Reviews

This was such a wonderful book! It has some elements that may not be appropriate for sensitive children (there are strong elements of colonisation, including an uprising spurred by the murder of a young girl. There are also monsters and some tense moments - such as seeing a skeleton reaching out for a much smaller skeleton and acts of violence - as well as character deaths) but my ten year old enjoyed it, although I would say the intended audience is probably teenagers/young adults.

It has a strong, young female protagonist, and the writing is very good.

The narration by the voice actor was absolutely brilliant! It's definitely one of the best audiobook performances l have ever heard.

I definitely recommend it!

timburbage's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Wow. What a book.
When I first started with this book I was welcomed into a world similar to ours, but just a little more interesting. We met most of the main characters and the themes, like the voice of our main character, were whimsical and innocent.
However, as the story progresses Isabella is dragged into a darker tale and I was completely hooked. I didn't just want to know what happened next, I needed to.
I won't put any spoilers, but the plot was intriguing and very unpredictable. Once I finished I felt shell shocked.
Kiran created a lovable main character who I understood and longed to succeed. She wasn't perfect and that made her seem real to me. She had regrets, but didn't let them dominate her choices.
The final point I want to make is her writing style. The tone of voice was strong throughout and the long, flowing prose was a joy to read. It was far more substantial than other books I have read.
I will be recommending this to everyone I know.