Wren

Wren lives with her father, aunt, and brother in an old house in Wales. Mourning the recent loss of his wife, Wren's father seemingly cannot cope with the spirited girl and he tries to rein in her inquisitive nature by contacting 'The Airey's' who run a school for 'wayward/spirited' girls - but everyone knows the Airey's reputation and how the girls never come back out of the school behaving the same way they entered.
Adding to her woes. there is something wrong with Wren's house - it keeps making noises and mysterious cracks appear in its walls and what is the secret that her father hiding?
Wren attempts to recreate the flying ship that sadly caused her mother's death and her aunt's paralysis - but its the outcome of her first launch that Wren actually sees what is going on with her house.

A fantastic story with a brilliant twist 60% of the way through. Hope keeps the reader on their toes all of the way through the book - a recommended read!

I loved gothic tales as a child and reading them as a middle grader really helped me grow into the genre, and this is the perfect story to do just that for kids. I read it really quickly, it is well written with a creepy story but not too scary, with a good level of mystery and well developed characters.

Wren lives in a grand old house on the island of Anglesey in Wales in 1870. She loves to go out rowing on the Menai Strait in her coracle but above all she longs to soar through the sky, like her mother did before she died in a tragic accident. Wren’s father thinks she’s running wild and bringing their ancient family name into disrepute so he meets with the sinister ‘Aireys’ about sending Wren away to their school for the re-education of wayward girls, which only spurs her on to build a flying machine so she can escape. And there’s something going on with Wren’s house—cracks are appearing in the walls, and she keeps hearing strange noises as though the house is singing…

Once again, Lucy Hope’s signature blend of madcap inventions and historical fantasy proves a compelling combination. Wren is a plucky and determined protagonist and I adored Aunty Efa in her steampowered wheelchair. I have Welsh ancestry and it was lovely to read a story steeped in Welsh mythology and culture. ‘Wren’ is a quieter story than ‘Fledgling’, to begin with, but the house itself and the mystery at its heart is an inspired spark of imagination, and the finale of the story builds to a stunning crescendo. Absolutely loved this!

I loved this story. It had a mix of historical mystery and adventure which is exactly the sort of book I love. I loved Wren and her spirit. I loved what the book had to say about doing what’s right and being yourself. Perfect for KS2 readers.

Wren is a glorious celebration of dark Welsh folklore, clever engineering and the power of a girl with a dream – all wonderfully woven together in a story of a house that seems to be alive, mysterious family history, the thrill of flight and a desire to be free.

Wren is wild. Inspired by her mother who pushed the limits too far, Wren wants nothing more than to take to the skies in a home-made flying machine. With the help of her friend, Medwyn, she longs to harness the strength of the wind and escape her suffocating life.

Wren’s father does not approve and tries to tame her. Is it a fear that she’ll turn out like her mother? Or an even greater fear that Wren will discover the ancient family secret he’s so desperate to keep hidden?

As the story develops, Wren begins to see her life from a new point of view. With a wonderful twist in the tale, more is revealed and readers discover the truth right along with Wren. Written in first person, present tense, readers will swiftly get lost in this captivating story. I was torn between devouring the story and wanting to make it last so I could savour it. I loved Lucy Hope’s 2021 novel Fledgling, but Wren is on another level. All the elements combine perfectly to create a story that will inspire children to be true to themselves and follow their dreams.

Wren is a free spirit who struggles to behave as her father would like her to. She much prefers taking her coracle than spending hours in the study room with a tutor.
But something else than Wren's behaviour seems to be worrying her father - he keeps talking about Wren's responsibility towards the house. When he threatens to send her to a boarding school, Wren puts together a plan to take up her mother's dream of flying - the same one that cost her mother her life - and escape the old house once and for all. But she wasn't expecting what she discovers once up in the air and she realises she indeed needs to save her most extraordinary house.

The story of When grips the readers with its main character's wish for freedom and adventure, stifled by conventions. And every other character, carrying their own mysteries: Wren's father and his strange link with the Airyes brothers. Aunty Efa, once the companion of adventure of Wren's mother, now driving her steam-powered wheelchair around the house. Medwyn, devoted to keep the fire going but to which purpose?
And once you're caught in the world of Wren, everything is turned upside down at the discovery of what extraordinary force of nature Wren's house really is.

‘Wren’ is a heartwarming story about a family who have a terrifying secret in their basement. Pa tries to send his daughter Wren away to a gruesome boarding school so that she won’t get hurt. Unfortunately for her father, Wren is stubborn and wants to be able to fly, like her mother tried, and failed, to do. With the help of her good friend Medwyn, Wren builds a flying machine and gets to see what her father has been hiding from her.
This book is just so imaginative and I know that lots of children will be thrilled to see our female protagonist breaking out from stereotypes and building the Phoenix. With Aunty Efa as an amazing role model, there are multiple STEM possibilities to focus on whilst reading Wren.
I’m so glad to have read this and can’t wait to share this story with classes at school.

A mysterious and heartwarming tale set in the mountains of Anglesey and inspired by Welsh folklore. Wren is a fantastic character - feisty but vulnerable so you can’t help pulling for her. She is determined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and discover the freedom of flight but there are dark family secrets and twists along the way.

I loved Fledgling and this is another cracker. Not quite as dark but just as atmospheric and with an equally quirky building! Also lovely that there is some extra detail about the science and history of flight in a glossary at the end.

Wren is a rebellious young girl that lives in her ancestral home on the island of Anglesey in North Wales. She lost her mother when she was younger and now lives with her disabled eccentric aunt, imposing strict father and competitive spiteful brother. Wren loves nothing more than being out on the sea looking for migrating birds sailing on her beloved coracle. She is always at odds with her father who only takes notice of her to reprimand her about not paying attention to her studies and being more ladylike. As cracks start appearing in the castle they are also start appearing in the relationship between Wren and her father.

The story is told from the point of view of Wren, who I really liked, she is an empathetic character, kind to those around her with a talent for invention and dare devil acts. She is a real contrast to ther other inhabitants of the imposing castle. As we learn more about her deceased mother we find that Wren is very much like her and worry that she will suffer the same fate.

I really enjoyed the Gothic setting of the novel, it is very atmospheric and I hadn't predicted the direction would go in at all. It was a very moving read that left me feeling hope for Wren and her family.

This is a stunning historical adventure. Wren is such a vibrant explorer, and I loved the Welsh mythological elements and the heart in the story. It was beautifully written and reminded me of The House with Chicken Legs, I cannot wait to read more from Lucy Hope. Thank you Nosy Crow for this special ARC. I think Wren soars, it’s a classic.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Wren with its strong, female lead character. Set in Victorian times, Wren is determined to follow her own path guided by her natural curiosity which is in stark contrast to the wishes of her family. I enjoyed the interactions between the various different characters and quickly getting a sense of who would be helpful to Wren. The twist in the story had me hooked to the very end and hopeful that Wren would make the right choice. I will certainly be looking out for more books by Lucy Hope.

Having really enjoyed Fledgling, Lucy Hope's first novel I was excited about this one. It's even better. 'Wren' is a great middle grade novel for KS2 and early KS3. With a steam punk background and anchored in Welsh mythology, 'Wren' captures the titular character searching for adventure. Her mother has recently died and her family is, quit frankly, in a bit of a shambles but Wren just wants to fly. She feels contained by her father and the role ascribed to her in the Welsh 1860s. You can only but love her. She is a heroine for the ages. A young adventurer with a conscience, Wren is a great role model for young people.
As an adult reader I was engaged but I know my Year 7s will love her too. But as an adult reader I had a tiny tear for the final chapter which was just gorgeous.
I can't wait to read what Lucy Hope does next - she's on a great trajectory.