Journey to the River Sea

Publisher and industry reviews

Jacket review

'A plot too exciting to put down. Sheer pleasure.' Sarah Johnson, The Times; 'A splendidly suspenseful, richly characterised drama.' Children's Book of the Week, Sunday Times

UK Kirkus review

This story, shortlisted for the Whitbread Children's Book Award in 2001, is full of vivid descriptions and vibrant, fascinating characters. Set in 1910, it has a timeless appeal that will delight readers of all age groups. Maias parents have been killed in a tragic train crash and the resourceful girl is living in the Mayfair Academy for Young Ladies. When the school manages to track down the Carters, distant relatives who are willing to give Maia a real home, the arrangements are swiftly made. This however, is no ordinary home for the Carters live in the city of Manaus, on the mighty Amazon River. Maia refuses to be daunted by either the prospect of living in a jungle or her intimidating governess, the unconventional but steadfast Miss Minton, who has a mysterious past that unfolds intriguingly as the story takes shape. As they make their long journey up the Amazon River, Maia and her governess form a close bond that will arm them against the hazards ahead. The beauty of the exotic landscape is well conveyed in luscious descriptions and Maia arrives at her new home longing to discover more about her surroundings, the wildlife and the natives. The Carters, however, have created a prison, as isolated as possible from their foreign environment. They have alienated the honest Indians by cheating them of their money and their sacred burial grounds... and have been cursed for it. When the full force of that curse erupts, Maia needs all her resourcefulness to escape from mortal danger. The dreadful Carter relations are well portrayed. The awful twins, Gwendolyn and Beatrice, spoilt and unsympathetic, make Maias life miserable. Mrs Carter, with her sterile life and overwhelming social pretensions, and her husband, with his ghoulish collection of false eyes, add a dark humour to the story. Escape becomes a central theme of the book. Maia makes many attempts to escape from the bonds of her new life and explore the world around her. Her friend, the wild Finn Taverner, wants to escape capture by men seeking to return him to England and life as the heir to a country estate. Then there is Clovis King, the boy actor with a kind and simple nature who longs to escape the excessive heat and demands of a cruel travelling theatre group. Clovis longs for the cool climate of England and the stodgy sweet puddings his foster mother used to prepare for him. The three children become allies in their quest to achieve their goals. This is great fun to read, refreshing, original and very well written. Highly recommended. (Kirkus UK)

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