A Brief History of Montmaray

October 19, 2009
A highly atmospheric setting on the invented European island of Montmaray and a memorably eccentric cast prove a standout backdrop for this adventure set in 1936. In personable, smart diary entries, 16-year-old Sophie FitzOsborne unveils her life of aristocratic poverty in a crumbling fortified castle with sharks below the rickety drawbridge, living with her unbalanced uncle the king, tomboy sister Henry, bluestocking cousin Veronica and eerily loyal housekeeper (“It's not my fault I'm a princess ,” Sophie moans). Cooper ably interweaves this fictional dynasty with historical fact, sketching details about the Spanish Civil War and growing Nazi power, the handful of villagers left on the island (“there are now as many Royal Highnesses on the island as there are subjects”), visits from friends from England and Sophie's longed-for debut. When German soldiers arrive, events take a perilous turn, and the revelation of long-hidden family secrets adds additional gothic undertones. Cooper's taut pacing and strong characters make this a powerful historical novel. Ages 12–up.

December 1, 2009
Gr 7-10-It's 1936, and 16-year-old Sophie FitzOsborne lives on the edge of poverty in an island castle off the coast of England. With her cousin Veronica; her younger sister, Henry; a dog named Carlos; and her reclusive Uncle Johnthe mad king of Montmarayfor company, Sophie spends her days helping her cousin and the few remaining servants keep house while documenting her dreams and experiences in her journal. The girls' intellects and fierce determination are put to the test when the Nazis invade their island and quickly turn their state of solitude into a struggle for survival. This book has a bit of everything: romance, betrayal, a haunting, espionage, psychological discord, intimate liaisons, and murder. Although the beginning is heavily laden with the protagonist's accounts of historical events, the mood eventually shifts to an exciting pace illustrating the heroine's adventures and courageous endeavors to preserve her family's bond and royal lineage."Kimberly Monaghan, formerly at Vernon Area Public Library, IL"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2009
Grades 7-10 *Starred Review* The kingdom of Montmaray, on a tiny island in the Bay of Biscay, consists of the castle that the FitzOsbournes have called home for hundreds of years, and a small village that, by 1936, is populated by a last loyal family. In the opening entries in her new diary, 16-year-old Sophie FitzOsbourne, niece to the rather mad king, dwells upon such all-consuming matters as her upcoming introduction to English society and how much of a ninny she becomes in the presence of the handsomely aloof Simon. At first, the rumors of strife from the mainland involving Fascists and Communists are nothing but distasteful conversation traps for Sophie, but soon they become frighteningly close. Pitting a dying monarchy against the rush of the modern world, Cooper has crafted a sort of updated Gothic romance where sweeping adventure plays equal with fluttering hearts; and without ever leaving the confines of the tiny island or landing a single kiss, Sophie finds no shortage of both. It takes some time for the plot to gain momentum and for the characters to fully cohere, but inviting historical details that situate the story in the social and political world of preWorld War II Europe lend traction to the slower parts before readers are dashed into a breathless finale. A smart and stirring choice to usher fans of the Bront's into the twentieth century.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)