Sunday 24 March 2013

Book Review - The Unseen Guest

Title: The Unseen Guest
Author: Maryrose Wood
Series: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: 11 April 2013
ISBN-13: 978-0061791192

Synopsis
"Of especially naughty children it is sometimes said, "They must have been raised by wolves." The Incorrigible children actually were.

Since returning from London, the three Incorrigible children and their plucky governess, Miss Penelope Lumley, have been exceedingly busy. Despite their wolfish upbringing, the children have taken up bird-watching, with no unfortunate consequences--yet. And a perplexing gift raises hard questions about how Penelope came to be left at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females and why her parents never bothered to return for her.

But hers is not the only family mystery to solve. When Lord Fredrick's long-absent mother arrives with the noted explorer Admiral Faucet, gruesome secrets tumble out of the Ashton family tree. And when the admiral's prized racing ostrich gets loose in the forest, it will take all the Incorrigibles' skills to find her.

The hunt for the runaway ostrich is on. But Penelope is worried. Once back in the wild, will the children forget about books and poetry and go back to their howling, wolfish ways? What if they never want to come back to Ashton Place at all?
 


My Review
I really got into this series, it's fun and exciting and sort of like the Unfortunate Events series by Lemony Snicket. At the end of book 2 I was still left with a lot of unanswered questions and I was desperate for this one so I could get some answers.
I requested this book at the library and they were very good and ordered it for me, it actually came in quite quickly. So I settled down to find out what was behind the mysteries.
In that respect I was slightly disappointed, nothing is really answered in this book. More mysteries and questions are created but nothing is really solved. We still don't know where the children came from, why Lord Frederick has illness of a werewolf, who Judge Quinzy really is or why Penelope has to disguise her real hair coulour. All of these questions are driving me mad!
The plot thickens in this book, we find a bit more about the children's earlier years in the wood and get closer to some of the other characters but I'm still left wondering!!! Whilst I am frustrated, I did still enjoy the book. The children are growing up and learning new skills and developing individual personalities, they captivate you and make you want to know more about them. You also see Penelope really mature in this book and it was refreshing. She still maintains a certain about of childhood innocence but she is definitely becoming more mature. 
Filled with charming illustrations to go with the story, this book is delightful to read, it holds your attention and the plot flows well so you are never bored or waiting for something to happen. Some bits are very silly and unbelievable, but it's all part of the books charm.
I hope there will be another one out soon because I really want to solve this whole mystery and these books are strangely addictive. 

My Rating
   

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