'The beginnings of a friendship are like the beginning of a book: you never know how they will turn out until the very end.'
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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.
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'I loved the magic of seeing a book before anyone else: of being one of the first to try to decipher the codes within.'
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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.
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'I asked obediently in a whisper. The grey sky dropped lower on the landscape as if it were listening too.'
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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.
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'Each picture was lit with a warm, treacly light, like diffused candlelight, or the dim flicker of an open fire.'
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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.
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'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.'
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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.

What a tough book to read.

Romilly is a little girl who lives with her eccentric dad, Tobias in a ramshackle house in the countryside. Mum pops up in Romilly's life at intermittent times. Romilly doesn't go to school and she doesn't really have any friends other than the local wild child, Stacey.
When Tobias writes a book with Romilly and her cat, Monty as the main characters, they no longer have to worry about being able to pay for things. They suddenly have money to pay for everything they need.

Tobias develops dementia and Romilly struggles to cope with him and his increasingly erratic behaviour.

i don't know that I would recommend this book. There are many upsetting topics that are touched upon in this book and although everything comes together in the end, I did spend the majority of the time reading this, wondering why I was doing so.

Wonderful, brilliant and magical. This is a brilliantly written memorable story. The characters are strong and compelling and every chapter seems to draw you in more. Loved all of it.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This book was a fascinating tale of intrigue, of love and pain. Romilly is made into a child of fiction by her father, a centre of media attention from the tales written about her and a treasure hunt. The family coming together and being torn apart is both tragic and gripping at the same time.

The ending has left me reeling.

What a fantastic book to get your teeth into!

This was a good read. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the house and surroundings and the relationship between Romilly and her father. The development of the story through the publication of his books and the treasure hunt made for an interesting read.

This book is DARK!
The story begins all nice and heartwarming. Romilly is living, with her father, in a quaint little house in the Suffolk countryside. He buys her a kitten and all is right with the world. By the end of the book you’re staring, open mouthed, at Romilly. Wanting to give her a hug whilst sobbing “What happened to you!?”

When we first meet Romilly, she is a lovely carefree child, if a little sad. She lives with her Father, a former art teacher, and they’ve recently moved to an quirky old house in the Suffolk countryside (a little side note, this house sounds like an absolutely amazing place to grow up, it has a MOAT!) her mother is not on the scene as she ‘left’ them four years before the story begins.
From the offset you know there is a family secret there, but the beauty of this book is, because it’s told from Romilly’s POV and it also has quite a surreal quality to it, you’re never quite sure if you’ve figured out the true story behind it all, or if you even actually know what’s going on.
Through the length of the book you watch Romilly grow emotionally and physically. By the end of the book, even though only 8 years or so have passed, she is a completely different girl to how she started. Her eyes have been opened to the reality of the kind of people her parents really are, and she has begun to question the world around her. However, because you’ve travelled this journey with her it’s not until you’re forced to take a step back and look at both of them you realise the effect all these events have had on her, and it’s slightly traumatic both for Romilly and the reader.
This is defintely not the kind of story I was expecting, but I think that made the unravelling of the tale even more intriguing. This book has such a multilayered magical quality to it that I feel if I read it again it will be a completely different story

Beautifully written and mesmerising. I will definitely be recommending this title to my book club! Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the setting of this book, and the life that Romilly led. I guessed the secrets very early on and found it a little frustrating at how long it took for Romilly to uncover the truth. It is ultimately a very sad book, but there is charm there too.

This is a book which I grew into rather than one which grabbed from the outset. By the time I got to the end, I found the writing to be compelling, clever and beautifully imagined.

When I first started reading I was left slightly confused - had I picked up a child's/YA book by mistake? The writing felt simple and the story a little basic. However, as the book unfolded, this simplistic start made way for memorable characters and a wonderful example of "painting with words".

This is an enchanting tale and hard to believe it is a debut novel deserving a re-read!

With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

An intriguing and slightly unsettling YA coming of age novel. The gradual unfolding of the mystery contained in the treasure hunt books (clearly reminiscent of Kit Williams' 'Masquerade') is delightful. Romilly's semi-feral life with her friend Stacey and benignly neglectful father however repeatedly struck a slightly discordant note, as I kept wanting answers to questions like: if treasure hunters continually invade your privacy and camp on your land, why not just contact the police? Realistically, wouldn't an EWO have been in contact a heck of a lot sooner? And how does Romilly grow up with no memory at all of the big reveal at the end (no spoilers)?

The language style is lovely - and also has a tendency to keep the reader on the back foot. Descriptions of some of the characters sometimes leave a great deal of doubt about whether Romilly finds them sympathetic or not entirely trustworthy. I'm going to go with believing this is the author's clever use of language to indicate Romilly's own uncertainty and childlike perspective.

An enjoyably complex tale that avoids tying up all the ends in a neat happy-ever-after, but instead offers a much more satisfying sense of resolution, acceptance and strength to face the future.

This was an interesting book. It was smart, engaging and interesting.

Its about a small girl called Romily who lives in a grand old house in the countryside called Braer. her father is an illustrator/painter/author and writes a book about Romily called Romily and the kitten.

It starts off quite whimsical but takes a darker twist.

It was an interesting story, and certainly one i have never read before.

I found this book slow and rather whimsical- I finished but not the best I have read recently. Maybe just me out of my depth