| Raising Arcadia | |
| Border: | yes |
| Language: | English |
| Release Date: | 2016 |
| Media Type: | Print (paperback) |
| Pages: | 240 pp. |
| Isbn: | 9789814751506 |
Raising Arcadia is a novel by Simon Chesterman, Dean and Professor at the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law.
Published in May 2016, the book is the first in a trilogy.[1] A sequel, Finding Arcadia, was published in November 2016[2] and launched at the Singapore Writers Festival.[3] The third and final book in the trilogy, Being Arcadia, was published in 2018 and shortlisted for the Singapore Book Awards.[4]
The central character, Arcadia Greentree, is a sixteen-year-old savant, described as “aware of her surroundings in a way that sometimes gets her into trouble — and out of it again”.[5]
Kirkus Reviews describes the book as a young adult mystery paying tribute to Sherlock Holmes. “Though overstuffed with obscure allusions and unnecessary infodumps, this series opener is pleasurably packed with clever, solvable, well-explained puzzles; hits the spot for a mystery lover.”[6]
The School Library Journal places it in the tradition of English boarding school novels. “Fans of quirky protagonists, puzzling mysteries, and spy craft will enjoy this. A solid addition to any middle school, high school, or public library.”[7]
Glee Books rated it “highly recommended, especially for those who enjoyed the pacy intrigue and thrills of The Mysterious Benedict Society mysteries.[8]
Raising Arcadia was shortlisted for the Popular Readers' Choice Awards at BookFest Singapore 2016.[9]
Being Arcadia, the final book in the trilogy, was shortlisted for the 2018 Singapore Book Awards.[10]