Cookies & Milk by Shawn Amos

Information

Goodreads: Cookies & Milk
Series: None
Age Category: Middle Grade
Source: Library
Publication Date: 2022

Summary

Eleven-year-old Ellis Johnson just knows his summer is going to be terrible when he learns that his recently divorced dad expects him to help open a new chocolate chip cookie store. Who ever heard of store that sells just chocolate chip cookies? And they only have six weeks to do it, right in the middle of Sunset Boulevard. Despite Ellis’ reservations, however, he soon begins making friends and learning that a little bit of kindness–and some really great cookies–just might be able to transform a neighborhood. Set in 1976, this middle grade historical fiction is loosely based on the author’s own experiences growing up with Wally Amos, founder of the Famous Amos cookies.

Review

Cookies & Milk is a fun historical fiction based on the author’s experiences growing up with the founder of the Famous Amos cookies. Though at time the writing lacks fluidity and the structure is not entirely cohesive, younger readers will likely find the story humorous while some older readers will delight in the nostalgia of reliving the 1970s. One thing is for sure, though: this book will leave readers wanting chocolate chip cookies!

The premise of Cookies & Milk initially drew me in, promising me a cute coming-of-age story complete with one of my favorite things–dessert. However, the book is about much more than opening a storefront. It also deals with Ellis and his dad’s attempts to navigate through divorce; the revelation of family secrets and heartbreak; Ellis’ journey to finding his identity as he meets Black musicians, works on his Afro, and is inspired to wear a dashiki; the experience of being one of the few Black kids in a predominantly white neighborhood; and the power of kindness to create a community. In other words, there’s a lot!

Unfortunately, though I loved all these elements, sometimes the book showed itself to be a debut effort as the elements do not all seamlessly come together. The story feels like it skips and jumps a bit, moving from Ellis’ childish antics that result in ruined cookie ingredients, to his admiration of the mysterious DJ Wishbone, to his serendipitous meetings with a down-on-his-luck homeless man, a surfer dude who is all about the love, and a motherly neighborhood lady (all of whom, of course, turn out in the end to help make the cookie business a success). It felt a bit like the author knows the ingredients to a heartwarming middle grade story, but just needs a bit more practice to blend them all together.

The most joyful part of this story for me, though, was all the great 1970s references, and Ellis’ exuberant embrace of them all. Watching him discover the “funk” at a local radio station, make his Afro fabulous, and delve into his family history to decide who he wants to be was all a delight. It seems like the author thinks of the 1970s very fondly, even as the book does not shy away from depicting how difficult it could be to live in a mostly white neighborhood. The end message is positive, though: spreading kindness can make a world of difference.

Cookies & Milk admittedly does read rather like a debut book, one that could use a little polishing. However, the premise is fun and I think the humor will still appeal to younger readers. Pick this one up if you are looking for a historical fiction with a sweet twist!

Cinder & Glass by Melissa de la Cruz

Information

Goodreads: Cinder & Glass
Series: None
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Giveaway from Penguin
Published: March 8, 2022

Official Summary

1682. The king sends out an invitation to all the maidens in France: their presence is requested at a number of balls and events that will be held in honor of the dashing Prince Louis, who must choose a bride.

Cendrillon de Louvois has more grace, beauty, and charm than anyone else in France. While she was once the darling child of the king’s favorite adviser, her father’s death has turned her into the servant of her stepmother and cruel stepsisters–and at her own chateau, too!

Cendrillon–now called Cinder–manages to evade her stepmother and attend the ball, where she catches the eye of the handsome Prince Louis and his younger brother Auguste.

Even though Cendrillon has an immediate aversion to Louis, and a connection with Auguste, the only way to escape her stepmother is to compete with the other women at court for the Prince’s hand.

Soon, as Cendrillon glows closer to Auguste and dislikes the prince more and more, she will have to decide if she can bear losing the boy she loves in order to leave a life she hates.

Melissa de la Cruz takes a lush, romantic hand to this retold fairy tale classic.

Review

Cinder & Glass strikes me as the type of book I would have enjoyed reading as an actual teen, a time both when the YA market wasn’t as saturated with wildly good, sweeping fantasy as it is now and when my own personal standards for being impressed weren’t so high, purely because I hadn’t read as many books as I have now that I’m older. That is, Cinder & Glass is a perfectly good, serviceable retelling of “Cinderella” that will be a fun, light read for someone who likes “Cinderella” retellings, but it just isn’t particularly memorable and doesn’t add any really original twists to the story.

This is a nice choice for readers wondering where all the “lower YA” has gone, in a market that seems dominated by really dark and mature YA books. If you want a light romance that mostly sticks to kissing and a book that has obstacles and set-backs for the protagonists but that doesn’t delve deep into cruelty, abuse, exploitation, dark magic, etc., then this is definitely a book to look into. It is, truly, simply a retelling of “Cinderella” set in 17th-century France, following the basic storyline one would expect. The main spin-off is that the second half of the book, instead of featuring simply a ball, involves a bit of a “contest” among various women the prince might pick for his wife (imagine something along the lines of The Selection).

I am on the fence about the pacing of the book, however, and whether things like the eligible maiden contest and the romances in general felt rushed. Part of me thinks they are; part of me appreciates a nice YA standalone that just gets the job done and wrapped out, rather than drawing everything out into a dramatic and lengthy trilogy. This is another reason the book reminds me of the YA published when I was a teen myself and why I think it works nicely as a lower YA recommendation.

So . . . this book is fine; my biggest problem is that I don’t have much to say about it beyond that. It fills a niche I think has been left empty in the current YA market for some time, so if you have a job where you recommend books to others, this is worth keeping in mind. If you are personally an avid reader of YA fantasy and retellings, this one is not likely to stand out to you.

Isla to Island by Alexis Castellanos

Information

Goodreads: Isla to Island
Series: None
Age Category: Middle Grade
Source: Library
Published: 2022

Summary

When political upheaval comes to Cuba, Marisol must travel to Brooklyn–on her own–to start a new life. But the city seems bleak and harsh compared to her old home. Can Marisol make a place for herself in Brooklyn?

Review

Isla to Island is a poignant graphic novel about feeling lost in a new place.  When political unrest occurs in Cuba, Marisol’s parents take advantage of a program that rehomes Cuban children in the United States.  Thus, a young Marisol sets out alone to live under the care of a foster couple.  Though her foster parents try hard to make her feel comfortable, Marisol naturally misses her home and her family, and struggles to find a place where she belongs.  Watching Marisol struggle to understand English, struggle to make friends, and struggle to find anything that seems familiar and beautiful is heart-wrenching.  But Alexis Castellanos gives this story a happy ending, ultimately giving the message that happiness can be found anywhere, and love will carry us through.

The graphic novel is wonderfully done, with the images carrying the narrative and the bulk of the (minimal)  text occurring in Spanish.  Thus, readers get a glimpse of what Marisol is experiencing.  Readers who do not understand Spanish have to guess at meanings through the images.  And even readers who do know Spanish have to decode most of the book through the actions and facial expressions of the people, since the book is mostly wordless.  Just as Marisol has to work to interpret what is happening around her, so do readers.   

The images are beautifully done, as well, with colors being used to convey meaning.  When Marisol feels sad, her world is gray.  But when she is happy, or glimpses an object that makes her happy, the panels or the object appear in color.  Color is also used to great effect when Marisol has her first period; the blood leaps off the page in vivid red, highlighting Marisol’s confusion and fear.  These types of color signatures guide readers through the book, making meaning more obvious when words do not appear.

Isla to Island is ultimately an emotional journey, one that will draw readers in from the start as they see Marisol’s happy family life slowly crumble under the pressures of political unrest.  Her subsequent years in the U.S. are also tinged with a bit of sadness; even as she acclimates to her new life, she remains separated from her parents.  But Castellanos does not let her readers despair.  Little bits of happiness occur along the way, ultimately leading to an emotionally satisfying ending.

The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein

Information

Goodreads: The Enigma Game
Series: Code Name Verity #2
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2021

Summary

Fifteen-year-old Louisa Adair travels to Scotland to take care of Jane, an elderly German-born woman recently released from prison, allegedly for being a danger to the nation. At the inn where the two reside, a German defector risks his life to drop off a code-breaking machine. Soon, Louisa and Jane get Ellen McEwan, a volunteer driver at the local airfield, and Jamie Beaufort-Stuart, a bomber pilot, involved in their code breaking operation, which seems to gift Jamie’s squad with incredible luck. But then intelligence gets word and they want the machine.

Review

The Enigma Game is another brilliant addition to the Code Name Verity series–this time a prequel to Code Name Verity that provides the background story for a line dropped about Jamie’s bomber squad experience. It introduces a range of new, lovable characters–including Louisa Adair, the teenage daughter of a Jamaican father and English mother, and Jane, an elderly woman of German origin just recently released from detainment–as well as old favorites such as Ellen McEwan and Jamie Beaufort-Stuart. Their relationships, forged in wartime, stand at the heart of a gripping WWII story featuring code breaking, fighter planes, and espionage. Another winning tale from Elizabeth Wein.

A new point-of-view character, Louisa, carries the story with her youthful earnestness and pure desire to do something to help win the war. Although she is only fifteen, her parents have both been killed by the war, and she is forced to find a job that will enable her to support herself–no easy task when people are reluctant to hire her because of the color of her skin. A phone interview, however, leads her to a lucky break–to be the caregiver for an elderly woman named Jane whom others are afraid to be associated with, because she was born in Germany. Louisa’s determination, her optimism, and her cleverness all make her a charming heroine, one readers are sure to fall immediately in love with.

Though the summary of the book promises a fair bit of excitement with the introduction of the Enigma Machine to Britain, The Enigma Game succeeds not because of the twists and intrigue, but because it depicts a vivid image of life on the British homefront during WWII. The characters, and not so much their unusual circumstances, form the heart of the story– one about belonging. Louisa and Jane’s status as outcasts (along with Ellen McEwen, who has been hiding her background as a Traveller, now that she has a “respectable” job as a volunteer at the airfield) is crucial to readers’ understanding of what it was like to be alive during WWII. Though Louisa and Jane and Ellen are all capable, brave, and clever, they are limited in what they allowed to do, how much they are allowed to sacrifice. And, so, they form their own secret spy network of sorts. And that is the great shame The Enigma Game reveals; the nation people may love does not always love them back.

The Enigma Game works wonderfully as an addition to the Code Name Verity series, bringing back old favorites while also introducing new characters that will find a place in readers’ hearts. It also works as a fine standalone, however, offering reflections on who is offered a place in society, and how societal change can be enacted. The courage of these characters is not just in facing a wartime enemy, but in confronting the darkness of their own society. And that is a message that remains always relevant.

You Might Also Like

• Code Name Verity
• Rose Under Fire
• The Pearl Thief
• What Order Should You Read the Code Name Verity Books In?

What Order Should You Read the Code Name Verity Books In?

Though many readers are familiar with Elizabeth Wein’s Code Name Verity, not everyone realizes that the book is part of a series of companion books that follow various characters before and during WWII. There are various orders one could use to read the series. Below are my suggestions.

My Recommended Order

• Code Name Verity
• Rose Under Fire
• The Enigma Game
• The Pearl Thief

My reasoning: Code Name Verity is arguably the strongest installment in the series so far. Its combines powerful emotion with an inventive narrative technique. Read this book first, and you will be hooked.

Rose Under Fire comes next naturally, as it takes place a few months after Code Name Verity and deals with the aftermath of the events of that book. It is a powerful book in its own right. But reading it before CNV will mean spoiling CNV.

The Enigma Game takes place chronologically before Code Name Verity and after The Pearl Thief. It takes a reference to Jamie Beaufort-Stuart from CNV and uses that as its starting point. Much of the fun of this book comes from recognizing characters one grew to love from CNV and RUF.

The Pearl Thief is arguably the weakest book of the series. Its main charm is that it follows one of the characters from CNV and tells of a light adventure that takes place before the war. It will have more of an emotional impact for readers familiar with CNV.

Possible Order #2

• Code Name Verity
• Rose Under Fire
• The Pearl Thief
• The Enigma Game

My reasoning: As I note above, Code Name Verity is an incredibly powerful book and it makes sense as a starting point to draw readers in. Rose Under Fire needs to be read immediately after CNV since it deals with the aftermath of the events of CNV. However, one could conceivably read The Pearl Thief before The Enigma Game since neither will spoiler the other. Reading The Enigma Game after The Pearl Thief makes sense because it contains a short reference to The Pearl Thief that could be fun to catch–and because it makes one of the side characters from The Pearl Thief into a point-of-view character.

Possible Order #3

• The Enigma Game
• Code Name Verity
• Rose Under Fire
• The Pearl Thief

My reasoning: Since The Enigma Game comes chronologically before CNV and RUF, it does make sense as a starting point. It also gives the backstory of a line mentioned in CNV about Jamie’s experience in a bomber squad. I still would suggest reading The Pearl Thief last since I find it the weakest in the series and, again, I think its main appeal to readers is that it resonates with people familiar with the events of CNV who enjoy seeing the characters in that book enjoying a simpler time, their lives yet unspoiled by war.

Chronological Order

• The Pearl Thief
• The Enigma Game
• Code Name Verity
• Rose Under Fire

I really would not recommend starting with The Pearl Thief since, as stated above, I think it is the weakest book in the series and its impact comes from having read Code Name Verity. But, if you like reading books in chronological order, this would be the way.

What order would you recommend reading the Code Name Verity series in?

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

Information

Goodreads: Rose Under Fire
Series: Code Name Verity #4
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2013

Summary

Rose Justice is an American pilot during WWII, but she is captured by the Germans and sent to Ravensbrück, a concentration camp for women. She will need all her strength, but also the strength of the women around her, in order to survive.

Review

Rose Under Fire is the companion book to Code Name Verity, taking place a few months after that book ends. Rose Moyer Justice is an American pilot in the British ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary), who finds herself captured by German pilots shortly after the liberation of Paris. She ends up in the Ravensbrück concentration camp, a camp for women that primarily contained political prisoners. Rose Under Fire is a difficult book to read, but an important one. It offers a glimpse at history through one woman’s experiences, encouraging readers to remember the women who suffered at Ravensbrück, and to honor their lives and their stories.

Rose Under Fire is, of course, necessarily limited in its scope. The fictional Rose Justice spends only a few months at Ravensbrück, towards the end of the war and shortly before the camp’s liberation. The book focuses on the Polish political prisoners who underwent medical experiments at the hands of the Nazis–experiments that cost them their lives or resulted in permanent physical damage–though the camp also included Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, Roma and individuals considered to be criminals. Since Rose is one person, and does not know everything happening everywhere at the camp, the book largely follows the women she befriends in her bunk and in her work detail, the woman who support and sustain her through the unimaginable.

Rose provides her own unique viewpoint for the story since she is an American. The U.S. joined WWII rather late, and Rose has to grapple with feelings of guilt and horror as she realizes the atrocities that were being committed in Europe while she lived a somewhat oblivious and sheltered life as a teenager in Pennsylvania. Her experiences are still relevant today, as, even with increased globalization, individuals may view events from far away as not their concern. Rose’s story, however, reminds readers that suffering should not be ignored, even if it is not happening somewhere we can see.

Rose Under Fire is an extraordinarily difficult book to read. Elizabeth Wein attempts to lighten it, just a bit, by letting readers know early on how Rose’s story ends. Rose is not Julie, writing with an unknown fate, but, rather, writing from a hotel in Paris once she escapes. The flashes forward to her time at the hotel give readers just a tiny, tiny bit of comfort to hold on to as they read about her time in Ravensbrück.

But the strength of this book is that Wein does not allow readers to believe that escaping physically is the end. Rose is still traumatized from her experiences, and she has difficulty adjusting back to “normal life,” even years later. The story carries forward to the trial where the Nazi doctors who performed the medical experiments are confronted with their crimes. The story shows how the women who were experimented on and who were imprisoned at Ravensbrück have to live with the past. How even the trial, supposed to give them justice and tell the world their story, increases the trauma by making them dredge up terrible memories and place their bodies on display for evidence.

Rose Under Fire is a heartbreaking book, one that blends unimaginable horrors with the light of friendship and the strength of human resilience. It is a hard book to read, but an important one.

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

Information

Goodreads: I Must Betray You
Series: None
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2022

Official Summary

Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.

Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.

Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?

Review

I Must Betray You is a heart-wrenching look at life under a communist regime, where free thought is forbidden and everyone could a traitor. Cristian is a Romanian teenager who has grown up fearing to speak aloud even in his own home, which could be bugged by the government, and knowing that even his closest friends could report him to the police for breaking the rules. Still, he finds brief moments of freedom when he dares to write down his real thoughts in a hidden notebook; the government might control his life, but they cannot control his mind, or limit his creativity. I Must Betray You celebrates the resilience of the human spirit to seek for truth against the odds.

Though set in 1989, I Must Betray You feels eerily topical. As a teenager, Cristian has grown up knowing little else than poverty and fear. He and his fellow Romanians know the truth of what it is like to live under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu. It is waiting in line for food one might not even get. It is knowing the electric and the water will go out. It is undergoing physical examinations so the state can see who is getting pregnant for the “good of the nation.” It is knowing that one does not have a choice in one’s own life. But still, Cristian hopes that the world knows about Romania’s plight. He dreams that the world might take action. He spends each day wondering if anyone really cares about what is happening.

Ultimately, however, Cristian does not need to wait for someone else to save him. When Romania finally fights back, Cristian finds in herself depths he did not know were there, and he stands with the revolutionaries. By focusing on Cristian’s journey, from a teen doing what he needs to do in order to survive, to a young man willing to risk everything for freedom, Ruta Sepetys’ story offers hope. Change is something that comes from within. Change is something even an “ordinary” person can start.

I Must Betray You is a moving testimony to the power of words–to destroy, to contain, and to oppress. But also to nourish and empower. It is through words that Cristian, at first, simply survives–survives by reminding himself that he is a person, an individual, a dreamer, and a thinker. But it is also through words that Cristian at last shouts his truth to the world. And it is through words that Cristian shapes a new history for his country by sharing his memories and asking others to do the same. I Must Betray You is a hard book to read, but it is also an important one. It is a book that asks readers to listen to the stories of the suffering–and then to act.

The Silver Blonde by Elizabeth Ross

Information

Goodreads: The Silver Blonde
Series: None
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2021

Summary

Eighteen-year-old Clara Berg is a vault girl, running reels at Silver Pacific Studios in post-WWII Los Angeles. Then she finds a body in the vaults. It appears to Babe Bannon, one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors. Clara finds herself drawn to the mystery, tracking down leads and trying to discover the culprit. But her investigation could jeopardize her life, as well.

Review

The Silver Blonde is an atmospheric historical fiction, inspired by film noir. Fans of classic Hollywood will not only adore all the references to old film, but also immerse themselves in Clara’s world, from the details about film storage to the magic of movie making. A twisty mystery will keep readers turning pages, but it may just be the setting that captures their imaginations.

The story follows eighteen-year-old Clara Berg, an immigrant from Germany who is now a vault girl at Silver Pacific Studios in Los Angeles. Her dream is to become a film editor, though rising through the ranks is not easy for women. Then the discovery of a body threatens to upend her world. The victim appears to be Hollywood star Babe Bannon, killed by a personal enemy, but Clara’s investigations lead her to a deeper mystery that goes back to before WWII. What she uncovers could have repercussions that rock the entire studio. History intertwines with fiction to create a story that feels entirely different from everything else on the YA market.

The setting is truly the star of this book. Clara as a character is rather bland, as is her intended love interest. Even a hint of her struggles being accepted in a post-WWII America, or a glimpse at the sexism she experiences at work, do not give her character arc much trajectory. Clara is sort of a passionless stand-in for the reader, who gets to experience Hollywood through the eyes of the Everywoman, the person who works behind the scenes to make the stars look good. What Clara sees feels like magic.

Readers looking for a memorable historical fiction will delight in The Silver Blonde. The setting–after WWII rather during–is unique, and captures a fascinating time in American history, when the people were trying to move on from a shared trauma, but also finding that the past continued to haunt them. It is always a pleasure to find a YA that feels different from the rest–and The Silver Blonde certainly has its own alluring voice.

My Fine Fellow by Jennieke Cohen (ARC Review)

Information

Goodreads: My Fine Fellow
Series: None
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Netgalley
Publication Date: January 11, 2022

Official Summary

It’s 1830s England, and Culinarians—doyens who consult with society’s elite to create gorgeous food and confections—are the crème de la crème of high society.

Helena Higgins, top of her class at the Royal Academy, has a sharp demeanor and an even sharper palate—and knows stardom awaits her if she can produce greatness in her final year.

Penelope Pickering is going to prove the value of non-European cuisine to all of England. Her contemporaries may scorn her Filipina heritage and her dishes, but with her flawless social graces and culinary talents, Penelope is set to prove them wrong.

Elijah Little has nothing to his name but a truly excellent instinct for flavors. London merchants won’t allow a Jewish boy to own a shop, so he hawks his pasties for a shilling a piece to passersby—but he knows with training he can break into the highest echelon of society.

When Penelope and Helena meet Elijah, a golden opportunity arises: to pull off a project never seen before, and turn Elijah from a street vendor to a gentleman chef.

But Elijah’s transformation will have a greater impact on this trio than they originally realize—and mayhem, unseemly faux pas, and a little romance will all be a part of the delicious recipe.

Review

With some delightful twists on history and pages of delectable food descriptions, My Fine Fellow is an entertaining take on my My Fair Lady that will have readers’ stomachs grumbling and their hearts hoping for a happy ending for Elijah.

While the book does feel long at times with its extensive descriptions of food, cooking technique, history, and the characters’ pasts interrupting the action, many readers may enjoy these interludes as they can get some real tips for making delicious meals and pastries and learn more about how Jews were treated in England during the early 1800s. Even the main characters are not always free from prejudice on certain topics, adding realism to the book even as it provides those characters an opportunity to grow.

The best part, I believe, is the focus on cooking competitions. I love a good book about the culinary arts, and My Fine Fellow has enough to keep any reader satisfied on this point, with its featuring of a wide variety of foods and techniques and inspiration from various cultures. It will be hard to read this without getting hungry.

The characters are bit hit-or-miss for me. Helena is absolutely insufferable, and while I understand that’s the entire point of her characterization, it at times made reading this book an irritating experience rather than an entertaining one. She’s also snotty and stuffy, and I often wanted to laugh at her way of speaking, which is ironic considering her goal is to teach Elijah how to speak like her. Penelope and Elijah are a bit more well-rounded, and they also have bigger struggles to deal with than Helena does, which grounds them a bit.

My Fine Fellow stands out for its focus on food, and I think readers who enjoy YA historical fiction that provides real insight into history while also making creative alterations and not always taking itself series will like this one.

The Pearl Thief by Elizabeth Wein

Information

Goodreads: The Pearl Thief
Series: Code Name Verity #1
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2017

Summary

Fifteen-year-old Julia Beaufort-Stuart is back at her grandfather’s estate for one last summer before it is sold. She expects to be busy doing nothing more than packing boxes, but ends up in the hospital the first day she arrives. She cannot remember what happened, but it seems like her injury might be linked to the employee missing from the estate. Everyone suspects the Travellers who have, for years, come to help on the estate and gone pearl fishing in the river, but Julia knows that the McEwens are innocent. Things start to look bad for Julia’s new friends, however, when a body is found in the river.

Review

Having not yet read Code Name Verity, The Pearl Thief was going to be, for me, a fun period mystery more than anything else. However, I have to admit that “fun” and “mystery” do not accurately describe the story I found. Though mysterious things are happening around Julie at her grandfather’s estate, her interests include flirting, driving, and wandering–not detecting. She simply stumbles across clues periodically until the mystery is cleared up by accident, with little intent on her part or, really, on anybody’s. In fact, no one even knows that there is a Pearl Thief, so the title is a bit misleading. In short, The Pearl Thief is a coming-of-age story whose primary interest comes from being set in Scotland and including much information on Scottish river pearls. It will appeal to fans of Code Name Verity or readers who like travel stories, but it will likely disappoint those looking for an actual mystery.

I really enjoy mysteries, so I have to admit that I find myself in the camp of those who will be disappointed by this story. From the summary, I got the idea that Julie would want to play detective as soon as she realized that an employee was missing off the estate, along some pearls. However, no one seems too concerned with the man’s disappearance–not his employers, not the police, and certainly not Julia. No one knows that he apparently absconded with some pearls, either. In fact, no one even remembers that the pearls existed! Julia does have vague memories of them, but brushes them aside. Readers will likely realize pretty quickly from all this what is happening (there must be a reason certain people did not see fit to report an employee as missing), but Julia does not–and she does not care, either.

Fifteen-year-old Julie is really just concerned with having a good time–and I don’t blame her. She has fun trying to flirt with an older man, and she spends her days traipsing about the countryside and trying to woo Ellen, a standoffish Traveller. The Travellers are some of the more interesting characters, considered as a group. Elizabeth Wein depicts just some of the suspicion and abuse they face from society because of their iterant lifestyle–even though it is clear that they contribute a lot to the local economy and should be valued members of the community. An author’s note at the end gives more information about and context for the Travellers, including their current situation.

Scotland, its culture, and its history end up being the true stars of this book, being drawn more vividly than even the characters. Julia is sort of a standard teen who enjoys having a good time. Ewen McEwen is almost nonexistent, despite his prominence in the official summary. Ellen McEwen is more provocative, but does not end up having enough of a personality to be truly intriguing. But real love for Scotland and its heritage leaps off every page, and readers will enjoy immensely the opportunity to learn about the moors, river pearls, and, yes, the Travellers. Make no mistake; Scotland is the protagonist here, not Julia.

The Pearl Thief taught me a lot about Scotland, and I loved learning more about Scottish river pearls, since I had not known they existed. However, the official summary mislead me into thinking the book would be a mystery, when it is really a coming-of-age story. I still enjoyed the book, but I think I would have enjoyed it more, had I not been expecting something entirely different.