four stars rounded up because I am always there for magical baking. The need for rounding up came mostly because the book is set in Rhode Island, as afour stars rounded up because I am always there for magical baking. The need for rounding up came mostly because the book is set in Rhode Island, as am I, and I just don't think a place like the town of Honeycrisp Hill could exist here. For one thing, Honeycrisp apples weren't around till the late 1980s, and every town in RI is a lot older than that, and for another, there just isn't room for a town that isn't a small mill village anywhere, let alone one with a town green, which isn't a RI thing. It would have been better up in Massachusetts. So I kept getting thrown out of the story when I thought about RI, which is of course not what would happen to young readers....
Merged review:
four stars rounded up because I am always there for magical baking. The need for rounding up came mostly because the book is set in Rhode Island, as am I, and I just don't think a place like the town of Honeycrisp Hill could exist here. For one thing, Honeycrisp apples weren't around till the late 1980s, and every town in RI is a lot older than that, and for another, there just isn't room for a town that isn't a small mill village anywhere, let alone one with a town green, which isn't a RI thing. It would have been better up in Massachusetts. So I kept getting thrown out of the story when I thought about RI, which is of course not what would happen to young readers.......more
though this is a very Christian book (not to my taste), improbably so at times, I quite enjoyed it. disappointed that Trudy taking charge did not inclthough this is a very Christian book (not to my taste), improbably so at times, I quite enjoyed it. disappointed that Trudy taking charge did not include as many domestic details as I'd have liked. But still a pleasant read....more
bumped down to three stars although I like the first medieval point of view lots, and enjoyed the third modern pov too, the Tudor part I did not enjoybumped down to three stars although I like the first medieval point of view lots, and enjoyed the third modern pov too, the Tudor part I did not enjoy reading.......more
rounded up to four stars because it's a really good "children surviving on their own" story, and I liked the not inconsiderable amount of the story throunded up to four stars because it's a really good "children surviving on their own" story, and I liked the not inconsiderable amount of the story that is Tomas scavenging for things on the streets, in abandoned buildings, on the docks, etc. for himself and his sister who has crippling agoraphobia. The rounding up was required because the happy ending came with much eyerolling -- a well-off young woman artist becomes the kids' savior, and I didn't buy it. ...more
embarking on a DWJ reread....this isn't my favorite, because Gwendoline is so horrid, but fun nevertheless embarking on a DWJ reread....this isn't my favorite, because Gwendoline is so horrid, but fun nevertheless ...more