The Secret Countess

Hello! Helen here, for the very first time. I’ll be talking about one of my absolute favourite pieces of children’s literature this time – a book that never fails to make me laugh and cry, even now, on what must be the 11^th reread.

Book: The Secret Countess

Author: Eva Ibbotson

Blurb: (from the 2015 Macmillan children’s books print) When revolution tears Russia apart, Anna abandons her identity and homeland for a safe haven in England. She finds shelter there, working as a servant in an aristocratic household, her luxurious past now just a distant memory – until she falls in love with the young Earl of Westerholme, and risks revealing her secret.

( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Countess-Eva-Ibbotson/dp/1447280105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537102020&sr=8-1&keywords=the+secret+countess )

Set against the backdrop of a war-torn and shell-shocked Europe, The Secret Countess is ultimately a tale of survival and love, even after the destruction and horror of the First World War. Like many of the Russian aristocracy, the Countess Anna Granzinsky fled St Petersburg in 1917 with her family, and eventually made her way to London. Determined not to trespass on the hospitality of her old governess, Anna takes the position of a housemaid at the stately Mersham Manor despite her total lack of experience, all the while hiding her true title. Once there, she meets a host of charming and eccentric characters – such as the orderly Butler, Cyril Proom; the Dowager Countess, who communes with the spirits of those long deceased; and of course, the Earl himself.

The plot itself is rather predictable for an older reader, and fits the ‘Boy meets Girl’ trope to a T. It is, of course, a children’s book, and a certain amount of leeway is allowed here – not that Ibbotson needs it in the slightest. Any predictability is completely overshadowed by the witty and engaging prose style that Ibbotson implements so successfully in all of her literature. Her characters leap off the page in all their idiosyncratic glory, and it is impossible not to fall in love with Anna as she muddles her way gracefully through the stiff rules of the English country estate – something very familiar from countless episodes of Downton Abby. Even the villain of the piece is completely alive and as hateable as Dolores Umbridge herself, and the romance is entirely magical.

For a children’s book, The Secret Countess touches on a surprising amount of the issues that cropped up after the First World War. PTSD, the isolation of refugees and the loss of their national identity, the value of duty, and even the insidious tendrils of white supremacy and ableism that would eventually fuel the ideological foundation of Hitler’s Third Reich are all included – but in a way a child can understand, without compromising innocence or becoming a subliminal political agenda. Instead, the themes of the book focus on kindness, love, and finding a home somewhere you might not expect. Not surprising, considering Ibbotson’s own hurried escape to England after the Nazis came to power in Austria.

Full of joy and humanity, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to smile more, not just the children it is aimed at. The dramatic climax alone will have you humming the Valse des Fleurs for days on end.

Two Spells by Mark Morrison

Hello everyone! We're officially back from our long hiatus and I, Shani, will be kicking our blog off with a review for the wonderful fantasy novel Two Spells by Mark Morrison.

Two Spells focuses on Sarah and Jon, twin brother and sister, and their journey to discover their magic. The twins are unaware that they possess any power until their mother takes them on a family trip to Wales, where they meet their grandparents who they haven't properly met before (which I found slightly odd). Their grandparents tell them all about the magic in their family and where it originates from. An aspect of the novel which I really enjoyed was the way that Morrison set his story in Wales, particularly the way that he describes the landscape, and how he paints the mystical library of Two Spells, the place where Sarah's grandparents stole an enchanted book and gained access to their magic. Two Spells is the mythical place that readers, such as myself, dreamt about as children. Not only is it described as an elegant yet ancient building, but it also has an air of mystery and fear associated with it whenever Morrison mentions it. From the very beginning of the novel Morrison does a fabulous job of creating a sense of anticipation surrounding Two Spells, embedding fear but curiosity in both Sarah and Jon, thus causing the same reaction from the reader. The mythological side of the novel was also intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed how Morrison created such an intricate history for library of Two Spells.

The dynamic between Sarah and Jon reminded me of my own dynamic with my siblings, fighting one minute and protecting each other the next. It was very humbling to see that the twins had an typical sibling relationship rather than just having either a hateful relationship or a loving one like some novels do. Whilst it is true that these types of relationships do exist between siblings, it was refreshing to see that Morrison went with a normal dynamic. I enjoyed the characters of Sarah's grandparents as well, though at the beginning they frustrated me slightly because they were all giving the reader tidbits of information about Two Spells and the family's magic, however the family dynamic between all four characters was heartwarming to see.

One criticism I have for the novel is the ending and the amount of characters that Morrison introduces in a short space of time. For a children's novel there were a number of characters who are suddenly thrust into the novel towards the very end, which isn't always a bad thing, but in my opinion I felt that there were too many new names and personalities to learn about in a very short space of time. Had the characters been introduced at an earlier point in the novel it probably wouldn't confuse the reader as much, however, throwing the characters in last minute does cause some confusion.

The novel ends on a cliffhanger, which I will definitely will not spoil as I suggest you all go and read the novel for yourselves, that sets up the next novel. This novel is the first in a series so though I wasn't a huge fan of what happened at the denounement, I understand why Morrison has chosen to end his novel in this particular way as it sets up a plot line for the next novel.

Overall, I did enjoy Two Spells and would recommend it to fans of Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and The Chronicles of Narnia as the fantasy element of the novel is fantastic. Praise to Morrison for creating a fantastical fictional world for children to bask in once more.

If you're interested in reading Two Spells the link to Morrison's amazon page is here, you can order the paper back for £7.99 or read a free copy of it through the kindle edition: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TwoSpells-Mark-Morrison-ebook/dp/B079ZBBSPM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536492101&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Two+Spells+Mark+Morrison

The Bag (The Bucket Series)

Hey, this is Heather posting today. Many thanks to Pegasus Publishers for letting me read this in exchange for an honest review. The cover art for this book is stunning.

Information

Author: D.J. Cattrell
Published: June 2017
Publisher: Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers
Length: 347 pages

Genre: Children's/Teenage Fantasy

Brief description (from Amazon)

The day had finally come for Sarah to meet her sister Rachel after eight years. Being in a different world, Sarah was determined to be re-united with Rachel back in her original world, with The Bag'. But does that solve all the problems? The witch, The Esmeralda', makes her way into her new world aiming to take hold of The Bag' from Sarah. What is so precious about this bag? Sarah must protect it and its contents, and is willing to give up her life to save the world from the witch's evil doing. Will Sarah survive? And, if Sarah does survive, which world will she choose to live in? (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bag-Bucket-D-J-Cattrell/dp/1907552979/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500472492&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=the+bag+dj+cottrell)

Review

I’m a massive fan of the genre children’s/teenager fantasy so my expectations were pretty high. It’s crucial for children and teens alike to expand their imagination by reading fantasy novels. Through reading fantasy, we can manipulate our own minds to appreciate the bizarrely beautiful mundane elements of our own world that someone from another world would notice. It’s also wonderful to provide us with some escapism, I recall spending many dark nights in Harry Potter’s wizarding world, adventuring with Lyra and Will in Philip Pullman’s dark material and hobbling along with the hobbits and elves of Tolkien’s literature when my own life was stressful and sleep troubled.

The pacing of the novel is rapid.  I did feel it was a little too fast at the start but had I read the prequel I’d probably not have had this issue. It’s often difficult for writers to include enough description yet still captivate their readers for this audience, but this is definitely a success story for that. Imagery, plot and dialogue were all in the ideal ratio. There are some illustrations too, whilst these aren’t really needed as the imagery is more than adequate in allowing the reader to visualise what is happening, I still enjoyed looking at them. The plot is good, certainly a page turner, though the end still leaves the reader questioning what will happen next, which is excellent if the author is planning to write another book. I was also pleased that the writer had come up with their own creatures to fill this world with, like the cuddly rocks and Jasban.

The characterisation was definitely another highlight. I adored the Jasban, which are playful critters, especially the contrast between them and the grouchy but equally lovable white tiger. The Esmeralda was an excellent villain, cruel and literally feeding from the pain of others, she struts around with a confidence reminiscent of Jadis from C.S. Lewis’ Magician’s Nephew, capturing followers through the power of her eyes. My favourite character, followed closely by the endearing Robin, had to be Mrs Mole. Mrs Mole’s perspective was such fun to follow; an avid rule enthusiast distraught from her husband leaving her and left feeling pretty desolate, she consumes herself with caring for her plants, disapproving of Sarah and being a Guide leader (I’m hoping the sequel might give her some more happiness). Her journey shows the most satisfying character development and there’s some spectacular imagery as she joins Sarah on her adventure. Rachel, however, confused me, particularly her claim that ‘ruler’ (as in the item in your pencil case) is improper, and that it’s really called a ‘rule’. I checked the Oxford Dictionary and for the British, a ruler is definitely acceptable terminology for a tool used to measure lengths and draw straight lines with. That’s not to say that she’s a badly written character though – sure, she’s pompous and a know-it-all (except about rulers, it seems), but some of the best people in this world are.  

Some authors can be pretty daunted by the children-teenager bridge in literature, so I really have to commend the writer for going for this audience. The writing style is fun to read, but uses mature language, a lovely balance that should help younger teenagers to keep reading. However, throughout there was a case of overly ‘enthusiastic’ punctuation in which a lot of sentences ended with an exclamation mark. I’d really advise writers and editors to check before publishing to reduce exclamation marks – they should be used only sparingly to make full impact when necessary. Children’s literature does tend to use more exclamation marks than most, but even so, consider that authors like Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf and F. Scott Fitzgerald all used less than 500 of them per 100,000 words. It’s a minor thing to nag about, and normally I’d completely ignore it, yet the book itself is written so well that it doesn’t require them.

Only one element of the novel did I really dislike: the rabbit incident. This is a really small part of the book and not really needed to fabricate the storyline, it’s more included to demonstrate how poorly Sarah adapts to our world as she takes the Guides rabbits and makes rabbit stew with them… then uses the skins to make the Guide leader, Mrs Mole, slippers. Maybe I’m a little biased? I’ve kept rabbits since the age of three – my bunny Tilly is currently parading round my bedroom floor as I write this (she was rather startled by the lightning last night so was owed some cuddles). So, I’ll admit it, I adore rabbits and the thought of someone doing that to Tilly quite frankly is horrific. This meant that for the remainder of the book, I was ‘stewing’ about why rabbit stew is even a thing! I know I’ve ranted too much on this one point, but needless to say I was not amused by it, particularly for the age group it's aimed at. As a counterpoint to this, I know that rabbits are eaten in the wild and that Sarah did not realise how traumatising her actions would be to the other children… but I still don’t forgive her.

Aside from the rabbits, I really enjoyed this novel and will definitely try to get hold of the prequel sometime. If you’ve read or are reading this book or even just love the genre like I do, please let me know in the comments below.

Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire

Hello everyone! It's Shani here today, finally back after the nightmare known as A Level exams. The last few months it's been difficult for my colleagues and I to read because our time was mostly taken up by revision and preparing for our final exams, but it's officially summer now and that means plenty of time for reading!

I decided that before I go to University (if I'm lucky enough to get in) that I wanted to reread the last few Harry Potter books. I've been listening to the first three (Philosopher's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, and Prisoner of Azkaban) whilst I was revising - audio books were the only thing keeping me going during exam season - so I decided to read the last four books over the next week. I finished the Goblet of Fire yesterday and I knew that I wanted to review it immediately.

Author: J.K. Rowling
Published: 8th July 2000
Publisher: Children's Bloomsbury
Length: 636 pages
My Rating: 5/5

It's been about four years since I properly sat down and read The Goblet of Fire, and I must say it resonated with me just as much as the last time I read the novel. Harry Potter, a fourteen year old wizard who attends the magical school of Hogwarts for Witchcraft and Wizardry, is about to face his biggest challenge yet when he is chosen to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. What strikes me most about this book is Rowling's ability to introduce more adult themes in the novel, and how her writing seems to evolve as Harry grows up. The Goblet of Fire has a more serious tone and themes such as death, torture, and manipulation are discussed in great detail. That's one of the main things I've always adored about the series. The reading age seems to change as Harry ages making the last few books more complex and adult.

Rowling's characters of Harry, Ron, and Hermione also shift in this novel. The reader is shown a more vulnerable side to Harry, and the relationship between the three friends is tested multiple times during the narrative. Rowling portrays a realistic friendship between the trio, they bicker a good deal of the time, but they always manage to sort out their differences and rally together when they need to. I liked this aspect of the novel because I felt that the reader could connect to the characters more as Rowling explored their flaws in more depth then she has previously done, thus strengthening the trio's friendship even more as they come to accept each other's quirks and flaws.
The writing, as usual, was exquisite and captivating. Rowling has a certain flow in her writing, her language is never too complex but it isn't simplistic either, and her vast vocabulary of magical spells and enchantments always leaves the reader intrigued and excited.

As a reader, I've always been enticed by the 'tragic hero' such as Hamlet and Macbeth, and Rowling seems to mold Harry into this category in this particular part of the series, though he isn't entirely a tragic hero for he doesn't have a 'fatal flaw' he seems to suffer like one. Throughout the entire book the reader feels a sense of catharsis for Harry, we are aware that Lord Voldemort (spoiler if you haven't read the book) is coming after Harry and the reader cannot help but fear the inevitable moment when Harry is forced to face the Dark Lord. This sense of pathos which the reader cannot help but feel throughout the novel, as Rowling increases the tension through Harry's various tasks in the Triwizard Tournament and the fact that his scar burns on multiple occasions, comes to a breaking point in Chapter Thirty-Two Flesh, Blood and Bone where Harry and Cedric Diggory come face to face with the Dark Lord, and Cedric (once again a spoiler if you haven't read the novel) is murdered. I felt that whilst Rowling had dark themes in the previous novels and throughout The Goblet of Fire, this particular chapter shifts the entirety of the series. Not only is Harry, a fourteen year old boy, forced to witness the death of a friend but young readers are forced to read the death of a beloved character. Cedric Diggory was an innocent student and he was senselessly murdered for no reason at all. This sudden shift in the novel not only has a detrimental effect on the readers but on Harry as well, who is traumatised and exhausted by the end of the novel.

The Goblet of Fire has always been one of my favourite books in the Harry Potter series not only because it paves the way for darker themes and more round characters, but Rowling's dialogue is more humorous and witty in this novel, especially from Harry who's sarcasm seems to know no bounds. This new, refreshing dialogue reflects once again how Harry is growing up and therefore his language is changing. I also loved the characters of George and Fred Weaseley who never fail to make me laugh. The only issue I had with the novel was the irritating character of Rita Skeeter, and that's simply because she is meant to be a frustrating character for the reader anyway. Other than that, the pacing, the narrative, and the characters were all spot on and I know that I will be reading Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire again and again in the coming years.

Fangirl

Hello, it's Shani here! Today I wanted to discuss one of my favourite books, which I was able to reread again! I'm back once again to discuss another Rainbow Rowell book, Fangirl! I hope you all enjoy this review and if you haven't read Fangirl, I would definitely suggest you pop to your local bookshop and purchase it!

Author: Rainbow Rowell
Published: 10 September 2013
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Length: 479
My Rating: 4.5/5

Fangirl, written by Rainbow Rowell, is about an eighteen year old girl named Cather Avery who is attempting to survive her first year of College (or University), however she finds herself struggling due to her obsession with writing Fan Fiction for the Simon Snow universe.

In a sense, I have never related to a book character quite like I have to Cather's. Cath lives and breathes through her reading and writing, it is the only way she is able to make it through her everyday life. Her anxiety about starting a new chapter in her life, going to University and moving away from her family home, make her a very realistic character and I have found that a lot of people my age have found themselves being able to relate to her. Cath's obsession with the Simon Snow universe, which is a series made up entirely by Rowell but in the novel is written by Gemma T. Leslie, has numerous elements of Harry Potter by J.K.Rowling. I found this interesting because I had never seen a Young Adult novel acknowledge the fact that Fan Fiction is an active, almost essential part, of a novel's 'hype'. There are over 637,063 Fan Fictions of Harry Potter on the internet alone, and never I have seen a writer such as Rowell acknowledge that Fan Fiction exists. Not only does Rowell acknowledge it, but she encourages it, and many other writers have begun to as well. This was one of the main things I loved about Fangirl so much, it presented the reader with a character who cared deeply for two characters - Simon Snow and Baz - and used them as a coping mechanism in her every day life. It makes the reader realise that caring about fictional characters isn't a bad thing and should be more encouraged rather than disregarded.

The subject of mental health is handled beautifully in this book. Not only does Cath suffer from GAD - General Anxiety Disorder - but her father Arthur, referred to as 'Art', suffers from mental health issues as well. Rowell breaches subjects, such as parental abandonment, without any reluctance whatsoever and presents the reader with Cath's various different emotions throughout the stages of her school year. Though the book is written in third person, the narrative is around Cath throughout the entire novel, and in a sense it almost feels as if it is written from a first person account. Cath's conflicting emotions over the rift with her twin sister, Wren, and her estranged mother, Laura, are written beautifully by Rowell and show the complex emotions that one goes through when faced with challenging circumstances. Rowell is unafraid to show her young adult audience that it is okay to be upset when faced with these type of issues, her writing presents a certain fragility and vulnerability that many young adults go through.

Another aspect which was wonderful about this novel was that at the end of certain chapters, Rowell would include an extract from Cath's Fan Fiction. This was so wonderfully written and added new life to the novel, making it more interesting as the reader went along because you are almost reading two stories at once. I think perhaps my favourite thing about this novel though, was Levi's encouragement of Cath writing Fan Fiction and how blatantly obvious his love for Cath was. Cath first meets Levi when she finds him in her room on the first day of moving into the University dorms. Cath is initially terrified of Levi, she doesn't quite know how to behave around him which I found hilarious. Her awkwardness seems real and Rowell has crafted Cath's anxiety so well that we as readers can feel it ourselves as we read along. Levi is unbelievably supportive of Cath and her Fan Fiction, going so far as to ask her to read it out loud to him. I thought the dynamics between them were unbearably sweet, portraying an accurate depiction of 'first love'.

Other characters such as Wren and Reagan had me laughing uncontrollably at times during Fangirl. Though the novel has serious issues addressed, and has wonderfully written romance, the book is first and foremost a comedy. Rowell's humour is perhaps my favourite thing about this book. The witty and sarcastic language makes the novel an entertaining read which has me returning to read it again, and again!

The Magician's Workshop Review

Hi everyone, it's Shani here today and I'm back with a book review!

Title: The Magician's Workshop
Author: Hansen Fehr
Publisher: Wondertale
Published: November 8th 2016
My rating: 4/5

When my colleagues asked if I wanted to review The Magician's Workshop, a fantasy YA novel, I was extremely excited to read it. I love reading fantasy novels. They've always been a major part of my reading, and I tend to lean towards the fantasy side of fiction more than anything. Fehr's novel had all the magical elements I was looking for and actually reminded me a lot of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series - which is one of my favourite children's fiction series, and I am unashamed to say I still read when I'm feeling down.

The plot was interesting. It focuses around a young girl named Layauna, who's characterisation I adored, who is aspiring to become a great magician. Her magic - or projections as they are known - is very high in skill, and she, like many other sixteen year old people, is attempting to win her colour which allows her to become a magician. Many people are born without colour, which is what sets the magician's and the regular people apart. It was intriguing to see this social hierarchy that Fehr had set up, with the magician's being deemed as 'better' than the regular people who could also create strong projections. Layauna was a character I connected strongly with, she had a very sarcastic attitude throughout the novel, despite working extremely hard for what she wants. She reminded me of myself, when I was sixteen and it was nice to be able to connect with her so strongly.

Another aspect of the novel which I thoroughly enjoyed was introducing Kai as another main protagonist. Kai is deemed as an outcast through out the novel. He is one of the strongest projectors on his island, but people stay away from him because of his father's legacy. Kai was another character I grew to like a lot, and his band of friends Talia, Weston, Luge and Snap. Their dynamics as friends was sweet and I enjoyed watching how their friendship shifted throughout the novel as well.

Whilst I really enjoyed the plot of this novel, and the numerous characters it presented, what did irk me slightly was the multiple P.O.V. chapters. The reader first starts from Layauna, and then jumps to Kai, Talia, Kai's grandmother Jade, and numerous other characters which I felt were at times completely irrelevant to the story. This made me lose some connection with my favourite characters. I also felt that the novel should be aimed at children rather than YA fiction.

Overall, I really enjoyed the novel and I would definitely consider reading the next volume in the series at a later date! If you're interested in reading The Magician's Workshop the link for it is here: https://www.amazon.com/Magicians-Workshop-One-Christopher-Hansen-ebook/dp/B01MQGHGBH