Welcome to the first in a new series on my blog, called Mini Monday Reviews! In essence, these are going to be small reviews, focusing on the things I liked and didn't like, in either a book, film or TV show. They aren't going to be as detailed as my normal reviews, but a chance to highlight some of the things I've been reading and watching that I wouldn't get a chance to review normally. Without further a do, let's get into the first Mini Monday Review!
Plot
Cordelia Hatmaker's father is lost at sea and she is determined to find him. Along the way, she learns of the King's madness and how the other Maker families have all had precious items stolen from them. Together, this leads Cordelia on an epic adventure across an alternative version of Georgian London, filled with magic, madness and a little bit of mayhem.
For more information on The Hatmakers, you can read the Goodreads page, by clicking here.
What I Liked
This was our Children's Book of the Month at work (I work as a bookseller at my local Waterstones) and I forgot to bring my book to work one day, so on my break I started this. I was hooked. I hadn't read much kids/middle grade before and this is definitely the type of book I'd like to read more of. It had exactly the type of adventure I like, which is something goes missing and our characters have to hunt for clues. I thought Cordelia was a great character. She was fierce and determined, but also capable of showing her sadness after her father went missing and when she fell out with her friend. I thought the world of the Maker families was quite unique alongside the typical tension between rivals. It left enough room to be intrigued for a sequel, which comes out later this month. It was just a really good adventure story with solid characters and a story that kept you wanting more at just the right pace.
What I Didn't Like
I feel like the blurb was a bit misleading as it seemed that the focus would be about Cordelia's father being missing, where as this quickly became a smaller plot line. The main plot line was about the missing Maker's items, which was a good plot line, but not what I expected. I also guessed who the villain was as it was fairly predictable. Overall, I have very few complaints about this book as I really enjoyed it and it's sparked an interest in reading more books like this.
What did you think of The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant?? Are you excited for the sequel??
