Mistress Masham's Repose by T H White
Ten year old Maria is an orphan. With a venal Vicar as her Guardian and a horrible governess, Maria lives in a corner of her practically ruined stately home, with only the cook, Mrs Noakes, and an absent minded Professor as her friends. One summer's day she takes a leaking punt out on the ornamental lake in the grounds of the house, and on an artificial island, in a Folly (the Mistress Masham's Repose of the title), she discovers a community of Lilliputians, the People. At first she treats them like playthings, desperate to own them as she owns nothing else, but the Professor helps her to see them as people worthy of respect.
| Mistress Masham's Repose by T. H. White | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Ali Baker
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| Summary: Orphan Maria lives in her practically ruined stately home, with her horrible governess Miss Brown. One summer afternoon she discovers a population of Lilliputians living on an artificial island on her ornamental lake. Can she keep them- and herself- safe? | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 260 | Date: September 2011 |
| Publisher: Red Fox | |
| ISBN: 978-1849414821 | |
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However, Miss Brown discovers Maria's midnight adventures to the island, and plots with the Vicar to sell the People to circuses. Can Maria save them? and can they, in turn, save her?
I first read this book as a ten year old. At the time I was aware of Lilliputians, but I had never read Gulliver's Travels. Instead, I enjoyed the details of the tiny gifts Maria attempts to give the People, and the huge gifts they try to give her, and the adventure aspects. Reading it as an adult, I enjoyed the historical jokes, the Professor's cogitations on the different lands that Gulliver visits, and the subtle horribleness of Miss Brown. I am sure that it can still be enjoyed as a pure adventure story by children, without the need for any detailed background knowledge Gulliver's Travels.
If you enjoyed this, you may like The Thirteen Treasures by Michelle Harrison.
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