I love all of Eva Ibbotson's non-child-geared books. What was frustrating about this audio book is that nowhere does it say that it's abridged. I ordered it thinking it was unabridged.
This book is above and beyond. The discriptions are beautiful, the story line captivating, and the characters stunningly real. I love this book!
Ibbotson evidently places her traditional character Ellen as a matron in a progressive school purely for the purpose of mocking such progressive values as vegetarianism and communism. This would be bearable if Ellen herself or even her love interest, Marek, were likeable characters, but they are mind numbingly irritating. Top this off with the fact that inexplicably every character in the book falls madly in love with Ellen and can find no fault in her, and you have the recipe for a read akin to fingernails on a chalkboard. However, it did remind me a bit of Jane Austen (whose writing I also loathe), so if you enjoy her, you may enjoy this book.
Check out my full review.
Check out my full review.
