Queen Hildegarde Response Paper
What changes people? Queen Hildegarde by Laura E. Richards gives a scenario resulting in change. Like many books of its time, Queen Hildegarde tells of a rich spoiled child transformed into a kind and considerate one. From how Laura hints at these little steps of change to how effectively the suspense was created, I will explore the writing quality of Queen Hildegarde in this response paper.
First, I will begin by discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the text. Laura has a very entertaining and believable way of phrasing things, especially in the dialogue. This helped me stay focused on the book. However, the suspense throughout the story was rather lacking, and the plot felt very predictable. As a result, some parts of the story felt underdeveloped in terms of character depth. This predictability made me want to finish the book quickly rather than savor it, unlike with some other books I enjoy more.
Secondly, I want to explain whether I found the author’s tone and writing style effective. I think the tone was well-balanced throughout the story from Hilda’s introduction to its heartwarming ending. Another aspect I appreciated was the detailed imagery, which helped me feel more connected to the story. Laura’s writing style was particularly effective during Hilda’s conversations and adventures with the neighbor boy, Bubble Chirk, and his crippled sister, Pinkrosia. I believe these characters along with Nurse Lucy played a significant role in Hilda’s character development.
All this falls together more nicely than I expected. If I were to weave my perspectives together, I would rate Queen Hildegarde at seven out of ten overall. Because Queen Hildegarde was a decent read, yet not a story I would choose to read again.