“Swashbuckling!”
As a child I was always a sucker for an historical novel, and I would have loved this. The Civil War isn't often written about for children - it's complex and not part of the junior curriculum. The only book I can think of is Children of the New Forest, which might not stand up well to modern scrutiny, so this is a welcome addition.
Their castle under siege, our hero, Merriweather Pryce, is determined to uphold her family name, even in the face of overwhelming odds, and goes in search of her father. In the process she is nearly killed, but luckily, she has made firm friends with Ned, another child caught in the cross fire of war, and together they forge a way. In the process, Merri begins to understand that the war, isn't black and white. That not all the good people are on one side. And not all the bad, on the other.
Yes, it's set roughly 350 years ago, but it carries a modern relevance. No one wins in a civil war.
Taken at face value though, it's a tale of derring do, and wild adventure, with a totally believable gusty girl at the heart. Old fashioned, nicely paced, this would make an excellent class read aloud. Year 4 +
Paperback edition
This reviewer received a free of charge product for review.