A Brief History Of Montmaray (The Montmaray Journals) [Kindle Edition]

Because I have nine grandchildren, 5 of which fall into the category of teen or young adult, I read many teen and young adult books as a preface to providing them as gifts. A Brief History of Montmaray is at the top of my list for being entertaining, suspenseful, and well-written. The author paints such a vivid picture of this island and its inhabitants -- all through the eyes of a young teenage girl -- that it's hard to believe it's a fictitious place. I had to put a sweater on while reading because I could feel the chill in the dark and dank castle! What a talent Michelle Cooper has to be able to bring the characters so effectively to life just through a first person narrative! I'm not a teen or young adult, but I was totally captivated by the story, and I'm hoping for a sequel. Ms. Cooper didn't have to resort to vampires, werewolves, or the like to write a terrific book -- scary Nazis work just as well. I highly recommend it to teens, tweens, young adults, grandmothers -- anyone looking for a good read. The only problem was it was over too soon!

Sophia FitzOsborne lives with her cousin Veronica, and her younger sister and tomboy Henry on the small island of Montmaray, located in the Bay of Biscay. They, along with Sophia's older brother Toby, are the last descendants of the royal family of Montmaray, and despite their titles, live in near poverty in their crumbling castle. Sophia begins writing about her life and dreams in her journal as war brews in Europe and crises strike the small island. Then, when a small group of Nazis arrive at Montmaray, wanting to see the castle's library, everything changes irrevocably for the FitzOsbornes and their tiny country.

A Brief History of Montmaray is simply divine. It is the best imaginable combination of wit, hardship, love, adventure, and history. Sophia is such a genuine and truly likable character, and her clever descriptions of her home and the quirky and unique individuals that inhabit Montmaray are unforgettable. The wry and self-deprecating humor that comes with being poor is endearing, and as much as they struggle, the characters are dignified and strong and completely engrossing. Sophia is a dreamer, and while she loves her home and her family, she can't help but want to see London and experience the balls and parties and dinners her aunt frequently takes part in. She is torn between wanting to leave and loyalty to her home and Veronica, who refuses to abandon Montmaray. The life these orphans live and the history of their island is fascinating and impeccably detailed and researched, making it hard to believe that Montmaray and the FitzOsbornes don't actually exist. The action scenes towards the end are quite harrowing and filled with surprising revelations, making for a suspenseful conclusion. A Brief History of Montmaray is a lovely, unique, and entertaining book in the spirit of Daphne du Maurier, Eva Ibbotson, and Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle, and one that will make the rest of the books in your reading pile seem lackluster and boring in comparison.

Even though I was certain Montmaray was not a real place, I continually second guessed myself throughout reading the text. Cooper does such a fantastic job of creating a believable history, topography, and culture for this imaginary island that it makes it difficult to believe it's not an actual place.

Also, typically I don't like the whimsical girl 1st person narrative, but I believe it worked for this story very well. However, there were sometimes where the journal concept Cooper uses to tell the story breaks down a bit. By that I mean specifically that the events and the way Sophie is relaying those events seem less like a girl writing in her journal and more like a standard 3rd person omniscient narrator.

The most accomplished element of the book is certainly the intertextual weaving of historical fiction with historical fact over the course of the history of Montmaray with the rest of Europe, as well as the discussions that arise between the characters about their roles in the world as European royalty given the tumultuous nature of Europe at the time. The war feels real told through the eyes of Sophie as does everything else about her little island kingdom. I recommend this novel to readers 13-17.

-Lindsey Miller, [...]