The Rise of the House of McNally - Softcover

Ardagh, Philip

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0571210996 ISBN 13: 9780571210992

Publisher: Faber and Faber, 2005

Synopsis

First there was The Fall of Fergal, then Heir of Mystery, both deemed Unlikely Exploits by British author Philip Ardagh, creator of the Eddie Dickens trilogy. In the third (and last) installment, readers, especially those new to the series, will be catapulted into chaos in Chapter One as four motley characters escape unseen danger through a time-travel Doughnut; a large earthquake is recorded in Australia; and Le Fay McNally is confronted with the creepy, pumpkin-headed Mr. Maggs, who was thought to have fallen to his death in the previous book. The next chapter introduces the rest of the secretly magical McNally siblings, Fay's twin brothers Albie and Josh, her older sister Jackie (who can transform into a jackal at will), and even Fergal, who died in the first book but who now seems to be a dog. Readers may have trouble trying to make sense of all this even as the author loads up the pages with the back story -- particularly since the novel rewinds and fast-forwards in a deliberately jerky fashion. Perhaps the point is to instead relax and revel in Ardagh's chatty style, wry first-person narrative asides, and vivid character descriptions. David Roberts' quirky black-and-white illustrations suit this time-travel tale to a T. (Ages 9 to 12) --Karin Snelson

About this title

About the Author

Over two metres tall, with a bushy beard, Philip Ardagh is not only very hairy but has also written over sixty books for all ages. He is extremely versatile with many talents. Not only is he very knowledgeable about serious subjects but he also writes very funny books that make lots of people laugh. His best-selling series' for children include the Eddie Dickens trilogy and the Unlikely Exploits series. He also writes expertly compiled and researched non-fiction, The Archaeologist's Handbook, Why Are Castles Castle-Shaped?, Did Dinosaurs Snore? and The Hieroglyphs Handbook.

Review

"'A mixture of surrealism and sophistication... the stories and characters can certainly out-Snicket Lemony.' Carousel; 'A scrumptious cross between Dickens and Monty Python.' Guardian"

Edition details

• Publisher: Faber and Faber
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0571210996
• ISBN 13: 9780571210992
• Binding: Paperback