Allison RushbyRezensionen

The Turnkey of Highgate Cemetery is a great historical fantasy for children. Many kids will read this book because the premise sounds fun to them and will actually come away learning a lot about World War II in the process. My husband's grandmother grew up in England in WWII and this book helped our child to understand what his great grandmother and many others went through during that time. Parts of the story felt a little flat to me but all in all, I think it is an enjoyable and educational read for children!

Trigger warnings: Near-death experiences

6/10, I picked this up from one of the two libraries I go to and at first I thought this was going to be a good science fiction book written by an Australian author to boot until I realised this had a low rating so I lowered my expectations but even still I was so underwhelmed by this but maybe the author's other books she has written since then might be better, so where do I even begin? It starts with the main character Miri who is this intelligent character who goes to a poshy private school and is offered to participate in a program that she accepts not knowing what it entails. The characters were very flat, and the plot was just some boring random experimentation on people. And for half of the time, the characters more or less just sat around and waited. The ending was especially bad because the main character just ran away on her own and nearly died of her own bad decisions without bothering to stop others from being experimented upon and there was like a cliffhanger ending, but no sequel. What a shame. You can go read the Alex Rider series, for a better, more thrilling book series than this.

I haven’t read a good chick lit novel in years, and I was excited to pick this one up. Unfortunately, it just didn’t do it for me. I found the characters over-the-top, and not in a fun way. I also couldn’t relate to Dicey at all (and I couldn’t get past her name; which isn’t even her real name, but I digress.)

The plot wasn’t terribly exciting either and it was rather predictable. Women’s lives go to shit, women eat and cry and comfort each other, women go on a journey to find themselves, women figure out all their problems and magically life is perfect again. And through all that, everything just sort of meandered along, with various revelations about Dicey, her sister, and their friend, Sally, sprinkled in at random intervals for good measure. I just didn’t engage with any of it: not the characters, not the plot, not even with Australia, which I usually love reading about.

I felt as though the entire novel was tepid. Like it was trying too hard and not really hitting any of the marks it aimed for. Overall, a disappointment.

Sometime only a chick-lit will do. This one did the trick for me. Read in two days, unlikely plot and characters, decently written, instantly forgettable.

I LOVED this book! It is one of those books that I read in one sitting because I didn't want to miss anything. I loved how each thing in the past intersected with and changed the future in a new and unique way. I highly recommend this book.

A rather gentle horror story for middle grades, this very cleverly looks at mistakes and forgiveness. Set in an English village, Rushby gives us the outsiders' (Australian and American) perspective on local superstitions without being unkind. Our protagonist, Immy, nearly eleven, spends the whole story learning about subtleties, and about there being more to any given situation than good or bad.

Lest I make it sound like this is a didactic children's story, it isn't. We experience Immy's learning about the situations around her, and her increased understanding, as she learns about the story of the mulberry tree in the back garden. And there are some lovely extra bits, such as the sideline about hedgehogs.

Wow! I loved it! Once I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down. This is a great story of empathy and understanding. Immy and her family had to move to a small town in England after her mother got a position at a hospital there and so her dad could take a break from being a GP after a patient of his caused the death of a mother and child. Immy's father has not been the same since and she blames him for having to move and for not being like before. Once in Cambridgeshire, they find the Lavender Cottage, a beautiful little place with a legend surrounding it. The mulberry tree found in tbe backyard was known to steal little girls on the eve of their 11th birthday. Many families in the village believed the stories and were very much afraid of the tree, including the family renting out the cottage who had a daughter the same age as Immy.
Throughout the story Immy learns to empathize and finds a way to help the dying and scary mulberry tree.
This is a creepy supernatural mystery that grips you. Perfect for middle grade readers (8-12).

I was hooked from that tag line. I don't like super scary and this was only moderate creepy, so it was perfect. I think it would be a good read for any age without getting nightmares. I enjoyed the characters and Immy's tension with her parents felt very real. I liked her perspective of the dad's depression and guilt, and the stress of making friends in a new town. The ending threw me a little bit, it felt too cleanly wrapped up for what had happened, but overall I still really enjoyed the journey.

This was a cute and spooky middle grade! I greatly enjoyed reading this and I'm very grateful to have been sent a copy. I look forward to seeing what else Allison Rushby writes in the future.

This was such a wonderful story! It was vividly described, making it so easy to envision in the reader's mind, and the characters had depth and felt real. What I loved the most about this book, though, was how it taught so many important things without feelig preachy. From having a parent struggling with severe depression, to being the new kid at school, alone and bullied, I think that many kids would find much to relate to in Immy's story, and find comfort in how she deals with her problems.

Through it's many different examples, the author shows Immy's strength and resoilve in fighting through her fear in her determination to as much as she can about what had happened to the two girls who went missing in the past. She also finds ways to cope with the girls at school who snub her, and doesn't let it stop her from trying new things, and just being herself and being friendly with others.

As she learns more about things that happened in the past, she's able to see things from a new perspective that helps her understand that things are rarely black and white, or all good or all evil. That knowledgwe allows her to act with empathy and compassion, things that are so needed in the world today, and she's able to spread that new perspective into other areas of her life as well. Unlike many of the others in her little village, who, in their ignorance, remained bitter and angry, seeing the tree as evil to be avoided, and letting superstition dictate their lives, Immy sees that in her quest to undestand, she frees herself and others as well. As her kindly neighbour points out to her... life and people are complex and things are rarely black and white, and actions can have far-reaching consequences, sometimes far more than we can know.

I was also fascinated by the hedgehogs. Who knew hedgehogs actually lived in hedges! So I learned something. I also didn't know anything aboiut Mulberry trees or their fruit, and things that could be made using the berries, which sound delicious. All in all, this book was delightful and I really enjoyed it. The mystery and edge of spookiness and fear kept me turning the pages long after I should have turned out the light and gone to sleep. Highly recommended! (Note: I received this book for an early review through LibraryThing).

The Mulberry Tree managed to pull off a nifty trick. Despite spring throwing pollen around everywhere outside, anytime I opened the book I was transported to autumn and the memories of reading other creepy books to get in the proper spooky mood.

The premise of The Mulberry Tree is creepy enough: Immy and her parents move to a house with a huge mulberry tree in the backyard that local legend says will take the girl of the house on the even of her eleventh birthday. It's why the house was for rent to begin with- the family has a daughter the right age and they didn't want to risk it. Yet they do rent the house to Immy's family, so how serious should Immy's family take this legend?

Thrown in for good measure is the fact that the family is only in England because Immy's father is having a bit of a breakdown after a work related incident and the subsequent chaos that brings.

Immy finds herself communicating with the tree and wondering if maybe it's innocent while also befriending someone who was close to the last girl taken. There's also a fair amount of the perils of being the new kid and having to make friends with people who don't necessarily seem open to the idea.

I enjoyed most of the book. I liked Immy and could understand her lashing out when it happened. I liked the other characters and while I'm not sure most parents would be like, "yup, we'll stay here overnight the one night something COULD happen to our only child" it wasn't worth fussing about *too* much. Kinda needed for the story to resolve, obviously.

I'm just not sure how I feel about the end. It's one of those endings where imagining having to live through it would drive me bonkers, but it does work well enough for the story we're given. I don't want to say too much because of spoilers and I definitely think the book is worth a read.

I received an ARC of this book and this was the honest review. Huzzah.

The Heiresses by Allison Rushby is an engaging historical novel with a refreshingly unique storyline. Please click HERE to read my review in its entirety.

Wow, what can I say? I think this might be my favourite read this year!

It's nice to take a break for supernatural reads and just good old-fashioned real-life based books (not that I'm saying vampires, ghosts, and who-knows-what don't exist.. I mean, you never know right?)

I thought at first that this book would just be predictable and that I'd probably get bored of it and ed up leaving it in my currently-reading shelf like I do most boring books.. But NO! This book surprised me and the story took turns that I wouldn't have guessed in a million years, it was amazing!

Wow, what can I say? I think this might be my favourite read this year!

It's nice to take a break for supernatural reads and just good old-fashioned real-life based books (not that I'm saying vampires, ghosts, and who-knows-what don't exist.. I mean, you never know right?)

I thought at first that this book would just be predictable and that I'd probably get bored of it and ed up leaving it in my currently-reading shelf like I do most boring books.. But NO! This book surprised me and the story took turns that I wouldn't have guessed in a million years, it was amazing!

A curious read about the keepers of our spirit's comfort at life's end set amidst WWII as the evil powers that be try to bridge the world of twilights and the living for nefarious purposes...

Can you just imagine? WHAT IF the Hitler regime had been able to accomplish what is being attempted in this book? I mean, the effects would have been devastating on such another level, I can't even begin to envision it...and yet, it is said he did have an obsession or sorts with the occult, and supernatural interests. *shivers* Sorry, but no one should have so much power, especially with that much hatred in their heart, but I digress...this book isn't JUST about the war and what COULD have been. It's about the enumerable souls left behind in the rubble, those that passed from natural causes and those "helped along" by the tragedies occurring all around them, and where they all fit in. A phrase repeated much was that it wasn't their war...it was for the living and they were beyond that world's reach for all intents and purposes. Thing is once the soldier appeared, all bets were off and choosing inaction would leave ghostly blood on their hands regardless of who would or would not see it. Flossie may have been an unusual pick for a turnkey, but she was without a doubt chosen, and with good reason. Despite her lack of years, she's knowledgeable, dependable, compassionate, and determined. She faces down ghosts from her own past, conquers unanswered questions that left fear in her formerly beating heart, and manages to keep the faith and stand strong when everything seems to be crumbling to the ground.

In the end, there was so much learned and so many miles of the heart covered, showing us that looks can be deceiving, not all lost can be saved, and sometimes the greatest thing we can give is ourselves. A great pick for Historical Fiction fans as well as the Middle Grade set. The use of a younger soul to guide the way makes it more approachable, while her lack of confidence makes her seem more human. After all, we aren't all born with a backbone of steel...but it doesn't mean we can't accomplish great things in this life...or even perhaps in the after.


**copy received for review

I am unsure how to explain how I feel about this book. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the concept of the book -- a young girl serving as turnkey of a cemetery, struggling to understand what is happening around her. Furthermore, I generally enjoy books set during WWII or books that deal with these topics. Unfortunately, I found the beginning of the very slow. The action of the book dragged and that hindered my enjoyment of the book overall.

The 'Magnificent Seven' cemeteries in London each have a Turnkey, someone who has passed away who is in charge of protecting those who have passed on (or are trying to). Flossie, 12 years old when she died of rheumatic fever, is now Turnkey of Highgate Cemetery and must protect her charges in the chaotic era of WWII. On the course of her rounds, she spies a Nazi. A Nazi who can travel between the worlds of life and death. He has a BIG plan. And Flossie is the only one who can stop him.

Opinion for the age group written for - I can see how kids would like this book. It's a tiny bit spooky, has WWII in it which seems to go over well, and a child heroine who is the only one who can save the day. It's cute enough, nothing particularly offensive, the language is simplistic enough, fairly fast paced story. Can see that this would go over quite well from anywhere from 8-12 year olds. A fun mix of supernatural mystery and historical fiction.

Personal opinion - I couldn't get over was the crystal skull element. A crystal skull was used by the Nazi officer to communicate between the living and spirit world. I couldn't think of anything other than Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. Even archaeologists were thrown in there. This detour wasn't necessary. It could have been a candy wrapper and served the same function. I'm not sure how many kids understand the significance of it being a crystal skull, that they know the lore of the ones in museums. It just seemed like the it was unnecessary. I wanted to know the story of how they got the skull. There was basically a 2 page exposition in the middle of the book. That story would be just as fascinating - if not more than the one we got. Maybe if you don't know about the skulls it's a random object, but that was incredibly distracting to me. A short chapter talking to an archaeologist stating, 'Yeah, we found it and were looking for all the mythical treasures like the Ark of the Covenant - Now back to the story". I wanted to know THAT story. That sounds fascinating. It would have been much better if the object was random and it was just a spiritual object they found.

I had a bit of trouble determining what the atmosphere of the book was supposed to be. It had ghosts, but it wasn't really spooky. It was set in WWII, so historical, but the mannerisms and language made it seem like it was present day. It was a mystery, but while the mystery seemed pressing in the sense that you knew they had to stop the Nazi, but Flossie kept taking side trips to visit a dying girl and try to help her. So was the Nazi really pressing then? It was an adventure because Flossie was traveling all over the place, but what would have been the most exciting adventure (finding the skull), wasn't included. By the end of the book, I don't think I could place the genre of this book.

Generally enjoyable book. Kids in this age group will find it a fun past paced adventure. I imagine many will be able to put themselves in Flossie's shoes. I just wish it either went further and fleshed it out a bit more or decided what kind of book it wanted to be.

I was excited to receive this book in an exchange for a review. The description was intriguing. I received this book in October, and quickly lost interest. I did not finish it until December. I forced myself to read it, so that I could give an honest review.

The overall problem with this book, is that the author does not 'show the reader' what is happening. The author does a lot of 'telling'. It was like reading a well-written essay, or a book report. There was nothing technically wrong with the writing, but it was not engaging enough to draw me into the story. Due to this, I did not care about any of the characters at all.

There were some paragraphs where the author did a fair job at 'showing' the reader. The light from the crystal skulls, and the moonlight at the altar, were descriptive enough that I felt like I was there.

The plot was okay. It was mostly predictable, except I expected Grace to take the job that Elke took on at the very end.

Some of the characters seemed unnecessary. The Guides, or the "magnificant seven", played a very small role in the story. Also, Amelia didn't do anything to help move the plot along. She had no purpose.

I did love the setting, and the idea of the story. Cemeteries, ghosts, evil Nazis, war, crystal skulls - that's all right up my alley. It's a shame I couldn't care about the characters.

Flossie is 12 years old. She's been the turnkey of Highgate Cemetery for quite a while now. As a turnkey she must take care of the souls that come to Highgate Cemetery. She's the only soul that is allowed to wander off the cemetery and on one of her excursions to St Paul's, during the bombings of London in 1940, she sees the ghost of a Nazi officer. This is when the story gets interesting.
Flossie now has to unravel the mystery of why the officer was at St Paul's, this leads her not only to the turnkeys of the other London cemeteries but also to a cemetery in Berlin.

The story is a mix of historical fiction, children's fiction, ghost story and mystery. I quite enjoyed it, although it took me some time to get into the story. I am sure children/middle graders, who have a basic knowledge of what happened during WW II, will like it a bit more than I did.

Twelve-year-old Flossie Birdwhistle may have thought death meant peaceful rest, but she was wrong. She has a job in the afterlife, a very important job. As turnkey of London's Highgate Cemetery, she cares for all the souls buried there making sure they are content and at rest. Unfortunately, this is especially difficult during World War II.

When Flossie happens to spot the ghost of a German soldier, she has a feeling it is up to no good. It's only a matter of time before she uncovers a plot that could jeopardize both her cemetery and all of England. Flossie and her ghost friends must find a way to save both and set things right before it is too late.

The Bottom Line: This Gothic mystery for middle grade readers is a delight to read. Filled with relatable characters, a bit of history, and a dash of the supernatural, this quick read takes the reader on many twists and turns. Highly recommended for middle grade and YA readers looking for a slightly dark, but engaging mystery. I hope there are more books to follow.

This review also appears at the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog.

I received this book as a member of EarlyReviewers.

Flossie Birdwhistle is the Turnkey, guardian, of Highgate Cemetery, an important graveyard in London. Her job is to keep the other dead settled in their graves and resting.

The problem? It's 1940 and the height of the Blitz. There's also a German ghost lurking about who seems to be spying. If and how he's getting the information to living enemies is something Flossie has to figure out.

It was a fun book to read, and Author Rushby did a good job with the historical descriptions and characters. I look forward to reading more of her work.

The Turnkey of Highgate Cemetery
By Allison Rushby
2017

An Early Reviewers Book.
Set during World War II, this novel focuses on the character of Flossie Birdwhistle, a spirit that watches over the Highgate Cemetery. As a spirit, Flossie never thought she would have to interact with the living world again. Boy, was she wrong.
This was a fun read that is meant for middle grade readers, but can be enjoyed by young adults and adults, too. The plot kept moving and was full of surprises, and the author does not talk down to her audience.

3 1/2 stars.

Edit - this book has been passed down to Ruby.½

Surprisingly delightful book. A serious topic of the dead with quite whimsical characters. Will be recommending this and giving it as gifts..½

Won this book from the Early Reviewers.
I loved this story. I found it whimsical and wonderful, humorous and touching.
I've been a bit disheartened with the turn to the supernatural that all of YA fiction has taken, but this was a pleasant surprise.
It's mysterious, a girl ghost who finds herself in charge of Highgate Cemetery, turnkeys have special powers and are responsible for making sure the interred rest peacefully.
All this in the middle of the blitz in World War II London. And there is a strange German ghost who shows up and seems to be spying on the war. This book was fun.
I could so see this as a Tim Burton film either live action or better yet stop motion.
Surprising twists and turns and wonderful settings.½

The Turnkey of Highgate Cemetery is one of my LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program wins. This historical ghost novel is set in London and Germany during World War II. It's December, 1940, and London is enduring that Nazi bombing called the 'Blitz'. Our heroine, Flossie Birdwhistle, is the ghost of a girl who died when she was twelve.

Flossie is the turnkey for one of the seven cemeteries built on the outskirts of London in the 1830s and 1840s. This is a very important job because she takes care of all the persons buried at Highgate. Hugh Howsham, the Victorian gentleman turnkey of Kensel Green Cemetery, thinks Flossie is much too young for the responsibility. She was not only a child when she died, that was a mere sixteen years ago.

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Author's Note: I asked Ms. Rushby, and yes, she meant that historian Hugh Meller was the first to apply the term 'Magnificent Seven' to those London Cemeteries, not that he came up with the term. I do appreciate the fact that she let us know where she altered history for her book.

The intended audience for The Turnkey of Highgate Cemetery is eight to twelve year olds, I'm 63, so I'm more than five times older than that. I've never had children, but I never lost my love for children's books.