Review: The Puzzle Ring
Gaby Meares
Oh, how I wish this had been around when I was ten years old - I would have gobbled it up!
Hannah Rose Brown is at that age where children start to pull away from their parents and stretch their independent wings. Hannah’s father disappeared when she was born and is presumed dead. She and her mother Roz have the usual conflicts, but these are brought to a head when a letter arrives from Scotland. Hannah discovers that her father’s family live in a castle in Scotland and that she has a great-grandmother who wants to see her. Oh, and there is the small matter of a family curse! And did I mention time-travel? This book has it all!
Kate has seamlessly woven Scottish folklore and history into this story. Hannah and her friends travel back to the time of Mary Queen of Scots to find her father and a puzzle ring, which will release her family from the curse. How each child responds to the deprivations of life in sixteenth century Britain is very real. Their shock at the lack of sanitation and creature comforts is exactly how you would expect a child of the twenty-first century to react. The book also reminded me that I would not have survived long as, like Hannah, I am left-handed and only a witch would ever use her left hand.
Kate has added a bibliography for readers who want to dive deeper into the historic background, plus the recipe for marmalade cake - you will need to read the book to understand the relevance of marmalade cake!
Highly recommended for readers from the age of 10+