Analysis Of The Sweetness - "At The Bottom Of The Pie" By Alan Bradley
The book wastes no time in getting to the mystery aspect of it. The protagonist, Flavia de Luce, is a likeable and believable character, and her sisters are insufferable without tainting the experience of reading the story itself. The writing is descriptive and complex without sounding pretentious or trying too hard. Even in slight lulls in the plot, it remains interesting and engaging. The chemistry and science aspect is also intriguing; the protagonist is extremely skilled in the subject and you get to learn more with her.
While the story progresses at a consistently quick pace, it still retains a somewhat realistic feeling to it, which is especially prominent in Flavia’s interactions with other minor characters- the conversations feel genuine and similar to those that real people have. Many of said characters have similar personalities to each other without seeming like blank-slate, default NPCs in a bad video game, which is exactly how a minor character in a story should be written. My one complaint is that they are blatant plot devices and tend to never be mentioned again after sufficient information is given.
The plot’s mystery is rapidly progressing and becoming more and more intriguing. While there are other characters present and help drive the story, she is often alone, meaning every single word written is entirely her thoughts and experiences. It’s an excellent way to allow the reader to become closely acquainted with Flavia de Luce and understand her better overall. When it comes to mystery, the reader is kept engaged without being left entirely in the dark. You never know too much or too little, only exactly what the author (Alan Bradley) wants you to know. It remains enjoyable to read no matter what’s going on, especially since the narrator has a distinctive and interesting voice. She’s not dull and objective, but her opinions or speech patterns aren’t particularly dislikeable in one way or another.
Despite the complex and in-depth mystery, everything lines up with each other and there are not any blatant plot holes or unexplained points throughout the plot. The lengthy story told by Flavia’s father is almost visible in the mind of the reader, following a distinct, vivid timeline of his past. The character of Horace Bonepenny, despite the incredibly strange and unusual name, is a believable character that may remind the reader of someone they know in their own personal life. His transition from an anxious schoolboy to the epitome of cocky is grounded in reality and convincing. The use of a penny black stamp to spell out a name - “B One Penny H,” I said, “Bonepenny, Horace.”
The antagonist, Frank Pemberton/ Bob Stanley, is hardly mentioned throughout the first half of the story, giving him little to no time to develop and form a complex character. However, he is well- written and doesn’t feel silly, like some literary antagonists. His dialogue is menacing in the best way possible. He is superficially pleasant with clear ulterior motives in every word. His interactions with Flavia are engaging and entertaining to read through, especially with her fiery sarcasm. The meaning of the seemingly irrelevant title is finally given- “The daylight at the bottom of the pit. For some unfathomable reason, the thought brought me back to Inspector Hewitt’s words as he drove me home from the County Constabulary in Hinley: Unless some sweetness at the bottom lie, who cares for all the crinkling of the pie?”.
