The Secret Book of Flora Lea by Patti Callahan HenryMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
The Secret Book of Flora Lea is history and magic undone by mediocre writing. If the book’s central question is, “what happened to Flora Lea Linden?” then much of the text is extraneous. The chapters set around Flora’s disappearance read like creative nonfiction about Operation Pied Piper and WWII London. Hazel looking for Flora in the 60s after finding a manuscript featuring their secret fairytale land takes a number of odd turns that are meant to heighten tension but only distract from the greater plot. (There's a few chapters where Hazel might not get her dream job for a rather silly reason that is then deux ex machina'ed away.) The most compelling setting here is the make-believe land of Whisperwood, but we get to see it so little that it feels extraneous. There’s also the trope of characters being whip smart when the plot requires but oblivious to plot holes and others who only exist to manufacture tension. Flora Lea is an engaging, wonderful premise but stumbles off the blocks and never quite recovers.
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