Description of book
Forced to leave their island kingdom, Sophie FitzOsborne and her eccentric family take shelter in England. Sophie's dreams of making her debut in shimmering ballgowns are finally coming true, but how can she enjoy her new life when they have all lost so much?
Aunt Charlotte is ruthless in her quest to see Sophie and Veronica married off by the end of the Season, Toby is as charming and lazy as ever, Henry is driving her governess to the brink of madness, and the battle of wills between Simon and Veronica continues. Can Sophie keep her family together, when everything seems to be falling apart?
An enticing glimpse into high society, the cut and thrust of politics as nations scramble to avert world war, and the hidden depths of a family in exile, struggling to find their place in the world.
Reviews
Praise and awards for A BRIEF HISTORY OF MONTMARAY
*** Winner of the Ethel Turner Prize for Young Adult Fiction in the NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2009
*** Shortlisted for the Golden Inky Award, Australian Centre for Youth Literature (teen choice awards)
*** 'Once in a while, a special book will cross our paths and make us grateful for life and the ability to read. Such a book should be celebrated and used to teach in schools. No, I'm not talking about the Bible or the Koran. I'm talking about A BRIEF HISTORY OF MONTMARAY by Michelle Cooper. I'm calling her Australia's next stroke of literary brilliance.' Soo Lee Tan, VIEWPOINT
*** 'A smart and stirring choice to usher fans of the Brontës into the twentieth century.' Starred Review, BOOKLIST
*** 'Fabulous storytelling.' ABA Kids' Reading Guide 2008-2009
*** 'It has everything: a love story, a war story, a spy story, an adventure story and is well researched with convincing historical detail of the 1930's, complete with the satirical outlook of the narrator. I was completely taken away by the pace of the narrative and my interest in the characters.' Ernie Tucker, ENGLISH IN AUSTRALIA
*** 'A thundering good yarn … Recommended.' MAGPIES
*** 'An endearing narrator and a nail-biting adventure will leave readers on tenterhooks for the sequel that is scheduled to follow' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
*** 'Michelle Cooper draws on history, literature, politics, religion and mythology, as well as the smaller moments of a life, and delivers a story that has more facets than a well-cut diamond. Adventure, intrigue, romance, and the supernatural - it's all here, bound together by a ripping plot.' SUNDAY AGE
*** 'This book should be cherished.' WOMAN'S DAY