained more She turns into a snake at night., but other than those small issues, I really enjoyed it. A fun little mystery, and an interesting take on a forgotten legend.

[hpboy13 · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 12%. If I wanted to read French dialogue, I’d pick up a book in French.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roger and his family are touring France. After seeing Paris, they drive to Chateau de Bois-Serpe. The family arrives late one night and are greeted by Monsieur Serpe, a slovenly and hostile man, who ushers them into his filthy kitchen. In great contrast, the guest quarters are clean and boast many antiques from the chateau's better days. The next morning Roger meets Melusine, the chateau owner's daughter as she milks the thirty odd goats that help support the Serpes. Roger and Melusine soon become friends. When Roger asks Melusine for a guided tour of the chateau she shows him empty room after empty room. When they come to the tower, Melusine firmly refuses to take Roger any further. As Roger gets to know Melusine, he sees many curious and suspicious things. Her eyes and the texture of her skin are strange. From a sightseeing brochure, Roger learns that Melusine's name comes from a mythological character who could turn herself into a serpent. Then, Roger sees Melusine sitting on her father's lap. He watches as she struggles against her father's kisses. When Roger finds a python in his room, he suspects that Melusine turns herself into a snake to escape her father’s sexual advances. Other dark secrets are discovered, and Roger helps Melusine start a new life.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This young adult mystery was a fairly well-written book with enough French throughout to provide practice for a beginning student. I thought that concept was standard (family stays at semi-creepy old chateau for holiday and boy meets goat girl) but the execution of the story was suspenseful. While I did want to find out Melusine’s secret, I was disappointed that it involved *spoiler alert* her being molested by her father. The twist is she turns into a snake at night in order to cope with it. Apparently, this story is based on a French folklore or a pre-Christian myth about a Melusine who could shape shift into a snake. However, since this Melusine couldn’t seem to escape or prevent the abuse, I’m not sure what good it did her to turn into a snake only at night. Maybe it cut down on the amount of abuse she experienced? The ending was left too vague for me. Not one I’d read again.

[Allanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out rather slow (at least to me) ... It just felt like there was SO much exposition and mystery building up ... finally, just over halfway through, the pace picked up and I managed to finish it.

I'm glad that I read it ... but I didn't enjoy it as much as Banks' other works.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this a few years ago in my Adolescent Literature course. It was a personal choice to read off of a list that our professor had given us. I enjoyed it immensely, and it led me to learn more about the legend of Melusine.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

By the author of The Indian in the Cupboard books; I didn't read this one when I was younger, but I enjoyed it belatedly!

[Kersten · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book, I liked it, but probably would have loved it when I was in Jr High when I was into Banks other books. But overall it was a good book.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

A version of the melusine legend, a girl who can turn into a snake. English boy Roger vacations at a French chateau wiht his family, where he becomes with the girl who lives there.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides]

Good writing, with a nice eerie air. But the subject matter (incestuous rape) is too depressing for me to want to read right now.

[Melanie Linn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a pre-teen and loved it. (That it was about France and sort of had my name in it were added bonuses.)