A review by oceanwriter
Our Castle by the Sea by Lucy Strange

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This book was a random result I got from a Google search for cozy historical reads. It fits the bill enough though I would say it’s more tense than cozy. 
 
Aside from storms and sea monster stories, Petra has lived a quiet life by the sea. The start of World War II brings more changes than her vivid imagination could have conjured. Her German mother is detained and at risk of being tried as a traitor, her sister is becoming a stranger, and bombs begin falling. She feels that somehow the story of the Wyrm and the war are connected, but how? 
 
The book is definitely written in a way to capture the minds of younger readers. It was fine in the beginning because I was well aware of the intended audience, however, the climax of the book nearly had me laughing. The plot itself wasn’t the issue rather than the delivery. The speeches read like those of cartoon villains. I couldn’t take anything seriously after that. That being said, my younger self probably would have loved it. 
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