Skip to main content

Book Review: Britfield and the Lost Crown

BRITFIELD AND THE LOST CROWN by C.R. Stewart
4 Stars
Verdict: A thrilling adventure across England of all places!


Our story begins in Weatherly Orphanage, Yorkshire, a dingy place with strict rule and cruel staff. It quickly turns into an adventure to Oxford, London, Southampton - all across England in a hot air balloon as orphan Tom tries to discover the dangerous truth behind his real name. 

The story doesn't waste time getting started, with Tom and his friend Sarah getting into all sort of trouble, discovering secrets and initiating plans within the first couple of chapters. It has a old classic feel without that old classic pace, and I think I would have enjoyed this story a lot as a child.

It often reminded me of books read aloud by teachers on a Friday afternoon, so I wasn't surprised to find that's exactly what it is. It's has a good paced too, sneaking in snippets of history, literature, and architecture in a ways that's engaging. It's full of famous landmarks and classic descriptions from across the country, which makes it the perfect story to recommend to teachers.

I need to critique a couple of small things. The use of awkward phrases like 'whispered loudly' probably should have been edited out. I could also tell it was written by an American from the use of 'sophomore', 'soda', 'pants', and the descriptions of culture e.g. the whimsy of tea drinking! How quaint, indeed. It's a strange editorial choice for a book set in Britain with British characters who essentially talk and think like Americans, and it took me out of the story. Perhaps what gave it away the most was beautiful and striking descriptions of each location. It's tempting to say a Brit would never describe England with the same passion, given our humour. 

Joking aside, I think the book starts strong but has a predictable resolution, so by the end I was waiting for it to round off, which is why I've knocked a star off. That could well be that I'm a little too old for this middle grade tale...

All in all, this is a great novel that I would recommend for children. It offers a fun adventure and the opportunity to fall in love with Britain. Who wouldn't want that?

Source: With thanks to the publisher via Netgalley. I received the audio version of this one, and I can say the reading was excellent!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

I took my book for a walk

I know what you're thinking...or actually, I don't.  It's easy to picture that anyone who reads your work will only see the negatives. They have every right to, after all, and I'm a big critic myself. I find things to improve in most books, even when I give them five star reviews. This is why solidifying one of my novels into print was a big step for me, and because of Sod's Law, it coincided with one of the hardest times of my life to date. When my book published, I struggled to market it. Besides being crippled with morning sickness, followed by a decent into depression and anxiety (coupled with friends not really liking my book - only softened slightly by the fact they don't like YA/reading), I didn't have the energy - emotionally or physically - to give my book the launch it deserved.  It deserved better.  Because no matter what, I put a lot of work into The Clearing. Over several years and iterations, too. I'm proud of the twists, and I enjoy hearin

Book Review: Threads That Bind

THREADS THAT BIND by Kika Hatzopolou Disclaimer time: As always, the following is just my opinion. Other opinions are available.  THREADS THAT BIND is an epic fantasy with an urban feel. It has a fascinating magic system inspired by Greek mythology, and a story that explores the bonds of sibling relationships. Overall, it's a fast-paced book about fate, choices, and forgiving yourself, so prepare for morally grey moments and difficult sibling relationships.  Io and her sisters are descendants of the Fates, which means they're able to see and manipulate the threads that connect people to the things they love. Io is the third sister, and therefore she is able to cut threads. The story kicks off when Io is hired by the 'mobqueen' to investigate murders linked to vengeful wraiths. To top it off, she has to work with the very person she's been avoiding for years, a boy she's fated to love - except he already has a girlfriend. If you think that the above sounds like t

Indie Book Review: The City of Snow and Stars

THE CITY OF SNOW AND STARS by S.D. Howard 4 Stars Verdict: A dark fantasy with a wholesome cast.  Trigger warning for rape/abuse.  'I'm not wanted for me, only what I can give, and there is nothing left.' I don't usually quote books, but this is a very quotable story! The dialogue was powerful in places, and the way the characters bonded together was the strength of this Christian fantasy adventure.   It's written in third person with a narrative that I personally found a little distant at times. That said, the characters are easy to root for. Runaways Trinia and Jayden team up with a wizard to take down Trinia's abusive father before he can take over the kingdom. They're joined by a talking wolf and a shapeshifter called Batanny, who in many ways seems like an older version of Trinia. Threads of pain run through this book and pull the characters together in a way that makes this dark read still feel wholesome at times.  It soon became an easy to enjoy fant