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A review by mwgerard
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
https://www.mwgerard.com/review-fellowship-puzzlemakers/
Clayton’s childhood sounds like an modern myth. As a baby, he was left on the front steps of a retirement home. He grew up among the Fellowship for Puzzlemakers, a group of enigmatologists, codebreakers, and crossword setters who share a reclaimed country estate.
Clayton’s childhood sounds like an modern myth. As a baby, he was left on the front steps of a retirement home. He grew up among the Fellowship for Puzzlemakers, a group of enigmatologists, codebreakers, and crossword setters who share a reclaimed country estate.
His childhood is a happy, if unconventional one, surrounded by a dozen surrogate grandparents. Now 29, he finds himself perfectly content with his insular life. But when Pippa, the matriarch of the group (and the head of the estate’s management) dies, Clayton is forced to investigate his origins. The answers may be unexpected but they may also hold the key to saving the Fellowship.
Pippa created a scavenger hunt of clues and puzzles for Clayton to solve, leading him to the information he will need to discover his true identity. The novel prints these out so the reader can play along. Indeed, there are even times when a pencil is of great assistance (Don’t worry — each one is solved within the story so the reader doesn’t have to engage at the puzzle-solving level).
Cleverly, the narrative movies between Clayton’s present day adventure and episodes from the past. This includes the founding of the Fellowship and plenty of interpersonal drama giving the reader plenty of character development in between the puzzles.
Burr manages to tell a touching story without being saccharine. At the same time, the frivolity of puzzles does not detract from the heart of the narrative, which is all about finding where you belong.
Cleverly, the narrative movies between Clayton’s present day adventure and episodes from the past. This includes the founding of the Fellowship and plenty of interpersonal drama giving the reader plenty of character development in between the puzzles.
Burr manages to tell a touching story without being saccharine. At the same time, the frivolity of puzzles does not detract from the heart of the narrative, which is all about finding where you belong.