LitPick Review
After Sophia Petheram's father dies, she receives a letter from her mysterious and wealthy godfather, Monsieur Bernard de Cressac, inviting her to stay with him in his lavish estate, Wyndriven Abbey, in Mississippi. Money is tight, so Sophie has no choice but to accept, leaving behind her sister and two brothers in their tiny home for a life of luxury with M. de Cressac. Sophie has always dreamed of a life where she could have anything she wanted, and as her dreams become her reality, she is entranced by M. de Cressac's charming yet cunning personality. But Sophie soon realizes that she is in danger every moment that she stays with M. de Cressac, and she starts to uncover the chilling truth about his past wives, all with hair as bright red as her own.
Opinion:
I superbly enjoyed reading Strands of Bronze and Gold, and even more so because I had never heard of the Bluebeard fairy tale before I picked up this novel. Sophia's character is so richly developed that I could not help but shiver when she finds out what happened to the many wives of her godfather or gasp in awe when the door to her bedroom is opened. The author uses adjectives like threads and spins them into a descriptive web, which will create a painting in the reader's mind that could rival the Mona Lisa. M. de Cressac will set off alarms in the reader and will make them worry for Sophie and be curious to figure out what will happen next. There is some mature content, so I would only recommend this book to kids ages 12 and up.
