Pure Dead Brilliant ANNOTATION
Time travel, a computer virus that's deadly to humans, and other strange things begin to happen when some would-be witches come to stay with the eccentric Strega-Borgia family.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Nearing his thirteenth birthday (and his massive inheritance), Titus is about to become a millionaire. But as usual, things are amiss at StregaSchloss. Evil Uncle Lucifer is after the Borgia fortune again, but this time he's the least of their problems. First, Titus and Pandora could certainly do without the onslaught of house guests -- their mother's student-witch classmates -- one of whom may be a foul-smelling, soul-harvesting demon with an extremely unpleasant agenda. Worse still is the spectacle the siblings witness on their hysterical laptop: a dreadful forecast of their future. And meanwhile, baby Damp has gotten much better than her mother at waving umbrellas around and casting spells.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
In Pure Dead Brilliant, Debi Gliori's follow-up to Pure Dead Magic and Pure Dead Wicked, things are as chaotic as ever at the family castle StregaSchloss. Twelve-year-old Titus is about to inherit his grandfather's entire fortune-if his Uncle Lucifer doesn't get his hands on it instead, and strange things start happening when Titus's mother invites her witch classmates to visit. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature - Janet Crane Barley
Pure dead brilliant, Glaswegian slang for "very fine indeed," fits this book brilliantly. It begins with a dramatis personae, describing the story's zany characters and ends with a "gliossary" defining with delicious humor some unfamiliar terms. In between, the story of the Strega-Borgia family who live at Strega-Schloss in Argyll and Bute, Scotland focuses on Titus. He is approaching his 13th birthday when he will inherit his grandfather's ill-gotten fortune, although with the attached strings, it might better be called a misfortune. At first his sister Pandora is jealous, but when she realizes things aren't as they seem, she becomes his ally. Their sister, Damp, is a baby magus who makes strange things happen. Adding complications to the story, their mother, a not-very-talented witch has invited her classmates from the Institute of Applied Witchcraft for a house party/practice session. A few of the important characters are Alpha, centaur and librarian; Tarantella, a tarantula with attitude; and Astoroth, second minister of the Hadean executive with special responsibility for pacts and soul harvests, who meets a particularly appropriate fate. Then there are dragons, rats, crocodiles, and long-dead ancestors-in short, all the ingredients to make a bewitching story. Ms. Gliori, who lives in Scotland, spices her book with intriguing Scottish terms and references, including Robert the Bruce and the Loch Ness monster, as well as the dreadful midges which inaccurately are translated as gnats in the American edition. 2003, Alfred A. Knopf, Ages 9 to 14.
School Library Journal
Gr 4-7-Young readers will be "dging fain" at the arrival of the third installment of the zany adventures of the Strega-Borgia clan. Young Titus is about to inherit a massive fortune from his mafioso grandfather, and his family won't leave him alone. Between their mother's witchy houseguests-one of whom might well be plotting evil-and a definitely evil uncle's nefarious plans to get the fortune for himself, the Strega-Borgias barely have time to breathe, and the Beasts in residence are once again in rare form. Gliori's excellent turn of phrase and sense of humor will instantly draw readers into the mystical world of StregaSchloss and its inhabitants. Readers will roar as each page turns and new, even more preposterous scenarios arise. The "Gliossary" in the back is also a helpful touch for the wee laddies and lassies new to Scottish slang. Filled with fun phrasing and plenty of scatological bits thrown in for good measure, the story is sure to be popular with fans of the first two outings.-Elaine Baran Black, Gwinnett County Public Library, Lawrenceville, GA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
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