An Adventure Book Review by Erin the Literary Cat©
Hello, and welcome to A Thursday Book Review featuring Adventures in Middle-Grade Fiction!
This week we have a book first published in 2020, but one I think is so original and such a compelling story that it is worth sharing for those that may not yet have come across it. It was written by a highly accomplised author, and the then Childrens Laureate Wales. That is 'an ambassadorial post which aims to engage and inspire the children of Wales through literature, and to promote every child's right to have their stories and voices heard.'
That such a posts exist is heartening to see, and this story is a testament to the undoubted creativity and skill of the author.
So, without further ado, here is my second solo selection for you to enjoy. I present, WILDE by Eloise Williams
WILDE, by ELOISE WILLIAMS
Cover art by:ANNE GLENN
Published by: FIREFLY PRESS
Publication date: First published May 2020
Paperback ISBN: 978 191 310 2180
Cover price for Paperback £6.99.
Available in Kindle? YES
Pages 256.
Age range: Middle Grade (9-12 AND upwards)
Any
dogs or cats?A cat called Mrs Danvers, who may just have magical leanings, and a long-eared sociable hound called Denzel.
SPOILER ALERT
In order to advise as to the plot there will be some small spoilers as to certain characters/ situations within the story. We do how recommend this story, so if you wish to read it, spoiler free, please skip over the plot summary below.
Disclaimer.
We were pleased to see and be approved to download a free reader copy of this book. We are even happier that we can share our own free opinion of this fine adventure with you.
The plot
Wild is a year six (10-year-old) student. Her mother died when she was young and her father works away a lot of the time. It is fair to say she has had problems at school – she doesn't fit in and things go wrong somehow, wierd things that she cant explain but gets the blame for. Each time she ends up moving school. This time she got herself kicked out so she go stay with her dad. But, he cant get out of his work in America so she has to go stay with her aunt Mae, in the town of Witch Point, Wales. Witch Point holds a deep family connection. But it is a place that is rooted in the memory of witches. Wierd things happen there. People get struck by lightning, in the same spot. And when theres a funeral, the clock chimes thirteen.
But worse, the town and townsfolk were cursed by a witch called Winter who lead seven sisters to their death centuries before. She had been hanged but her memory, and the curse live on in memory.
Witch Point is in the middle of an unrelenting heatwave, which the curse predicts will lead to the death of all the townsfolk.
With only a few days left before the school year ends, Wilde, named after Oscar, attends Witch Point Primary. Desperate to fit in and leave all the wierd stuff behind, she tries to keep a low profile. But, the wierd stuff just gets worse, and the heat magnified. She soon makes an enemy of Jemima, the class bully. But she also gains a friend in a talkative and knowledgeable girl called Dorcas.
The year 6 class gets to meet noted actress Gwyneth Fox-Rutherford, who has come to direct the end of year school play. Much to the students dismay, yet again they are to study and then perform a retelling of the legend of 'A Witch Called Winter'.
And that is when the wierd stuff starts to happen begining with a crow flying into the classroom and landing on Wilde's lap!
Now here I will leave the story as we are getting into the realms of revealing far too much of the actual adventure.
So, what did we think?
There is, once in a while, a story that fully engages the senses from the opening paragraphs. A story that is so well executed, so thorough in its presentation it becomes an instant and irresistible read. This is one. Richly written, it is a confection for the imagination that starts slowly, tempting and drawing the reader in. A slow burn as they say, but one that, with all the might and suspense of Hitchcock, and the flare of the Bard and fear wrought by William Golding (all tempered for MG readers) progresses to a crescendo that is as wholly fulfilling as it is dramatic, fearful and delightful.
So . . . .
Crunch time.
This story is told in the first person by Wilde, and is as dramatic engaging and adictive as any story I have read for this grade. It will I am sure be a classic in its own time. We wholly recommend this story to readers of all ages.
Want to buy a copy?
To get a copy, and are not in the midst of a cursed heatwave, please do think of your local independent bookshop. There are plenty out there, and each is just waiting to serve up a treasure of literal magical resource, fun and adventure with a personal touch.
Eloise Williams' WEB page can be found HERE https://eloisewilliams.com/
Firefly Press's web page can be found HERE. https://fireflypress.co.uk/
Thank you for visiting the blog. We hope you enjoyed the review and will return soon.
Till laters!
ERin
