The Bride's Farewell

By Meg Rosoff

Pell decides she doesn’t want to get married to her childhood friend, Birdie, so the night before she is supposed to get married, she runs away with Her adopted, mute brother, Bean, and her horse, Jack, come with her. The book is about what happens to her and the things she finds out.

At first I didn’t really like Pell and I hated Bean, but throughout the story they really started to grow on me. I liked Pell’s carefree character and the loyalty she felt towards Jack and Bean when they went missing. I lived her relationship with Dogman, and I was really upset when she ran away. However, it was quite annoying when she suddenly changed from a tomboy, and started wearing dresses and combing her hair. Bean was a really interesting character and I was really shocked when I discovered his background, but it made sense. I found the rest of her family boring and didn’t enjoy the story so much when they were involved.

The plot was really original and I found it interesting reading from a point of view from the past. When Pell kept meeting the gypsies, I guessed that she would have some sort of past connection, and I loved the way Rosoff let you realise that, without giving anything away. I felt really bad for Pell when she went to the workhouse the second time, and discovered that she could of saved her sister, although I was quite glad that one more person in her family was out of the story.

I liked the way the book was written and how you had an idea that something would happen, but you never knew exactly what until it happened.

I thought this book was good and I would definitely read it again. Although it wasn’t my favourite of the books I have read so far.

By Molly (Year 7)