"Dead Man's Cove" is a truly amazing story containing all the ingredients to whip up the perfect plot.Suspense,Mystery,Adventure and ACTION.There is so much tension in this novel and it's all down to an 11 year old girl to solve these mysteries single handily...
Laura came to St Ives expecting adventure and an amazing uncle who could help her solve the mysteries in the town but who thought that her uncle,who was keen to keep his past shadowed, would have dark secrets of his own? Tariq had ended their friendship,he was her only true friend at the time where she was lonely.As soon as Tariq has become her ex-friend she has been receiving strange notes from someone who's life is in danger.It seemed trouble was stalking her no matter how hard she tried to hide from it.
Everything in her life was turning upside down but just as hope was hanging by a thread,Laura brought her very own Siberian Husky,who happened to have only three legs but Laura loved her dog,Skye,no less because of one leg missing.In Laura's eyes Skye was just like her...a cast off.
Will Laura ever learn about her uncles past?
Will she ever be able to find a friend she can relate to?
well you'll have to read the book to find out!
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Week 4 Empathy Skills
(FIRST EXPERIENCE OF LAURA MEETING CALVIN)
Diary Entry By Laura Marlin
Today I met my uncle Calvin,He is the complete opposite to what I expected,but bearing in mind I was expecting a completely fake "happy uncle who would give me new books everyday no mater what the cost was",Calvin is the complete opposite except he did offer to give me everything I needed like a phone and top toiletries.He looks just like a secret spy but is very loving and understanding that I have lived in an orphanage for all of my life.Calvin also shed light on his and my mothers past explaining how they had been split at an early age and didn't cross paths till they were in their twenties,but they both realised they had completely different lives and had grown up in different environments.I wish my mother was alive so I wouldn't have had to go to Sylvan Meadows and grow up so much like her I always wanted adventure but maybe I was wrong maybe having normality in your life is the best way to live.I know I've seen too much for one day!
Diary Entry By Calvin Redfern
When I opened the door I was greeted by a skinny man,clearly eager to escape from either the pelting rain or the spook the house portrayed during a storm or both.My niece,Laura,is quite the opposite to inquisitive or maybe it's nerves,Lottie didn't do me any favours she was growling with all her might luckily she calmed down.I put myself in Laura's shoes and too ease the tension and told her about me and her mother explaining how her mother and I had been split up at an early age,she seemed curious but kept her mouth zipped.I love her ever so much she is my blood relative after all,probably the last alive.I promise you Laura I'll take care of you till my last breath.
(WHEN LAURA AND TARIQ GET KIDNAPPED)
Diary Entry By Laura Marlin
I knew trying to be positive was impossible in this moment in time,we were kidnapped pure and simple and if me and Tariq live through this it will be a complete fluke.I feel as if all the hydration in my body has been sucked out by a giant vacuum.I know I should try to be optimistic but I see nothing good in this situation.The last thing I remember is seeing the blurred pizza boy uniform.I wonder if Calvin has noticed I've gone by now it's probably 3am now and as much I would like to sleep I know that would be equivalent to drowning in the cold waters of the Atlantic.Please Uncle Calvin come and save me,I need you now more than ever!!!
Diary Entry By Tariq
Guilty,that's what I feel if I hadn't made the tapestry she wouldn't be here,her life wouldn't be in danger.I didn't mean for her to be in danger I meant for her uncle Calvin Redfern,the famous detective to try and save me and put the Mutkhars in jail.I'm sorry Laura.I'm so sorry.
Diary Entry By Laura Marlin
Today I met my uncle Calvin,He is the complete opposite to what I expected,but bearing in mind I was expecting a completely fake "happy uncle who would give me new books everyday no mater what the cost was",Calvin is the complete opposite except he did offer to give me everything I needed like a phone and top toiletries.He looks just like a secret spy but is very loving and understanding that I have lived in an orphanage for all of my life.Calvin also shed light on his and my mothers past explaining how they had been split at an early age and didn't cross paths till they were in their twenties,but they both realised they had completely different lives and had grown up in different environments.I wish my mother was alive so I wouldn't have had to go to Sylvan Meadows and grow up so much like her I always wanted adventure but maybe I was wrong maybe having normality in your life is the best way to live.I know I've seen too much for one day!
Diary Entry By Calvin Redfern
When I opened the door I was greeted by a skinny man,clearly eager to escape from either the pelting rain or the spook the house portrayed during a storm or both.My niece,Laura,is quite the opposite to inquisitive or maybe it's nerves,Lottie didn't do me any favours she was growling with all her might luckily she calmed down.I put myself in Laura's shoes and too ease the tension and told her about me and her mother explaining how her mother and I had been split up at an early age,she seemed curious but kept her mouth zipped.I love her ever so much she is my blood relative after all,probably the last alive.I promise you Laura I'll take care of you till my last breath.
(WHEN LAURA AND TARIQ GET KIDNAPPED)
Diary Entry By Laura Marlin
I knew trying to be positive was impossible in this moment in time,we were kidnapped pure and simple and if me and Tariq live through this it will be a complete fluke.I feel as if all the hydration in my body has been sucked out by a giant vacuum.I know I should try to be optimistic but I see nothing good in this situation.The last thing I remember is seeing the blurred pizza boy uniform.I wonder if Calvin has noticed I've gone by now it's probably 3am now and as much I would like to sleep I know that would be equivalent to drowning in the cold waters of the Atlantic.Please Uncle Calvin come and save me,I need you now more than ever!!!
Diary Entry By Tariq
Guilty,that's what I feel if I hadn't made the tapestry she wouldn't be here,her life wouldn't be in danger.I didn't mean for her to be in danger I meant for her uncle Calvin Redfern,the famous detective to try and save me and put the Mutkhars in jail.I'm sorry Laura.I'm so sorry.
Saturday, 10 March 2012
Week 3 Narrative
Laura has arrived in the beautiful St Ives and has been living with her caring uncle,Laura has been treated like a princess having her every need tended too,she has been given access to everything except has been strictly forbidden to walk the path to Dead Man's Cove.This eleven year old girl is very inquisitive but hasn't made many friends since she has started school halfway through the year and every one already has their own little group.Through Mr Mukhtars son,Tariq,has listened to Laura as if he understands everything she says because apparently Tariq doesn't speak English.
But just as she's getting settled into St Ives and everything is fine.Mr Mukhtar says that Tariq finds her a bore she feels completely torn ,he was her only true friend in St Ives and now since Mr Mukhtar had said and Tariq had confirmed that she was a "bore",she felt as if she didn't have a friend in the world.
Laura's uncle had been so nice though he could be a bit scary and mysterious at times but she always remembered how kind he had been for taking her in .He was a perfect uncle and she had a perfect life in St Ives yet having heard Mr Mukhtar and Tariq talking about her referring her as selfish,constantly going on about her culture,past and school life.She felt as if Tariq,a boy who was so quiet and feeble had seen her as a bore what hope would she have making friends with ANYONE in St Ives.
I predict in the story we will find out that Tariq didn't mean what he said he was just going along with Mr Mukhtar's plan to get Laura away from the "North Star" because she was distracting Tariq from working for Mr and Mrs Mukhtar.Also I presume that Tariq actually does speak and understand English but Mr Mukhtar told him if he spoke English in public he would kill him,I think Mr Mukhtar made Tariq act dumb because he didn't want Tariq to go to school he wanted him to work himself to the bone in the "North Star".Eventually I think Laura will report Mr and Mrs Mukhtar to social services and Tariq will be put with a nice family and continue his studies in a school and excel to the greatest amount while having fun with Laura and helping her solve all the mysteries in St Ives.
But just as she's getting settled into St Ives and everything is fine.Mr Mukhtar says that Tariq finds her a bore she feels completely torn ,he was her only true friend in St Ives and now since Mr Mukhtar had said and Tariq had confirmed that she was a "bore",she felt as if she didn't have a friend in the world.
Laura's uncle had been so nice though he could be a bit scary and mysterious at times but she always remembered how kind he had been for taking her in .He was a perfect uncle and she had a perfect life in St Ives yet having heard Mr Mukhtar and Tariq talking about her referring her as selfish,constantly going on about her culture,past and school life.She felt as if Tariq,a boy who was so quiet and feeble had seen her as a bore what hope would she have making friends with ANYONE in St Ives.
I predict in the story we will find out that Tariq didn't mean what he said he was just going along with Mr Mukhtar's plan to get Laura away from the "North Star" because she was distracting Tariq from working for Mr and Mrs Mukhtar.Also I presume that Tariq actually does speak and understand English but Mr Mukhtar told him if he spoke English in public he would kill him,I think Mr Mukhtar made Tariq act dumb because he didn't want Tariq to go to school he wanted him to work himself to the bone in the "North Star".Eventually I think Laura will report Mr and Mrs Mukhtar to social services and Tariq will be put with a nice family and continue his studies in a school and excel to the greatest amount while having fun with Laura and helping her solve all the mysteries in St Ives.
Monday, 5 March 2012
Week 2 Characters
Laura Marlin is an extremely bright girl and constantly observant about her new environment in St Ives.She is described as a inquisitive child who is curious about the world.She has short pale blond hair and acts very much like a boy. Her aim in life is to become a sharp witted and analytical thinking detective and she is already equipped with those skills at the tender age of 11. She's careful and always thinking ahead. Just as a great detective should be.I think the best character to play "Laura" in a film would be Emma Watson because it is easy to visualise Emma bringing Laura's character to life.
Matron is a good mannered middle aged woman who is careful but stern and strict when it comes to dealing with the orphaned children of Sylvan Meadows.Even though Laura can become an annoyance to Matron she keeps her cool and loves Laura no matter how many times she whines "why".
Calvin Redfern is Laura's uncle he is a mysterious character who seems to trust Laura with all his heart despite the fact he just met her.He is described in the book as "he looked like the handsome but careworn hero of some old black-and-white movie".Calvin leads a secretive life but Laura doesn't mind ,he is the only relative she has in the world.I would cast Johnny Depp as Calvin Redfern because he has a elusive kind of handsomeness.
Mrs Webb is the housekeeper for Calvin Redfern and Laura Marlin ,though she doesn't seem to do very much except cleaning at the bare minimal and cooking her delicious dishes. This "Pug-like" woman is the complete opposite of glamorous.She seems very interested in her employer always asking questions of his niece as if she knew.
Tariq is Mr Mukhtars so called son though he is treated more like "free labour" .This calm,gentle Asian boy from Bangladesh has been treated so cruelly in Laura's eyes.His frail fingers worked to the bone,his clothes sagging off him like sacks,constantly looking tired and slouching and sulking everywhere he went,as if some big burden was on his chest.Though to Laura he was her only true friend since she had arrived in St Ives.
Mr Mukhtar is very popular in the town of St Ives,he is also the owner of "The North Star" which is the towns best producing supermarket. Mr Mukhtar is clearly a business man always out contributing to work in the small town. In the book he is described as "The man was almost grotesquely overweight. His clothes were fine and expertly tailored, but they failed to disguise his vast belly and multiple chins". He makes sure he is exceptionally nice to his customers and always good mannered. This man is very smart and cunning, always seeming to annoy Laura and confirming in her eyes that he abused Tariq (his so called son).
Mrs Mukhtar is an amazing beautiful woman yet she looks very hard and strict.She doesn't speak much but she like Mr Mukhtar is very careful about their adopted son making sure he is always isolated. She always talks in a very stern threatening way, which makes you think twice before opening your mouth in front of this stunning yet intimidating woman.She is always at the spa getting new treatments; it is impossible to absorb her beauty when you see how vain she seems to be.
Monday, 27 February 2012
Week 1 Setting
Dead Man's Cove by Lauren St John is a magnificent novel which is set in Cornwall, St Ives. St Ives is home to crystal clear waters and golden soft sands. It is the perfect place to visit if you want to isolate yourself from the rest of the world, hence an apt setting for a story surrounded by adventure, mystery and suspense.
In the book Dead Man's Cove, Lauren arrives in St Ives and finds it dark, gloomy; a totally different view to what she was hoping for. The first words that came into her head when she saw the cloudy skies and crooked house were Matrons "Be careful what you wish for!".
What will Lauren think of her new surroundings? What seemed like an adventure was now a mystery needing to be solved. In my opinion, the setting is a perfect place because whilst St Ives in reality is picture perfect, the book describes it to be dark and gloomy; quite the opposite.
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