Synopsis: When Samuel Godwin, a young and naive art tutor, accepts a job with the Farrow family at their majestic home, little does he expect to come across such a web of secrets and lies. His two tutees are as different as chalk and cheese - the beautiful younger sister Marianne, full of flightiness and nervous imagination, and Juliana, oddly sensible and controlled. Assisted by their elusive governess, Charlotte Agnew, Samuel begins to uncover slowly why Marianne is so emotionally fragile. But his discoveries lead to revenge and betrayal - and lives all around are turned upside down as life and death combat each other for supremacy.

Review: When Samuel arrives at Fourwinds, he is immediately struck by the architecture and, in particular, the exquisite carvings on each side of the imposing house. However, he quickly becomes embroiled in the mystery behind the disappearance of the west wind carving, which leads to an obsessive hunt for the gifted sculptor that created it. During his search, he is increasingly drawn to the three women of the house: demure Juliana, whose withdrawn behaviour hides harrowing secrets; the passionate and erratic Marianne and their elusive governess, Charlotte Agnew. What he discovers about his employer, Mr Ernest Farrow, both shocks and explains the temperance of the women he resides with.

Linda Newbery has very successfully recreated the nineteenth century voice reminiscent of the Bronte’s and Austen, and the element of mystery to be solved evokes the style of Wilkie Collins. Indeed, the alternating narrators, interspersed with letters and the sole voice of Charlotte, are akin to the style of The Woman in White and Set in Stone would be an ideal introduction to such a novel.

The story is told through the eyes of Samuel and Charlotte whose viewpoints gradually converge as the course of their questioning bring them closer to the truth. The most interesting characters, however, are the two daughters. Their behaviour lends clues as to the outcome of Samuel and Charlotte’s investigations without anything being too obvious. The particular strength of this novel is the way in which the characters are drawn, each with their own story that leads the reader through the quagmire that is the Farrow family saga.

Although Set in Stone would introduce young readers to the nineteenth century voice and style of novel, as well as being an incredibly gripping read on its own, the difficulty lies in the subject matter as the mystery unravels incest and children of ‘forgotten encounters’. Therefore, it is likely that it is most suited to older teenagers and adults.

COSTA CHILDREN'S CATEGORY AWARD WINNER 2007

2006-11-30