READING RESPONSE: THE RUBY IN THE SMOKE BY PHILIP PULLMAN

Having recently finished The Westing Game, I have started a new mystery book called The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman. This book is about a young girl living in Victorian London named Sally Lockhart whose father drowned at sea. She receives a dangerous clue and eventually Sally finds herself involved in a mystery about her father's death, and she is determined to uncover the truth.

I think that later in the story, Sally will discover an important clue to the mystery and will find a partner to help her solve it. Sally is a spunky and strong female lead, which I can relate to. She has a goal, and she will do anything to reach it, which shows her determined personality, a trait I would love to have in common with her.

The author of this book, Philip Pullman, strongly focuses on descriptive flashbacks,and by doing so he allows the reader to enter thoughts of the past. 


" And she could not escape from the dream. It unwound ceaselessly, and she had to live through it. She knew what was coming next: a guttering candle, a man's voice-
Look! Look at him! My god - It was the voice of Major Marchbanks!"

Philip Pullman wants us to use our minds and solve a complicated mystery, but I think he also wants us to really be involved in the book; involved in the mind of a young Victorian girl whose trying to solve a big and dangerous mystery.

READING RESPONSE: THE WESTING GAME BY ELLEN RASKIN

Currently, I am reading a wonderful book called The Westing Game by an author named Ellen Raskin. Since I am only about five chapters into the book, I don't know the entire plot line, but I will explain as much as I can. The story is an intriguing mystery about sixteen people, ranging from ages twelve to sixty three, who become the unlikely heirs of a very rich man, Samuel Westing. But in order to obtain the millions of dollars, the sixteen characters must play a dangerous game, which no one truly know how to play. If you succeed, the money is yours. If you fail, you will go back to leading your average boring life.

I predict that the sixteen people will all face some personal issue will playing "the Westing Game" and will have to find a way to overcome it and other obstacles if they truly want the money. I can relate to the youngest of the sixteen heirs, Turtle Wexler. Turtle is curious about the past of Mr. Westing, and decides to do some snooping of her own, which only leads her into more trouble.

Ellen Raskin, the author of this book. Is a writer who uses tools such as metaphors. In her individual chapters on each character, she uses metaphor to describe their personality. For example, one of the heirs, who surprisingly is a maid, is written about as a "crow" because she is silent and deadly.

I believe that the author wants us to think about how money can make people do astonishing things, which in the end often isn't worth it. While reading, my main question about the book is who will win the Westing Game? Because, of course, everyone wants to know who succeeds. And who fails.