LitPick Review
The book Renfred's Masquerade is about a boy named Nicola. Nicola has a problem with his leg, so he walks a little slow and kind of limps when he walks. Nicola's father is a great clockmaker. Nicola wants to be like his father and create fantastic pieces of artwork. Nicola's father, however, does not agree with this idea. He sends Nicola to a boarding school to get an education. Nicola does not want to go. He also feels bad about using money for his boarding school because his dad is no longer selling as many clocks as he once did. At the boarding school, Nicola at first is taunted for having a weak leg. Due to the bullying, Nicola learns to blend in. After Nicola's father dies, a teenage Nicola is sent to live with a magician named Renfred. Renfred holds these amazing masquerades by using magic to make different themes at each one. The magic also lets him put people in his masquerades. Will Nicola figure out the reason behind these masquerades? Will he uncover the secrets at Renfred's house? Will he learn to accept himself? Read to find out!
Opinion:
I thought that this book was really good. The characters are very well developed and I was really able to connect with them. The emotions that the characters experienced were really raw and easily felt. This story is also about coming to terms with yourself. Nicola is gay. He learns that he is able to be loved and is also able to love. The story also tells readers that people do make mistakes and that nobody is perfect. Hayden Thorne did a great job writing this novel. I would recommend this book to everyone who wants an entertaining read. I would say that readers should be at least 14 years old because of the themes and the language.
