This is a middle grade book that evokes all the delightfully terrifying aspects of the children’s books I remember reading when I was a kid. It is the story of a young orphan, Clementine, who is being kept captive by her aunt and uncle – the type of old school storybook villains that will terrify the socks off young readers. Larger than life, cruel, and delighting in their cruelty, these two are the real deal.
Clementine also fits into the mold of traditional childhood literature – she is downtrodden and her situation seems impossible as those who are her antagonists are fully grown and dangerous adults, and she is a tiny child with no allies, worldly experience or means. But she is clever, and she has one ally – a rather remarkable cat. This cat helps her figure out important information throughout the story, helping her evade capture and navigate treacherous rooftop adventures.
I loved the details in this book – the cunning villains and the explanations for their success as thieves. I loved the extravagant chase scene and the disguises employed by the villains. I loved that the aunt is, by far, the more violent and scary of the two. And I adored little Clementine and her desire to, above everything else in the world, find out if there is a small house on a hill somewhere that she could escape to.
There are satisfying and thrilling twists and turns throughout the book and many times all seems lost. I was completely drawn into Clementine’s discoveries and feats of incredible bravery. And I wanted, more than anything, for her to find her way to that magical place she has imagined for years in her tiny room in the cellar.
Of course I can’t tell you what happens in the end, but I can tell you that if you are a fan of Roald Dahl’s or Frances Hodgson Burnett’s books, you will most likely enjoy this. It has a similar feeling of bad guys that take great pleasure in their work, and underdogs you will love to root for. I’m not sure exactly what age group this is meant for, but I’d say it might be a bit scary for very young children, maybe more for the nine and up crowd (or a mature eight). Highly recommended!
‘And even though she only saw it in her dreams, she felt sure it was real.’
From her cellar bedroom, Clementine dreams of a magic place. And she’s determined to find it one day. But first she must escape from her wicked aunt and uncle and from the Great Black City. With the help of her best friend, Gilbert, a very clever cat, she sets off on an epic journey that just might make her dreams come true.
A thrilling, moving and funny adventure about looking for the most magical place of all. HOME. – Goodreads
Book Title: The Magic Place
Author: Chris Wormell
Series: No
Edition: Hardback
Published By: David Fickling Books
Released: August 22, 2019
Genre: Fiction, Middle Grade, Adventure
Pages: 204
Date Read: October 5-9, 2020
Rating: 8/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 3.98/5 (97 ratings)