Medium – Book
About the Book – Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia live in a version of 19th century Britain which never existed, which is full of wild wolves that rule the countryside and hunt people. Bonnie’s kind parents, Sir Willoughby and Lady Green leave to go on a sea voyage to improve Lady Green’s health and leave Bonnie and Sylvia in the care of their distant relation, the villainous Miss Slighcarp. Soon, the Greens’ faithful servants are dismissed and Sylvia and Bonnie are sent away to a terrible school, where they are forced to do endless drudgery and worked almost to death. They manage to flee with the help of their friend Simon and his herd of geese, but will they be able to reclaim Willoughby Chase?
My Rating – 4.5/5
My Thoughts – I was encouraged to read ‘The Wolves of Willoughby Chase’ after a slight disagreement with my husband about whether wolves should be encouraged back into the wilds in the UK. I was for – my husband, having read this book as a child, was against. The book uses the conceit of the alternate version of our world in 1832 really well – it is enough like our world to be believable and familiar but then has the overarching threat of the wild wolves – although these are not as scary as the cruel Miss Slighcarp! The plot moved quickly and whilst it was reminiscent of other ‘classic’ books (i.e., the school is very much like Dotheboys Hall in Nicholas Nickleby), it was generally very original.
The characters were great – I especially liked Bonnie, who is a crack shot, likes wearing boys clothes and is generally happiest outdoors. Her cousin, Sylvia definitely has a spark to her, although it is not as recognisable at first as Bonnie’s is. The character of Simon is excellent – he is a staunch ally to the girls without being patronising or over-bearing – he accepts them both (especially Bonnie) as they are and helps them, rather than taking over. The ending is lovely, and without giving too much away, wraps up the story well – which is perfect for a story which is aimed at upper primary school children (9-11, I’d say!) There are more books in the series, although I am a bit sad that they don’t include Bonnie and Sylvia!
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