Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt

[snugglekitty]

I remember reading this book as a tween or teenager, but didn't remember much about it. However, I hadn't realized that it had sequels (On Fortune's Wheel and two others, apparently). Once I knew that, I thought I should re-read it before I started gobbling up the others.

I enjoyed this book very much. The characters are very believable. The plot is a bit farfetched, but definitely entertaining - even spellbinding. The created country, the Kingdom, is a bit hard to understand, but certainly there are things about it that will stick in my memory. The ongoing themes of masks and people's perceptions are well-developed without getting heavy-handed. If you like YA fantasy with a high level of realism (no magic), you should definitely give it a read. Four stars.

Comments

[harlequinaide.livejournal.com]

As you might imagine, I loved this book as a wee bairn. It's been on my shelf since, and I've not reread it. I should, especially if there are sequels. At one time, I'd read everything Cynthia Voigt had written, in large part because I gravitated towards teen novels featuring female coming of age stories.