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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another great in the James III series, 12 July 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Dido and Pa (Red Fox Older Fiction) (Paperback)
Dido Twite's quest to find Simon again has finally led her back to London, where the ever-present conspiracy against the king of England is taking a new twist. Kidnapped by her own father to help assasinate him, Dido is led into the intrigue in this beatifully written, exciting, pacey book. I particularly liked the Birthday Club.
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2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best in the series!, 15 Sep 2008
A gritty and sinister adventure story, perhaps the peak of the Aiken series, the book starts by joining a few loose ends from the other books.
Simon, now fully instated as Duke of Battersea, and staunch supporter of the incumbent King Richard, discovers his childhood friend Dido near the isolated village of Petworth, but before he can bring her back to his castle, Mr Twite makes a reappearance, and kidnaps his daughter, bringing her to a seedy area of London, where his benefactor, the truly evil Margrave of Nordmarck has plans to unseat good King Richard, killing off all his close friends and replacing him with and impersonator. A foreign man, chosen because of likeness to the king, who Dido is teaching English. The resourceful and loveable Dido manages to break free and with the help of the mystery shrouded Birthday League, defeat the schemes of the Margrave and her Father. This is one of Joan Aiken's best and darkest books, reintroducing most of her best heroes and villains. Mr Twite is a masterpiece, and even when he is devoured by wolves, we are confused as to rejoice or mourn. Dido once again pulls off her role of the plucky, savvy street child in this extraordinary tale. Recommended ages 6 to wherever!
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Joan Aiken is a genius, 14 Jun 2001
By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Dido and Pa (Paperback)
Firstly, a previous reader was incorrect in stating that Is was Penelope's daughter; she is, in fact, Penny and Dido's half-sister, their father's child by another woman. I also disagree with that reviewer's assertion that Dido and Pa was formulaic and stale; it is, in fact, my favorite novel in the series of nine, and, tragically, the only one out of print. Dido *finally* reunites with Simon, older, wiser, and worldly. The two are very happy to be together again at last, although their joyous reunion, in typical Aiken fashion, does not last long. Aiken's plots are water-tight and well-developed, interesting, lively, and full of skilled foreshadowing. If this is a formula, oh that it were one all writers followed! I'm hoping beyond hope that Ms. Aiken will resolve Simon and Dido's fate in a new novel-she focuses on every character except my two favorites!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dido Twite: Role model, 18 Aug 2004
By Rebecca Crawford - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Dido and Pa (Paperback)
I read these books when I was much younger, and re-read them every time I come back to my parents' house. They are incredibly well written; characters, plot, and dialogue are all wonderfully done.
Dido is possibly one of the best female children's characters ever written, and I'd even argue that she's one of the best female characters ever, forget children's books. She is resourceful, irreverent, intelligent, moral, funny, and completely unsanitized. I love all of the books in this series, but this one is my favorite.
The only reason that these could be called "children's" books is that there's no sex. They absolutely do not underestimate the intelligence of the reader. Joan Aiken writes young adult novels in the style of Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander -- these books are terrifying, beautiful, chilling, funny and intelligent in a way that children's books no longer are and *should* be. Joan Aiken will be sorely missed.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dido strikes again, 29 July 2003
By "stardust86490" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Dido and Pa (Paperback)
This is a lovely adventurous book that will suck you right into the story. I must say however that after the Auther finished writing the other books in the series I think she sort of ran out of ideas. This book brings back Dido Twite the heroine from three of the previous books. She is back in England and meets up with her infamous father once with him she stumbles on a hanoravian plot(again!) that is trying to dispose of the King. Held prisoner by her father and the other hanoravians Dido must find a way to escape and save the day. Helped along by some old friends and a host of new charecters you can be sure Dido will, through wit and daring once again becomes Englands youngest hero. I gave this book four stars because it is a very exciting and enjoyable read. Even more so if you have not read the others in the series that star Dido. For those of you that have well all I can say is read this book fully expecting a similiar plot to several of the others and enjoy it for its interesting new charecters and to be able to reconnect with some of the interesting old ones.
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