Kirkus Reviews

Reimagined as detectives, the Brontë sisters kick-start their writing careers by solving a mystery in this detailed if dubiously grounded novel. Having lost their mother and several siblings at an early age, the remaining Brontë siblings deal with grief in their own ways: Prim Charlotte grudgingly shoulders responsibility for her family; eccentric Emily runs wild on the moors; reprobate brother Branwell drinks and falls into bad company. Both Charlotte and Emily enjoy writing—Charlotte writes fantasy bodice-rippers, while Emily tends toward the darker stuff—and find sudden inspiration in the strange occurrences in their little town of Haworth. Despite their differences, the teenage sisters unite to solve the (much-belabored) mystery of a madwoman, a long-lost heir and unscrupulous Freemasons. Already familiar with death, the girls also get to experience love, albeit briefly. Sharing narrative responsibility, Emily and Charlotte are distinctive and well-drawn characters, though their depictions are somewhat complicated by the mixture of real biographic details, literary hagiography and modern free-spiritedness. MacColl works hard to connect the real-life Brontës' books to an imagined source in a fictional adventure, blending quotes from Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights with her own historical fantasy. Equal parts gothic melodrama and Nancy Drew derring-do. (Historical fiction. 12-16)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

MacColl (Nobody-s Secret) weaves a suspenseful story set on the English moors in this historical novel loosely based on the Brontë family. Focusing on the personality clashes between petite, prudent Charlotte and tall, headstrong Emily, she crafts a well-paced period mystery with just the right dash of romance to make the book appropriate for sophisticated readers even younger than the target audience. Echoing the Brontës- own fictions, the desolation of the moors is an ideal setting for frightening encounters and gripping confrontations-a fierce dog, a handsome young stranger, a possibly insane runaway woman, and her potentially dangerous brother all figure in the many strands of the plot, along with a multitude of well-drawn minor characters. While the outcomes of some of the tensest scenes are a little unbelievable, the prolonged climax is satisfyingly action-filled and breathtakingly resolved. In an extensive author-s note, MacColl presents the Brontës- biographical information and explains the liberties she took; her envoi encourages readers to go to the original novels-a worthy challenge that many will likely take up after reading this one. Ages 12-up. Agent: George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Apr.)

Horn Book (Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

MacColl slowly sketches the relationships among Emily, Charlotte, and Branwell Brontk, but her intriguingly gothic tale of secrets and crimes in Haworth, England, creates a cleverly imagined set of possibilities for what might have inspired the creation of Cathy, Heathcliff, Jane Eyre, and Mr. Rochester. The strong blend of research and imagination will appeal to established Brontk fans and inspire new ones.

School Library Journal Starred Review (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Gr 7 Up-Based on the Bronta family of writers, MacColl's story is filled with life and death, mystery, and witty humor. The main premise involves Emily and Charlotte uncovering Branwell's nefarious activities and exposing a local mill owner, Master Heaton. The strong-willed sisters join forces to uncover Branwell and Heaton's secrets and to reunite a family. Charlotte and Emily are the most richly drawn characters, and their often-contentious relationship is engaging. Their personalities are balanced by the supporting characters, including their father, the house manager, and a young man Emily finds on the moor. The two-dimensional Heaton has no redeeming qualities, save charm, and Branwell, who falls under his spell, is also thinly drawn. However, the effects of alcohol, mental, and physical abuse are realistically conveyed. MacColl succeeds in creating a vivid sense of place with her intricate details about Masonic rituals and the lush descriptions of the moors, Emily's place of sanctuary. Readers will be satisfied with the ending, and their curiosities will be piqued to read more about the Bronta family. A lengthy author's note tells more about the Brontas.— Hilary Writt, Sullivan University, Lexington, KY

ALA Booklist (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Although it's Emily Brontë who gets the title mention, Charlotte is an equal part of this historical adventure that finds the older teens striding across the moors trying to learn the identities of a mysterious camper and a hysterical woman, as well as the reason for their brother's suspicious behavior. Each chapter heading features a snippet of Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre, and certain plot elements here mirror those stories. But this Emily and Charlotte, though incorporating some of the real Brontës' personal characteristics, seem much more modern. Emily, the opinionated, fearless one, is determined to follow where the clues lead, personal safety be damned; the more conservative Charlotte nevertheless uses her caution to make sure things don't go completely off the rails. The afterword explains how other elements of the Brontës' life figure into the story and setting. There's lots to like here: mystery, adventure, and a snippet of romance, and as MacColl asks readers, if they haven't read the originals, "What are you waiting for?"

Voice of Youth Advocates

Inspired by the real-life BrontÙ sisters, MacColl has crafted a fictional tale of suspense and romance that is guaranteed to bring new readership to MacColl, as well as to the classic tales by both BrontÙ sisters. Weaving fact and fiction, MacColl begins this tale with the death of Elizabeth BrontÙ, sister to Emily, Charlotte, Anne, and Branwell. It is within these first few pages that we catch a glimpse of the personalities and contradictions among this family. The narrative jumps ten years in the first chapterCharlotte and Emily are off to boarding school, where Emily will attend, much to her dismay, and Charlotte will be teaching. While Emily seems to get into calamity after calamity at school, Charlotte herself is not innocent and is reprimanded for retreating to her fictional world that she is writing while she should be teaching. After both sisters are sent home for different reasons, the story plunges into the mystery of burglaries taking place near the parsonage and a madwoman running the outskirts of the village desperate for an escape. Emily's adventurous personality and Charlotte's need to control all situations bring these sisters together to solve this mystery of the moors, where romance and sinister forces are abundant.A brief snippet from both Charlotte and Emily's books sets the foundation for each chapter and is enough to draw the reader to the classic BrontÙ tales. MacColl includes a very informative author's note giving information about how much of the tale is told from fictional and factual events and brings the reader to a greater understanding of how the lives of both sisters affected their writing and influenced this novel as well.Stephanie Wilkes.