Sunday, December 2, 2018

Book Review: Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

Okay, so no, this blog is noT turning into a book review site. It's just that heavy reading has been half of my workload for grad school this first semester, and I have read some truly wonderful books! I will do a wrap up of my first semester's learning because my last class is next week. NEXT WEEK! But first, I want to talk to you about Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell because it is just utterly lovely.

Sophie, the girl with hair the color of lightning, was found as a baby floating through the English Channel in a cello case by Charles Maxim, the most charming British academic you will ever have the pleasure of reading. Charles, with the permission of the State, raises Sophie as his charge, but loves her as his daughter. But Sophie's upbringing is unusual, not exactly what a young woman in England "should" be studying--and she most certainly should be not be wearing trousers.

Even though she loves her life with Charles, Sophie is utterly convinced that her mother is still alive, and though she was a baby when she was found, she swears that she has memories of her mother wearing trousers and playing the cello. So when the state decides that Charles is an unfit guardian and plan to take Sophie to an orphanage, Sophie discovers a clue about her mother--a Paris address on the cello case that she was found in twelve years ago. So instead of complying with the law and heartbreak, Charles and Sophie pack a bag and jump a ship across the English Chanel for Paris, on a Mother-hunt.

Instantly, Sophie is convinced that Paris is the right place for her, that it feels like home. However, answers are not coming as easily as she might hope. The Parisians are not as polite as the English, and no one wants to help her find her mother, who most likely died in the shipwreck.

Just when all seems lost, Sophie meets Matteo, a rooftopper--aka an orphan who's made his home out of living on the rooftops of Paris, a magical and dangerous life. Sophie's eyes are opened to this hard, new way of life, but in it, she finds a group of loyal, brave friends and answers to all her prayers. Because from the rooftops, one can hear everything--including the cello music of a woman with lightning colored hair, the same as Sophie's.

I think I can honestly say that, apart from Skellig by David Almond, Rooftoppers is my favorite read of the semester. Sophie is the most unique, odd, charming, utterly herself character
with beautiful ways of seeing the world. I was underlining her thoughts like crazy. I think Charles might be one of my favorite adult characters in a middle grade book, an adult character who both believes in the agency of children and the agency of women. He's a true feminist. The voice of the story is witty and exciting, with unusual, exciting descriptions. I finished this book in two days, and I was sad to finish it.

My favorite quote: "Mothers were a place to put down your heart. They were a resting stop to recover your breath."

This is an absolutely must-read. I'm not kidding. Read it!

Happy Reading,
    HER 

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