I bought this for my niece’s birthday because it sounded intriguing and decided to read a couple of chapters when it arrived this morning. I got hooked, and have just read the whole thing (because I’ll have to hand it over tomorrow!).
It’s a real page-turner, and the sort of book that, if you read it as a kid, you’d remember it forever. All the makings of a classic: an orphan heroine, a weird school, misfit kids, a mystery, a strange connection to the circus – and magic. And it’s funny.
The story rattles along, the mystery is tantalising and clever – this adult didn’t twig the whole thing until very near the end – and the writing is rich and atmospheric.
The heroine is a delight – brave and truthful, even when it costs her. The story is about courage, love, and family – and so moving that it brought tears to my eyes at the end.
Extremely well-written by a debut author, but her writing is so assured you’d think she’d written hundreds.
Completely different to Harry Potter – no wizards here, and the emphasis is on the mystery – but I think that children who enjoyed the early Harry Potter books would enjoy this.
Highly recommended.
- Amazon Business : For business-exclusive pricing, quantity discounts and downloadable VAT invoices. Create a free account
- Also check our best rated Children’s Book reviews
- Buy this product and stream 90 days of Amazon Music Unlimited for free. E-mail after purchase. Conditions apply. Learn more
