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 pre World 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 Brontës into the twentieth century.

Princess Sophia FitzOsborne keeps a journal describing her family's crumbling island kingdom (fictional) with its six subjects. When a Nazi "historian" shows up, the king goes berserk, leaving the family with a dead body, German reprisals, and many secrets. With entertaining flare, Cooper mixes humor, romance, and a young girl's coming-of-age with an amusingly gruesome historical adventure story.

Sophie is a princess living in a crumbling castle on a tiny, remote island kingdom. Upon receiving a journal on her 16th birthday, she begins the saga of a pivotal year in her life and that of her isolated, impoverished and very eccentric family. It is 1936, and the madness that has begun to envelop Europe manages to affect her world and change it forever. Along the way she experiences loss, danger and Nazis, facing it all with a previously unsuspected reservoir of courage. There is much humor as well, in the antics of tomboy sister Henry and in the effervescence of brother Toby, who is heir to this improbable kingdom. Cooper has created a strong cast of odd, interesting characters and makes even the strangeness of the setting and events seem completely plausible. The author consciously echoes elements of Dodie Smith's classic I Capture the Castle , but it is no mere copy. There is romance, adventure, a touch of the supernatural and a winning heroine who will touch the heart. Compelling. (Fiction. YA)

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 [albeit one from an impoverished and inconsequential island kingdom that is miles from anywhere],” 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. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Oct.)

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

Quiet Sophie, her mischievous brother Toby, tomboy younger sister Henry, and their beautiful cousin Veronica represent the last hope of royalty in the small island kingdom of Montmaray in the 1930s. The king has gone mad, the few servants remaining are struggling, and Sophie prepares to leave for England to enter Society and perhaps find love. Of course, she only has eyes for Simon Chester, the maidÆs ambitious son who often spars politically with Veronica. Told entirely from SophieÆs perspective in the form of a journal and the letters she receives, the story grows complex as she becomes more aware of the world around her. The situation gets complicated when several of HitlerÆs best men come ashore, seeking aid in their quest to find the Holy Grail. Veronica, Sophie, and the rest of the castle household soon become enmeshed in a murder, forcing them to grow up quickly as they race to protect their heritage and their lives. Australian Cooper does a marvelous job of capturing the last days of the fictional Montmaray through the eyes of a young girl blossoming in the midst of monumental political and social change. Cooper infuses her tale with depth, loading Sophie and Veronica with purpose and nuance beyond the typical romantic heroine. Rather than writing a mere love story, she pens a love letter to the final breaths of a vanishing kingdom.ùMatthew Weaver.