The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Image

Figure 1. The Westing Game book cover (2019).

Evaluation of Book

If you enjoy playing clue, attending dinner theater, or figuring out whodunnit when reading mysteries, then The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin is the book for you. It starts off by introducing all sixteen main players in the story like Christos Theodorakis, the birdwatcher, Angela Wexler, the person who finds herself, and Sydelle Pulaski, the person that does not belong. Then the mystery begins when Samuel W. Westing dies by, allegedly, the hand of one of the heirs. Westing proposes a challenge within his will, the sixteen people, paired off by Westing himself, must figure out whodunnit by a certain time if they want to inherit two hundred million dollars. And then the games begin.

While figuring out the mystery, the characters develop into the best versions of themselves. Perfect Angela Wexler, gets paired up with the eccentric Sydelle Pulaski. Both women believe they are invisible and that nobody notices the true versions of themselves. But over time, they learn that they do have a voice. Next, Turtle Wexler feels unloved by her mom while Flora Baumbach’s only child died years before, leaving a whole in both of their hearts. However, they support each other and allow themselves to learn to love and be loved while figuring out the mystery. Also, Grace Windsor Wexler, mother of Angela and Turtle, and James Shin Hoo, restaurant owner, work the clues while also helping each other with work. Mr. Hoo gives Grace a job as a hostess while Grace gives restaurant advice to Mr. Hoo. This boosts both of their self-esteems and allows them to find what they are best at in real life. As the story continues, the eight pairs create a bond; and over time, the sixteen players become a team.

These characters also became their best versions because of the dynamic plot. At first glance, the main point of the story revolves around finding the killer of Sam Westing. However, as the pairs work the clues provided during the reading of the will to find the killer, the real story comes alive: working on character flaws to find true happiness in life. One example, D. Denton Deere, medical intern, gets paired up with Christos Theodorakis, a child with a degenerative disease. When they first meet, Denton only cares about his image, proving he knows things about other’s medical maladies, and getting the $10,000 provided to each pair to help them find the killer. Christos, however, only wants someone to hang out with since his disease makes making friends a challenge. When Denton finally stops thinking of himself and focuses on giving to others, he realizes that he knows of a doctor with a new treatment that might help Christos. This shift gives Christos courage enough to try the new meds while humbling Denton; both growing from this pairing. Also, Madame Sun Lin Hoo, recent immigrant from China, and Jake Wexler, pediatrist and bookie, support each other. When Jake makes an effort to teach Madame Hoo how to speak English, this gives his life purpose and allows his wife, Grace Wexler, to see a more positive version of him. One other pair, Berthe Erica Crow, the founder of the Good Salvation Soup Kitchen, and Otis Amber, private detective, work together at the soup kitchen in hopes of making a difference in other people’s lives. And during all of this personal growth, the key to the Westing murder mystery also comes to light.

And the key to the whole story comes together because of unexpected insights, brought through two forms of writing. One, the inner thoughts of the people were sometimes provided. Like during the reading of the will, people kept over thinking what others might be thinking. This aspect supported the character development and plot. Also, J.J. Ford and Alexander McSouthers’ pairing brought forward insights for the characters past. They decided to seek out facts about each person in the hopes of finding the person that Sam Westing wanted to punish for his alleged murder. As they find each nugget of truth, the book shares their findings with the reader. By the time everyone meets again, the answer to the riddle comes to light, or so it seems. But the true story remains to be uncovered by Turtle.

Response

Reading this book continuously brought a smile to my face because I truly enjoyed the text. From the clues that the people worked with to the notes the residents of the apartment complex left each other, along with the most random answers to the inheritance puzzle, it all played with my imagination. Also, the acts of kindness that the people showed each other also got to me because that is how I think people should act in this world. One example is when different people in physical pain found comfort and relief from Mr. Hoo’s creative invention of paper insoles. And the best part is that I completely related to the story on a personal level. The whole thing reminded me of my teen years when I watched Clue, the movie, plus played Clue, the boardgame. My friends and I constantly laughed at the crazy, random moments brought by both of these versions of Clue. My guess, nostalgia adds to why I love this book. And because I enjoyed it so much, I plan to find and read the other books written by Ellen Raskin. My hope is that they too pass the test of time.

Conclusion

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin gives the reader a whodunnit to chew over plus comedy relief while characters wrestle with their inner demons and find their true selves. There are bombs going off, items being stolen, and an alleged murderer in the mix, you constantly want to turn the page to find out what will happen next. Out of four stars, I give this book all four.

Citation

Raskin, E. (1978). The Westing game. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Willis, C. (2019). The Westing game book cover (photo). Retrieved from https://drive.google.com/open?id=1a-zLvMrol2Kv84KXQWrvIs-n6J0jcfWk