Did you ever find Nancy Drew obnoxiously perfect? I hated Nancy Drew. Always so blond and pleasant and smart. George resonated with me so much more: tomboy, dark hair, and to-the-point. Just like my 8 year old self!
Despite this initial distaste, I’ve had a renewed love for girl-detective mysteries lately. One book series that piqued my interest revolves around Miss Flavia de Luce, and she is a million time more nerdy and lovable than Nancy Drew. Flavia lives in a small English village in the 1950s with her widower father and two treacherous older sisters. She is not only a crime-fighter, but also an icon for women in science, and youth community engagement! If she weren’t 11 years old, she’d be my role model.
I inhaled read the first two books in the series, Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, and The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag, and I’m pretty stoked to get my paws on the third book in the series, A Red Herring Without Mustard.
She reminds me an awful lot of another beloved girl-detective character,Veronica Mars, and I’d like to think that if the two were to meet, they would get along swimmingly.
Ostracized by those close to them? Check (Veronica’s struggle against high school meanies, and Flavia’s awful sisters).
Lovable father-like character? Check (Veronica’s Dad, Keith Mars, and the de Luce’s grounds keeper, Dogger).
Absentee mother? Check (Flavia’s mother died while mountain-climbing in a far-off country, and Veronica’s mom deserted them after Keith lost his job as sheriff).
Trusted, beat-up transportation? Check (Veronica’s Le Baron car and Gladys, Flavia’s bicycle). Suburban California and rural England would have the lowest crime rates in the Western world.
Anyway, check out the books! And hey, now that I think of it, go rent season one of Veronica Mars. She’s blond like Nancy Drew, but much, much cooler.
For the record, I want you all to know that I have finally started a book I’ve been dying to read for over a year now, and it’s called The Golden Mean, and it’s a fabulous book and you should all read it.
