Source: Vine
Cecily and Jeremy have been sent
to live with their Uncle Peregrine in the English countryside, safe from the
war, along with a young refugee named May. But when Cecily and May find two
mysterious boys hiding in the ruins of a nearby castle, an extraordinary
adventure begins.
As an adult who loves historical fiction and fantasy, I thoroughly
enjoyed this middle grade novel. Sonya Harnett's evocative writing and
"voice" was a pleasure to read. The novel was more complex and
nuanced than I expected for a children's book. There is a story within a story,
with parallels being drawn between World War II, Richard III and the War of the
Roses, and the family dynamics within the Lockwood family. I can imagine a
child falling in love with Harnett's lyrical prose, imagery and depiction of
Heron Hall and Snow Castle and re-reading this as he or she grows older and finding
even more layers to uncover.
The supernatural aspect is slight, but
thought-provoking. With tales of Snow Castle and bloody English history made
palatable for our young characters' ears, however, Harnett reminds us that true
events are just as scary as, if not scarier than, any fictional narrative one
can conjure.
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