With a quirky style evocative of Lemony Snicket, and unexpected Jane Eyre elements, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place is about a young governess and her three er… unusual pupils.
Penelope Lumley was a student at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females when the following ad caught her eye:
Wanted Immediately: energetic Governess for Three Lively Children Knowledge of French, Latin, History, Etiquette, Drawing, and Music will be Required – Experience with Animals Strongly Preferred.
At Ashton Place she discovers the three children were found in the woods by Lord Ashton (an avid hunter), and had been raised by wolves. But Penelope is an optimist, and it takes more than wolf-children (or having to teach them schottische for a Christmas Party) to discourage her.
My audiobook was read by Kathryn Kellgren, and although I was sorry to miss Jon Klassen’s, Kellgren does an amazing job with the satire, the madcap humor and the occasions howl. It’s a very original book and I had to laugh out loud by myself several times:
“In this way Penelope’s happy and sad feelings got all mixed up together, until they were not unlike one of those delicious cookies they have nowadays, the ones with a flat circle of sugary cream sandwiched between two chocolate-flavored wafers. In her heart she felt a soft, hidden core of sweet melancholy nestled inside crisp outer layers of joy, and if that is not the very sensation most people feel at some point or other during the holidays, then one would be hard pressed to say what is.”
“Clearly, being anxious is a full-time and rather exhausting occupation.”
“There is no alarm clock like embarassment.”
And my absolute favorite:
“If it were easier to resist, it would not be called Chocolate Cake.”
It’s a short book, with several of characters, but Wood give us enough to make each distinguishable and memorable. I found Penelope particularly likable, with her no-nonsense and practical approach to challenges.
The Incorrigible Children is funny, endearing, intriguing, and any book lover will revel in the clever references to Dickens, Longfellow and other literary personalities. I just can’t help but wish it wasn’t part of a series. I wish it would be a stand-alone little pearl of a book, enough in itself.
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Other thoughts: Books by their Cover, Confessions of a Bibliovore, Good Books & Good Wine, Madigan Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, An Abundance of Books, Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog (yours?)
11 comments
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April 2, 2012 at 8:23 pm
Iris
This sounds and looks like a perfect and heartwarming comfort read. And I don’t think I could ever resist Jane Eyre elements and literary references.
April 26, 2012 at 3:04 pm
Alex
The same for with with Austen references!
April 2, 2012 at 10:27 pm
lindylit
This sounds like a lovely book, might have to add it to my ever growing ‘to read’ list
April 26, 2012 at 3:04 pm
Alex
Please do – don’t forget: you’ve heard it here first 😉
May 29, 2012 at 6:57 am
Yudha
//ஒர ப ண ண ச ல ல ச ச சரத க ம ர ‘ன ன .. எனக க பயங கர ஷ க க .. எப பட ங க இத ..? அட த த அந தப ப ண ண க ட ட சரத க ம ர ஏன ப ட க க த ‘ன ன க ட ட அவர நல ல பண ண வ ர ‘ன ன ச ச .. சரத நல ல ப பண ண வ ர ம . எனக க த த ங க ம ட யல.//athaane atha saraththoda munanal manaiviyo, radhigaavothaane solla mudiyum eppadi intha ponnu solluchchi. Something somewhere wrong.
April 3, 2012 at 5:18 am
heidenkind
That looks so cute!
April 26, 2012 at 3:04 pm
Alex
Cute is the perfect word to describe this one.
April 3, 2012 at 12:32 pm
sakura
This looks amazing! Must get it now! I only just realised you are doing a year long W&P read – which reminds me that I should start soon (I had initially planned to read it last year but before I knew it, the year had ended…)
April 26, 2012 at 3:07 pm
Alex
I’ve just reached the middle and so far, I’m finding it surprisingly easy to read. A real pleasure. I don’t know why people are so intimidated about it. i guess it’s the sheer size.
April 5, 2012 at 6:34 pm
rhapsodyinbooks
I saw other reviews of this, but somehow I missed that it was by Maryrose Wood, whose Poison Something Or Other series I am reading. I agree the chocolate cake remark makes it all worthwhile! I’m off to request it from the library….
April 26, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Alex
How are you finding Poison Something? Is it also for children? I’m off to Google to do some research.