Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Mairi

Ellen is the daughter of one of three feminist sisters. As women with big plans for Ellen- university, government- these three are horrified when her only interests turn out to be cooking and housekeeping, leading her to take a job as a housemother in an Austrian boarding school. The school's headmaster, the part-time fencing teacher, Ellen, and the students themselves, get along beautifully.

I have read almost all of Eva Ibbotson's books. Her fantasy is good, but I fell in love with her historical fiction when I read Journey to the River Sea- which takes place in South America- in fifth grade and made it my favorite book. That changed as I grew older, but when I learned she had written books, supposedly good ones, for young adults, I decided I had to read one (hence this book.)

Though targeted toward girls, you don't have to be "girly" to enjoy this- despite the romance woven in it is mainly historical fiction of quality that most fans of the genre, or of Ibbotson, should enjoy.