I loved A Corner of White. It’s whimsical and interesting, taking place in two different worlds – ours and the made-up world of the Kingdom of Cello (although, seriously Jaclyn Moriarty, pick a different name. If your made-up kingdom doesn’t have anything to do with music – and it doesn’t – why would you name it Cello??).
The storyline in our world follows Madeleine and her mother, formerly rich socialites, who have run away to Cambridge, England. Now they live in an attic apartment where her mother sews all day to make ends meet. Madeleine is regretting her actions a lot and is beginning to become desperate about reuniting with her father. In the meantime, she’s being homeschooled, along with her “friends” Jack and Belle, who are not entirely sure what to make of her. It’s inevitable that Jack falls for her and Belle is jealous of her. Surely there’s no spoiler there.
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Cello, Elliot has just returned from a trip to search for his father, who was abducted by a third-level Purple. That’s right, colors are beings in Cello, some harmless, most not. His dad disappeared a year ago, along with the high school physics teacher, while Elliot’s uncle was found dead in a field. Mysterious circumstances, to say the least.
The two worlds finally interact through a Crack – a gap between worlds, just big enough for notes to be pushed through. Madeleine and Elliot start exchanging notes, although Madeleine is hard-pressed to believe that Elliot and Cello are real.
This is one of those books that, just when all the loose ends are getting wrapped up, suddenly shows you a much bigger picture of everything that just happened. You thought you knew where you stood in the lives of these characters, but it turns out that there is much, much more. Set up for a sequel? Of course. But it also helps you see that the story you just experienced is a small puzzle piece in the author’s mind. I love twists like that at the end.
A Corner of White is written for teens, and I did find the teenage whining of Belle occasionally annoying. But there’s no reason this book should be limited to or enjoyed only by teens. Jaclyn Moriarty has created a fascinating world in Cello, and I’m eager to discover more of it in the sequel. If you like fantasy mixed with reality, creative plots, and endearing characters, you should most certainly read A Corner of White. There is much to enjoy!
The storyline in our world follows Madeleine and her mother, formerly rich socialites, who have run away to Cambridge, England. Now they live in an attic apartment where her mother sews all day to make ends meet. Madeleine is regretting her actions a lot and is beginning to become desperate about reuniting with her father. In the meantime, she’s being homeschooled, along with her “friends” Jack and Belle, who are not entirely sure what to make of her. It’s inevitable that Jack falls for her and Belle is jealous of her. Surely there’s no spoiler there.
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Cello, Elliot has just returned from a trip to search for his father, who was abducted by a third-level Purple. That’s right, colors are beings in Cello, some harmless, most not. His dad disappeared a year ago, along with the high school physics teacher, while Elliot’s uncle was found dead in a field. Mysterious circumstances, to say the least.
The two worlds finally interact through a Crack – a gap between worlds, just big enough for notes to be pushed through. Madeleine and Elliot start exchanging notes, although Madeleine is hard-pressed to believe that Elliot and Cello are real.
This is one of those books that, just when all the loose ends are getting wrapped up, suddenly shows you a much bigger picture of everything that just happened. You thought you knew where you stood in the lives of these characters, but it turns out that there is much, much more. Set up for a sequel? Of course. But it also helps you see that the story you just experienced is a small puzzle piece in the author’s mind. I love twists like that at the end.
A Corner of White is written for teens, and I did find the teenage whining of Belle occasionally annoying. But there’s no reason this book should be limited to or enjoyed only by teens. Jaclyn Moriarty has created a fascinating world in Cello, and I’m eager to discover more of it in the sequel. If you like fantasy mixed with reality, creative plots, and endearing characters, you should most certainly read A Corner of White. There is much to enjoy!
RSS Feed
