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A review by christinecc
Far to Go by Noel Streatfeild
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
A Victorian street & stage adventure starring a daring young girl with (as the title suggests) far to go.
Despite being a sequel to another Noel Streatfeild book, "Far to Go" makes for a great stand-alone novel about Margaret Thursday, a young girl who flees an acting troupe to join a professional theatre in London. Orphaned and armed with a charming story about having been found in a basket filled with the best baby supplies, Margaret is ready to tackle any obstacle if it gets her on stage.
I think I would have loved this plot as a kid, even if it seems a little old fashioned and a tad contrived. The antagonist hasn't got much of a motive to sabotage Margaret, nor do we get to see much of Margaret with the large and entertaining cast of characters. Streatfeild's prose and voice are the real key to this book's charm. They're what brings Victorian London--with its lovely facets and life-threatening danger--to life in just a few pages.
Recommended for anyone who likes that slightly retro charm of mid-20th century British literature in the vein of Enid Blyton and Joan Aiken, only with the overall lighter tones and happy ending that suits Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Thank you to Harper 360 and Netgalley for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Despite being a sequel to another Noel Streatfeild book, "Far to Go" makes for a great stand-alone novel about Margaret Thursday, a young girl who flees an acting troupe to join a professional theatre in London. Orphaned and armed with a charming story about having been found in a basket filled with the best baby supplies, Margaret is ready to tackle any obstacle if it gets her on stage.
I think I would have loved this plot as a kid, even if it seems a little old fashioned and a tad contrived. The antagonist hasn't got much of a motive to sabotage Margaret, nor do we get to see much of Margaret with the large and entertaining cast of characters. Streatfeild's prose and voice are the real key to this book's charm. They're what brings Victorian London--with its lovely facets and life-threatening danger--to life in just a few pages.
Recommended for anyone who likes that slightly retro charm of mid-20th century British literature in the vein of Enid Blyton and Joan Aiken, only with the overall lighter tones and happy ending that suits Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Thank you to Harper 360 and Netgalley for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.