What do you think?
Rate this book
The Riddles of Epsilon
Something dark has awoken on the remote island of Lume
Jess is not pleased when her parents drag her off to live on the weird little island of Lume. But then she encounters an eerie presence in an abandoned cottage, and her anger turns to fear when it begins to lead her through a series of creepy riddles. As she slowly unravels the mysteries of Lume, she finds the writings of Sebastian, a boy who lived one hundred years ago and whose life contains unsettling reflections of her own. To her horror, the dangers he unearthed in 1894 now begin to threaten Jess and her family . . . and if Jess does not unlock the riddles in time, she may lose her mother forever.
Jess is not pleased when her parents drag her off to live on the weird little island of Lume. But then she encounters an eerie presence in an abandoned cottage, and her anger turns to fear when it begins to lead her through a series of creepy riddles. As she slowly unravels the mysteries of Lume, she finds the writings of Sebastian, a boy who lived one hundred years ago and whose life contains unsettling reflections of her own. To her horror, the dangers he unearthed in 1894 now begin to threaten Jess and her family . . . and if Jess does not unlock the riddles in time, she may lose her mother forever.
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2005
44 people are currently reading
1083 people want to read
About the author
Christine Morton-Shaw
12 books121 followersI'm a writer of children's picture books and two novels. You can find out more about my first YA novel, THE RIDDLES OF EPSILON at www.riddlesofepsilon.com, while
Other details of my books can be found if you type in my name to google. As for me, I'm generally considered a bit spooky, a bit mad or both. Maybe I am...
My new novel The Hunt for the Seventh comes out of September 30th 2008!
***
Christine Morton-Shaw spent much of her childhood wandering through old churches, deserted abbeys, and stately homes in Lancashire, England. When she was six years old, she had a recurring dream that she was meeting a girl from Victorian times. The girl always did the same thing in the dream: She would run to the top of a staircase, see Christine, and say in a wobbly voice: "Mother! That little girl is here again!" Then Christine would wake up. The author has a fascination for any and all clues left by the past. Egyptian hieroglyphics, and her own inventions based on them, kept her occupied during long winters. She considers the scores of published and unpublished diaries that she has read to be one of her greatest influences as a writer. Christine Morton-Shaw lives with her family in Sheffield, England. She is the author of many picture books for children. The Riddles of Epsilon is her first novel.
Other details of my books can be found if you type in my name to google. As for me, I'm generally considered a bit spooky, a bit mad or both. Maybe I am...
My new novel The Hunt for the Seventh comes out of September 30th 2008!
***
Christine Morton-Shaw spent much of her childhood wandering through old churches, deserted abbeys, and stately homes in Lancashire, England. When she was six years old, she had a recurring dream that she was meeting a girl from Victorian times. The girl always did the same thing in the dream: She would run to the top of a staircase, see Christine, and say in a wobbly voice: "Mother! That little girl is here again!" Then Christine would wake up. The author has a fascination for any and all clues left by the past. Egyptian hieroglyphics, and her own inventions based on them, kept her occupied during long winters. She considers the scores of published and unpublished diaries that she has read to be one of her greatest influences as a writer. Christine Morton-Shaw lives with her family in Sheffield, England. She is the author of many picture books for children. The Riddles of Epsilon is her first novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
March 21, 2018
KICK ASS BOOK! I COULD NOT STOP READING IT! PERFECTLY BRILLIANT!
November 18, 2012
Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com
When she gets into some trouble at school, Jess's parents think they have the perfect solution: they'll move to Lume, an island in the middle of nowhere. She thinks there is absolutely nothing interesting about Lume--until she discovers a derelict old cottage. There's something creepy about the cottage--some sort of presence that Jess can't describe. It turns even weirder and scarier when that same presence shows up in her instant message conversations--with no record of it on her computer.
This ghostly being, whatever he is, is soon revealed to be the owner of the cottage. He calls himself Epsilon, and he is leading Jess on a dark sort of treasure hunt--where the treasure, if she solves his riddles properly, will be saving her mother.
The eerie quest mirrors that of Sebastian Wren, a boy who lived in the same house, and faced the same dangers, a hundred years ago. Can Jess succeed where Sebastian did not?
This supernatural mystery/fantasy is certainly a suspenseful page-turner, but, in the end, it is quite forgettable. It's a nice way to pass an afternoon. The best part of the story is the heart-pounding suspense! It's great for that, and it'll have you checking nervously over your shoulder at times. It's even good enough for me to want to look for more by Christine Morton-Shaw, but I might check it out of the library first rather than buying it.
When she gets into some trouble at school, Jess's parents think they have the perfect solution: they'll move to Lume, an island in the middle of nowhere. She thinks there is absolutely nothing interesting about Lume--until she discovers a derelict old cottage. There's something creepy about the cottage--some sort of presence that Jess can't describe. It turns even weirder and scarier when that same presence shows up in her instant message conversations--with no record of it on her computer.
This ghostly being, whatever he is, is soon revealed to be the owner of the cottage. He calls himself Epsilon, and he is leading Jess on a dark sort of treasure hunt--where the treasure, if she solves his riddles properly, will be saving her mother.
The eerie quest mirrors that of Sebastian Wren, a boy who lived in the same house, and faced the same dangers, a hundred years ago. Can Jess succeed where Sebastian did not?
This supernatural mystery/fantasy is certainly a suspenseful page-turner, but, in the end, it is quite forgettable. It's a nice way to pass an afternoon. The best part of the story is the heart-pounding suspense! It's great for that, and it'll have you checking nervously over your shoulder at times. It's even good enough for me to want to look for more by Christine Morton-Shaw, but I might check it out of the library first rather than buying it.
August 15, 2011
I'm suprised this isn't more popular.....
It's one of those books where you pretty much know how it's going to end, yet you have clue what twists and turns you're going to have to take to get you there.
The nitty-gritty: (slight spoiler's up ahead)
Jess has moved to the island of Lume with her parents, it is boring and small and just old. She is bored. She goes out walking and finds a cottage, it is so run down she has to force her way into it. She feels a strange yet comforting spirit inside. She's creeped out, but curious what the clues left for her mean. She has to solve riddle after riddle about the island. She doesn't know who to trust, she only knows her mom is in danger, that her mind has been consumed with something forcing her to collect sea-shells and draw images and sketches of one lady all over the house. She has her own spiritual guide in Epsilon, but constanly battles with doubts of him. Is he good or bad, light or dark? Who is he really trying to help? Can she solve the ultimate riddle and save her mother?
3.5 stars and a reccomendation to all you looking for a good mystery, YA with no romance.
It's one of those books where you pretty much know how it's going to end, yet you have clue what twists and turns you're going to have to take to get you there.
The nitty-gritty: (slight spoiler's up ahead)
Jess has moved to the island of Lume with her parents, it is boring and small and just old. She is bored. She goes out walking and finds a cottage, it is so run down she has to force her way into it. She feels a strange yet comforting spirit inside. She's creeped out, but curious what the clues left for her mean. She has to solve riddle after riddle about the island. She doesn't know who to trust, she only knows her mom is in danger, that her mind has been consumed with something forcing her to collect sea-shells and draw images and sketches of one lady all over the house. She has her own spiritual guide in Epsilon, but constanly battles with doubts of him. Is he good or bad, light or dark? Who is he really trying to help? Can she solve the ultimate riddle and save her mother?
3.5 stars and a reccomendation to all you looking for a good mystery, YA with no romance.
June 18, 2017
This book gave me a major case of the hebe-gebes. No joke, I seriously felt like someone was watching me while I read this book...
Maybe it was Epsilon...
Besides the spookiness, this book was AMAZING! This book was probably written for me to be honest as it contains all my favourite things.
Favourite things:
1) Books set in the UK
2) Riddles and poems (especially creepy ones)
3) Treasure hunts
4) Weird old ladies
5) Castles next to lakes
And this book had them all!! :D :D :D
The only problem... It's a stand-alone. No more treasure hunts :(
Maybe it was Epsilon...
Besides the spookiness, this book was AMAZING! This book was probably written for me to be honest as it contains all my favourite things.
Favourite things:
1) Books set in the UK
2) Riddles and poems (especially creepy ones)
3) Treasure hunts
4) Weird old ladies
5) Castles next to lakes
And this book had them all!! :D :D :D
The only problem... It's a stand-alone. No more treasure hunts :(
November 12, 2014
I checked this out from the library on a whim - I liked the blurb and it seemed interesting. Turns out it was a pretty good choice. At first, I was slightly put off by the narrator, Jess', attitude. And then I remembered what I was like at 14. Bratty, bitchy and generally grumpy. Her characterization was spot on, for a 14-year-old girl to act any differently after her parents forced her to move to a remote island would seem unrealistic and totally disingenuous. Jess is an interesting protagonist. She is headstrong and a true representation of the modern era. When compared with some of the scenes from Sebastian's era, it shows what a strong and valiant character she is. I eventually grew to find Jess a lot more tolerable and she proved to be an amazingly independent and tough character. Her counterpart, Sebastian, isn't given as much "screen time," but he's still a strong character that tries so hard not to give in to temptation.
The plot of the book is shown in many different ways. Through Jess' diary, her instant message conversations, Sebastian's diary, pictures by Jess' mother, and a letter from Sebastian's mother. It was done really well, and the two different eras complemented each other very well. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about the addition of instant messages to the story. And truthfully, they added very little to it. I can see how it was a method for Epsilon to communicate with Jess, but I still found their online exchanges to be kind of odd and out of place.
Another thing that bothered me was the mythology of the story. As it is very important to the plot as a whole, I was kind of confused. I think that there could have been a way better explanation of everyone's roles on the island. Definitely confusing for me!
All in all - I liked the book. Not one of my all time faves, but still very interesting for being a whim pick up.
3.5 out of 5.
The plot of the book is shown in many different ways. Through Jess' diary, her instant message conversations, Sebastian's diary, pictures by Jess' mother, and a letter from Sebastian's mother. It was done really well, and the two different eras complemented each other very well. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about the addition of instant messages to the story. And truthfully, they added very little to it. I can see how it was a method for Epsilon to communicate with Jess, but I still found their online exchanges to be kind of odd and out of place.
Another thing that bothered me was the mythology of the story. As it is very important to the plot as a whole, I was kind of confused. I think that there could have been a way better explanation of everyone's roles on the island. Definitely confusing for me!
All in all - I liked the book. Not one of my all time faves, but still very interesting for being a whim pick up.
3.5 out of 5.
October 4, 2007
I was surprised by how suspenseful this was - it was full of creepiness, like leave the lights on, look over your shoulder eerie. I thought the story was pretty good, and the code the protagonist, Jessica, had to decipher was a nice touch, but the climax felt a little too easy, and the last couple chapters following it seemed unnecessary. The epilogue felt a bit tacked on, like the author had some new idea and just had to add it in whether it made sense or not. The same riddles and clues were repeated in nearly every chapter, and that got quite tedious. It's written in a pseudo-diary style, but I think it would have worked better if that had been dropped, because it didn't seem diary-like at all, really - it tried to be, but it came off inconsistent, and when you really think about it, the way the entries are formatted didn't make much sense if you take into consideration that she would be writing them at the most inopportune moments - she finds out she must desperately search for someone with no time to lose, but wait, let's write an entry about it first; she meets the Big Baddie, does something wrong, but still has time to write an entry before possible Impending Doom five seconds later. Overall, I know I'm pointing out all the flaws I found there to be, but I actually did really enjoy it and found it hard to put down - the suspense really is good, and it seemed well-thought out for the most part, it's just not perfect, especially if you look closely.
April 13, 2009
This book's premise is pretty ridiculous, but it was well-written enough to keep me reading. I guess I thought it would get better. Though I enjoyed the writing and the clues about discovering what was going on, the plot line of the dark beings and light beings and swans flying everywhere was just stupid. I can't recommend this book to anyone. Don't start it so you won't get sucked in like I did.
July 13, 2011
The Riddles of Epsilon was very interesting...at times even a little spooky. I enjoyed reading it a great deal and i have to admit that even I couldn't figure out the riddle untill the very end. Good luck :)
November 20, 2008
It's a very philosophical kind of book, but not in a boring way. It Delves into the corners of your mind and sends chills up your spine. You can close your eyes and wind up in the middle of nowhere. Definitely mysterious and awesome!!
September 2, 2016
I really loved this book and read it in a day. It is exciting, suspensful, and scary. Lots of mysteries to figure out along the way.
June 5, 2008
This book is so good. When I first read it, I was just floored. There were so many little twists that I wasn't expecting. Excellent!
January 7, 2025
Middle school me would have loved this book but adult me still really enjoyed it too! It deff reads as a middle grade YA, but I knew that going in, so it didn't bother me
July 8, 2025
Another from a school where books were being given away for a school library refit!
Yes I can say I enjoyed this book. Reminded me a little of The Dark Is Rising series
Yes I can say I enjoyed this book. Reminded me a little of The Dark Is Rising series
December 27, 2025
It was a great ending with a few twists, which was great. Not the best in terms of lead charater, but the plot and twists made it worth a 5 star.
July 9, 2017
Two words: Creepy Riddles.
Honestly what else could you ask for????
It was pretty creepy. And the riddles were cool and fun to figure out!
And I don't know what it is, but I read it a couple of summers ago when I checked it out from the library on a whim, and it really stuck with me for some reason. I'm glad I found it again!
Honestly what else could you ask for????
It was pretty creepy. And the riddles were cool and fun to figure out!
And I don't know what it is, but I read it a couple of summers ago when I checked it out from the library on a whim, and it really stuck with me for some reason. I'm glad I found it again!
October 20, 2013
http://readinglistreviews.blogspot.co...
WOW. Did not disappoint.
So yeah, that's not really a big sparkly opening. But it's true. I got this from a book sale at the library and sometimes those used library books can be kind of . . . disappointing. Y'know? Well, this one was not. I still have a stack from the library left, but this was a great starter.
At first, you learn that Jess (hey, that's the name of the main character from the book I read before this!) is fourteen. Now, I haven't read a lot of books where the main character is younger than I am, I don't know why. It's just a thing that doesn't happen often. So I was a little worried I was going to picture Jess as some little kid (not that being fourteen makes you a little kid, please just go along with it), but I didn't! And so now I don't know why people think it's weird if adults read YA Fiction. Like, these stories are great! Everyone can read them! Everyone should read them! They're fabulous. I can't imagine picking up a book, reading the back cover, and putting it down just because the character is younger than I am. Not anymore, anyways. Heck, if I want to read Goosebumps books about twelve year olds hunting ghosts, I very well will! Life is short, do what you want.
Anyways, the setting of this story is the present! Well, probably. I mean, it's like 2005 probably but still that's very much not considered the past. So it's in the present. On an island called Lume. That's a great island name by the way, I wonder if it's real.
Well, Google tells me there is an island named Pedre de Lume, but not just Lume. Okay, moving on.
The main character, Jess, is fourteen so technically, now in 2013, she's older than me at--I think--22. My math could be off. So yeah I guess I wasn't reading about someone younger than me. Well there I go. Case solved. I should keep on topic, I know. Any-hoo, Jess is just a kid that gets pulled into this huge mess and in her place, I would have given up. Like, immediately. I don't think you understand. I love puzzles, I do, but the ones that Jess faces? Not a chance. That's why I was a little suspicious of this storyline. I mean, her mind jumps to conclusions and 97% of the time, they're the right conclusions. When does that ever happen? Yeah, never. At least not for me.
There aren't really any other big characters except for maybe Jess' mom and, of course, Epsilon. But there's not a lot to say there. I guess Sebastian is a big part too. They all kind of mush together and make the ending great.
Speaking of the ending, it was amazing. Seriously. All twisty-turny and fabulous. I love mind-bending endings. This one was written really nicely, making it easy to understand but still hurts your head if you continue to think about it, after finishing the end. Oh my gosh.
I don't know if anyone goes to GoodReads to read the reviews on these books I'm reviewing, but don't read the bad ones for this book. I mean, one says: I had a really hard time getting through this book. It was just so dark and left a very uncomfortable feeling with me. I really couldn't read it after dark.
I mean, really? You're going to give a book two stars because it makes you uncomfortable--which it's supposed to? There are twists and turns and cults and ghosts and monsters and god-like beings and . . . of course it's going to make you uncomfortable. It's supposed to make you think. Think about what-if's. What if this really happened. What if you had dreams like Jess. I tried reading it right before bed and it gave me the heebie-jeebies but I still kept reading it before bed. I think I love that feeling. Just thinking.
WOW. Did not disappoint.
So yeah, that's not really a big sparkly opening. But it's true. I got this from a book sale at the library and sometimes those used library books can be kind of . . . disappointing. Y'know? Well, this one was not. I still have a stack from the library left, but this was a great starter.
At first, you learn that Jess (hey, that's the name of the main character from the book I read before this!) is fourteen. Now, I haven't read a lot of books where the main character is younger than I am, I don't know why. It's just a thing that doesn't happen often. So I was a little worried I was going to picture Jess as some little kid (not that being fourteen makes you a little kid, please just go along with it), but I didn't! And so now I don't know why people think it's weird if adults read YA Fiction. Like, these stories are great! Everyone can read them! Everyone should read them! They're fabulous. I can't imagine picking up a book, reading the back cover, and putting it down just because the character is younger than I am. Not anymore, anyways. Heck, if I want to read Goosebumps books about twelve year olds hunting ghosts, I very well will! Life is short, do what you want.
Anyways, the setting of this story is the present! Well, probably. I mean, it's like 2005 probably but still that's very much not considered the past. So it's in the present. On an island called Lume. That's a great island name by the way, I wonder if it's real.
Well, Google tells me there is an island named Pedre de Lume, but not just Lume. Okay, moving on.
The main character, Jess, is fourteen so technically, now in 2013, she's older than me at--I think--22. My math could be off. So yeah I guess I wasn't reading about someone younger than me. Well there I go. Case solved. I should keep on topic, I know. Any-hoo, Jess is just a kid that gets pulled into this huge mess and in her place, I would have given up. Like, immediately. I don't think you understand. I love puzzles, I do, but the ones that Jess faces? Not a chance. That's why I was a little suspicious of this storyline. I mean, her mind jumps to conclusions and 97% of the time, they're the right conclusions. When does that ever happen? Yeah, never. At least not for me.
There aren't really any other big characters except for maybe Jess' mom and, of course, Epsilon. But there's not a lot to say there. I guess Sebastian is a big part too. They all kind of mush together and make the ending great.
Speaking of the ending, it was amazing. Seriously. All twisty-turny and fabulous. I love mind-bending endings. This one was written really nicely, making it easy to understand but still hurts your head if you continue to think about it, after finishing the end. Oh my gosh.
I don't know if anyone goes to GoodReads to read the reviews on these books I'm reviewing, but don't read the bad ones for this book. I mean, one says: I had a really hard time getting through this book. It was just so dark and left a very uncomfortable feeling with me. I really couldn't read it after dark.
I mean, really? You're going to give a book two stars because it makes you uncomfortable--which it's supposed to? There are twists and turns and cults and ghosts and monsters and god-like beings and . . . of course it's going to make you uncomfortable. It's supposed to make you think. Think about what-if's. What if this really happened. What if you had dreams like Jess. I tried reading it right before bed and it gave me the heebie-jeebies but I still kept reading it before bed. I think I love that feeling. Just thinking.
August 12, 2011
Jess has just moved to Lume island with her mother and father. Her mother has owned a house there for years, but this is the first time Jess has ever heard of it. It’s bad enough that she has been separated from her best friend Avril (the one who keeps getting her into trouble), but now she’s stuck in this new place with nothing to do. Nothing to do, that is, until she discovers the cottage and the bucket, and the mysterious symbols. And then she starts getting messages from someone named Epsilon.
Jess’ mom is in real danger. Forces of evil are conspiring to take back something that was once lost – a tooth, one that has the power to curse. And many of the villagers are involved in this conspiracy. It’s been going on for hundreds of years, without success – evil has not been able to gain power over the island. Epsilon is an agent of the good side and he’s determined to get Jess to help them – she must unravel the mystery, find the tooth, and save her mother. The story gets scarier and darker as it progresses. Jess' story and experience parallel the one of a young boy from 100 years ago – their mothers are/were both endangered by the evil forces at work on the island, and they are/were both racing to find answers with Epsilon’s help. Jess later discovers that this boy is her grandfather.
A curious, occasionally confusing mystery. There’s code to decipher and it’s easy enough to work out on your own, if you’re inclined, but Jess also figures it out and translates everything for you. There are riddles to be unraveled, and these, too, might be worked out on your own. There’s some oddness concerning Jess’ mother and a certain infidelity which is at least half the reason they’ve come to the island. Doesn’t seem like it’s really necessary to anything that’s going on (not that things need to be completely plot-driven). It probably would have worked to just say that she had been compelled to come to the island anyway, to fulfill her part in this little drama and that would have explained her odd behavior. At the very end are there are sort of religious overtones which kind of mimic the Narnia series – there’s the One and he is the Creator of the island of this perfect music, and then there is the Cimul who is the Lumic’s antithesis who wants to pervert the music and make his own. It’s island mythology, so perhaps it just applies to the island and not to all creation, but it’s still rather religious in nature – and comes on strongly at the end, just when we’re learning what the real story is. So why we should be so attached to certain sides of the battle or feel the rightness of the One is not clearly established and feels slightly manipulative, or at least heavy-handed. It would have been well to integrate it more fully at the beginning. Still, quite intriguing.
Jess’ mom is in real danger. Forces of evil are conspiring to take back something that was once lost – a tooth, one that has the power to curse. And many of the villagers are involved in this conspiracy. It’s been going on for hundreds of years, without success – evil has not been able to gain power over the island. Epsilon is an agent of the good side and he’s determined to get Jess to help them – she must unravel the mystery, find the tooth, and save her mother. The story gets scarier and darker as it progresses. Jess' story and experience parallel the one of a young boy from 100 years ago – their mothers are/were both endangered by the evil forces at work on the island, and they are/were both racing to find answers with Epsilon’s help. Jess later discovers that this boy is her grandfather.
A curious, occasionally confusing mystery. There’s code to decipher and it’s easy enough to work out on your own, if you’re inclined, but Jess also figures it out and translates everything for you. There are riddles to be unraveled, and these, too, might be worked out on your own. There’s some oddness concerning Jess’ mother and a certain infidelity which is at least half the reason they’ve come to the island. Doesn’t seem like it’s really necessary to anything that’s going on (not that things need to be completely plot-driven). It probably would have worked to just say that she had been compelled to come to the island anyway, to fulfill her part in this little drama and that would have explained her odd behavior. At the very end are there are sort of religious overtones which kind of mimic the Narnia series – there’s the One and he is the Creator of the island of this perfect music, and then there is the Cimul who is the Lumic’s antithesis who wants to pervert the music and make his own. It’s island mythology, so perhaps it just applies to the island and not to all creation, but it’s still rather religious in nature – and comes on strongly at the end, just when we’re learning what the real story is. So why we should be so attached to certain sides of the battle or feel the rightness of the One is not clearly established and feels slightly manipulative, or at least heavy-handed. It would have been well to integrate it more fully at the beginning. Still, quite intriguing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2012
The Riddles of Epsilon is the somewhat strange tale of a teenage girl called Jess, who, having been expelled from her school for being caught smoking and drinking in the gym, has been moved to a small island called 'Lume' (no idea where this place is supposed to be), to live in a large house that her mother has inherited.
Jess is a bit of a rebel, and has not only recently been expelled, but has also had her nose pierced which her parents disapprove of. Her mother is a portrait artist, and her father is a wildlife photographer, and both spend their time hidden away in their studios.
One day Jess steals her father's spade (because she knows he needs it) and wanders off into the forest where she finds a strange ramshackle old cottage. Here she finds a strange arrow marking on a wall, and digs below it to find... a bucket. Odd yes.
Later when Jess is talking in a chat room to a friend, someone else begins to message her, who neither her friend or the computer can see, and this strange person tells her how to use the bucket to find a message hidden in strange symbols.
Following this ghost-persons advice Jess uses the bucket, finds the symbols, and finds a way to translate the symbols, to start herself on a strange voyage of discovery about this place where she lives.
Jess then begins to have dreams about a boy who lived in the house she lives in now in 1894, and follows him back out to the cottage where she discovers yet more mysteries surrounding Lume and it's inhabitants.
Further conversations with the ghost-man, who she identifies to be Epsilon, let Jess know that her mother is in danger, and that she must solve all these strange riddles and happenings in order to save her, with Jess having to try and make sense out of some really strange things such as a cursed tooth, an inverted song, sea shells, fossils, star maps, a tower, gargoyles, a snake eating it's own tail, and a mysterious black swan that her father seems to be obsessed with.
Can Jess solve the mystery in time, and save her mother? Is Epsilon someone she can trust? Who is the strange woman that some of the clues seem to refer to? And who else in the village is involved?
Overall the story is a little bizarre, and at times Jess just doesn't seem to shut up - like a child who rambles when telling a story. I'm sure a younger audience would probably enjoy this, and the story is not too bad if you can get past the silliness of special buckets and inverted songs! Definately a book for younger readers though.
Jess is a bit of a rebel, and has not only recently been expelled, but has also had her nose pierced which her parents disapprove of. Her mother is a portrait artist, and her father is a wildlife photographer, and both spend their time hidden away in their studios.
One day Jess steals her father's spade (because she knows he needs it) and wanders off into the forest where she finds a strange ramshackle old cottage. Here she finds a strange arrow marking on a wall, and digs below it to find... a bucket. Odd yes.
Later when Jess is talking in a chat room to a friend, someone else begins to message her, who neither her friend or the computer can see, and this strange person tells her how to use the bucket to find a message hidden in strange symbols.
Following this ghost-persons advice Jess uses the bucket, finds the symbols, and finds a way to translate the symbols, to start herself on a strange voyage of discovery about this place where she lives.
Jess then begins to have dreams about a boy who lived in the house she lives in now in 1894, and follows him back out to the cottage where she discovers yet more mysteries surrounding Lume and it's inhabitants.
Further conversations with the ghost-man, who she identifies to be Epsilon, let Jess know that her mother is in danger, and that she must solve all these strange riddles and happenings in order to save her, with Jess having to try and make sense out of some really strange things such as a cursed tooth, an inverted song, sea shells, fossils, star maps, a tower, gargoyles, a snake eating it's own tail, and a mysterious black swan that her father seems to be obsessed with.
Can Jess solve the mystery in time, and save her mother? Is Epsilon someone she can trust? Who is the strange woman that some of the clues seem to refer to? And who else in the village is involved?
Overall the story is a little bizarre, and at times Jess just doesn't seem to shut up - like a child who rambles when telling a story. I'm sure a younger audience would probably enjoy this, and the story is not too bad if you can get past the silliness of special buckets and inverted songs! Definately a book for younger readers though.
December 30, 2014
I don't usually go in for stories that make me jump at small noises and want to turn on all the lights in the house, but despite that unexpected side effect, this book was pretty fantastic. Fourteen-year-old Jessica White is dragged out to an old house her mother inherited on an island called Lume. Bored out of her mind, she goes poking around in the house and the grounds, and meets a supernatural being called Epsilon. As he gives her various puzzles and cryptic hints to solve them, her mother begins to slip into madness, and she realizes this has all happened before, a hundred years ago. And the boy who was trying to unravel the clues then, Sebastian, failed to figure it out in time.
The book is written in a mix of diary entries and chat-room scripts, and it works surprisingly well. At first, some of the language was a little jarring (the main character speaks very casually, but then throws in a "quite" or a "rather"), but it didn't take long to get used to, especially once I remembered that it took place on an island off Britain. (Thus, reading it in my head in a British accent...)
The author is fantastic at building suspense. By the time I hit the half-way point, I couldn't put it down (this was also the point where I started to turn on lights and wish my house creaked less).
One of the greatest strengths of this book was how real Jess was. She was terrified out of her mind, just like anyone would be, and she kept pushing through her fears in ways that made sense for her character. Sometimes the adults in the story fed her a few too many clues, I think, but the deciphering was all Jessica's work.
All in all, fantastic read.
The book is written in a mix of diary entries and chat-room scripts, and it works surprisingly well. At first, some of the language was a little jarring (the main character speaks very casually, but then throws in a "quite" or a "rather"), but it didn't take long to get used to, especially once I remembered that it took place on an island off Britain. (Thus, reading it in my head in a British accent...)
The author is fantastic at building suspense. By the time I hit the half-way point, I couldn't put it down (this was also the point where I started to turn on lights and wish my house creaked less).
One of the greatest strengths of this book was how real Jess was. She was terrified out of her mind, just like anyone would be, and she kept pushing through her fears in ways that made sense for her character. Sometimes the adults in the story fed her a few too many clues, I think, but the deciphering was all Jessica's work.
All in all, fantastic read.
June 29, 2013
Awesome. Totally and unbelievably awesome. There were things that I learned that were pretty interesting. Then there were things that were both expected and unexpected. I totally loved the story. I've been insane for a few things doing this and that so it's been a bit of time that I haven't picked up the book, but when I had a chance to continue I just couldn't put it down. The clues, the riddles, the excitement and the nerves...it's like you're watching a movie in your head. Some things are so obvious at one point or another that it makes you want to shout at the book but then you realize that it's just that...a book. Total attention grabber. Two thumbs up and everything :)
March 27, 2010
I'm not sure why I even finished this book. It was disjointed and just plain weird. Not enough background information to make the plot believeable. Character development was severely lacking. I'm not even sure what message it was trying to get across. On the plus side, there wasn't any bad stuff in it, but that's really the only plus. Don't waste your time on this book.
February 23, 2013
I had a really hard time getting through this book. It was just so dark and left a very uncomfortable feeling with me. I really couldn't read it after dark.
I finally got into it at last, but it just felt like it went on forever. The whole first part of the book is about finding the relic, and then they find it and there's still another 200 pages left!
Not my fav!
I finally got into it at last, but it just felt like it went on forever. The whole first part of the book is about finding the relic, and then they find it and there's still another 200 pages left!
Not my fav!
January 25, 2016
The writing is nothing special. It's very simple. But the story itself is outstanding. Everything fits in a perfect jigsaw and it impresses more every time I read it. Very interesting and keeps you guessing right up to the last page.
January 22, 2011
I read this book in one night. I just couldn't put it down.
December 11, 2023
I just found a physical copy of this book in the secondhand bookstore. It rewired my brain in high school and I'm so excited to reread it sometime soon!
October 10, 2014
A.W.E.S.O.M.E. I couldn't put this book down after I started reading it . There are some twists in this book that are unexpectable. The epilogue was totally weird but yet brilliant. FANTASTIC!
February 7, 2018
The island of Lume is small. Boring. Nothing but old ruins and a lake surrounded by salty sea foam and even more old houses; not entertaining in the least for Jessica, the reluctant new inhabitant of the Big House. Her parents, enthusiastic for starting a new chapter in life, are far too excited about this. They insist on dragging her along on hikes and pestering her to get out and enjoy this new house, but all she wants is to meet with her friends and put those homeschooling books away for good. But then she finds the cottage.
It’s old, half hidden; Jessica swears it almost feels like there’s something alive about it. Most concerning about it though are the riddles. Riddles that concern her and her mother. Dangerous clues pointing to something going back through time, but they all say that unless Jess acts fast, she will lose her mother forever. That's a lot for a teenager to take in, and that's not even counting Epsilon, the strange spirit guiding her, leaving clues for her to solve and never quite answering a question. But when villains smile and the truth is wrapped in riddles, Jess has her work cut out for her.
Christine Morton-Shaw’s The Riddles of Epsilon is deeply engrossing, grabbing you and keeping you in its thrall until you've finished half the book. It's an engaging read for lovers of puzzles, adventure, and timeless things. The descriptions are beautiful, and, told from the pages of Jessica's own journal, readers will sink right into the narrative. They learn alongside Jess as she uncovers each piece of the riddle, clues appearing in the pages of the book as she writes them in her journal.
Morton-Shaw uses this somewhat uncommon literary device of narrative-through-journaling to excellent effect. Though the choice to use an external device such as a journal or letters can potentially limit or remove the readers from the story world, The Riddles of Epsilon keeps the action close at hand. If anything, the narrative is enhanced by this device. Instead of being locked within Jessica's mind or being unable to reach her through first or third person, readers see her thoughts and reactions as she processes them. This is literally her story, as she herself has penned it. The novel's narrative is shaped by her perceptions. Morton-Shaw also uses differences in font to showcase whether it is Jess's writing or not, and adds maps, symbols, patterns, and additional letters and notes that Jess finds along the way, pulling the readers deeper as the story world opens around them.
There are some instances where one might argue that the wording felt a bit lofty or advanced for a teenager to use, but I don't feel that it impedes the story at all, and it would fit for Jess’s character to have a skill with words. The journaling device is not one that I think I could employ to any degree of success long-term myself, but the use of letters, visual maps, and other journal entries are such a fantastic way to give a story life and color, and something I certainly intend to explore. If there was a sequel I would read it without a moment's hesitation, but, then again, a sequel would be hard pressed to top the wonder of the original novel.
It’s old, half hidden; Jessica swears it almost feels like there’s something alive about it. Most concerning about it though are the riddles. Riddles that concern her and her mother. Dangerous clues pointing to something going back through time, but they all say that unless Jess acts fast, she will lose her mother forever. That's a lot for a teenager to take in, and that's not even counting Epsilon, the strange spirit guiding her, leaving clues for her to solve and never quite answering a question. But when villains smile and the truth is wrapped in riddles, Jess has her work cut out for her.
Christine Morton-Shaw’s The Riddles of Epsilon is deeply engrossing, grabbing you and keeping you in its thrall until you've finished half the book. It's an engaging read for lovers of puzzles, adventure, and timeless things. The descriptions are beautiful, and, told from the pages of Jessica's own journal, readers will sink right into the narrative. They learn alongside Jess as she uncovers each piece of the riddle, clues appearing in the pages of the book as she writes them in her journal.
Morton-Shaw uses this somewhat uncommon literary device of narrative-through-journaling to excellent effect. Though the choice to use an external device such as a journal or letters can potentially limit or remove the readers from the story world, The Riddles of Epsilon keeps the action close at hand. If anything, the narrative is enhanced by this device. Instead of being locked within Jessica's mind or being unable to reach her through first or third person, readers see her thoughts and reactions as she processes them. This is literally her story, as she herself has penned it. The novel's narrative is shaped by her perceptions. Morton-Shaw also uses differences in font to showcase whether it is Jess's writing or not, and adds maps, symbols, patterns, and additional letters and notes that Jess finds along the way, pulling the readers deeper as the story world opens around them.
There are some instances where one might argue that the wording felt a bit lofty or advanced for a teenager to use, but I don't feel that it impedes the story at all, and it would fit for Jess’s character to have a skill with words. The journaling device is not one that I think I could employ to any degree of success long-term myself, but the use of letters, visual maps, and other journal entries are such a fantastic way to give a story life and color, and something I certainly intend to explore. If there was a sequel I would read it without a moment's hesitation, but, then again, a sequel would be hard pressed to top the wonder of the original novel.
March 11, 2024
This book I reread before donating it to a lending library. I read this book back in middle school, I think. It’s a fun Nancy Drew style fantasy novel filled with riddles, a hieroglyphic language, and a map of the island of Lume. Jess has to solve a mystery to save her mother’s life from an evil being that longs to bring curses on the world. It’s a fight between the balance of good and evil - several side characters introduced in this book, not knowing who to trust along the way.
It’s a fun, easy read. It kept me entertained the whole way through with cliffhangers in almost every chapter as each layer of the puzzle is uncovered. A good book for adolescents, or even pre-teens. Lots of creepy imagery and suspense - a tower with 4 menacing gargoyles statues affixed as a compass pointing to N, S, E, and W. Swans, eagles, and other wildlife are featured throughout the story as well. Several opportunities for learning about birds, navigation, and puzzle solving in this book for younger readers.
It’s a fun, easy read. It kept me entertained the whole way through with cliffhangers in almost every chapter as each layer of the puzzle is uncovered. A good book for adolescents, or even pre-teens. Lots of creepy imagery and suspense - a tower with 4 menacing gargoyles statues affixed as a compass pointing to N, S, E, and W. Swans, eagles, and other wildlife are featured throughout the story as well. Several opportunities for learning about birds, navigation, and puzzle solving in this book for younger readers.
January 31, 2020
I remember this being one of my favorite books when it first came out, fifteen years ago now. Surprisingly, it still holds up for me. I’d call it closer to middle grade than YA, so I forgive it for some things that would annoy me in a more mature book.
This is an excellent supernatural mystery for readers just getting into YA fiction, full of fun clues that you can solve for yourself if you really want to. The whole book has a great mystic and sometimes creepy atmosphere, though it stays pretty light throughout.
My only complaint is the climax of the story, which turns into a heavy handed religious allegory out of the blue. Not that I have a problem with religious allegory per se, but it seems out of place in a fun mystery for younger readers.
Overall though, this is a charmingly unique tale with an interesting and engaging way of presenting itself. And if nothing else, it’s a quick read.
This is an excellent supernatural mystery for readers just getting into YA fiction, full of fun clues that you can solve for yourself if you really want to. The whole book has a great mystic and sometimes creepy atmosphere, though it stays pretty light throughout.
My only complaint is the climax of the story, which turns into a heavy handed religious allegory out of the blue. Not that I have a problem with religious allegory per se, but it seems out of place in a fun mystery for younger readers.
Overall though, this is a charmingly unique tale with an interesting and engaging way of presenting itself. And if nothing else, it’s a quick read.
May 14, 2025
This book could be called nothing else but a thriller. It was creepy and the heroine of the story was very brave. I guess that this is also a fantasy. Parts of it were dark. Anyway, it was brilliantly written.
Jessica has moved to Lume, an island off the coast of England, into an old house. She starts finding notes a diary, and maps written by a boy named Sebastian, who lived a 100 years ago in this same house. Then her mother starts acting odd, gathering shells from the beach and lining them up in the garden, and Jess is horrified to learn that Sebastian's mom did the same thing a hundred years earlier. Sebastian's mom, Martha, disappeared and was never seen again. Jess is determined that this won't happen to her mom.
So Epsilon. What is he? I guess that the best answer is that he is a being- not human. But is he on the side of good or bad? This is what Jess must determine as she skirts around the edges of ancient evil and tries to save her family from disaster.
Jessica has moved to Lume, an island off the coast of England, into an old house. She starts finding notes a diary, and maps written by a boy named Sebastian, who lived a 100 years ago in this same house. Then her mother starts acting odd, gathering shells from the beach and lining them up in the garden, and Jess is horrified to learn that Sebastian's mom did the same thing a hundred years earlier. Sebastian's mom, Martha, disappeared and was never seen again. Jess is determined that this won't happen to her mom.
So Epsilon. What is he? I guess that the best answer is that he is a being- not human. But is he on the side of good or bad? This is what Jess must determine as she skirts around the edges of ancient evil and tries to save her family from disaster.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews