This was a really fun book that felt both comfortingly familiar in its themes and settings but was also so full of unusual twists. I loved that the orphanage was a loving and safe place full of kind and supportive friends rather than the usual oppressive place you find in children's books. Tess was a great character - it's always wonderful to see confident girls diving into STEM in books. The magical element was unusual and I really wanted to know more about the device and if there were more worlds. Overall it was a pacey read, really well written with vivid description and sparky dialogue, and open enough for a sequel.

Middle grade lit (suitable for ages 8 - 12) that will go down a treat with children who have an interest in science. Gripping, charming and utterly spell-binding.

Unfortunately I don't like this authors writing style which meant that I couldn't finish this book - it was a chore to pick up

Tess de Sousa is an orphan at Ackerbee's orphanage until some creepy guy comes along claiming to be her guardian and takes her away to his house. He's less interested in Tess than he is something that her parents left her.  I loved the world-building, and how Tess makes a friend in a different world. Her friendship with Thomas was one of my favourite things in this book, though I adored Wilf and Millie. I loved that Tess was not presented as a stereotypical girl: she loves science and experimenting, and she has a tarantula called Violet. She is brilliant, she's very comfortable in her own skin and I adored her. The couple who ran the orphanage were the cutest couple. Seeing an LGBTQ+ relationship in a Middle Grade book in itself is great, but these two women are lush and will stop at nothing to protect the children in their care. They give a view of family that might not be traditional, but is something that every child deserves. This is such a great book and if you have not read it yet, you really must.

Sinéad O’Hart made big waves last year with the release of The Eye of the North and this second standalone sees us in another fantastical world of adventure.

The Star Spun Web is unrelated to The Eye of the North, and it quickly introduces us to a mysterious world where Tess arrives as a baby, a world that seems similar to our 1940s world, but not quite the same.

Miss Ackerbee’s Home for Lost and Foundlings turns out to be run by a gentle and caring Miss Ackerbee. It speaks to my experience of reading about homes for children, when I was younger, when these orphanages were often populated with mean-spirited adult characters. The kind nature of Miss Ackerbee was a welcome surprise.

Tess is a curious character as we meet her carrying out her experiments, with her pet spider Violet by her side. The other girls in Ackerbee’s are full of life and curiosity, like Tess’ best friend Wilf, and the busybody but well-meaning Prissy and Prossy.

The story really starts to take shape early on as Tess is torn from this happy life by a man claiming to be a distant relative, known as Mr Cleat.

When she moves to his home of Roedeer House, under the watchful eye of the brilliantly named Miss Thistlethorn, it soon becomes apparent that Mr Cleat is after her for her growing abilities in manipulating an object of hers she calls the spinner.

Mr Cleat is involved in a fanciful society attempting to prove the existence of multiple worlds, and from there the story takes off.

The main charm in this story comes from its time setting. It is set around 1941 in this slightly different Dublin, and everything seems old-fashioned, from the importance of radio and newspapers, to the importance of getting up ridiculously early for breakfast!

Without going too much into spoiling the narrative, I really enjoyed the introduction of Thomas to the story and the friendship which develops between Tess and Thomas (as well as his pet, Moose).

The Star Spun Web is a wonderfully written adventure with the right amount of mystery, magic and twists thrown in, all making for a tightly-plotted and enjoyable story.

I didn’t know what to expect when going into this, but I was happy to find that The Star-Spun Web is a semi-steampunk tale of science, alternate universes, and saving oneself, with an excellent heroine!

Middle grade is the perfect place to show off heroines who love science, and Tess, the protagonist of this book, is a fascinating character to read about. She’s quirky from the get-go, but not in an irritating, overdone way – she just feels like a girl who knows her own mind and her own tastes. Most people probably wouldn’t be keen on a tarantula living on their heads, but Tess loves Violet, her constant companion! (Spider-fearers, don’t worry, description of Violet is minimal and I found it fine to read!) Tess endeared herself to me the moment she appeared on the page, with her wilfulness and her love of experiments – you just know you’re in for an adventure as you follow her.

And adventure is definitely what we get, as Tess discovers that there are, in fact, multiple universes beyond her own, and she has the power to travel between them with the help of a strange artefact: the star-spinner. To reveal too much about the parallel worlds would be to spoil some of the best twists and gasp-moments in the plot, but this was well-written, easy to understand, and very exciting!

My favourite part about this book, though, actually had little to do with the plot. Instead, what I loved most was Tess’s family – her found family. She grew up in a home for foundlings, and the traditional children’s book thing would be for the matrons to be strict and the other children to be cruel. But no. The community at Ackerbee’s is so supportive and loving. It was a delight to read about Tess’s passions and quirks being supported, and I loved that even though the story moves her out of Ackerbee’s quite quickly, Ackerbee’s will not leave her to her fate. Most of all, I was just thrilled by the presence of adults who treat children as equals, who explain things matter-of-factly, who tell kids that they are perfect the way that they are, however weird they are. Oh, and it’s strongly implied that the mistresses of Ackerbee’s are in a long-term, loving, same-sex relationship, which is also fantastic to see. Women supporting women is a strong theme in this book, and it was delightful!

This is a really fantastic addition to the ranks of middle-grade adventure, with fantasy. sci-fi and historical elements making this very much my cup of tea. Anyone with an interest in girls doing science or girls supporting girls should read it, but also anyone that just wants a really exciting read. Four out of five stars!

I really enjoyed this story, it was unique and had some lovely ideas in it. I especially enjoyed that the adults were knowledgeable and didn't treat the kids like they were stupid - generally. Despite having a fear of spiders myself I thought it was really cool that the main character had a pet one as it's an unusual side kick creature. The twists and turns in this were fun and I liked the perspectives we got.

Overall a solid enjoyable middle grade book.

Tess is not an ordinary girl. With a tarantula, Violet, as a pet, and a sharp mind that leads her to experimenting, Tess has lived all her life in an orphanage, with no clue about her parents. When a mysterious man appears and claims to be a distant relative, it's her chance to learn more about who she is. As time passes, Tess realizes that she might not actually be from this dimension - a suspicion that grows stronger by the strange behavior of her new guardian. Can she find out who her parents were and why she was brought to this world? What does Norton F. Cleat, her guardian, know about that he's not telling? And why?

The Star-spun Web is a very unique story about friendship, families, love and intelligence. Tess is a hero very different from your average, and a figure children can actually aspire to. The story is fast-paced and holds small mysteries for children to find, and there's definitely a lot of humor involved to keep them engaged.

However, I felt there were many cracks in the plot. The introduction to Tess's life by her principal is so abrupt, that it in no way can be believable. Having an adult just proclaim to a child that "you might just be from another dimension" as if saying "i think your father is from Sweden" is not a believable or convincing way to tell a story. Such bumps continue to exist throughout the story, making it less exciting than it could actually be. While I do understand this is a children's book, it doesn't mean it should be less convincing - after all, children are even more perceiving than adults.

Overall, the concept was incredible. The world building was insufficient. But it can still be a fast, enjoyable read for many readers.

Parallel worlds, science-enthusiast characters (male and female) and a whole load of mystery. This was a very promising start to this new series! Apart of my arachnophobia having a couple of issues with Violet (although less squirmy moments than I'd expected).

I really liked Tess as a character, but I did feel that she didn't do that much for most of the book. The book was more focused on the way she studied the Starspinner from a science perspective, but I prefer a much more action packed adventure story. It picked up towards the end, but I do hope that there's more adventure in the next book.

I really liked the way they wove in the historical elements with Tom's world. It was interesting to have him in Dublin during WW2 while Tess was in her own world, connecting to him through the starspinner. It was really interesting to see what was happening in Dublin during WW2 and how it was woven in with the plot in Tess's world.

I'll be interested to see what happens next to Tess, Tom and their friends!

Sitting somewhere between His Dark Materials and Nevermoor, I really enjoyed this imaginative, delightful story.

The Star-Spun Web is mysterious, magical read full of science, friendship and wonder. I'll admit that at first I wasn't sure if this was going to be a read for me as 1) I have a phobia of spiders and didn't know if I could manage to read a book with one as a central character and 2) it was about a topic that I didn't know much about. However, these thoughts soon vanished as I really did enjoy it!

The story line itself is very unique and not one that I have seen used before in Middle Grade Fiction. The plot focuses on the multiverse theory - something that I'll be honest I'd never heard of before and this just made me curious to find out more about it. The fact that Tess could visit parallel worlds just by using her mysterious star spinner was fascinating and I feel a lot of younger readers would find this concept extremely exciting.

One thing that really stood out to me when reading The Star Spun Web was Tess' extreme passion for science and conducting experiments. Reading about a young girl exploring the world of science was such an eye-opener. Tess could potentially be a role model for young girls wanting to get into STEM subjects. Also, Tess isn't looked down upon for her passion. She is supported by her teachers and friends to follow her love and this was so admirable to read.

Friendships are also a big part of this book. Tess' relationship with the girls at Ackerbee's and with Millie stayed strong throughout even when you didn't think the would. The mother/daughter relationship between her and Miss Ackerbee was so heartwarming. Through Miss Ackerbee's actions you could tell that she really did care for Tess like she was one of her own. All throughout the book I was just raring her to go and rescue Tess. Thomas's relationship with Tess was one that stood out to me. I just loved how despite coming from different universes they managed to connect through their passion for science. I must admit I was really shocked about the revelation regarding them both at the end of the story. I also can't not talk about Violet, the tarantula that I came to love. She spun some magic and ALAS I couldn't not love her. The descriptions of her expressions and the love Tess had for her just melted my heart. It goes to show the bond that humans and animals have with each other.

Despite the positives there were a few negatives within the story. In my opinion I found that the plot as a whole took a while to get going and this in turn put me on edge. Mind you, as soon as the action kicked in I didn't want to stop reading! There were also a few unanswered questions come the end. I'm not sure if this is going to become a series or not but I crossing my fingers that it does as there are so many questions I want answered!

The Star Spun Web is magical, mysterious, action packed read that weaves together friendship, science and a pet tarantula into a story that will amaze you until the end.

It's no secret that I adored O'Hart's first book, The Eye of the North, which proved very popular in my school's library when it was released last year. The Star-Spun Web is even better! I may be somewhat biased as somehow Sinead has managed to hit all of my favourite middle-grade tropes - a smart girl, kind adult figures, steadfast friends, an adorable (but not page-hogging) pet, science which is intriguing but not overwhelming, an antagonist who has a believable motive, mythology, real history...this book does it all for me! It's absolutely top of my list to buy in and I know a dozen kids who'll snap it up immediately. Tess, our main character, is just great - curious but not foolhardy, knowledgeable but not arrogant, able to ask for help and rely on others rather than trying to carry the whole heroine burden by herself. Consequently she makes some great friends along the way who are so much more than side-kicks and background characters, even if we don't see a lot of them. Not one of the secondary characters feels hollow, which lends great strength to Tess's world.

O'Hart's style is spot on for kids who like to be stretched and challenged by what they read. She never talks down to her readers and doesn't hide scientific concepts behind waffle and hand-waving, something that really irritates me. Somehow she manages to make her explanations organic - we come to understand what's going on through the eyes of the character as they learn about it, there are no infodumps to bore and confuse the reader. It doesn't matter whether it's physics or history, it's all handled so smoothly we barely realise we're learning along with Tess.

I was happily satisfied with the ending, but there are enough loose threads to segue into a sequel - here's hoping!

I read and devoured ‘The Eye of the North’ when it was a featured monthly read on the Twitter page-Primary School Book Club; although this is a very different book, it’s touched by the same magic.
Sinaed O’Hart writes strong female protagonists so very well, but not in such a way as to alienate young male readers. She weaves a tale of adventure that twists and turns through alternate realities whilst coming to a conclusion that leaves you wanting more.
In short, I loved this book!

The Star-spun Web by Sinéad O'Hart – A Sparkle of Surprise and Suspense

Twelve-year-old Tess is orphaned by a terrible event. But her life at Ackerbee’s Home for Lost and Foundlings is content with her best friend Wilf, her pet tarantula Violet, the compassionate teacher, Miss Whipstead, the stern but kind housemistress, Miss Ackerbee and a few other kids, until... a stranger, Mr Cleat shows up claiming to be Tess’s distant relative. And he is not to be trusted.

Tess risks going with Mr Cleat as she feels he is the only link to find out who she is. As soon as she arrives at the enormous Roedeer Lodge, her joy of spending time conducting scientific experiments in the home’s detention-room-turned-laboratory in the basement with Wilf turns upside down into living under the watchful eyes of the housekeeper Mrs Thistleton and with unwelcome interruptions from Mr Cleat. But she does have a book she is drawn to by chance for company and a secret place to sneak into.

Sinead is truly one of the brilliant minds in children’s fiction! I’m still trying to figure out how she manages to toss scientific concepts around combined with reasoning, mystery and history.

I love the way Tess sees the breakage Wilf causes during an experiment in a positive way to lift her friend’s spirit and make her feel that accidents do happen. The detailed descriptions of a small metal capsule that comes buried in the blanket with Tess when she has been found as a baby, and the progress Tess makes in finding out what the object is, how it operates, what it can do, where it can lead to is just amazing!

Sinead’s detailing of the pet tarantula’s actions and reactions are cute that you fall in love with her and want to get one like her for yourself! There is also another pet owned by an important character that Tess meets, which also steals your heart! The affection and closeness the children and the animals share with each other are lovely to read!

Sinead’s notes at the end of the novel explaining the actual state of the Irish people despite Ireland’s neutrality in the second world war is a must read.

A very good and enthralling book that keeps you hooked till the last page.
I loved everything in this book: the characters, Tess and her tarantula above all, the engaging plot and the world building.
The plot was great and never bores you, a wonderful reading experience.
There's an echo of other great book but this could become one of those books.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Little Tiger Group and Netgalley for this ARC

Meet Tess de Sousa. She lives in Ackerbee’s Home for Lost and Foundlings, has a pet tarantula called Violet, and is a budding scientist. Not only that, but Tess wears glasses.

As an odd start to a review as that may seem, when I started reading The Star-spun Web, I was ecstatic to see a young, female protagonist wearing glasses and she has to clean them from time to time. As someone who wears glasses and knows the pain of constantly searching for something to clean them with (where DO those smudges come from?!) and I felt an affinity with Tess immediately.

Anyway, now I’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get onto the rest of the book. I can sit here and talk about how great the plot is (which it is) and how well written it is (which it is) and the fact the characters are so well developed (which they are) but I want to talk about something far, far more important.

O’Hart’s book is like a breath of fresh air. I can’t think of an adult book I’ve read that explores the multiverse theory, nevermind a children’s book! The storyline explains how Tess possesses a Starspinner, a device which allows her to move from one universe to another. Although this element of the book is clearly fantastical, it does also introduce the reader to the multiverse theory and accurately reflects the idea that the universes occur simultaneously.

Tess loves science and conducting experiments. In itself, seeing a young female exploring science is wonderful, but there is something far more meaningful at play in this book. Tess is supported. She is given a lab (however crude) and her teachers give her space and time she needs to develop her skills. Her friends support her. She is not mocked or bullied for her passion.

I cannot stress enough how valuable this is for encouraging young women into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) subjects. Books like this help to normalise women in science, which is desperately needed.

If you have a child (any child, not just a girl!) who is between 8 and 12 years old, encourage them to read this book. Not only is it a wonderful adventure, full of mystery, intrigue, and peril, but delivers some important messages.

I, for one, cannot wait to find out what adventures Tess goes on next.

This book begins with an intriguing, fast paced scene that alludes to other worldly magic and terrible baddies. The plot meanders a little after that, getting back into the action after a few slightly slower chapters.

I loved the fact that Tess is a scientist! the scenes with her working in her lab are great, and her excitement of being able to continue her experiments.

All in all, it will definitely appeal to the age group its written for.

‘One thought was so urgent that it drowned out all the others: she’ll only be two worlds away - will it be enough?’

Tess is my kind of heroine. She’s smart, stubborn, determined and a good friend. She conducts scientific experiments in a raincoat that’s seen better days and her lab is otherwise known as the detention room. She has a pet tarantula named Violet and will quite happily ruin brand new clothes by climbing up a chimney. Oh, and she can travel between different realities!

“Could it be true, then, to say that everything which could exist, does exist somewhere? That every choice made creates a ‘branch’ effect, where both outcomes can come to independent fruition, each entirely unknown to the other? It would mean an almost unimaginable abundance of universes, but who is to say such things cannot be true?”

I’m pretty sure I’ve never been emotionally attached to a tarantula before, but Violet somehow spun some web magic over me and I became fiercely protective of her. I also became very fond of Moose the mouse and grinned whenever Hortense the hockey stick was mentioned. I quickly moved from “huh, a pet spider” to “I’m going to boycott this book if Violet and Moose don’t make it to the end alive”.

Then there were the humans. While Tess was a great main character, Wilf and Millie were the ones I wanted to simultaneously adopt and be best friends with. Millie was an absolute sweetheart, while Wilf managed to snag the best lines in the book (most of my smiles, smirks and chuckles came courtesy of her). Of all of the characters they’re the two I desperately need updates about. I’m not greedy; just a book each where their individual stories are the focus would satisfy me. 😜

The settings came to life for me, particularly the chapel and Ackerbee’s. I love Ackerbee’s even more now that I’ve seen photos of the building it was based on, the Lafayette Building in Dublin. I need to live in that attic!

I can’t tell you how much I love that ‘home’ in this book doesn’t consist of buildings and ‘family’ doesn’t require you to share DNA with people. Tess’ home is with those who love her, including Miss Ackerbee, Rebecca, Wilf and all of the other girls at Ackerbee’s Home for Lost and Foundlings, and Violet, of course.

If I’d read this book as a kid I would have loved that it didn’t talk down to me. While there were some wonderful analogies that made complex ideas easier to understand (my favourite image was sheets of paper illustrating parallel universes), it never felt like anything was overly simplistic. I definitely would have gotten my science geek on after reading this.

Sara Mulvanny’s cover artwork and Sophie Bransby’s design drew me to this book in the first place and now that I’ve finished reading I can appreciate all of the elements that were included. I also liked the web at the beginning of each chapter; it was simple but effective.

Eensy weensy nitpick: I wasn’t overly sure why [SPOILER - Moose could travel between realities when Tess had to leave Violet behind each time she went to Thomas’ world. Maybe I missed something though. Also, unlike Moose, Violet never seemed to eat - SPOILER].

While ‘The Star-spun Web’ works as a standalone there are enough loose ends to warrant a sequel. I can imagine what’s next for some of my favourite characters but I’d much prefer to hear Sinéad O’Hart telling me all about them. I need to [SPOILER - see Tess reunite with her father, visit other realities, relearn how to move between realities without needing the Star-spinner and foil Mackintosh and Mrs Thistleton’s dastardly plan - SPOILER].

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book and for introducing me to a new (to me) author. I am rounding up from 4.5 stars. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to add Sinéad’s debut, ‘The Eye of the North’, to my wish list.

Sinéad O'Hart stormed into the Middle Grade scene last year with her fantastic debut The Eye of the North, so there were high expectations riding on her second book, The Star-Spun Web. Aside from the fact that Sara Mulvanny and Sophie Bransby have done a stellar job on the cover again (it's BEAUTIFUL!), this book was just as engaging and enjoyable to read as book one!

The Star-Spun Web is a mysterious story full of magic, science and wonder...and, despite my intense dislike of spiders, I actually began to warm to Violet, Tess' pet spider! It's a book that I was always excited to get back to reading; I genuinely cared about the characters and was rooting for Tess! As a character, she is one of my favourites I've come across in middle grade books; she's just the right amount of feisty, vulnerable and intelligent. It's refreshing to have a female character who is so independent and inquisitive. That said, she also relies on other people at the right times, showing how we can think we can do something alone but actually we need other people sometimes to help, whether that's from our family or friends.

I'm not sure whether this book is going to be a stand-alone; there is a lot of potential for a sequel in this world! I'd love to revisit Tess and all her friends, and discover what happens to the villains of the story too!

My 10yo read this in two sittings and the overall feedback was: BRILLIANT!
She loved the story, the strong friendship with Viola the Tarantula and Thomas. Also, Miss Ackerbee is a fantastic and supportive character to help Tess through the years. My daughter loved the writing and I'm sure this is not the only book she will read by the very talented Sinéad O’Hart.