Read for: Netgalley/ Requested Reviews
Synopsis: "For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on "climbing boys"--orphans owned by chimney sweeps--to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless and brutally dangerous. Eleven-year-old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived--and a girl. With her wits and will, she's managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again.
But when Nan gets stuck in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come. Instead, she wakes to find herself in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a mysterious creature--a golem--made from ash and coal. This is the creature that saved her from the fire.
Sweep is the story of a girl and her monster. Together, these two outcasts carve out a life together--saving one another in the process."
My Review: I happened to stumble upon this book while browsing and the premise sounded so interesting and unique that I had to give it a try (of course the beautiful cover also helped). I don't think I have read anything quite like this book. Nan has quite the story to tell and it was both heartwarming and heart breaking. I loved the historical elements of this story, they were really eye opening to an ugly element of history that we don't learn about in school or really hear about at all. There were also some religious elements in there that added another layer to the story. It was a bit of a slow read at times but you get so wrapped up in Nan and Charlie and the other kids that you just want to keep reading.
My Rating: This was such a different story from ones I have seen in the past, I really enjoyed the blend of factual elements and mythical elements, they blended so well and created a beautiful story. I give it a rating of Four Paws!
I received a complimentary copy of Sweep via Netgalley, the above is my honest opinion.
You can find out more about Jonathan Auxier and his book on his Goodreads Page or Website.
Sweep will be released on September 25, 2019 but you can pre-order your copy now in print or digital format from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or request it from your library!
The cover and title immediately make me want to read it. Good to know it’s slower. I’ll have to be in the right mood to pick it up.
ReplyDeleteIt is slower, but it is also middle grade so it is still a pretty fast book to read. I hope you will give it a try, I think you might enjoy it.
DeleteWow! This sounds really interesting. I agree that the cover is eye catching.
ReplyDeleteIt was different and refreshing, I really enjoyed the mix of culture, history and myths.
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