The Thuggery Affair

[owl]

I thought people were more likely to have read it now that GGBP have had it out for a bit.



The secret language didn't bother me too much on rereading—I could decode most of it. The thing that seemed most unlikely to me was that the Thuggery must have been in the village for some time. Given that, it seems a little unlikely that Patrick and Nicola were wandering the countryside alone without any comment from the adults (and we never hear of any repercussions from the night in the haystack, either), which I think there would have been if the Thuggery had been on the loose.

What do you all think? Any other opinions on the book?

Comments

[ex-ajhalluk585.livejournal.com]

Although there are some very good bits in the Thuggery Affair (Lawrie's infamous Sophia Lawrence impersonation, for example) it is by a long way my least favourite of the books. No Nicola, to begin with, a really silly plot (though less silly when explained than when assumed by the participants) and that impenetrably dotty slang. The only real reason to read it (apart of course from Stand in the trench, Achilles, flame-capped and shout for me and Lawrie's impromptu Mary-Sueish Colebridge Advertiser entry about the canoe disaster-that-wasn't, and Great Aunt Eulalie's work of antiquarian interest and the sidelight of interest on the dagger which "had not found itself in such congenial company" since Patrick's ancestor had been turned off at Tyburn, and the real reason Ann doesn't lend her bike to other family members, and the steam engine and the best traditions of the Service ) is to note that even Antonia Forest at her worst makes other children's writers look ordinary.

[owl]

You've just about listed all my favourite parts. I too loved Peter and the best traditions of the Service and the steamroller to the rescue, and Lawrie's newspaper article (which was a great way to get in names and ages without being too info-dump-ish). And Westbridge must have been lively in the 18th century, what with Patrick's Tyburn ancestor and the Marlow who was suspected of raising the devil (definitely not in the traditions of the Service, that one).

[joyfully82.livejournal.com]

I've just this week got this from GGPB and read it for the first time. I didn't mind the slang (expecting worse from what I'd heard of it before, but I think it might be more annoying on further reading).
Think jediowl right in saying it seems a bit odd about the Thuggery being about before - I also think that the adults don't actually seem to have much opinion on them at all, apart from vaguely thinking they're responsible for things. No-one seems to really consider them a real threat to anything, more as a convenient local scapegoat.
I liked Lawrie's chicklet, especially when she found she couldn't be Sophia any more and there not being a Nicola didn't seem to bother me too much...
I think I'm not really sure yet, I'll see when I've read it again!
Like to read what others think though!

[anstruther.livejournal.com]

I hadn't thought of the point about the Thuggery milling around before, but you're right, it doesn't sit easily with the licence of movement of the earlier books. The secret language has always been something that jarred because I find it so unlikely that Patrick would have been able to understand it. I know an explanation is given in the book but it didn't convince me!

The assumptions Peter and Patrick make about the Thuggery's activities, which are essential to the plot, seem entirely unjustified on the basis of the known facts (notwithstanding that they are correct); the other glaring plot hole as far as I'm concerned is the sheer lack of judgement displayed by Patrick and Peter in not enlisting adult help. I know they're only teenagers, but still... AF justified "keeping the adults out" much better, i.e., entirely credibly, in Run Away Home.

The lack of Nicola isn't a particular problem for me, much as I like her, and there some great bits in there (see ajhall's post above), but overall it's definitely one of the weakest books in the series.

[owl]

Yes, Patrick understanding the lingo and Peter knowing about pigeons and their cunning deductions being exactly right were a bit much. It might have been interesting if they had run with the spy theory for a bit longer. Of course, knowing about Traitor, we know exactly why Lawrie and Peter jump to that particular conclusion at first.

Run Away Home's lack of adults works, I think, because of Giles and Rowan, who are adults, but young enough to take Edward's side and run insane risks for him.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I came to The Thuggery Affair expecting not to enjoy it much, since I'd read so many reviews saying it was the weakest of the books. As it turned out, I didn't find the slang as impenetrable as I was expecting, and Patrick and Jukie's journey may be my favourite episode in any of the books.

I also thought it rang odd that the Thuggery hadn't been mentioned, but decided that since I was willing to suspend disbelief to allow all the books happen in the space of 18 months (or whatever it is), I'd give a bit of slack on that one too! :-)

[owl]

I had the same thing with not-too-high expectations, and liked it better than I had thought I would.