Review Detail

THE DREADFUL TALE OF PROSPER REDDING is a tale that will take you into the weird, fascinating, and adventurous world of Prosper Redding.

From the beginning, I was instantly hooked by the slightly clumsy, but lovable Prosper Redding. Prosper is a 12-year-old boy from Redhood, MA, which also happens to be named after his family. He was born into a rich, respected family who is known for their many achievements throughout history. However, Prosper seems to be the outcast because nothing in his life seems to go as well as it has for his other family members.

The story starts off in Redhood, MA, during the fall time which meant there were some incredible descriptions that quickly put me in the mood or Halloween. The descriptions only got better as the book went on and the setting changed to Salem! By then, Prosper has already realized that there is a demon living inside him, he has a cousin he never knew of, and that someone is trying to kill him.

The world that Alexandra Bracken created was a complex one, but like always, she was able to make it so easy to understand. There are demons (of course), witches, worlds of ghosts, etc. and they enter Prosper’s world all in the blink of an eye. It was a lot to take in as a reader, just as it was for Prosper, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I could not ask for a more enjoyable read.

Final thoughts?

I wouldn’t compare the story to Harry Potter’s, but there was something very similar about the way both books made you feel. It was like discovering a whole new world and becoming completely immersed into it. I loved being introduced into such a vivid, creepy, and and memorable world with such lovable, flawed characters. It is one of my all-time favorite middle grade books, and one of my all-time favorite books in general. I can’t wait to re-read this one around Halloween! It is the perfect fall/Halloween read and I’d highly recommend to all those who want to find a new magical world.