Review by Frank Plowright
Pandora in Puzzlevale opens with Pandora in the back of the car as her parents head for Puzzlevale. Pandora’s mother learned about this secret town in an old magazine and as she knows Pandora is obsessed with puzzles, she figures it’ll be the ideal holiday destination. Pandora has her Detective Crow puzzle magazine with her, and it proves surprisingly useful when Pandora’s parents disappear soon after arriving in Puzzlevale. Pandora is left in the car wondering where they are, and when she thinks she’s waited long enough, the quest to find them begins.
Rather than a traditional graphic novel, Pandora in Puzzlevale provides a story in increments, but the primary purpose is to have readers pick up clues to solve puzzles moving Pandora a step closer to her ultimate aim of locating her parents. These puzzles are devised by Paul Duffield, who has a suitably creative and devious mind, and importantly one able to supply variety. Pandora has to solve riddles, locate items, decide which key fits which door, and much more, needing frequent reference to a succession of two page pictures of Puzzlevale as attractively drawn by Poqu. There’s a lot of effort put into supplying the detail of Puzzlevale, with assorted items added and subtracted as needed.
Siobhan McKenna draws Pandora herself and the people she meets, also attractively, with Pandora strangely resembling the young Maisie Williams, which is probably a coincidence.
There are some exceptions of more sophisticated strips, but most publications of material originating in The Phoenix are, allowing for reading level, aimed at all ages, which seems to be the case for Pandora in Puzzlevale at first glance. However, take that 7+ rating seriously, because it’ll take a smart kid to follow the clues, solve the puzzles and piece together the resulting information. A full set of hints and answers are provided in the back of the book for those finding it too tough (including this reviewer on one occasion), but the more diligent young puzzler will be kept quiet for hours at a time figuring things out alongside Pandora.
In one or two places slight confusion can slip through, such as the sample art where two of the replies from the strange fishermen are possibilities if consulting the map. It’s important because the information gathered in each section accumulates, and it’s all needed before Pandora can move to the next stage. Such moments are rare, though, and Pandora in Puzzlevale is a first rate selection of challenges for the younger audience, working its way to a surprising ending setting up the forthcoming Pandora in Puzzlevale: Call of the Crow.
