LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
Tingling with tremendous atmosphere, Victoria M. Adams’ The House at the End of the Sea sees a pair of siblings uncover eerie family secrets in the wake of their mother’s death.
Saffi and her little bother Milo are struggling with losing their mum, and terribly unhappy when their dad uproots them from their London home to live with their grandparents in their B&B by the sea. But soon after arriving, they notice all manner of strange things in the house — the sound of guests who aren’t apparently there, walls that change colour, and a mysterious face in a mirror.
After finding an ally and friend in local boy Birdy, Saffi uncovers secrets related to her ancestor, Sir Henry — a man who went to India to make his fortune and “did a bad thing to get it”. When the bad thing comes to light and Saffi realises it still has an eerie hold over her family, she must dig deep to find the courage to snap the spell.
Alongside being a thoroughly menacing mystery that throngs with fairy folklore and the repercussions of an ancestral pact, The House at the End of the Sea is also cleverly multi- layered as it explores grief, dual-heritage identity and colonialism through the lens of an atmospheric story.
Joanne Owen
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About
The House at the End of the Sea Synopsis
Saffi discovers her family has a portal to fairyland, and a long, dark past of serving the Fairy Queen. Can she find the courage to break the spell that holds her family in the Queen's thrall?
Saffi doesn't want her new life, living with her dad, little brother and old-fashioned grandparents in their B&B by the sea. She is grieving for her mum and longs for things to go back to normal. But this new home is anything but normal: the walls change colour, a face appears in the mirror, and the pantry is suddenly filled with fancy food.
When a party of extraordinary visitors arrive at midnight, Saffi begins to realise that her family has a dark, magical secret. It will take all her bravery to discover the truth and find a way into another world...
A classic fantasy adventure with a modern twist, exploring themesof colonialism, dual heritage identity and grief.Victoria M. Adams has drawn on ancient fairytales and myths aswell asher own experiences growing up with British and Iranian parents.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781839134234 |
| Publication date: |
2nd May 2024 |
| Author: |
Victoria M. Adams |
| Illustrator: |
Sharon King-Chai |
| Publisher: |
Andersen Press Ltd |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
256 pages |
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Press Reviews
Victoria M. Adams Press Reviews
'A delightfully eerie mystery that explores complicated family histories. A twisty tale of fairy folklore and what it means to stand betwixt and between' - Skye McKenna
'Majestic, in the tradition of Garner and Cooper. A debut with real magic in its pages' - Sinéad O'Hart
'What a gorgeous story! The setting felt inventive, while leaning into traditional folktales. The family dynamic was complex and nuanced, but totally sympathetically done. I was gripped by the story and characters and raced through the final chapters. A brilliant book for young readers' - Elen Caldecott
'Set in a quiet English seaside town, this warm fantasy rises like a wave, with grief, family, and colonialism as backdrops to dangerous bargains with magic. Starring a brave girl trying to both discover the truth and protect her younger brother, this delightful contemporary take on fairy legends also poses questions of how to recognize - and atone for - a troubled past' - Diane Magras
'I LOVED this book - a magical tale weaving together fairy and folk tales and posing questions about colonial legacies, families, and friendships' - Sarah Brooks
Author
About Victoria M. Adams
Victoria M. Adams spent her childhood bouncing between Cyprus, Canada and the US with her Iranian mother, trying to achieve first place in the ‘Most Visas Acquired Before Age Eighteen’ sweepstakes. As an adult, she carried on the nomadic family tradition by adding France and New Zealand to the mix, where she worked as an animator, copywriter, tutor and story coach, in no particular order. Somewhere along the way, she acquired a BA in Film and an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck College. She currently teaches Creative Writing at City Lit and shares her London home with two humans and a feckless cat.
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