The Illustrated Child

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I launched myself into this book knowing absolutely nothing about it nor whether it would be at all my thing, but JUST WOW. As Crosby herself warned me; do not let the pretty drawing on the cover fool you. This is a dark, gothic-y-esque tale and and despite the fact I finished it almost a week ago, I still can’t stop thinking about it. I was utterly bewitched by Crosby’s sorcery!
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The Illustrated Child is an absolute gem of a book; a true wonder. It reads like an adult fairly tale with adventures and mystery aplenty, perhaps in the vein of Enid Blyton; replete with ghosts and fairies and spirits.
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I was totally mesmerised by the romantic feel of Crosby’s depictions; she had me firmly ensconced in her words right from the opening lines. This book has an almost ethereal quality to it and the beguiling prose was almost other worldly in the way that it drew me in. Haunting yet enticing, The Illustrated Child conjured up such vivid imagery, it was truly magical.
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Dealing with difficult themes including the cruel clasp of dementia on a loved one and the perhaps questionable upbringing of a child; Crosby brings this enchanting story alive with both the frivolity of childhood and the fear of the unknown.
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Dark, hypnotic and quite simply wonderful; The Illustrated Child has rocketed straight into my “Top Books of 2020 so far” pile; this book about a treasure hunt is a treasure all by itself.
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If ever there was a book suited to my countryside walks it’s this beautifully written story by Polly Crosby. Her prose style is simply exquisite and wonderfully complemented by the narrator, Rosie Jones. Her perfectly spoken voice dances the words into your imagination and transports you into Romilly’s whimsical world.

Nine year old Romilly, whose story we follow from her perspective, lives with her loving and eccentric father, Tobias, in a ramshackle house in the English countryside. With not much money to live on, her father begins to write books about Romilly and her beloved cat, Monty. Being a talented artist, these books with their stunning and elaborate illustrations, quickly become extremely popular and in turn, brings fame and fortune to the small family and their home.

The illustrations in the book intrigue readers and hint at a treasure hunt. After several editions to include circus trips, picnics and Christmas themes, it’s not long before the success is all too much, no longer desired and becomes quite the burden. Fans become obsessed and even turn up on their doorstep looking for a glimpse of Romilly and clues for the elusive treasure! Romilly who once relished her wild and free life in the countryside soon finds herself locked away and isolated.

Romilly and her father have a complicated relationship and although he loves her dearly and tries to be a diligent parent, he ultimately neglects her. Romilly’s mother appears in the story infrequently, having left her at the tender age of four. Her presence is far from a positive impact on the impressionable young Romilly, however, you understand why as the tragedies and dark secrets unfold. The relevance of the “treasure hunt” to Romilly becomes clear and how her father is trying to protect her from the truth the only way he knows how; by painting the clues to her secret past that he hasn’t the heart to express to her in person.

A very original storyline and almost fairytale like if the inner core wasn’t so dark and turbulent; quite like no other I have read before. Romilly herself likens her home to a witch’s cottage in a fairytale.

The illustrated books written by Romilly’s father are vividly described and sound quite delightful; a stark contrast to the actual book itself. I wished I could delve into them along with all the other treasure hunters!

I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in Romilly’s magical world in this compelling modern classic. A challenging read with its multi-layers and gothic undertones. I have so many questions finishing this book now: the meaning behind the black panther, her feral friend Stacey, ever daring her dangerous tendencies...”dreams and reality interwoven”. What was real?? An ideal buddy or book club read which I highly recommend if you are looking for something thought-provoking and exceptionally well written.

This could well be my favourite book of 2020.
Oh wow, it's quite some time since I listened to a book where I didn't want to miss a single word. This was beautifully written and held me transfixed throughout. I was listening rather than reading and the narrator, Rosie Jones, perfectly matched the feel of the narrative. I was racing towards the end, but now I wish I'd taken it a bit slower.

Romilly lives with her eccentric father, in a rambling house in the countryside. She finds unexpected fame as the character in her father's novels and he removes her from school when fans start to stalk her. As a single child and homeschooled, she lives a wild isolated life with just her cat for company. The books suggest that there may be some hidden treasure to be found from clues buried within them and they become as popular as Harry Potter.
As the novel progresses it becomes darker, gradually, imperceptibly, until nothing is quite as it seems. This is so well done, it's hard to believe that this is the author's first book. It felt like a cross between Erin Mortgenstern and Diane Setterfield, two of my favourite authors. I cannot wait to read whatever Polly Crosby brings out next.