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Spring-Heeled Jack
Philip Pullman Book Review

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Plot Summary of Spring-Heeled Jack
"In Victorian London, the children Rose, Lily and little Ned have been inmates of an orphanage for 18 months since their father's ship sank in the Indian Ocean and their mother died soon after. But conditions are awful and their captors venial and cruel, so the kids decide to escape to America by sneaking down to the docks and stowing away on a ship. Unfortunately, they are nabbed by the evil crime boss Mack the Knife, who notices a precious locket on Rose's neck. But Spring-Heeled Jack, the righter of wrongs who is able to leap to great heights, will save the day and set the kids on their proper way. Many other surprises are in store. This trim book, told extensively with cartoons by David Mostyn as well as text by Pullman, is delightfully witty and engaging. (Grownups will get a kick out of the many sophisticated jokes, such as the Saveloy Hotel menu on p. 49.)"
David Loftus, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Spring-Heeled Jack
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - humorous
Time/era of story - 19th century
Kids growing up/acting up? Yes
Crime & Police story Yes
Story of - kidnapping
Is this an adult or child's book? - Age 11-14
Age group of kid(s) in story: - grade school
Parents/lack of parents problem? - orphan story

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - champion of justice
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - is very quick
Ethnicity/Nationality - British
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 ()
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
City? Yes
City: - London
Misc setting - resort/hotel

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
Unusual Style: - No single main character?
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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