Previous Finalists

‘A wonderfully imagined story of ghostly pranks. If, like me, you are a fan of Pride and Prejudice, you will love it!’ The Wishing Shelf

To begin with, let me say I did enjoy this short YA novel very much. Any story which attempts to develop Jane Austen’s characters and helps to introduce Pride and Prejudice to children, is very welcome on my bookshelf.
So, what’s the plot? Well, simply put, Colonel Fitzwilliam and his eight-year-old daughter, Sofia-Elisabete, spend a Christmas at Rosings with the formidable Lady Catherine. But it seems they are not the only two visitors. The Rosings’ ghost has returned; a ghost that very much enjoys playing pranks!

This is a very well-written historical novel. The author is adept at many aspects of writing, from character development to plot development, from helping the reader to fall in love with the setting, to helping the reader understand the protocols of the day. She is also very good with speech. I recently read another historical novel set in the deep south, but set in the 1920s. I enjoyed it, but my enjoyment was marred by the insistence of the author to give the hero such a strong dialect, I could hardly understand a word he uttered. Thankfully, this author has not fallen into that trap. Yes, the author has her characters talk in a way that is fitting to the time, but, thankfully, it is always understandable, and, as such, only adds to the story.
This is very much a character-driven story. Sofia-Elisabete is a very interesting character, a little too trusting, too innocent, but fantastically open and keen to understand the world. But it was the colonel who did it for me. Almost every story needs a dependable character; an Obi Wan Kenobi for the hero to trust and to learn from. Well, for me, the colonel was Obi Wan Kenobi. I liked him right to the very end.
Also, the author understands how important it is not to just simply describe the ‘historical’ setting but, rather, have the characters interact with it in a natural and unobtrusive way. Many authors, who set a book in a different century, seem determined to describe every silver spoon and every woolen tunic. Thankfully, this author has not fallen into that trap.

So, would I recommend this book? Yes, absolutely. Who would I recommend it to? Firstly, to any student who is studying Pride and Prejudice. The author, I think, knows the time well and any student would learn much from such rich pickings. Secondly, to any reader who enjoys richly-developed characters; this, as I say, is predominantly a character-led story, and all of them, even the lesser characters, jump off the page.