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A review by kimily
Brightwood by Tania Unsworth
3.0
I received this book as an uncorrected digital proof from the publisher, via Edelweiss.
Daisy Fitzjohn knows there are two worlds: the outside world and the world of her home, a secluded mansion called Brightwood Hall. But only Brightwood is real for Daisy--she’s never once set foot outside its grounds. Daisy and her mother have everything they need within Brightwood’s magnificent, half-ruined walls, including Daisy’s best friends: a talking rat named Tar and the ghost of a long-ago explorer who calls herself Frank.
When Daisy’s mother leaves one morning, a peculiar visitor, James Gritting, arrives on the estate, claiming to be a distant cousin. But as the days tick by and Daisy’s mother doesn’t return, Gritting becomes more and more menacing. He wants Brightwood for himself, and he will do anything to get it.
At its heart, Brightwood is a tale about mental illness and coming to terms with one’s past. Through no fault of her own, our main character, Daisy, finds herself isolated at Brightwood. She’s never had contact with a human being besides her mother, and her friends include a rat, a statue, and a topiary horse. When her mother disappears and a mysterious stranger shows up at the house, Daisy is forced to not only fight for her life, but to confront the fact that her life is not normal, and that her mother may have mental problems. Daisy’s internal monologue is smart, funny, and sometimes heartbreaking. The interactions with her “friends” depict Daisy’s frustration at having no one from her own peer group to communicate with. There are sections of the book that depict some dark topics, but not in a way that would be outside the understanding of a middle-grader. Some mysteries are allowed to remain mysterious, such as the identity of Daisy’s father, but I love a book that isn’t afraid to leave some strings untied. I would recommend this book to kids 8 and older, who enjoy an (at times dark) adventure.
Daisy Fitzjohn knows there are two worlds: the outside world and the world of her home, a secluded mansion called Brightwood Hall. But only Brightwood is real for Daisy--she’s never once set foot outside its grounds. Daisy and her mother have everything they need within Brightwood’s magnificent, half-ruined walls, including Daisy’s best friends: a talking rat named Tar and the ghost of a long-ago explorer who calls herself Frank.
When Daisy’s mother leaves one morning, a peculiar visitor, James Gritting, arrives on the estate, claiming to be a distant cousin. But as the days tick by and Daisy’s mother doesn’t return, Gritting becomes more and more menacing. He wants Brightwood for himself, and he will do anything to get it.
At its heart, Brightwood is a tale about mental illness and coming to terms with one’s past. Through no fault of her own, our main character, Daisy, finds herself isolated at Brightwood. She’s never had contact with a human being besides her mother, and her friends include a rat, a statue, and a topiary horse. When her mother disappears and a mysterious stranger shows up at the house, Daisy is forced to not only fight for her life, but to confront the fact that her life is not normal, and that her mother may have mental problems. Daisy’s internal monologue is smart, funny, and sometimes heartbreaking. The interactions with her “friends” depict Daisy’s frustration at having no one from her own peer group to communicate with. There are sections of the book that depict some dark topics, but not in a way that would be outside the understanding of a middle-grader. Some mysteries are allowed to remain mysterious, such as the identity of Daisy’s father, but I love a book that isn’t afraid to leave some strings untied. I would recommend this book to kids 8 and older, who enjoy an (at times dark) adventure.