56 pages • 1 hour read
Laura Amy SchlitzSplendors and Glooms
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Splendors and Glooms follows Clara Wintermute, who, after losing her siblings to cholera, becomes enchanted and turned into a puppet by the sinister magician Grisini. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall, Grisini's helpers, uncover his dark past and flee. They are summoned by Cassandra, who seeks to rid herself of the dangerous phoenix-stone. Clara battles Grisini's control to free herself and the others.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz is lauded for its atmospheric storytelling and complex characters, captivating readers with a dark, Victorian-era fantasy. Positive feedback highlights the richly woven plot and intricate details. Some readers, however, find the pacing slow and the narrative occasionally overwhelming. Overall, it’s a mesmerizing, though sometimes dense, gothic tale.
Who Should Read Splendors and Glooms?
Readers who relish atmospheric historical fiction with a touch of dark fantasy, akin to The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern, will be captivated by Splendors and Glooms. This novel's rich Victorian-era setting and intricate plot appeals to fans of Coraline by Neil Gaiman and His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman.
RecommendedReading Age
10-14yearsLexile Level
670LBook Details
Fantasy
Historical Fiction
Mystery / Crime Fiction
Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Emotions/Behavior: Fear
History: World