The Valley of Secrets

I wasn’t sure about this one because the blurb on the back didn’t say much about the story other than that it involved an orphaned boy who suddenly finds out that he’s the only beneficiary in a never-before-seen great-uncle’s will. But it takes place in Cornwall, which is, as any folklore lover knows, one of the most mysterious places on earth. We first meet Stephen Lansbury as he’s just finished a course in botany and is fretting over whether to return to the children’s home where he grew up or set off on his own. An elegant letter from Postlethwaite and Postlethwaite arrives, which brings Stephen to an odd interview with an ancient lawyer nestled comfortably in an office overrun by a jungle of plants. Bertie Postlethwaite show more informs Stephen that his great-uncle Theodore Lansbury has left him an estate in Cornwall, and Stephen should be getting on there right away to “take care of things.”

With a train ticket and 100 pounds from Mr. Postlethwaite in his pocket, Stephen heads to the wilds of Cornwall. There he finds gates that mysteriously open, overgrown grounds, and an empty but spotless manor house. As he explores, Stephen begins to notice things. Like the strange “woomp, woomp” calls in the forest, the fact that the house has no electricity, that some of the rooms have thick layers of dust all over everything while others are spotless, the odd hammocks hung in the library and in a room upstairs, and the creepy feeling that he’s being watched. Eventually, Stephen finds his great-uncle’s journals and becomes privy to a grand adventure had by his uncle and his friend B. As the days and weeks pass, Stephen comes to realize that his uncle brought part of his adventure home with him, a revelation that solidifies when Stephen finds an injured animal of a type he’s never seen before. He nurses the animal back to health, and is eventually led by the animal to find the greatest secret of all.

I confess that I am a sucker for stories that involve mysterious houses, unexpected inheritances and great secrets, so this book captivated me immediately. As I read, I felt like I was gently being led down a path and at the end I would find a fabulous gift. And that’s just what I found at the end of this story. The events unfolded at exactly the right pace, and the characters were all wonderfully drawn. The only thing I didn’t appreciate was the author’s occasional tendency to preach about the destruction of the rainforest. Although the topic was certainly pertinent to the story, the facts were presented awkwardly and didn’t really fit into the narration. All in all, though, this was a lovely, gentle story…give it a try. show less

The Valley of Secrets by Charmian Hussey is a secret treasure of fascinating facts about the Amazon set within a novel about a teenage boy who embarks on a mysterious journey to Cornwall, England. Teenager Stephen Lansbury has lived his whole life in an orphanage believing that he had no family to speak of. One day, out of the blue, an odd letter arrives for him. The letter requests that he meet with lawyer, Albert Postlethwaite. To Stephen's amazement, he is informed that he has inherited a grand estate named Lansbury Hall, left to him by his great uncle, Theodore! He is shocked by the gift, but even more disturbing is the fact that he has family that knew about his existence. Stephen is at once thrilled and bewildered, scared and show more excited. Upon arriving at the estate, he is met with strange plants and animals and Stephen wonders about their origin. As the days wear on, and he becomes acquainted with the grounds and house, mysterious occurrences seem to be happening, not the least of which is a feeling that he is being watched and followed. To alleviate some of these fears, he takes advantage of the massive library and settles into a comfy chair to read. Stephen stumbles upon his great uncle's journals that ultimately reveal the reasons for the lush gardens and the unusual objects scattered throughout the house. In addition, he learns the truth about his family and the demise that fell upon them. But most importantly, he learns about his great uncle's journeys, loves, and family. A family that becomes Stephen's as well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, not only for the fantastic journey it took me on, but also for the delight in the desciptions and stories of life in the Amazon. Theodore's journals take us back through time, to the early 20th century, when the Amazon was mysterious and glorious, but was in danger of being destroyed by greedy rubber barons who only saw profit in these forests of rich and beautiful wildlife. If you are a lover of animals, you will delight in the antics and intelligence of the playful animals that inhabit the grounds around the Lansbury estate. I found I had a hard time putting this book down, as I, too, 'traveled' with Stephen into Theodore's by-gone Amazon world show less

The Valley of Secrets by Charmian Hussey - I wasn't sure about this one because the blurb on the back didn't say much about the story other than that it involved an orphaned boy who suddenly finds out that he's the only beneficiary in a never-before-seen great-uncle's will. But it takes place in Cornwall, which is, as any folklore lover knows, one of the most mysterious places on earth. We first meet Stephen Lansbury as he's just finished a course in botany and is fretting over whether to return to the children's home where he grew up or set off on his own. An elegant letter from Postlethwaite and Postlethwaite arrives, which brings Stephen to an odd interview with an ancient lawyer nestled comfortably in an office overrun by a jungle show more of plants. Bertie Postlethwaite informs Stephen that his great-uncle Theodore Lansbury has left him an estate in Cornwall, and Stephen should be getting on there right away to "take care of things."

With a train ticket and 100 pounds from Mr. Postlethwaite in his pocket, Stephen heads to the wilds of Cornwall. There he finds gates that mysteriously open, overgrown grounds, and an empty but spotless manor house. As he explores, Stephen begins to notice things. Like the strange "woomp, woomp" calls in the forest, the fact that the house has no electricity, that some of the rooms have thick layers of dust all over everything while others are spotless, the odd hammocks hung in the library and in a room upstairs, and the creepy feeling that he's being watched. Eventually, Stephen finds his great-uncle's journals and becomes privy to a grand adventure had by his uncle and his friend B. As the days and weeks pass, Stephen comes to realize that his uncle brought part of his adventure home with him, a revelation that solidifies when Stephen finds an injured animal of a type he's never seen before. He nurses the animal back to health, and is eventually led by the animal to find the greatest secret of all.

I confess that I am a sucker for stories that involve mysterious houses, unexpected inheritances and great secrets, so this book captivated me immediately. As I read, I felt like I was gently being led down a path and at the end I would find a fabulous gift. And that's just what I found at the end of this story. The events unfolded at exactly the right pace, and the characters were all wonderfully drawn. The only thing I didn't appreciate was the author's occasional tendency to preach about the destruction of the rainforest. Although the topic was certainly pertinent to the story, the facts were presented awkwardly and didn't really fit into the narration. All in all, though, this was a lovely, gentle story...give it a try. show less

I really liked the old fashioned mystery premise of this book, and the environmental theme. An orphan boy inherits a Cornwall estate from a mysterious, reclusive uncle and discovers a mystery concerning his uncle's previous explorations in the Amazon; sounds like a great story. But while I like great nature description, this book just went overboard. The mystery's solution was clearly evident to even my ten year old by about halfway through the book and the description just seemed to drag it out.

I've been seeing this book in the bookstore for ages; kept reading the blurb and getting intrigued. I finally got a copy. I was expecting something totally different from what it turned out to be.

I agree with the other reviews that call it preachy -- it was very preachy, and I got turned off a number of times. I stuck with it because I didn't want to feel that I wasted my money!

Some parts I enjoyed; Some are light and funny and entertaining.

But a lot of parts I had trouble with -- especially characterization. The author would describe the feelings of the character, and in the next sentence, his feelings would swing to the opposite extreme. This happens several times; it got to the point where I don't believe the descriptions anymore show more thinking: hhmm, i'm sure the author's gonna take it back in the next paragraph!

Oh well, it was an easy enough read and entertained me moderately. But, I wouldn't recommend it to others. show less

Orphaned Stephen inherits a vast estate from a previously unknown great-uncle, and he finds it is more than he bargained for when his possessions start to disappear, gates unlock and lock by themselves, and glowing eyes appear at his window. A cozy read, "Valley" touches upon the true nature of family, adopted or otherwise, and recovery from loss. A good read for older grade schoolers or tweens, especially if experienced as read by Charles Keating, via audiobook. Very concerned with conservation and indigenous peoples, although you wouldn't know it from the imaginary (and one imagines, symbolic) species toddling through Lansbury Hall.

I actually "read" this as an audio book while we were traveling.

The voice was perfect.

The book has many wonderful descriptions. So you really got a feel for that the main character was feeling/seeing and sensing at the time.

A great children's novel and once I started I couldn't put it down. The book is a tad predictable, however not in a bad way.

I would highly reccomend. :)