Reviews

Journey to the River Sea by Eva Ibbotson

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book_concierge's review against another edition

4.0

Maia is an orphan in London, in the early 1900s. She is in a boarding school where she has many friends and is beloved by the teachers and staff. Her family’s solicitor has finally found some distant relatives who have agreed to take Maia in … however, she’ll have to leave her school and go to Brazil where the Carters have a rubber plantation. It so happens they have just hired a new governess for their twin daughters, so Maia and Miss Minton will make the long journey together. While she is sad to leave her friends at school, Maia is excited by the possible adventure of living in a jungle setting, and she reads about the Amazon and Brazil to prepare herself for her new life. What she finds, however, is far from her imagined situation.

What a lovely adventure / coming-of-age story! Maia is a strong female character – intelligent, kind, generous, brave, resourceful and loyal. I loved how she reserved judgment until she was certain of the facts, and even when faced with greedy, spiteful people she maintained her dignity and, with the help of Miss Minton, found a way around obstacles. Her willingness to explore and learn about the native culture was also a fine lesson. And I liked the way Ibbotson made heroes out of some unlikely characters.

I did think the Carter family – father, mother, and twins – were rather stereotypical “villains,” but that is a small quibble. This is a children’s book, after all, and I don’t expect the same subtleties that I would in literature written for adults.

Occasional illustrations by Kevin Hawkes really lend atmosphere to the book.

isabelgrace18's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

elliejmatthews's review against another edition

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adventurous funny inspiring fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

shannonc8299's review against another edition

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Quite racist tbh?? And just didn't feel as adventurous and fun as when I was a kid.

shareen17's review against another edition

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3.0

This is typical Eva Ibbotson for middle schoolers. And adults who feel like reading something easy and fun. This is how Ibbotson books go: smart and kind girl gets thrown into a new setting, charms everyone except for thoroughly dislikable villains, and of course, conquers all in the end.