Thom reviewed Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell
Review of 'Rooftoppers' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
This is the story of Sophie, a baby found floating in a cello case after her ship sinks. The first few chapters tell growth into a strong 12 year old character; the subsequent chapters her adventures on the run. Together they make up a wonderfully endearing story.
First off, Charles (guardian of Sophie) has all the best lines. One of many great bon mots from this character - "I know these sorts of people. They're not men. They're mustaches with idiots attached." He provides a strong male character, guiding without taking over the story. Other supporting characters arrive later on, each well detailed an interesting. One quibble - the few antagonists are mere cardboard cutouts; this is more a tale of adventure than of conflict.
The setting the rooftops of Paris, beautifully described and a solid part of the story. The language and length are perfect for a young adult …
This is the story of Sophie, a baby found floating in a cello case after her ship sinks. The first few chapters tell growth into a strong 12 year old character; the subsequent chapters her adventures on the run. Together they make up a wonderfully endearing story.
First off, Charles (guardian of Sophie) has all the best lines. One of many great bon mots from this character - "I know these sorts of people. They're not men. They're mustaches with idiots attached." He provides a strong male character, guiding without taking over the story. Other supporting characters arrive later on, each well detailed an interesting. One quibble - the few antagonists are mere cardboard cutouts; this is more a tale of adventure than of conflict.
The setting the rooftops of Paris, beautifully described and a solid part of the story. The language and length are perfect for a young adult novel. The head of each chapter has a small illustration of something coming in the following pages; it was a fun game to guess how it would appear.
Read this aloud with my daughter, aged 11, and she thought it should be rated 6 stars out of 5. Definitely looking forward to more from this young author.