Though written with some skill, Atwell’s novel lacks the lighthearted sparkle, wit, fun and true period flavor that defines...
To save her life, the young heiress of Ambersley is disguised as a boy and raised by servants, but when she and the unsuspecting new Duke eventually become close, complications arise in this Regency-era romance.
After 4-year-old Amber Johanna Vaughan barely escapes the suspicious fire that kills her parents, the gardener and his wife take her in and disguise her as a boy (they call her “Johnny”) to keep her safe from rapacious relatives. Once tracked down, the next-in-line heir, Derek Vaughan, proves himself a good master of Ambersley, making improvements and thwarting his villainous stepmother Rosalie’s plans. He takes an interest in bright little Johnny, now 7, and gives her an education. When jealous Rosalie engineers a duel between 17-year-old Johnny and Derek, the girl’s secret emerges and she reenters society as Johanna, Derek’s ward. Despite their mutual attraction, true love is threatened by misunderstandings, secrets and Rosalie’s machinations. Atwell (Lying Eyes, 2010) has an intriguing premise, and her craftsmanship shows in solid descriptions, smooth dialogue and observations, as in: “No wonder men thought ladies were such trivial creatures—they had nothing but trivialities to entertain them.” Historical accuracy adds greatly to the pleasure of the Regency romance, and while Atwell gets many details right, Lady Jersey would never be called Sally Jersey, and few if any Regency aristocrats would christen their children Amber, Derek or Curtis. More troubling, though, is the inconsistency of the characters. Rosalie’s son, Curtis, is a nasty, mean child; as a teenager, he colludes at a false rape charge; yet later on he becomes kind and helpful to Amber and Derek, with no simple explanation for the change. Derek is somber, morose and serious when we first meet him, a soldier who’d distinguished himself, yet he has a hair-trigger temper and jumps to the farthest conclusions. He’s furious with Johanna for “lying” to him with her disguised identity, even though doing so was the opposite of self-serving. It’s strange, too, that Johanna feels so deeply ashamed for a disguise that wasn’t, after all, her idea. And what exactly does Johanna see in Derek? He disdains women, thinks they’re all liars and tells Johanna so (as Johnny). His lighthearted, funny, sweet friend Harry seems a much better bet. Too many contrivances and almost willful misunderstandings drain interest from the love story.
Though written with some skill, Atwell’s novel lacks the lighthearted sparkle, wit, fun and true period flavor that defines a Regency romance.Pub Date: June 18, 2011
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Review Posted Online: June 11, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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