“Navigation, you see, is not just a problem for sailors. Everyone must go adventuring sooner or later, yet finding one’s way home is not easy. Just like the North Star and all it’s whirling, starry brethren, a person’s idea of where “home” is remains in perpetual motion, one’s whole life long.”
–Page 311, The Hidden Gallery
Shall I mention again how much I am enjoying the series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place?
Book 2, The Hidden Gallery, takes young governess Penelope Lumley and her 3 charges to London. She has received a letter from her former headmistress and an invitation to meet in the city. When Lady Ashton of Ashton Place becomes aware of this, she decides to pack up the entire household and rent a home in London so they can all go. While Lady Ashton cares only about nurturing her social connections, Penelope becomes involved in a series of odd coincidences that raise more and more questions about her background and the origin of The Incorrigibles (Lord Ashton’s name for the wolf-raised brood.)
Once again, author Maryrose Wood writes her gothic tale in a way that is both effortless and charming. Even as an adult, I felt like I was sitting at the knee of a great storyteller, completely engrossed in the characters and the action.
Three themes emerge continuously throughout the book: navigation, the moon, and home. Some of the mysteries in Book 1 become a little clearer if you can read between the lines and unravel the clues, but there are plenty of new questions which are not resolved by the end. It doesn’t matter, the ending is satisfying enough to make you let out a temporary sigh before wanting to delve into Book 3. I’m hooked.
9.5 out of 10 stars
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