Roz for reminding me of my sister and her love of all things science. Donovan for his rebellious streak and love of nature and wildlife. Many characters in this story had a great appeal. I spent most of my childhood dreaming of magical adventures like this. I most certainly would love (even now) to suddenly discover I am actually a Scottish Lady and am the heir to a castle or grand house. The story is brimming over with tradtional tales of Celtic mythology, of fireside stories and magical dreams. Hannah is a great heroine who is determined to break the family curse. I think I would have read it again and again. I wish I had read this book back when I was ten years old. And thus our story begins as we return with Hannah to the land of her father and journey into the mystery of The Puzzle Ring. She is excited by the possibility of a big adventure. Hannah begs her mum to take her back to Scotland. Her father was a Lord but he disappeared the night after her birth. Roz soon admits that back in Scotland Hannah would in fact have the title of Lady. Hannah is living in Australia with her mum Roz when a mysterious letter arrives addressed to the Countess of Wintersloe. In the information that came with the book, it was likened to the Chronicles of Narnia and I certainly think it has that daring magical adventure feel to it. The Puzzle Ring is written in the vein of great traditional fantasies.
Four ring rose puzzle ring series#
The only solution was to go out and get hold of The Starthorn Tree, the first of another children's series by Kate Forsyth. We wanted to remain with Hannah Rose and her friends in their world. The Puzzle Ring is a delight, and we were quite bereft when we finished the book. The Puzzle Ring was pitch-perfect for a 12 year old girl who has outgrown a lot of children's books, and likes a bit of darkness and drama, but who still wants to be a child, and enjoy children's adventure stories on a more sophisticated level. She doesn't chase boys, and worry about how she looks all the time.which is soooo boring". Not only that, my daughter hugely appreciated the fact that there was a central female protagonist in a children's adventure story, and that "she's actually intelligent and kind, and not catty. It's a picaresque tale of the kind that children can embrace, because it promises all of the delicious independence and freedom that the imagination can offer. Most of all The Puzzle Ring is a daring quest narrative. The book contains all manner of mythical creatures, faeries, mystery, and magic. The Puzzle Ring contains so many of the elements we love: it's a time-travelling children's adventure, it's also set in Scotland (both in the present day, and shifting to the 16th Century) and it's rich in historical detail as the story is set partially during the reign of Mary Queen of Scots, (she shows up in the story as well). We also thought the friendship dynamics were lovely so too the character arcs. The characterisation in this book is wonderful - my daughter adored the children in the story - we found them likeable and funny.
With the help of the three children she meets, Hannah embarks upon a perilous quest to find the missing puzzle ring, and restore her family's fortunes. In order to break the curse Hannah must unravel the clues left to her by her father who disappeared soon after her birth. Hannah is soon plunged into intrigue and adventure, discovering her family has been under a curse for hundreds of years. Hannah Rose is nearly 13 when she travels with her mother from Australia to Scotland in order to see her ailing great grandmother before she dies. Each chapter would leave us hungry for more, and even though it was bed time, we often had to read "just one more chapter". It lends itself beautifully to being told out loud. The story-telling is marvellous and vividly told. This proved to be one of the best ways possible to enjoy this book. My nearly 12 year old daughter and I both wanted to read this, so in the evenings we would snuggle up on the couch and read it aloud to one another. And it's as ripping a children's yarn as you can find. The Puzzle Ring (2009, Pan Macmillan) is another offering from Forsyth. I read all the Chain of Charms books to my daughter when they were published a few years ago, and they remain some of my daughter's favourite stories. I devour everything of hers, including her books for children. It's no secret that I love Kate Forsyth's writing.
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