A Tangle of Knots
Lisa Graff
Book Summary
In a world about Talents, hot air balloons and cake! The main characters include, A Talent snatcher named Mason who can't make the perfect peanut butter. To a girl who doesn't know her Talent, is a Tangle of Knots
Characters\/
Cady, an orphan that has a talent for cake baking and made a perfect cake for everyone. She has a tragic life though, her mom died, her dad gave her up for adoption, and then gets reunited with her family.
Mrs. Mallory, an orphanage owner with the talent of family making. Although she is scared to let Cady go to a family, she knows it is right . But the family Mrs. Mallory gives her to, is already related to Cady. By blood!
The man in the grey suit, a salesman with the talent of knot tying although he sounds mysterious, he doesn't play much of a role in the book.
Toby, a man who has a complicated life. With a mother in law who's deaf to a wife who's not alive. A daughter he lost, then he found, to a dad who's evil. This is a man named Toby.
Will, a kid with a pet ferret named sally who has the talent of getting lost. He is Marigold, and Zane's brother who goes on quite the adventure.
Marigold, A girl who doesn't have a talent but is friends with almost every one. She is also related to all the Ashers, Zane, Will, and Mrs. Asher.
Zane, a kid who thinks he's worthless with the talent of perfect spitting. You may think he's bad but he's actually not.
Mason a.k.a the owner, A man with the talent of talent stealing, and he thinks he needs to find his mother's perfect peanut butter recipe. He is just one mean man.
Victoria Valence a.k.a "V", is the mom of Caroline, who was married to Toby. Caroline and Toby had a baby who's name is Cady
Are you interested yet? Well if you are read, A Tangle of Knots, by Lisa Graff
A Tangled Summary
In the beginning, a young man named Mason Burgess waits for a bus, thinking about his life's Fate, watching a young girl who has a Talent for playing jacks. He is a little startled when a very large man appears and begins complimenting him on his suitcase, which is an old but sturdy, blue suitcase with silver writing spelling out St. Anthony's. Inside that well-loved suitcase is this young man's fortune. A piece of paper that means the world to him. The way the older man's eyes are facing makes the suitcase owner a little bit nervous, but he tells himself that the stranger is just trying to make conversation. Mason engages himself in the conversation by speaking with large man, and learns that the other man is a traveling salesman. He displays a variety of knots that hang from the inside of his suit jacket. The salesman admits to a Talent of knot-tying. As Mason prepares to board his bus, the stranger tells him to keep an eye on his suitcase. Which somehow manages to vanish, with the piece of paper inside.
A long time away from this encounter, we start with Cady's story. Cady lives at Miss. Mallory's Home For Lost Girls, which most people call an orphanage. But, because of Miss. Mallory's Talent ( making the perfect family) there is only usually one kid at the orphanage, 11 year old Cady. Cady has a very enjoyable Talent, baking the perfect cake , for anyone! Despite her Talent, Miss. Mallory has not been able to place her with her perfect family, also she has returned from six families. But she is still hopeful.Not to far from that event, the Owner of the Lost Luggage Emporium, places a "rooms for rent" sign on his door, even though he isn't enthusiastic about being a landlord, he needs the money. His talent is hovering two inches off the floor, and he has a little trick up his sleeve for acquiring other peoples talents.
Finally, when the emporium's upstairs apartments fill up, it houses certain people who combine their stories, weaving together an extremely interesting mystery..... and finally, a very satisfying conclusion. Later, we meet Marigold Asher, Will, (and his sidekick ferret, Sally) has a passion for adventure, and a Talent for disappearing. Her older brother Zane, has a Talent for spitting, which will force the Asher's to leave their apartment to lodge at the Owner's Emporium. We also meet the mysterious old woman who everyone calls "V" because, although she has a stroke and can't speak, she wears a locket inscribed with a V. Dolores, Marigold's mother, always wears an unusually hairpin. Her talent is knitting, and she extremely nice. When she delivered her knitted blankets to the hospital, she meets V. And Toby is another character who has a twisted past, present, and future. That is my summary. What's yours?
Characters
Cady
Mason
Toby
Advice Column
Dear Logan,
How do I figure out what my favorite cake is?"
Thanks, Cady
Dear Cady ,
Well, you choose what you like. So, if you like a chocolate cake with sprinkles, or a Nutella cake with strawberries, than that is the cake for you. But for once, think of what you would like. If it was up to me though, I think you would be good with a cherry, chocolate almond cake, because of your personality, and skill. The chocolate for how sweet you are, the almond for your little sliver of rage, and the cherries for more sweetness. An the cake is to show your cake baking skill.
Sincerely, Logan
"Thanks Logan!"
Editorial
Cliffhanger!!!!
Dear Lisa,
I would like to say that this book has too many cliffhangers. Like on page 3, the author states," Maybe my real and true family will step out of the fog." Right there is a prime example of a cliffhanger. There is a really good part, and then it just stops. Leaving the reader clueless of why the chapter ended. Especially if you are in a school reading group, its like you are on a really good part, and then it stops and you have to wait till tomorrow to read more. That is one thing I definitely do NOT like about the book.
Sincerely, Logan
Logan
Email: 12823@students.pasd.us
Location: Forge Road Elementary School, South Forge Road, Palmyra, PA, United States