Honest to goodness if my life was a little different I would have sat down in a big comfy chair to read this and not gotten up until it was done. At 415 pages it isn't short but it is very, very good. Ms. Hardinge takes the troubled times of Charles I in England and interweaves them with a gothic tale of soul-eaters. The result is a tale which is unexpected and engages. The story unfolds around central character Makepeace, a Puritan by birth and heretic by nature. Contrary and strong-willed, it is her unshakeable core which allows her to survive the unthinkable. The world-building here is without flaw and the story weaves in such a way as to pull the reader in. A page-turner with complex language and imagery I was surprised that this was a Middle School pick but an advanced reader will appreciate the richness of the narrative. Makepeace is committed to survival -- a trait I love in a heroine. Brava to Ms. Hardinge for taking a mystical creature in a strange time and making her feel dimensional and real. A worthy, delicious read.
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