Good grief this book 😭 I thought it would be a lighthearted one. Well it’s not, but it sure is thought provoking and emotional.✨

The lowdown👇
The story focuses on Romilly who lives with her eccentric artist father and her cat, Monty.🐱 
When her father finds fame with a series of children’s books starring her as the main character, everything changes. New fancy food, her father appears on TV, 🤩 and strangers appear at their house, convinced the books contain a treasure hunt leading to a dazzling prize. As time passes, Romilly’s father becomes increasingly suspicious of everything around him, until, before her eyes, he begins to disappear altogether. As her world becomes more isolated, Romilly turns to the secrets hidden in his illustrated books, realising that there is something far darker and more devastating locked within the pages.📖

When I started, I had no clue what was going on.😂 I was intrigued by it all and Pollys writing was beautiful and imaginative. It read like a coming of age story, from childhood to adolescence; enchanting and whimsical. Then something shifted and the story took a darker turn.😬 By this point, I was eager to know what was going on as much as Romilly. I felt a connection to her and I wanted to discover the secrets hidden within her fathers books.👀

It covers a lot of subjects such as dementia, mental illness, death, grief, loss, neglect, and family relationships (just to name a few 😅) So as you can imagine, it’s not a light read. It was vivid, quite magical - as I couldn’t grasp what was real and what was imagination. I got big LANNY vibes with this book.😍That magical realism fused with literary fiction. LOVE that.😉It’s a complex story, quite mysterious and yet such an emotional rollercoaster.😭

An unforgettable and accomplished debut. A flipping debut!! I’m still thinking about this book and asking questions.🤔The more I think about it, the more I realise how much this book moved me.

“There was a finality about every picture, a reminder that life does not carry forever, that there always must be an ending.”

I'm not sure what to make of this book.

It's beautifully written.  It's intriguing.and yet I initially found it a bit slow.

Young Romilly and her artist father Tobias live in an old farmhouse in the country surrounded by a moat. Just the two of them and Romilly's cat Monty..  She's basically allowed to run free and it sounds quite idyllic.

But things change when Tobias finds success with an illustrated book featuring Romilly and her kitten.  This brings all sorts of problems.  Treasure hunters and fans flock to their door in the belief that the book contains clues to hidden treasure.  There are clues in the book and the ones that follow, but these are clues meant for Romilly.

Things get so bad that Tobias removes Romilly from school and keeps her at home. She does have one friend, Stacey, a rather wild child who comes and goes, and who also doesn't go to school.

The book gets darker as it progresses.  Tobias' health deteriorates (he's eventually diagnosed with dementia)  and Romilly, still young, has to try and look after both of them.she also goes in search of the clues and secrets her father has hidden for her in his books.

There is quite a lot to take in.  To be honest I'm not sure if I really understood what the book was about.  I can't make up my mind if Stacey was real or imagined.  At times it seemed magical perhaps with some supernatural elements.  Or was that just my imagination?

As I said, it's well written and beautifully described, and I did become quite intrigued but I don't feel I really 'got' it.It may be I will simply have to read the book again when I'm ready.  I would give the book somewhere between 3 and 4 stars.

This book is very different from the norm and very unusual. It's very well written and you can identify with the struggles of the various characters . I really enjoyed it, especially with it not being a typical story and I would highly recommend it. Will look forward to reading more of Polly's books in the future.

BOOK REVIEW - The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Where do I begin. The poetic writing, the fascinating storyline, the intriguing mystery, the capturing characters? This book has it all! 

I can’t go into the storyline much as don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I can give an introductory oversight. Romilly, lives with her spontaneous, quirky artist father, Tobias, in rural Suffolk. He creates a series of children’s books starring Romilly that captures the world as rumours emerge that there is a secret treasure hunt hidden within the pictures on the page. That is all I am saying about the plot!

The story is told through young Romilly’s viewpoint and you only see the world through her childish eyes. What she sees and understands matures as she does and this allows the reader to be a part of her trying to work out the mystery. 

This however, is not a beautiful fairy tail or a whimsical adventure story. It is dark, atmospheric and sometimes chilling. It deals with haunting themes of death, loss, health, neglect and isolation. Sitting above this however it centres around a stunning relationship between a father and his daughter. The writing showing the relationship between them is moving. 

The writing is some of the best I’ve ever read. Descriptive is an understatement, all my senses were engaged as Polly Crosby describes the house and surrounding countryside. I felt my heart racing in places, I was worried and scared for the characters and visually I could see every last detail. 

I would highly recommend this book as a book club read, there are so many points to discuss.

Thank you to HQ stories and Polly Crosby for the opportunity to review this book ahead of its publication day. It’s a goodun’’!!

A compelling and dream-like tale of childhood, family and secrets.

Nine-year-old Romilly Kemp lives in an ancient, dilapidated farmhouse called Braër in Suffolk with her eccentric artist father Tobias and her cat, Monty. Life is simple, but Romilly is happy playing in the countryside with her cat and her friend Stacy, a wild girl who comes and goes as she pleases. When Tobias finds commercial success with a beautifully illustrated children’s book in which Romilly and Monty are the stars, life seems to only get better. However, as the success of the book grows, strangers begin to turn up at the house searching for Romilly’s “treasure”, an unknown quantity which is hinted at throughout the pages of the book. At the time when she needs him most, Romilly finds her father becoming more distant. She sets out to discover for herself what this “treasure” is -  which leads her to the secrets of her dark past and the reason for her mother’s absence.

This was a very well-written story with some beautiful descriptions (particularly of the illustrated book itself) and a dreamy, almost gothic atmosphere that seeps through the pages and simultaneously gives the reader a feeling of both whimsical childlike magic and also a dark hint of danger and unease. Indeed, the title and initial pages set it up to be quite light-hearted, but in fact, this is quite a sad story which encroaches on some difficult and upsetting topics. Romilly herself is an endearing character, and as the story follows her from when she is a young child to the cusp of adulthood, we share her excitements, disappointments and fears as she experiences them, in a way that makes her extremely empathetic. The love she and Tobias share is incredibly well-portrayed, and the distance that begins to form between them as they grow older is heart-breaking in many ways. The twists that came at the end of the story were quite shocking and most unexpected, and the ending, although quite bleak in some ways, felt suitably hopeful without being artificially perfect.

As I have mentioned, the book was not what I expected, which while not a negative thing as such, may not be ideal for some readers. I did have some issues with the pacing, as the time jumps were quite random and did sometimes confuse me as to how old Romilly was and how much time had passed between events. There were also quite a few plot points that cropped up suddenly and then faded away just as quickly, not adding a lot to the overall story. Finally, the focus of the storytelling is definitely on Romilly and Tobias, meaning the personalities of the secondary characters are not as strong and sort of fade into the background.

In conclusion, this was an intriguing and unusual novel which was both very emotional and thought-provoking. The central characters were very memorable and felt as if they were real people, and I experienced a great deal of empathy for Romilly and her difficult life. I would recommend this to people who enjoy vivid descriptions and are looking for a story that will make them feel a variety of emotions. Still, the slightly bleak nature of the tale means it is not one for people who are easily depressed.

Daenerys


Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.

A vivid narrative with a range of colourful characters, Romilly’s childhood is filled with laughter, adventure but also loss. The reader is invited to solve the mystery of her father’s books alongside the spirited protagonist and it’s a lovely adventure.

I could not decide what I thought of this book - it was slow to draw me in and left me slightly perplexed at the end.

Romilly lives with her dad in the middle of nowhere with her kitten, Monty.  Her father writes 4 books about the two of them containing clues to a treasure. Romilly’s life as a teenager is defined by the book and readers’ reactions to it. She meets her mother again and grandmother but is aware of mysteries about her past.  Her dad’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and eventually he is diagnosed with dementia.

During this time Romilly has one friend - Stacey - to help her make sense of her increasingly confusing world.

Eventually Romilly has to resolve the clues and find the treasure to find out about who she is.

An interesting book - I was surprised by the discoveries and was absorbed by Romilly’s character and her resolve to face her difficulties and come through.

The Illustrated Child is a different sort of book and may not be to everyone's taste. The plot itself is interesting enough to keep you turning pages and the lead characters are sympathetic enough that you're invested in their journeys.

This book is one of those that will stay with me for a long time. 
What started as an adventure, filled with promise of treasure and excitement, soon turned to something unexpected and quite dark. Polly Crosby has a magical way of writing with evocative description that never feels clunky or over done. 
Romilly and her father Tobias are both characters I could connect with, and the weaving in and out of the others was clever and thoughtful. 
I am looking forward to what Polly Crosby writes next and I have already pre-ordered this so I can have the physical copy too. 
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Polly Crosby for the ARC copy in return for my own review.

The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby is a beautiful novel about love, exploration and discovering yourself. It is a very unique read and a fabulous debut novel.
The action begins in October 1987 – A date I remember well due to the infamous weather forecast by the BBC’s Michael Fish. We follow a young girl through her formative years.
There is a close relationship between the girl and her father. He immortalises her in his books but fame comes at a price. Their love is tangible and beautiful to witness.
Friendships are important too. We all need friends who will support us through life.
There is the difficult subject of dementia. I found this sentence heart-breaking: “Whatever happens, I’m still here. I’m still me, inside.”
The written books are very much a part of the story. Along with the character, we participate in a treasure hunt. We must decide what is real and what is imagined.
The Illustrated Child was totally unique, absolutely mesmerising and beautifully written. I look forward to many more books by the talented Polly Crosby.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

'The beginnings of a friendship are like the beginning of a book: you never know how they will turn out until the very end.'
-
I was very lucky to receive an ARC of The Illustrated Child from HQ, and I am incredibly grateful. I was also approved to read the digital ARC on NetGalley. 
The publication date is 29 October 2020.
-
'I loved the magic of seeing a book before anyone else: of being one of the first to try to decipher the codes within.'
-
This book was a very interesting read.
One thing that really stood out to me was the descriptions and personification employed throughout the story. These made it very immersive, and I did feel as though I was transported into the magical world of Romilly's childhood.
-
'I asked obediently in a whisper. The grey sky dropped lower on the landscape as if it were listening too.'
-
The images of the books within the novel are also very intriguing. The beautiful depictions of Tobias' paintings, with all the secretive minute details, made me wish these books were real. I felt like I wanted to read and explore them myself.
-
'Each picture was lit with a warm, treacly light, like diffused candlelight, or the dim flicker of an open fire.'
-
It becomes clear quite quickly that things aren't as they initially appear for Romilly.
Without giving away too much, the spiralling of the plot seemed to reflect the decline of the characters themselves, and there were a few well-executed twists.
The light-hearted, whimsical opening of the novel turns into something quite dark.
I felt for Romilly, and it did feel at points like she was very much alone, despite her Father's best efforts to ensure the contrary.
-
'Back then, Dad had been full of colour and vibrancy, just like his paintings. Now, he was a spectrum of grey, and I didn't have the paints or the ability to put him right.'
-
I would recommend this book, and it has been one of my favourite reads so far this year. Polly Crosby's writing stands out, and I look forward to what she produces next.
I have already pre-ordered the published print copy of The Illustrated Child for when it is released.

This is a very special book. It takes you into a strange yet utterly believable world, where a young girl lives in a remote country house with her eccentric father, who uses her as the inspiration for a series of books that make both of them famous, not always with happy results.

The setting is so well described that you feel you're there with the heroine on every page, the small cast of characters are beautifully drawn, and the mystery at the heart of the story draws you in from the moment you realise something in that house isn't quite right.

Don't be deceived by the fact that the heroine is a young girl - this isn't a light, whimsical read, it's dark, and poignant,  and in places very sad, but never in a mawkish, 'tugging on the heartstrings' way. It's a book that'll stay with you long after you turn the last page.

I found this a rather sad and slow story. It was somewhat convoluted and contrived. I kept thinking of Masquerade as I read, so I was glad the author acknowledged its  influence.

The Illustrated Child is a thoroughly assured debut, strikingly and imaginatively written. Had it been marketed differently, my opinion of it would be with those who see it as dazzling. However, it doesn't strike me as an adult title, rather one aimed at much younger readers (YA), albeit with likely crossover appeal for many adults. 
Coming in at it the other way, I just found myself questioning/second-guessing so many things about the narrative that I would let pass in a book aimed at a younger audience (I am not going to go into details as to do so would be to effectively be adding spoilers). So a low three stars from me as an adult reader, and a high four to low-five had my younger self been reading it (or my adult self with the expectation of it to be read that way).
Happy to meet it in the middle - have no doubt this will be a huge success and rightfully so, but maybe tweak its positioning within  the market?

Moving to a dilapidated house in Suffolk with her artist father, Romilly has a free but lonely childhood, home schooled and minimally supervised.  When her father gives her a kitten, he begins to create a series of children’s books, with detailed illustrations that contain hidden images and words, giving rise to the idea that it contains the clues to hidden treasure.  What the legions of fans do not realise is that the treasure contained is for Romilly alone, and that her search will unlock forgotten family secrets.
At once an engrossing mystery, a study of complex family relationships, and a captivating story of growing up, this poignant novel gripped me from the outset.  First person narration allows for vivid depiction of the strength of the bond between Romilly and her dad and her growing understanding and acceptance of the event that lies at the heart of the novel.  This is a thoroughly rewarding book in which to lose yourself for a few hours. 
I cannot purchase this for our library - my oldest readers are eleven - but I will be wholeheartedly recommending it to my adult book group!

Romily Kemp is nine years old when her father Tobias, moves them into a ramshackle house in the countryside. At first it seems like she has a blissful childhood, playing in the countryside with her new friend Stacy and being home schooled, whilst her father writes a series of children’s books about Romily and her kitten which are beautifully illustrated. 

As the books become popular with all ages, the readers believing there are hidden meanings in the book which may be lead to hidden treasure. They soon have fans turning up wanting to dig for the treasure. Romily starts to look for the hidden message in the book. 

As Romily’s father’s health declines she is left to fend for herself and she soon finds herself trying to look after him.

This book does deal with sensitive topics such as mental illness, death and Dementia. It is fascinating and heartbreaking at times, but I wanted to find out how it all ends and to see if Romily gets the help she needs. 

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

I was sent a copy of The Illustrated Child by Polly Crosby to read and review by NetGalley.
What an enchanting book!  I was hooked on this novel right from the very first pages and I stayed that way right to the very end!  Beautifully written in the first person of protagonist Romilly Kemp – even her name is enchanting!  It is an exploration of human nature and behaviour, love, madness and loss, amidst a treasure hunt through the story books written in Romilly’s name.  I adored the characters and the location of Braer House was fantastical and special, the sort of house that I for one would dream of living in.  The story is ingenious and complex and, for me, totally engrossing.  I didn’t want to put it down.  If you enjoy stories such as The Night Circus you will love this.  Definitely worth 5 stars and more!

The Illustrated Child is told in three parts, and each part is distinctive in how the story felt as I was reading it. In part one we are introduced to Romilly and her father, as they move into a ramshackle house, where her father starts a book series based on his daughter and her pet cat. There is a nostalgic feel to this part of the story, as Romilly, and her friend Stacey, play around the house and its gardens. Memories of sunny days of childhood games are invoked. Yet there’s a contrasting sadness to it too, as Romilly essentially raises herself. She is mostly uneducated and unwashed; she is isolated and lonely. It’s obvious her father loves her but there is also a feeling of neglect. There were passages which made me uncomfortable, but I think this contrast in feelings is intended and I really enjoyed this first section. Time moves very quickly in this novel, weeks and months pass in the span of a paragraph or two. I would have liked to have slowed it down a little at some points to have time to take in what has just happened.

There are secrets in Romilly’s life, and as the story continues she starts to question and uncover the hidden truths. As the book moves to part two there’s more of an urgency to the story. Romilly has grown up a lot by this point, so the narrative is less magical and playful, as the secrets are revealed. I enjoyed the treasure hunt in the books within the book, it was a great plot device, and the pay off is done well. As the book continues into part three the story changes into something different, and I found it quite jarring. I thought the ending worked well, but the last section wasn’t my favourite. There were a couple of twists in the story, which I did guess before they were revealed, but I thought they way the seeds were planted to the reader and were revealed to the characters was cleverly done.

The novel is an emotional one in contrast with the cover. It deals with some serious and heavy issues wrapped into the mystery which spans the novel. Whilst the cover is quite whimsical, and some of the story feels this, there is a hidden darkness constantly lingering in the background. I liked the way these two contrasting feelings were played and felt throughout the novel. A book to look out for.

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Stories and Polly Crosby for this ARC to read and review.

I'll be honest, this book wasn't for me. I found that it dragged in places and towards the end it felt rushed and a bit sparse.
The story focuses on one child called Romiley Kemp whose father creates a series of books as a kind of treasure hunt especially for her. It is published and it seems the whole world wants to be in on the hunt.
Romiley meanwhile is a lonesome child with one friend and a cat to keep her company, besides her father. Her mother is elsewhere, having left when Romiley was four years old.
Now she lives in an old house with a moat around it, in the middle of the countryside. 
She has some rare adventures, some probably are imaginary, some are real. I won't give the ending away by describing any more. 
I have given this book a three, but for those whom this book strikes a chord it would probably be a four or maybe even a five.

I wanted to love this book than I did and while the first 90% held me spellbound I felt the last 10% could have been condensed or done away with altogether the story felt like it carried on after the logical ending point had been reached.

Warning to readers like the best fairy-tales this story is dark, there are things hidden from view and of course the main characters must face tests, challenges and grief.

So what did I love about the book? The opening paragraph. Read the below and then tell me you don't want to know more...

 "You probably know me: I'm the Kemp Treasure Girl. Maybe you had the books as a child. Perhaps your dad read them to you in those wilting hours of sleep where books become dreams and dreams become books. Did you look for the treasure, digging in your garden unsure of what you were searching for?"

The writing is beautiful:

"But the beginnings of a friendship are like the beginning of a book: you never know how they will turn out until the very end."

The description of the picture books. The books within this book were so well described I wished they were real that I could look at the pictures, find the hidden words and spot the secret images on each page. The magical feel was completely captivating and there was a circus! What more do you need in a fairy-tale? How about an escaped panther? Yep we have one of those as well.

The setting. Braer is an ancient farmhouse complete with moat, it is remote from the local village and as you would expect has a lot of land. The nature of the house and location means the fairy-tale aspects are made believable it also allows for Romilly to run wild and for things to fall apart with no-one noticing.

The book also looks at different issues affecting mental health and how these impact people in different ways. It provided an interesting insight into the thought processes of the central characters. This aspect of the book also allowed for there to be question marks about certain events allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions.

Who would like this? If you enjoy fairy-tales in all their dark glory this could be a winner for you.