Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis:
A charming, deeply imaginative debut novel about a young girl who is immortalized in her father’s illustrated books containing clues to their family secrets.
Romilly Kemp and her eccentric father have happy but sheltered lives in a ramshackle mansion in the English countryside. To help make ends meet, he creates an illustrated book with Romilly—striking girl with red hair and a mole on her cheek—as the heroine with her cat, Monty. The book becomes an instant success and their estate is overrun with tourists and adventure seekers after rumors spread that hidden within its pages is an elaborate treasure hunt.
As Romilly gets older and her father writes more books, he starts disappearing within himself. She returns to his illustrations, looking for a way to connect with her ailing father, and finds a series of clues he’s left just for her. But this treasure hunt doesn’t lead her to gold or precious stones, but something worth far more—a shocking secret that is crucial to understanding her family.
Sarah's Review:
"Where do you draw the line between quirkiness and madness?"
This book is absolutely beautiful. The writing is lyrical and flowery making the prose pull you through the story. The author did a great job of making the book feel whimsical yet melancholy resulting in a book full of contrasts that tie together to make a stunning story. I definitely think this book is character driven, not plot driven, as I found the plot kind of predictable towards the end. However, I was so connected to the characters that the plot was not my focus while reading anyway.
The book begins when Romilly is nine, and ends when she is sixteen. Her childlike wonder clings to her as she ages, and it is really neat to see her perspective shift as she gets older. I loved seeing her relationships with the other characters in the book, but can't really comment on them further to avoid spoilers. Romilly lives in an old and rundown estate. I loved seeing her explore her surroundings, I think the setting really added to the mystery and whimsy of the book.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. If you are a fan of Erin Morgenstern, or Sue Monk Kidd I think this book would be right up your alley. Also if you grew up reading Kate Dicamillo, or Sharon Creech, this book is a nice step into adult literature.
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