Mistress Masham’s Repose – T. H. White

Started – 10/2/12

Finished – 15/2/12

Format – Paperback

 

Challenges – BCF February Reading Circle

1001 children’s Books You Must Read

 

Synopsis – Ten-year-old orphan Maria lives in her ancestors’ crumbling mansion, with warm-hearted Cook and the eccentric Professor as her only friends. Exploring the grounds one day, Maria discovers a wild, half-forgotten island in the middle of a neglected lake – and an extraordinary secret. For the island is home to a community of tiny people – the Lilliputians that Gulliver first met on his famous travels.

 

But as Maria grows closer to her new friends, her own life is in grave danger. Her wicked governess and the cruel vicar are plotting to steal her rightful inheritance – and they will stop at nothing. How can Maria keep the Lilliputians safe, while protecting herself?

 

My Thoughts – I picked this book up because it was the book of choice for the reading circle for February. I thought that it sounded lile a really good book and would that would really hook me in. This book is based on Gulliver’s Travels, a book that i have not yet read, but do have on my TBR pile. I did enjoy this book, however the writing of it was a little bit strange. I know that it was written in 1947, but it wasnt that the language was old, more a little weird. I liked how the little peoples world was described, i would love to visit that world and see how different it is to our world.

 

I liked, than disliked, then liked again the main character of Maria. I thought to start with she came across as a poor little orphan, something that does seem quite prominent in books that i am reading at the minute. Once she started to boss the little people about i really disliked her, she was being a horrible little jealous child. However, once she had snapped out of the phase she became likeable again.

 

You had your typical good guys and bad guys in this book. The good, The Professor and the Cook, and the bad, The Vicar and The Governess. This was quite a good part to the story and how the bad guys wanted to steal the little people.

 

Of course, what with it being a children’s story it has the everyone lives happily ever after ending, which was a good part to this story and i dont think that any other ending would have worked with this book.

 

I enjoyed this book, it was a nice children’s story and i really liked the little people in this story. The only downside was the strange writing, which at times i found difficult to get into.

 

Rating –  3.5/5