January 1, 2009
"Small and delicate" Miranda does recall coming to the mysterious old manor house where she lives, having been blown there by the wind and found by Wysteria, the old woman who keeps her there for her useful small fingers that can mend nets and thus make money. Beyond her initial arrival, Miranda doesn't remember much, and the old woman keeps her world so small and enclosed, and Miranda herself literally weighted down with steel-plated boots, that she gradually loses sight of her true identity. The first third of the narrative sets the scene like a gothic novel, with the manor to explore and the mood somber, but once Miranda discovers a roomful of kites and meets a boy who returns one that got away, the pace picks up to a more child-friendly speed. The book ends on a surprising and joyful note, leaving Miranda's nature intriguingly open-ended, like a sweeter Skellig. The formal tone may put some young readers off, but those with patience will be rewarded.
(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
January 1, 2009
Blown by the wind, "small and delicate" Miranda is taken in by Wysteria, who keeps her weighted down with steel-plated boots. The first third of the narrative sets the somber manor-house scene; once Miranda discovers a roomful of kites and meets a boy, the pace picks up. The book ends on a surprising and joyful note, leaving Miranda's nature intriguingly open-ended.
(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)