| Title | : | Beswitched |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 288 |
| Publication | : | First published February 1, 2010 |
| Awards | : | Carnegie Medal (2011) |
Beswitched Reviews
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Honestly, if I had encountered Kate Saunders' 2010 school story Beswitched as a child (in other words, if she had written this novel decades earlier when I was a child), I am almost one hundred percent certain that I would have simply and massively adored it, and that it would have received a glowing five star (and favourite) designation from me, considering that Beswitched contains so many of my favourite pleasure reading themes (a British boarding school story set not only in the present but actually mostly in the past, time-travel, historical/cultural information) and topped off with an ending that is in my humble opinion simply and utterly divine. And indeed, even for me as an older adult, Beswitched has been an entertaining, amusing as well as at times very much enlightening reading experience, a generally delightful romp, not perfect perhaps, and hence just three stars, but still totally enjoyable and highly recommended not only to and for older children (and especially for girls from about the ages of nine to twelve), but also for adults who enjoy traditional themed British based school-stories as a genre.
Now indeed spoiled and perhaps at the beginning of Beswitched even more than a trifle annoying, Flora Fox's magical switch to a 1930s archetypal British boarding school (where she then actually meets her own grandmother as a student and an indeed equally and in many ways even considerably more problematically entitled individual than herself) is readable, fun and definitely an interesting depiction of a typical United Kingdom boarding school of the 1930s (although personally, I also have found at least some of the descriptions of school life a trifle too negative, almost as though the author, as though Kate Saunders actively wants to show rather too many negatives with regard to the past). And I especially have enjoyed how Flora's sojourn in the past not only has the often ubiquitous and standard positive consequences for and in the present (or rather from a 1930s perspective, the future) that is often part and parcel to time-travel or time-slip novels, but also that the events experienced by Flora in the past are actively remembered not only by her when she returns to the present (the future), but that the students with whom she had been rooming during her time at St. Winifred's (her grandmother, Pogo and Dulcie, who are of course by now all elderly) actually also remember Flora as much as she remembers them (so delightfully different from many time-travel types of novels involving especially the not so distant past, where once the main protagonist returns to the present, he or she is often the only one to remember his or her time in the past, and in particular what happened in the past to change the future, to change the present).
But while Beswitched is of course in many ways simply a rather standard school type story, with stock character types, stock scenarios and presented events, it is actually and indeed not this but a few very much specific annoyances with the novel's plot and themes themselves that as an adult and generally rather critical older reader makes me shake my head a bit and only consider three stars as a ranking. For example, Kate Saunders uses the tried and true plot device that the longer Flora remains in the past, the less she remembers the specifics of the present (her present), including history (and in 1935, which is the time into which Flora has been catapulted in Beswitched, that of course also means Adolf Hitler, the Third Reich, the future WWII, the Holocaust). And although it might indeed be interesting and exciting plot-wise for Flora to no longer actively remember the historical legacy and horror of Adolf Hitler and Naziism (and in 1935, while Hitler was of course already in power, the Holocaust itself had not really yet started) and thus only have a vague feeling of dread and worry with regard to one of the students (Patricia) who is Jewish and is supposed to return to her parents' home in Vienna at the end of the school year, the fact that when Flora is interviewed (is quizzed) by one of the boarding school teachers (who herself had been a time traveller in her youth) about the late 20th century and seems to remember almost everything BUT WWII and the rise of the Nazis, this really does feel more than a bit artificial, lame and unbelievable (at least it has done so to and for older adult me).
Furthermore, and although this is not really such a huge deal, but still a bit annoying for me on a personal level, considering that the main protagonist of Beswitched, that Flora Fox basically ends up magically changing places with another Flora Fox (who then ends up in the late 20th century boarding school that the main protagonist was actually supposed to be attending while her parents were taking care of the ailing grandmother in Italy), I for one have certainly rather missed not also reading about her experiences, as the other Flora would of course have had the same (if not even more) of a cultural and educational shock suddenly attending an ultra modern boarding school that main protagonist Flora had attending a 1930s school. And indeed I did keep hoping to find out more information on and about the other Flora, but aside from as few minor mentions, there has really never been any much detail provided (an authorial oversight that I do find rather disappointing, as a bit of a back and forth between both Floras, showing how they are both adjusting, how they are both dealing with suddenly being magically switched would in my opinion much improve Beswitched, would give the novel a more nuanced level of storytelling, and would also render the ending, after the two Floras have been transported back more poignant and make the other Flora's sad and disappointed expression of "Bollocks" at suddenly being back in the 1930s after obviously having settled in and enjoyed her time in the present, as the scenario is related by the elderly Pete, Pogo and Dulcie to the main protagonist upon their meeting Flora after her return to the present time, more understandable and fathomable).
And finally, I also (and sadly) really really do NOT AT ALL like the book cover image for this here specific paperback edition of Beswitched, as it seems to give the strange impression that the novel is somehow an uncanny ghost or horror story, when it is truly nothing of the sort, when it is for all intents and purposes totally and utterly a time-travel imbued school story (maybe fantastical, maybe a bit fairy tale like in places, but certainly never horrifying or in any manner ghostly). -
Reminiscent of Charlotte Sometimes and of the classic school stories published in the early part of the 20th century, this is the story of a somewhat spoiled 12 year old, Flora Fox. Flora is sent to boarding school, against her will, when her parents must rush to Italy to care for her grandmother who has broken her hip. On the train to school, Flora is enchanted and goes back in time to 1935. Upon arriving at a traditional girls school, she must adjust not only to school but to the customs and clothing of a more restrictive time. At the same time, Flora longs to return home and needs help from her new classmates and friends to break the spell.
This is quite a contrast to the only other book I had read by this author, Night Shall Overtake Us, which I have been thinking about lately because it is set in the same period as Downtown Abbey. Both are recommended. -
My first reaction after reading this was that it was nothing more than a simple, but nice, story about a girl who learns a few things about family and friendship as she grows up a little too. After I finished reading it and thinking about it a little more however, there were a few points that I have grievances with. Mainly, it bothered me that the grandmother who, as a young mother, had left her son to run off with her artist lover who painted nude paintings of her to be hung in art galleries all over Europe was suddenly a wonderful person just because Flora realized she could be "fun". The whole bit about her being a terrible mother was completely overlooked because Flora had decided her grandmother was "glamorous". That really irked me. There was no depth. Possibly if the grandmother had had some other character flaw I could have overlooked it, but I don't feel like people change their minds about a mother who abandons them simply because they decide she's "exciting".
The point of the author however, I agree with, and I am glad there was a reconciliation with the grandmother. It just felt a little like saying that it was ok someone chopped your hand off, at least they did it with flair, and now that you have an appreciation for glitter, well, it's all good. -
12-year-old Flora Mackenzie is incensed when her parents decide to send her off to boarding school. Even though they reason it's a posh school where she'll have her own room and can call the teachers by their first names, Flora pitches a fit. It's all her old bag of a Granny's fault. If Granny hadn't fallen on a grape and broken her hip Flora's parents wouldn't have to rush off to Italy to help Granny or renovate their house in south London so Granny can come stay. Horrid old Granny who never has a nice word to say about Flora or her friends. On the train to her new school, Flora is jerked out of her sullens by a strange dream involving robed figures and curtains with blue flowers. When she wakes, she's wearing unfamiliar old-fashioned clothes, on a strange train with a strange woman. Flora is terrified and even more so when the woman announces they're on their way to St. Winifred's, a girls' boarding school - in 1935! When Flora tries to explain the truth, no one believes her except her dormitory mates. The three girls tried to summon a "demon" from the future with a spellbook they found in a hidden room in the attic. Flora is outraged and demands to be sent back at once. How can she live without her phone and her laptop- and if she admits it, her parents? No one seems to know a counter spell but the other girls promise to work on it and help Flora all they can. Flora's bad attitude and lack of knowledge of some of the subjects taught at the school get her into trouble with the teachers and finally her friends. Fine! She'll just figure it out alone. The longer Flora is in 1935 the more memories of another Flora come to mind. How can Flora of the 21st century remember who she is is the other Flora's memories keep getting in the way? There must be SOME way to get back home.
I picked this up thinking my nieces might like the fantasy element and learn a little history besides. I will not be passing this one on to them because I did not appreciate Flora's bad attitude for a good chunk of the novel. She's a spoiled brat whose parents have catered to her every whim up until now. Flora is understandably hurt, angry and confused by the sudden changes in her life but she takes it out on everyone and is incredible rude. She also has negative feelings towards her Granny and my nieces are not this spoiled and rude and have wonderful relationships with their grandmothers and are not in need of the lessons Flora learns in this book. Yes there are lessons to be learned and predictable ones too. However, it wasn't obvious exactly how Flora would learn the lessons she needed or what task she was sent back in time to do. I couldn't put the book down until I was done.
The period details are worked into the story quite well until Flora opens her mouth and tries to tell them something about the future. The frequent mentions of cell phones and laptops was a bit much and will seem dated too over time but the author was trying to give kids a frame of reference for 1935- OMG no phones, computers or video games?! The school structure, the clothes, the bathrooms, the subjects taught all illustrate 1935. The boarding school sounds like an anti-Hogwarts without the magic. I was appalled a teacher was allowed to insult and yell at her students in front of the entire class! Hardbottle is the least favorite teacher of them all but I like her character development as Flora starts to shake up the schoolroom. I do appreciate Flora taking a stand against bullies and the author showing how far attitudes have come in just the years since I was in school, a lot later than 1935! Flora's modern sensibilities give her compassion in other ways as well when she discovers a secret.
I am not crazy about Flora's friends either. They summon her with a spell they found in a book that doesn't belong to them while they were sneaking around where they shouldn't have been. They have no idea what they're doing and none of the other spells they tried worked. They didn't think through a plan. They don't even know what task Flora has been sent to help them with. Daphne "Pete" Peterson is the worst of the trio. She's just as bad as Flora but she also bullies her friends and is sometimes mean to sweet Dulcie. Pogo is also a strong character but less so than Pete. She's also less memorable but I admire her intelligence and can-do attitude. My favorite is Dulcie. She's the Neville Longbottom of the dormitory. She's not the brightest student but makes up for it by being kind and sweet. I love her grandmother and her home and Dulcie's relationship with the seemingly sour housekeeper. The way Flora influences them is rather corny.
This book is best read by tweens and young teens who need a few life lessons or are willing to read about characters who need to learn some lessons to become better people. -
While I enjoyed this a great deal, it really isn't as good as some of Saunders' other stories. Flora, a rather spoiled brat who I disliked in the beginning, gets sent 70 years into the past, before World War II has started, to go to the boarding school back there instead of the boarding school her parents were going to send her to while they went to take care of her paternal grandmother in Italy. I thought Saunders took a risk, making the heroine so obnoxious in the beginning since I wonder how many kept reading. Flora is furious when she discovered that her roommates in the old time boarding school had done magic and brought her back to that time. Especially since they hadn't a clue what to do to send her back to her own time. How she becomes friends with her roommates and has adventures with them and how things sort themselves out is for you to read.
It is a very pleasant story, with a clear moral but the moral isn't so strong a part of the story that the story turns out preachy. Time travel has been done too much and it almost seems to be a requirement that a moral be learned as a result of the adventure. While Saunders turned out a fun book and I didn't guess the twist, it wasn't exceptional in any way, really. I'll try other books by her since I have found her stories so good but this one was just very pleasant, nothing exceptional. -
ITS NICE....IT ATTRACTS THE READER'S ATTENTION WITH THE FLICK OF A PAGE
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Certainly a nice quick read for children. It flies by at a good pace and is not very shallow or too easy to figure out the story. Enjoyable.
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The fourth star is for the surprise of liking it as much as I did. (=
It started out in a tedious manner, but in a good-natured kind of way-- like when you groan about something that you don't really mind doing. I think a part of that had to do with how realistically the author portrayed 12-year-old girls; British or not, the majority of pre-adolescent girls are either super nice when they want to be, or super bratty when they don't want to be nice, both of which Saunders captured quite well.
Something else the author did well, intentionally or not, was throw a red herring in the form of a thematic plot twist into the mix; she kept on dropping hints about one particular post-1935 event in time, as if positioning the main character to change the course of history. I didn't really get into the story until a third of the way through (page 112, to be exact), and part of the reason that I stayed interested was to see whether or not what I thought was going to happen (via the red herrings) was actually going to come to pass. -
A fun YA story. Am ordering kid gets summoned back to 1935 England where she isn't quite ready for boarding school life and wishes she had paid more attention in history class. The girls that did the summoning are completely shocked their one attempt at spell casting worked. The question is ...WHY. Why did it work and what is Flora meant to do ?
Cleverly written. Sweet, a quick read for anyone over about ten, but, hey...that's okay. I enjoyed it very much indeed and pass me a biscuit and a cuppa. -
3-1/2 Stars
“Flora stood up, suddenly eager to get out of the compartment, still wildly hoping things would somehow get back to normal. Once she had pulled open the sliding door, however, and stepped out in to the corridor, she saw that the entire train belonged to a new and baffling world.”
Flora Fox is being unwillingly sent to boarding school while her parents head off to Italy to help move her ailing grandmother back to England. After being sent off on the train, Flora falls asleep and wakes up in 1935. How will she cope and, more importantly, how will she get back to the present?
Beswitched was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved the time travel element and the boarding school setting but for the first half of the book Flora drove me crazy - so whiny, so entitled, so obnoxious. She reminded me of all the reasons why I don’t typically read YA books.
But a little past the halfway point I felt a definite shift. It felt like Flora was learning and growing. The friendships she was making with the other girls in 1935 - especially Pete, Pogo, and Dulcie - were starting to matter to her. It was clear she had been sent back to 1935 for a reason and unraveling that mystery was changing Flora slowly but surely.
I found the resolution to Flora’s time jump to be entirely satisfying after a rocky start. The last chapter was a delight. If you are a fan of YA or time travel or boarding school books, I recommend this fun, quick little read.
“Something very odd was happening inside her head. Her brain was a kaleidoscope, at the moment the pieces fall into a new pattern. The other Flora was gone, and without the clutter of her memories, everything was suddenly clear.” -
I rather liked this - it had some aspects I’ve never seen in a time-travel plot. And the culture shock of a 1935 boarding school was very well-done. I guessed the big secret pretty early on, but still enjoyed watching it unfold.
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Omg I'm so sad that I finished this book. Its awesome and I loved it. I would totally recommend!
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I enjoyed this story of Flora and her pals. Well written and well edited. This is the second book by M's Saunders I have read. I'll read more.
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I think I read this in like 4th class and I absolutely loved it.
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Perfect
This book was a gift from a very sweet dear friend. It is hard to describe this book. So many people but each one just as important as the other. The story was sweet and wonderful. Thanks again my fellow book worm 🐛 lifelong friend Anne‼️♥️ -
My love for school stories is fairly blatant. I'm a sucker for the Chalet School and have spent many happy hours at St Clares and Malory Towers. I even bought Wild Child on dvd just so I could check out how that boarding school compared. So I was really happy to pick up Beswitched as it seemed to combine a lot of my loves - plus I'd heard a lot of positive things about in on various mailing lists.
Flora Fox, modern schoolgirl, is caught in a magic spell on the way to her lovely modern shiny boarding school. It pulls her back in time to the more prosaic surroundings of St Winifred's - 1930s boarding school.
Beswitched is a really charming little book. I admit I was pretty firmly predisposed towards loving it because of my school story obsession but I did enjoy it. Unfortunately it was over a little too swift! Flora's growth as a character is believable and I really liked how she was slowly but inevitably drawn into loving her 1930s experience as this sort of paralleled my own reason for loving this genre of books.
There were a few excellent moments where Flora forgets that she has great knowledge of the future. And, to echo Uncle Ben, with great knowledge comes great responsibility. This is something that Flora particularly comes to understand as she realises that World War Two is just around the corner...
The supporting cast is a little bit drawn on cliche but again that's part of the genre that Saunders was working with. School stories do tend to draw the characters a little sketchily (primarily because they are usually so many of them!) so when we do get character development - such as the sub-plot between Flora and Consuela - these moments are much appreciated.
I felt that perhaps it wasn't quite what I was expecting as a novel but I appreciate that that's because I'm soaked in this genre. I also have to admit that the presence of the fox on the front cover totally passed me by until I started to write this review (Flora FOX .. get it? Took me a while...).
Ultimately a very diverting and pleasant read. I don't imagine I'll be going back to it though and that's why it's a 4/5 stars for me. It missed that *magic* that draws me back. -
Wäre ich nicht zusammen mit der lieben Andrea durch Dussmann gegangen und wäre ich nicht ein diesen Fan von den Zeichnungen von Nina Dulleck, wäre ich wohl nie auf dieses Kinderbuch aufmerksam geworden…
Flora Fox ist sehr traurig, als sie von ihren Eltern auf das Mädcheninternat Prince Hall geschickt wird. Unterwegs im Zug vernimmt sie mit einem Mal eine Stimme nah an ihrem Ohr. Sie ist mitten in einem Traum und obwohl sie glaubt das alles dunkel um sie herum ist, ist er es nicht. Der Raum ist von Kerzen beleuchtet und sie sieht 3 weiß gekleidete Gestalten. Wer sind die 3 und wo befindet sich Flora?
Als sie wieder aufwacht wird sie von einer Dame begrüßt, die sie im Mädcheninternat St. Winifred´s herzlich Willkommen heißt. St. Winifred´s? Das ist doch das falsche Internat! Auch das Jahr 1935 ist komplett falsch! Ihre Eltern sollen in Indien sein? Das kann doch auch gar nicht stimmen! Schließlich wollen sie ihre Großmutter in Italien besuchen gehen. Handy, Laptop und MP3-Player sind auch verschwunden. Fragen über Fragen schießen durch Floras Kopf und so wirklich ordnen kann sie ihre Gedanken nicht. Denn das einzige, dem sie sich wirklich sicher ist: hier läuft irgendetwas nicht richtig!
Die Geschichte der Zeitreise von Flora Fox ist spannend, lustig und voller Abenteuer! Der Schreibstil ist locker, leicht und hat mich schnell in die Geschichte eingenommen. Die Figuren sind zauberhaft. Besonders Floras Großmutter hat es mir angetan, die ein wohlgehütetes Geheimnis hat.
Das Cover ist zauberhaft. Was erwarte ich auch von Nina Dulleck? Nichts anderes! Durch das pinke Cover werden hier besonders die jungen Mädchen angesprochen, für die das Buch auch hauptsächlich geschrieben wurde.
Fazit:
Eine andere Zeit, neue Freundschaften, ein Geheimnis und alles ohne Technik. Das Buch ist perfekt für die jungen Mädchen zwischen 10 und 12 Jahren. Kate Saunders nimmt ihre Leserinnen mit auf eine Abenteuerreise, die ihnen viel Spaß machen wird! -
Originally posted at
Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
Beswitched by Kate Saunders has two elements I love: a boarding school and magic. It made it on to my TBR for that reason. It moved its way to the top when it was shortlisted for this year's Cybils.
Flora is a behaving like a spoiled brat at the beginning of the novel though in a way most MG readers will be able to identify with. She does improve, but it took a little too long for me to ever really warm to her as a character. The story is an interesting one and I like the contrast between modern life and 1935 life. The magic that pulls Flora to 1935 was performed by three of her classmates, fortunately the one she is sharing a dorm with so she has help. I couldn't help but feel really sorry for the other Flora who had lived in India all her life and suddenly found herself in modern day England with no one to explain to her what had happened or why. She has no significance to this story but I couldn't help but feel really sorry for her.
Despite its short length I found myself getting bored several times. There's not a lot of action and a lot of school detail. Normally I would by okay with that, but for some reason I just couldn't be made to care. It was probably due to my dislike for the characters more than that the story was boring itself. I knew the twist at the end was coming, but I think there are many MG readers who will be delightedly surprised with the way it all turns out.
Beswitched was entertaining enough, but not a book I could love. I tried to get Bit to read it to see what she thought. Our library has the version with the cover shown on the right and she took one look at it and said, "Ugh. That's very pink. I don't think I want to read that." There was no changing her mind. -
I don’t read many children’s books, but this exceeded my expectations by quite a way. Really, it’s quite mature (though the fact that the protagonist is 12 and it’s probably intended as older middle grade might explain this) and the humour can be enjoyed by adults too (‘Are communists allowed to have bridesmaids?’ is a line that features).
The book is sweet, fun, and uplifting, but still has some well-rounded characters and a few socially complex themes thrown in (there are a lot of references to the social prejudices of the 1930s and the women’s rights movement). It also has a lot of the typical ‘boarding school story appeal’ – I always thought this draw was particular to me and other boarding school attendees, but it seems other people who never went also like these narratives, and, given the time period, it made me nostalgic for the St. Claire’s books I read as a child more than for my own experiences, which were far more unsavoury.
I anticipated the twist ending, but there were still a lot of enjoyable goings-on, and before the climax the story took plenty of unexpected turns that made up for it. It’s interesting that my mother read this to my (much) younger sister and then gave it to me as a recommendation (not standard practice for her as she is very high-brow), so I wonder what the attraction was for her: this might suggest that this actually has quite a wide potential audience for a children’s book. I feel a little out of my element in giving a conclusive verdict of the story as a whole (since I don’t have any experience of contemporary children’s literature with which to compare it), but I hope the points of comparison I’ve made will offer enough guidance as to whether it will hold appeal. -
Flora's off to boarding school, which is just about the worst thing she could possibly imagine—until she finds herself in 1935, and present-day boarding school is looking pretty good.
It's a lot of fun. Flora's a horrible toad of a brat at first (okay, not that bad, but it's fun to say), both to her parents as they drop her off at the (contemporary) train station and to her new (1935) friends and classmates. But the more she learns about 1935 and the spell that brought her back in time, the better she understands that she's been called into the past to complete a task, and only then will she be able to go home.
Almost the entire book is spent in 1935, and I admit to a bit of disappointment about that—I'd have loved to see Flora experience the whiplash of going from 1935 boarding school to contemporary boarding school, or (better yet) the 'other Flora' going from contemporary boarding school back to 1935...the latter in particular. What ever became of 'other Flora'? We get only the bare minimum, which is a shame; she sounds like a firecracker.
Delightfully, the romance is left to the bare minimum and limited to secondary/tertiary characters, giving this room to focus on friendship instead. -
This book was very interesting and weird. I was addicted to the book because it was so intriguing. I like the way Kate Saunders write.
It was about a spoiled girl, Flora Fox and how she got sent to a rich school Penrice Academy while her parents were going to Italy to look after her grandmother. As she was on the train to Penrice Academy she falls asleep and has a weird dream. When she woke up she was in a different world. she has traveled through time and has arrived in 1935 with out her laptop and i-pod but instead wearing a ugly uniform and uncomfortable bloomers underneath. Flora didn't land back in time just for the fun of it although it wasn't fun for her at the beginning, she was summoned, she could only return to the future after finishing her task but what was it? After finishing her task she comes back to the futre and finds something very, very unexpected.
This book was a good book because it teaches Flora and the reader a lesson at the same time. it reminds people how lucky they are compared the past and how the world, peoples choices and opinions have changed alot since.
I would reccomened this book to girls but guys can read it too c: -
Read this because Jessica was reading it and wanted to do a family report on it for the library.
I was not a big fan of this book. The time travel was tedious...it reminded me a little of Freaky Friday (just a little) because the two Flora's switch places. But, we never get to hear or see the other Flora's side of the story. We see her reflection briefly in a mirror towards the end of the story. Perhaps this could be a sequel???
The author does do an excellent job with her descriptions and details. The girls are typical tweens...the teachers, the rooms, the clothing all brilliantly shown to us. But, some of the British language was annoying...then add to that we move into 1930's England, whew. I had to work to keep reading. (Maybe Saunders choice of language was intended to be annoying like most tween girls when grouped together?)
About half way through it became easier to read. I wanted to find out what happens, how Flora returns to the present, and I did like the link between the 1930's and today. That was cool. And Saunder's writing is exceptional. -
I found this book very interesting! I would recommend this book to girls (but if you boys want to read it, go ahead). It has an unusual plot and an exciting twist at the end. Beswitched is about a girl called Flora Fox, she's a bit spoilt and lives in the 21st Century.
Flora gets shipped off to a posh boarding school, because her parents have to care of her sick grandmother. But on the way she falls asleep on the train and wakes up in baggy bloomers! Somehow, Flora switches places with another Flora from the past! But how?
I really love this book, I gave it 5 star rating! Its genre is Fantasy Fiction. I very much liked this book because it's funny seeing how a modern girl adapts to the past. This book has a strong meaning, as Flora is representing us now, and how much we rely on electronics, and take many things for granted. -
A spoiled, self-centered girl is transported back in time to the 1930's, just before the outbreak of World War II. Flora must learn to live without her laptop and I-pod, as well as adapting to the manners and expectations of a forgotten age.
Our heroine teams up with her three roommates; Pete, the headstrong and stubborn "leader" of the group; Pogo, the shrewd and thoughtful partner; and Dulcie, who true to her name is sweet and gentle. They believe Flora has been brought to their time to perform a mission. The question is, what is the mission and how can they help her achieve it and return to her own life.
This is a quick read and provides a nice little twist at the end. I'm rating it a 3.5 as I did get rather tired of the constant emphasis on Pete's overbearing personality. A bit more subtlety would have earned a solid 4.0, but it's still worth picking up. -
My daughter and I enjoyed this book ,it was a nice break from all the Jacqueline Wilson we have been reading recently . The idea of the book, though not original, was nicely written . I can imagine this story making a good film.
My seven year old daughter followed the plot quite easily, though I did a little censorship in places to remove the odd bad word-I realise it is an older girl's book. All in all a good choice from the school book fair -I tend to borrow books from the library to save money but this book was well worth the money for the enjoyment we both got from reading it together . -
This was a really cute book! I enjoyed the story and was actually pleasantly surprised with the ending. There were a few things in the book I predicted, and I'm actually really surprised I hadn't predicted that ending. But I enjoyed it and it made me smile (the ending). The book was sweet, one of those "coming of age" tales about behaviors and the events that cause one to re-think their attitude and behaviors, but it wasn't overbearing and in your face obnoxious (like some of those books can be). So if a story about time travel and true friendship is something you'll enjoy, you'll probably like this book :-)
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"Beswitched," by Kate Saunders, is a wonderfully heartwarming story of time travel, friends and family.
When Flora Fox awakens on a strange train, she knows she's not headed to Penrice Hall, the boarding school she was supposed to go to. It's 1935, England, and Flora wants to go home to London with Mum and Dad!
Her roommates, Pete, Pogo, and Dulcie, have summoned her, with a magic book formerly owned by the late Miss Peak, first headmistress of St. Winifred's. And she can't go back until she completes the task she has been summoned for...but what is it?
Kids and adults alike will love this story, and by the end of the book will call the characters their own. -
Although it got off to a rather slow start, and I thought Flora was horrible in the beginning, the plot gathered momentum and the characters seemed to develop into pleasant, memorable folk somewhere in the middle. By the end, I thought it "was wizard" and Flora was "a real brick." The time travel aspect was interesting, but this and the magic are understated and not the main highlight of the story, which is more about life in a 1930s boarding school for girls in England and the character development of both Flora and Pete.
