  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 12/01/2014 Gr 5–8—History meets mystery in this story in which the author reimagines the lives of Ada Byron and Mary Shelley as two girls who meet in 1826 London, agree to form a secret detective agency, and embark upon a series of adventures together. Ada (who will later become known as Lady Lovelace, often considered the world's first computer programmer) is a reclusive genius, lacking in social skills. Mary, who will one day become the author of the classic novel Frankenstein, is observant and a bit romantic. While the author admits to taking a few liberties with historical facts (for example, some of the characters were much further apart in age than are presented in the story), there are plenty of historical and scientific tidbits that may inspire readers to investigate the real-life figures as well as their discoveries and creations evolve. A good fit for Common Core curricula and a fun overall read, this is a winner.—Jessica Marie, Salem Public Library, OR - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 12/15/2014 Stratford creates an alternate nineteenth-century London, peoples it with a number of historical figures, and changes those figures’ ages and life stories to suit his narrative. Ada Byron, 11, and Mary Godwin, 14, start a detective agency in Victorian London. Ably assisted by their young acquaintance Charles and their tutor, Percy, the young ladies investigate the mystery of a stolen jewel and chase down the thief in a hot-air balloon. Although the stylized, black-and-white illustrations are pleasing, the detective-story plot is somewhat unconvincing, and the entire narrative is a bit mannered and top-heavy with eminent Victorians. Still, even readers unfamiliar with Ada Byron Lovelace, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Charles Dickens will enjoy the two protagonists. Ada is an entertainingly eccentric character, and Mary is a sympathetic, perceptive one. In the appended notes, Stratford comments on aspects of the historical period as well as eight people characterized or mentioned in the book. Readers intrigued by the young detectives can look forward to further volumes in the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series. - Copyright 2014 Booklist. Loading...
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