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Reviewed by: Lisa Rice, Middle School Librarian Title: No One Leaves the Castle Author: Christopher Healy Publisher: Walden Pond Press
Year: 2023 Good for Grades: 4-7 Genre/Type of Book: J fantasy, mystery, adventure, magic, humor
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: language, gross out humor, gore, murder, use of weapons, verbal threats, a creepy castle that could be scary to younger readers Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: The front cover looked fun- a scary looking castle with some interesting looking characters in the windows, and the door to the castle looks like a skull. Plus the tagline, "Solve the mystery, break the spell" intrigued me. On the back cover, it said, "If Agatha Christie ran the funniest D&D campaign in the world," and touted this book as a "locked room mystery." A creepy old castle, a locked room mystery to be solved, and some fun looking characters- count me in! If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: "We possess the ability to write our own past by being heroes in our future." -Minty, page 365
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Review:
I don't know how I have missed Christopher Healy books all this time, but this will not be my last book by him! I need all of his books! There were times I was embarrassed that I was reading this quirky, whodunit fantasy in public because I had to work hard to stifle my laughter- and a lot of it is pure gross out humor that you just don't want to have to explain! There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor, play on words, and humor that reminded me of Monty Python. I love this author's sense of humor, and all the surprises and twists in the book. It reminds me of a Clue and Knives Out vibe for middle schoolers. I think my middle schoolers will love this book!
The quite funny narrator takes us through the story, interjecting his own thoughts and humor and guidance along the way. Our narrator is not shy and states, "The narrator gig goes to my head sometimes" (page 376). There is a whole cast of interesting and quirky characters with fun names you probably haven't heard of in other books: Gribbinsnood Flornt, The Lilac (named after the color, not the flower), Dulcinetta the Dulcet-Toned, Porphadora Dimplebutter, Madame Grizzabelle Bellagrizzle, Periwinkle Petalblossombreezesong the elf, Chauncy McFeatherfella, and the Morley Mountain School of Seemliness and Suairty. Honestly, they sound like names my middle schoolers use in their creative writing! There are some interesting spells cast that you won't hear about in Harry Potter, such as the Noisy Elbow, and the Bacon Transmutation, and one so scary, it cannot even be discussed. There are some characters who have a life-long fear of soap, leading to some of the worst body odor in the kingdom. What I liked best about the characters was the voice that Healy gave each character, and the fact that each character struggles with something and has something to offer, exactly like life itself.
The setting of the book is the town of Bramstoke, where the roads are paved only if there are enough bones to line the road with. The street signs are actual arrows pointing the way, sometimes with small animals still impaled on them. Here you can buy owl pellet pies and gently used arrows ("fired thrice, cleaned twice"). A bounty hunter is needed because the Emerald Axe (or is it only a spatula?) of Angbar has been stolen by Runar the Unknowable. Runar is perhaps the most well-known sorcerer in Carpagia, an "old-school sorcerer from back in the days when the only people casting spells were barefoot weirdos in the woods" (page 30). The Lilac is perhaps the greatest bounty hunter in the Thirteen Kingdoms (or perhaps she is something else entirely...) and sets out to find Runar. Dulcinetta ("Netta") is going to follow The Lilac ("Bounty hunter names have to have a color in them. It's a longstanding tradition," p. 160) and chronicle her exploits, since she is newer to bounty hunting, as in she has never done it before. Netta makes up songs throughout the book, informing us about events and characters, that are hysterically funny.
There are some interesting questions this book raises that could make for a fun discussion: How do you solve a murder when there is magic involved? Is Runar lost or stolen...or dead? If you steal a pig, are you a ham-burglar? Is the murder of the queen's parrot called a burder? There is so much fun word play!
There is some language, or what I might say is middle school humor: "You ungrateful gopher turd," (page 330), and some threats of violence: "I'll have you squeezed until your liver pops through your navel! I'll melt your toenails!" (page 329). I think this will add to the appeal for a middle school audience but might be too much for younger readers.
I like that the author provides chapter names because it makes it fun to predict with students what they think the chapter will be about. There's a lot of good vocabulary words for the middle school level. The book addresses ethical dilemmas in a fun way, but in a way that can lead to a discussion of real-world issues. For example, magic should be for the masses and not just for the wealthy and elite. (page 211) What other things should be a given, for the masses? There are themes of "girl power" with two of the main characters being girls, one of whom is a bounty hunter. The book addresses friendships and loyalty and that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and we all have secrets we keep just to ourselves. Honestly, though, I would just use this book for a fun read with my students!
If there was something I would change, it would be to add pictures. It seems like more and more middle school books have pictures (maybe to lure readers of graphic novels?)- some have many pictures, and others have some scattered throughout, but I would love to see some of these characters in action!
I loved this book much more than I thought I would, and I am off to find more Christopher Healy books! I will have no problem recommending this book to my middle schoolers, and that they have some cream puffs to snack on nearby!
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Find this video and other resources for No One Leaves the Castle at Teachingbooks.net
For more information about this book, see the Publishers Website