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Golden Urchin
In the scorching Australian Desert, a wild, beautiful woman rescues a man from death... He is a handsome English aristocrat, sprawled in the dunes, dying of thirst. She is a white-skinned savage, fleeing the aborigine tribe that found her and raised her but still shunned the fiery-haired outcast.
Suddenly, Meg is about to escape her primitive life as Luke introduces her to the strange ways of Victorian England. In a search filled with adventure and excitement that spans three continents, Meg uncovers the clues to her true identity and realizes someone is trying to kill her. But the mysteries and secrets of the aborigines still pulse through the Victorian young lady, enabling Meg to triumph in the final desperate battle for survival and claim the only man she will ever love.
Suddenly, Meg is about to escape her primitive life as Luke introduces her to the strange ways of Victorian England. In a search filled with adventure and excitement that spans three continents, Meg uncovers the clues to her true identity and realizes someone is trying to kill her. But the mysteries and secrets of the aborigines still pulse through the Victorian young lady, enabling Meg to triumph in the final desperate battle for survival and claim the only man she will ever love.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
14 people are currently reading
799 people want to read
About the author
Madeleine Brent
31 books217 followersMadeleine Brent is a pseudonym used by Peter O'Donnell.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
October 17, 2020
4.5 stars. In the course of my ongoing search for good old-fashioned romantic suspense novels in the vein of Mary Stewart, I've been down the path of gothic mysteries with Phyllis Whitney and Victoria Holt (which didn't work out particularly well for me), and tried some of the more modern ones by Susanna Kearsley (a bit hit and miss, but there are definitely some good ones there). A while back one of my Goodreads friends recommended that I give Madeleine Brent's books a shot. I’ve read several Brent novels now, and this one is my favorite.
Our story begins in the late 1800's in Australia, where a 14 year old girl called Mitji lives with her aboriginal tribe, far from white civilization. She has white skin and fiery red hair, which the other tribe members (who picked her up as a lost child, but are otherwise unfamiliar with white people) view with huge distrust, and Mitji believes she is a freak. So she goes walkabout, and comes across a handsome Englishman, Luke Bowman, who was dying of thirst in the outback. She saves his life (this girl has mad desert survival skills) and ends up living with Luke and his wife Rosemary for the next few years. They teach Mitji, now called Meg, how to be a (semi) civilized Victorian young lady.
Rosemary eventually dies of a long-term illness, and Meg's relationship with Luke is uneasy for reasons she doesn't really understand. When someone tries to kill Meg for unknown reasons, Luke (now wealthy from a gold mine find) ships her off to a finishing school in Switzerland, where Meg spends the next year gaining polish. But the mysterious danger to her life threatens again ...
Golden Urchin is an unusually adventurous suspense novel with just a little romance. It takes Mitji/Meg all over, from Australia to Switzerland to England to Africa, as she tries to understand her past and come to terms with her present. I got a kick out of the way a lot of the aborigine attitudes and talents still stayed within Meg, even when covered with a veneer of social polish. Good thing too! It's pretty handy when your sense of smell is so good that you can sniff out both hidden springs of water and murderous villains.
I'm not at all sure how realistic it all was, but it was great fun. Recommended for those who like light romantic suspense novels. This book was published in the 1980's but there are lots of fairly cheap used copies floating around.
Our story begins in the late 1800's in Australia, where a 14 year old girl called Mitji lives with her aboriginal tribe, far from white civilization. She has white skin and fiery red hair, which the other tribe members (who picked her up as a lost child, but are otherwise unfamiliar with white people) view with huge distrust, and Mitji believes she is a freak. So she goes walkabout, and comes across a handsome Englishman, Luke Bowman, who was dying of thirst in the outback. She saves his life (this girl has mad desert survival skills) and ends up living with Luke and his wife Rosemary for the next few years. They teach Mitji, now called Meg, how to be a (semi) civilized Victorian young lady.
Rosemary eventually dies of a long-term illness, and Meg's relationship with Luke is uneasy for reasons she doesn't really understand. When someone tries to kill Meg for unknown reasons, Luke (now wealthy from a gold mine find) ships her off to a finishing school in Switzerland, where Meg spends the next year gaining polish. But the mysterious danger to her life threatens again ...
Golden Urchin is an unusually adventurous suspense novel with just a little romance. It takes Mitji/Meg all over, from Australia to Switzerland to England to Africa, as she tries to understand her past and come to terms with her present. I got a kick out of the way a lot of the aborigine attitudes and talents still stayed within Meg, even when covered with a veneer of social polish. Good thing too! It's pretty handy when your sense of smell is so good that you can sniff out both hidden springs of water and murderous villains.
I'm not at all sure how realistic it all was, but it was great fun. Recommended for those who like light romantic suspense novels. This book was published in the 1980's but there are lots of fairly cheap used copies floating around.
December 16, 2016
What a wild ride, with just about anything but the kitchen sink tossed in.
December 25, 2016
Mix together adventure, mystery, exotic locations and lightly sprinkle some romance and you have this fun and captivating story written from the POV of a very unusual heroine.
Mitji/Meg was just two years old when she was kidnapped from her wealthy Irish family, abandoned in the wilds of the Australian outback, and taken in by the aboriginal tribe where she spent the next decade as not quite a member. She's considered a freak and not a true person and grows up with much self-loathing. When her only friend turned against her, Meg decided to go search for her "true tribe."
The search would take her through the Australian desert, to a farm on the outskirts of a small town and way beyond. And every step of her journey is filled with adventure and fascinating observations. In many ways, it’s a coming of age story of a young woman finding her voice, her place in society.
This is the first of the Madeleine Brent books I ever read. The story is more of YA which is not the genre I normally read but I found it fascinating and hard to put down. I believe it would appeal to anybody looking for a well written old-fashion adventure with very likable heroine as a guide.
Mitji/Meg was just two years old when she was kidnapped from her wealthy Irish family, abandoned in the wilds of the Australian outback, and taken in by the aboriginal tribe where she spent the next decade as not quite a member. She's considered a freak and not a true person and grows up with much self-loathing. When her only friend turned against her, Meg decided to go search for her "true tribe."
The search would take her through the Australian desert, to a farm on the outskirts of a small town and way beyond. And every step of her journey is filled with adventure and fascinating observations. In many ways, it’s a coming of age story of a young woman finding her voice, her place in society.
This is the first of the Madeleine Brent books I ever read. The story is more of YA which is not the genre I normally read but I found it fascinating and hard to put down. I believe it would appeal to anybody looking for a well written old-fashion adventure with very likable heroine as a guide.
May 17, 2015
Mitji (Meg) is one of my favorite characters ever! And she is an inspiring character for any woman or young lady. She is bright, clever, disarming and amazingly talented in ways that are so very unexpected. For the time period she is quite feisty which is always a good thing. She overcomes amazing ordeals throughout the story. I suppose this could be called a coming of age story as she spans ages 14-18 or so as the story progresses. I really enjoy stories such as this and will absolutely read more of this author. I am still kind of stunned every time I realize the author is male despite the pen name.
I can't remark on anything in particular about the literary style. There really is nothing stylistically that stands out to me. The writing is straightforward. The strengths are in the plot, the interesting characters and the twists and turns. It almost has the feel of a YA book but that is neither here nor there for me. Good literature is good literature. If you like the primitive survival aspect of this - I recommend the Wolf Brother series. It also involves a young narrator of the same age range with a strong female counterpart and highlights some wonderful relationships between humans and humans/animals.
This story is so adventurous, mysterious, fun and romantic yet there is nothing offensive for those that might be bothered by grisly violence or explicit intimacy. And did I mention fun? I keep saying that to myself. This is just so much fun to read.
I can't remark on anything in particular about the literary style. There really is nothing stylistically that stands out to me. The writing is straightforward. The strengths are in the plot, the interesting characters and the twists and turns. It almost has the feel of a YA book but that is neither here nor there for me. Good literature is good literature. If you like the primitive survival aspect of this - I recommend the Wolf Brother series. It also involves a young narrator of the same age range with a strong female counterpart and highlights some wonderful relationships between humans and humans/animals.
This story is so adventurous, mysterious, fun and romantic yet there is nothing offensive for those that might be bothered by grisly violence or explicit intimacy. And did I mention fun? I keep saying that to myself. This is just so much fun to read.
March 20, 2015
There are so many shelves I want to put this book under! Adventure is at the top of that list and I think it can even go under thriller just for those last few chapters…
Mitji has never known anything or anyone but the Aboriginal tribe that brought her up. They say she came from the Totem Gods, after all, she looks nothing like them! Mitji is a freak of nature what with her fiery red hair and sparkling green eyes. And then there is her nose. No aborigine has a narrow nose, so she can not be fully human!
With an upbringing like that it is no wonder that when she finds a dying man in the desert who's skin is just like hers, she is greatly surprised.
Then the adventure begins as Mitji/Meg makes her way through the world of white people so different from her. She feels that since she looks like them she will be accepted, but someone doesn't want her to resurface. And that someone will stop at nothing to keep her silent.
Meg's travels through Australia, escaping an attempt on her life, then going on to England, Switzerland, and lastly, Africa. To Africa and it's dangerous Skeleton Coast, where no one ever comes back alive. During those travels she finds a love that could last a lifetime…
This book had me constantly second guessing who could be trusted and who couldn't. I honestly did not expect the twists and turns that I encountered. Meg was a top of the line heroine, one you could fully relate to and sympathize with. I would have hated to be in her shoes, wouldn't I?
I could not have enjoyed this book more, when I finished I couldn't resist grinning. Even though this book has some sad moments, I still laughed at Meg's ridiculous doings. Especially her "Alley Cat Glare".
When reading this I was reminded distinctly of Tarzan of the Apes and Robinson Crusoe. The character Mr. Lafayette was so much like Dexter from The Law and the Lady that I couldn't help but make the analogy. I will leave it to the reader to decide whether he is of like character or not.
This book would probably get a PG, as there is some talk of immorality among the aboriginal tribe (Swaping brides, and immorality even among children. No details, just the bald facts). There is also some mention of spiritisim and one character goes to seances. Perhaps to show that even "civilized" people practice spiritisim. As for violence there was not much at all. At least there where no graphic details or even mild ones at that.
If I could I would give this book more that five stars, instead I will just have this long review and leave of on the hope that I will get to read more Madeleine Brent books. Just think, till looking at the authors picture I didn't know it was a man! I got the shock of my life. That being said I think anyone who enjoys Victoria Holt would like this. I can still feel that hot, dusty salt air blowing across the sea and drying up every drop of life giving water…
Mitji has never known anything or anyone but the Aboriginal tribe that brought her up. They say she came from the Totem Gods, after all, she looks nothing like them! Mitji is a freak of nature what with her fiery red hair and sparkling green eyes. And then there is her nose. No aborigine has a narrow nose, so she can not be fully human!
With an upbringing like that it is no wonder that when she finds a dying man in the desert who's skin is just like hers, she is greatly surprised.
Then the adventure begins as Mitji/Meg makes her way through the world of white people so different from her. She feels that since she looks like them she will be accepted, but someone doesn't want her to resurface. And that someone will stop at nothing to keep her silent.
Meg's travels through Australia, escaping an attempt on her life, then going on to England, Switzerland, and lastly, Africa. To Africa and it's dangerous Skeleton Coast, where no one ever comes back alive. During those travels she finds a love that could last a lifetime…
This book had me constantly second guessing who could be trusted and who couldn't. I honestly did not expect the twists and turns that I encountered. Meg was a top of the line heroine, one you could fully relate to and sympathize with. I would have hated to be in her shoes, wouldn't I?
I could not have enjoyed this book more, when I finished I couldn't resist grinning. Even though this book has some sad moments, I still laughed at Meg's ridiculous doings. Especially her "Alley Cat Glare".
When reading this I was reminded distinctly of Tarzan of the Apes and Robinson Crusoe. The character Mr. Lafayette was so much like Dexter from The Law and the Lady that I couldn't help but make the analogy. I will leave it to the reader to decide whether he is of like character or not.
This book would probably get a PG, as there is some talk of immorality among the aboriginal tribe (Swaping brides, and immorality even among children. No details, just the bald facts). There is also some mention of spiritisim and one character goes to seances. Perhaps to show that even "civilized" people practice spiritisim. As for violence there was not much at all. At least there where no graphic details or even mild ones at that.
If I could I would give this book more that five stars, instead I will just have this long review and leave of on the hope that I will get to read more Madeleine Brent books. Just think, till looking at the authors picture I didn't know it was a man! I got the shock of my life. That being said I think anyone who enjoys Victoria Holt would like this. I can still feel that hot, dusty salt air blowing across the sea and drying up every drop of life giving water…
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January 28, 2012Somebody recommended these books recently when I wrote a blog post about romantic adventure. This book is so much fun!
I haven't had so much sheer reading fun for ages. At the start, Meg is a reject from the aboriginal tribe she was adopted by. Because she's white, she's a non-person, and no one will willingly touch her. So she runs away, stumbles across the aftermath of a gunfight.
One of the combatants is alive, so she saves him . . . he turns out to be a rancher. He takes her home to his lovely wife Rosemary, who adopts Meg as a friend and teaches her. Unfortunately, Rosemary is not strong . .
There is a mystery about Meg's arrival in the outback, complete with a villain. I don't think the second half was quite as good as the first half, partly because the characters slowly dwindled into types, but the pages still kept turning, and Meg was terrific throughout.
The other thing I enjoyed was that this was a late Victorian piece in which there was no sex. Not that the narrative was prudish. It was just very much in period, which I found refreshing. While I can enjoy a spicy romance, far too many historical novels seem to sacrifice worldbuilding and character complexity in favor of long bashes on the mattress, which can read all the same in their superlatives. Plot, too, can dwindle to transitions between sex scenes or almost rapes in the case of the Evil Villain.
This did turn out to have an Evil Villain, but there were no rape attempts, huzzah! It was a fun romp, full of fascinating detail.
I haven't had so much sheer reading fun for ages. At the start, Meg is a reject from the aboriginal tribe she was adopted by. Because she's white, she's a non-person, and no one will willingly touch her. So she runs away, stumbles across the aftermath of a gunfight.
One of the combatants is alive, so she saves him . . . he turns out to be a rancher. He takes her home to his lovely wife Rosemary, who adopts Meg as a friend and teaches her. Unfortunately, Rosemary is not strong . .
There is a mystery about Meg's arrival in the outback, complete with a villain. I don't think the second half was quite as good as the first half, partly because the characters slowly dwindled into types, but the pages still kept turning, and Meg was terrific throughout.
The other thing I enjoyed was that this was a late Victorian piece in which there was no sex. Not that the narrative was prudish. It was just very much in period, which I found refreshing. While I can enjoy a spicy romance, far too many historical novels seem to sacrifice worldbuilding and character complexity in favor of long bashes on the mattress, which can read all the same in their superlatives. Plot, too, can dwindle to transitions between sex scenes or almost rapes in the case of the Evil Villain.
This did turn out to have an Evil Villain, but there were no rape attempts, huzzah! It was a fun romp, full of fascinating detail.
September 19, 2016
This is an old fashioned adventure that chases across 3 or 4 different continents in just as many years. But the beginnings are in Australia and that first half is incredible for detail, the tribal, in every aspect of "Meg/Mitji" and her experiences with all the friends, enemies, associates that she meets.
This is clear and flowing prose and not difficult in the reading to context and languages. Because Madeleine Brent is exceptional in translating to nuance and mood, particularly within the phrases of "other" languages. Rarely do you find that any more. And because of that I will read more of his that I missed so many decades ago.
This never apologizes or philosophies. Nor calls out, or judges or declares. But records what is. The years are just before the turn of the new 20th century.
There's dire circumstance and young death. There's delight in the simple. There's appreciation of the physical world. There is adaption.
It's a story in the romance and/or sexual behaviors category that isn't modern, explicit, or current in assumptions towards practice or values, IMHO.
It's also fun to read. I'd love to see her throw a boomerang or stunning club. Just sayin'! It would make an epic movie. VERY expensive to film.
This is clear and flowing prose and not difficult in the reading to context and languages. Because Madeleine Brent is exceptional in translating to nuance and mood, particularly within the phrases of "other" languages. Rarely do you find that any more. And because of that I will read more of his that I missed so many decades ago.
This never apologizes or philosophies. Nor calls out, or judges or declares. But records what is. The years are just before the turn of the new 20th century.
There's dire circumstance and young death. There's delight in the simple. There's appreciation of the physical world. There is adaption.
It's a story in the romance and/or sexual behaviors category that isn't modern, explicit, or current in assumptions towards practice or values, IMHO.
It's also fun to read. I'd love to see her throw a boomerang or stunning club. Just sayin'! It would make an epic movie. VERY expensive to film.
November 9, 2013
I loved this book! A girl is kidnapped and found by a tribe of aboriginies. She grows up with the tribe and thinks she's a freak of nature left by the "totem gods ". After many years she leaves the village, saves the life of a man dying in a desert, finds a new home and learns to live as a white woman.
But who is she?
Someone knows and an attempt is made on her life. The question is why?
Her travels take her from Australia to Switzerland to England and finally to Africa where the adventure climaxes in a shipwreck and race for survival along the Skeleton Coast.
CONTENT
SEX : None, however tribal custom is made reference to in relation to men and women ~wife swapping and general immorality even among children ~
PROFANITY : Very mild cussing.
VIOLENCE : mild
SPIRITISM /PARANORMAL : Aboriginal belief system is mentioned (sickness as a result of magic etc)
Also, one minor character attends seances.
I'm not even sure why the seance was mentioned. Unless it was to show how far the main character Meg had come from her tribal past (as the story shows she wanted no part of this.)
Or maybe it was to show how even in "civilized " western cities superstition thrives.
MY RATING : PG
But who is she?
Someone knows and an attempt is made on her life. The question is why?
Her travels take her from Australia to Switzerland to England and finally to Africa where the adventure climaxes in a shipwreck and race for survival along the Skeleton Coast.
CONTENT
SEX : None, however tribal custom is made reference to in relation to men and women ~wife swapping and general immorality even among children ~
PROFANITY : Very mild cussing.
VIOLENCE : mild
SPIRITISM /PARANORMAL : Aboriginal belief system is mentioned (sickness as a result of magic etc)
Also, one minor character attends seances.
I'm not even sure why the seance was mentioned. Unless it was to show how far the main character Meg had come from her tribal past (as the story shows she wanted no part of this.)
Or maybe it was to show how even in "civilized " western cities superstition thrives.
MY RATING : PG
July 18, 2015
Review to come
June 11, 2014
A historical novel about a young woman who grows up among aborigines as a white-skinned “freak,” until she stumbles across a dying white man and discovers the world of her own people. 1986.
Full review (and other recommendations!) at Another look book
Totally amazing book. This book represents the very best of historical fiction. My favorite parts are the early parts, when the main character is trying to understand all the new things she's encountering in the new world of the white man. I also envied her VERY impressive survival skills--although I don't necessarily envy her the situation that made it necessary to learn the skills! If you’re drawn to historical fiction featuring strong women in interesting locales, I'm thinking you'll love this book as much as I do. There's simply no alternative!
I can't wait to read more Madeleine Brent. Suggestions, anyone?
Full review (and other recommendations!) at Another look book
Totally amazing book. This book represents the very best of historical fiction. My favorite parts are the early parts, when the main character is trying to understand all the new things she's encountering in the new world of the white man. I also envied her VERY impressive survival skills--although I don't necessarily envy her the situation that made it necessary to learn the skills! If you’re drawn to historical fiction featuring strong women in interesting locales, I'm thinking you'll love this book as much as I do. There's simply no alternative!
I can't wait to read more Madeleine Brent. Suggestions, anyone?
September 22, 2014
I feel a little self-conscious about liking this book, because I think there are a number of problems with it, but I actually did enjoy it. I don't know enough about the ways of aboriginal Australians to judge whether that part was accurate, but if it is, I must admit that that part was very interesting to me.
The mystery of her past and the intrigue over her heritage was interesting enough for me to continue with the book, even though it reads a lot like a bodice-ripping romance and was a bit predictable.
One of the things that is also intriguing is that she could smell people well enough to identify them using only scent. I read an article recently that indicated that liberals and conservatives actually smell different. Perhaps this idea isn't as far fetched as it sounds.
The mystery of her past and the intrigue over her heritage was interesting enough for me to continue with the book, even though it reads a lot like a bodice-ripping romance and was a bit predictable.
One of the things that is also intriguing is that she could smell people well enough to identify them using only scent. I read an article recently that indicated that liberals and conservatives actually smell different. Perhaps this idea isn't as far fetched as it sounds.
February 8, 2011
I loved the main character, Meg, Mitji, Red. I thought it was a very intriguing twist to have her grow up as an aborigine. She was fantastic. I liked how the 'bad guys' kept changing and revealing their true colors. That was quite a change of pace! I did not, however, enjoy the romance at all. This novel did not thrill me or particularly draw me in. I would say that overall, it was an okay book.
April 10, 2020
Mitji is an aborigine girl who is considered a freak in her tribe, for she has fair skin, red hair, green eyes, and freckles. When she is around 15-years-old, she encounters a near-dead man in the desert, and saves his life. Although they speak different languages, they understand each other, and when Mitji gets herself sick, the man is the one who saves her, taking her to the civilized world.
And there is where Mitji's adventure begins. First, with the help of the man she saved, Luke, and his kind wife, Rosemary, she learns English, how to read, write, count, etc. Then, when a man comes to kill her, and eventually, poor Rosemary dies of sickness, Mitji/Meg travels with a nice couple, Simon and Elisa, to France. There Meg goes into a fancy school, where she is again a brave, unafraid girl who stands up against bullying (I love that part!)
Eventually Luke comes to rescue her, telling her that someone is trying to kill her because turns out, she is a heiress. She is taken away to her trustee's house, lives there for some month, until Simon and Elisa take her to her mother's friend's house. After that, they go on a sea voyage; their ship wrecks, and they have to live in a desert island but thanks to Meg's skills, they survive.
Uff, describing all her adventures was long, but it was a lot of fun to read them. Specially because I liked all the characters, but Mitji/Meg/Moira was the best of all. She was a very resourceful girl, capable, honest and her ability to "scent" people was very useful.
However, there were 2 unforgivable points in this book:
Fun, adventurous book, just like his other books (boarding school, sea voyage, attempts of murder, etc.), and despite my 2 negative points, it is recommended.
And there is where Mitji's adventure begins. First, with the help of the man she saved, Luke, and his kind wife, Rosemary, she learns English, how to read, write, count, etc. Then, when a man comes to kill her, and eventually, poor Rosemary dies of sickness, Mitji/Meg travels with a nice couple, Simon and Elisa, to France. There Meg goes into a fancy school, where she is again a brave, unafraid girl who stands up against bullying (I love that part!)
Eventually Luke comes to rescue her, telling her that someone is trying to kill her because turns out, she is a heiress. She is taken away to her trustee's house, lives there for some month, until Simon and Elisa take her to her mother's friend's house. After that, they go on a sea voyage; their ship wrecks, and they have to live in a desert island but thanks to Meg's skills, they survive.
Uff, describing all her adventures was long, but it was a lot of fun to read them. Specially because I liked all the characters, but Mitji/Meg/Moira was the best of all. She was a very resourceful girl, capable, honest and her ability to "scent" people was very useful.
However, there were 2 unforgivable points in this book:
Fun, adventurous book, just like his other books (boarding school, sea voyage, attempts of murder, etc.), and despite my 2 negative points, it is recommended.
July 6, 2019
What utterly lovely perfection. I'm so glad I finally got my hands on this.
A concoction of all the ingredients that I'm weak for in a book - adventure, suspense, survival, romance, humor, etcetcetc all written very engagingly in first person from the perspective of a girl growing up with Aborigines thrust into "civilised" society.
There is a slight feeling of the character being a bit too perfect against the hardships she has to face, but the charm of the writing makes it work. And it is quite in depth in character evolution and also well rounded with supporting characters.
I especially enjoyed the suspense and survival aspects.
A must read for who enjoy historical adventures with romance to spice it up.
A concoction of all the ingredients that I'm weak for in a book - adventure, suspense, survival, romance, humor, etcetcetc all written very engagingly in first person from the perspective of a girl growing up with Aborigines thrust into "civilised" society.
There is a slight feeling of the character being a bit too perfect against the hardships she has to face, but the charm of the writing makes it work. And it is quite in depth in character evolution and also well rounded with supporting characters.
I especially enjoyed the suspense and survival aspects.
A must read for who enjoy historical adventures with romance to spice it up.
December 30, 2014
Another great book from M Brent. The plot is about the same and now that I have read four of his books it is possible to predict the progress. This one is taking place in Australia, England and Africa.
I like them in this order:
-Merlin's keep (my favorite)(Himalyan mountains, India, England)supernatural element.
-Moonraker's bride (China, England)
-Tregaron's daughter (Cornwall, Kent, Italy)
-Golden urchin
I like them in this order:
-Merlin's keep (my favorite)(Himalyan mountains, India, England)supernatural element.
-Moonraker's bride (China, England)
-Tregaron's daughter (Cornwall, Kent, Italy)
-Golden urchin
July 11, 2020
I accidentally found this book at a library book sale and had no idea what a treasure I had unearthed.
My first Brent book was Stormswift, then I started looking for others. Golden Urchin is definitely my favorite.
I posted my review on Amazon in 2004, prior to my discovery of GoodReads.
My first Brent book was Stormswift, then I started looking for others. Golden Urchin is definitely my favorite.
I posted my review on Amazon in 2004, prior to my discovery of GoodReads.
March 14, 2025
Excellent gothic style romantic adventure
I discovered Madeleine Brent a long time ago (when I was a teenager). I had tried for several years to remember this author's name with little success. I found it while checking a Goodreads list. And then I discovered she was a male author who was asked to write several books under a female pseudonym.
Brent wrote 9 books. I hadn't read Golden Urchin, and it was the only one in my library system.
I loved the story, except for the unexpected death of a wonderful, beloved character. Meg is a fantastic narrator and a loveable character. The adventures are thrilling and believable. I can honestly say Brent's writing has survived the test of time.
I discovered Madeleine Brent a long time ago (when I was a teenager). I had tried for several years to remember this author's name with little success. I found it while checking a Goodreads list. And then I discovered she was a male author who was asked to write several books under a female pseudonym.
Brent wrote 9 books. I hadn't read Golden Urchin, and it was the only one in my library system.
I loved the story, except for the unexpected death of a wonderful, beloved character. Meg is a fantastic narrator and a loveable character. The adventures are thrilling and believable. I can honestly say Brent's writing has survived the test of time.
September 19, 2021
This is my third Meadeline Brent’s book.
So I had pretty good idea how the plot will turn out.
And the story goes more or less as I expected.
But the most enjoyable part of Brent’s books are not their plot lines but the heroines.
Here in this book, Meg didn’t disappoint me. She is very intriguing and likable young woman.
So I had pretty good idea how the plot will turn out.
And the story goes more or less as I expected.
But the most enjoyable part of Brent’s books are not their plot lines but the heroines.
Here in this book, Meg didn’t disappoint me. She is very intriguing and likable young woman.
August 4, 2021
The final novel by Peter O'Donnell writing as Madeleine Brent showcases all the components that made that pseudonym a success over 15 years and nine books: a resourceful heroine in an unfamiliar culture or situation; an appealing cast of secondary characters, ranging from the comic to the endearing; commentary on the foibles and customs of turn of the century Great Britain; and dangerous climaxes that allow the heroine to display her finely honed skills and that are due to her claiming a lost birthright. "Golden Urchin" is no exception and is a great summation of that formula, which in other hands might have been shopworn by this time but is confidently and pleasurably deployed here. When we meet Mitji, she is a white European child who has been adopted into an aboriginal tribe after they found her abandoned as a baby. The novel will untangle the secrets of Mitji's past and follow her journey from her tribe to other family groups, in Australia and ultimately England. As was the case beginning with Brent's earlier "The Long Masquerade" and intensifying in "A Heritage of Shadows" and "Stormswift,"the villain of the piece gets steadily more evil. This novel in fact is one of the more violent of Brent's works. The reader ends the novel in a bittersweet fashion, realizing that this was the last of the novels, although the author would live into the 21st century and produce more "Modesty Blaise" works under his own name. Was he tired of the formula by this point? Were late 80s market trends forecasting less of a market for the hybrid gothic/romantic suspense that Brent had successfully courted? Those questions may not be answerable, but this book shows that O'Donnell/Brent went out at the height of the game.
July 10, 2018
I liked Moonraker's Bride better, but I'm still rating this 5 stars because it deserves it.
You know what I love most in Madeleine Brent's books? The fact that everything is explained to you. It's just so comfortable. You never feel confused about anything, unless it's intended for you to do so along with the protagonist.
I'm an officially a Madeleine Brent fan.
You know what I love most in Madeleine Brent's books? The fact that everything is explained to you. It's just so comfortable. You never feel confused about anything, unless it's intended for you to do so along with the protagonist.
I'm an officially a Madeleine Brent fan.
November 10, 2018
This is a great adventure story that mostly takes place in the Australian Outback at the turn of the century.
This is a wonderful story about outcasts, secret identities, and relationships.
Quick read!
This is a wonderful story about outcasts, secret identities, and relationships.
Quick read!
Read
February 25, 2016Pretty good, I enjoyed it except I couldn't get over the idea of her being a redhead and living mostly naked as an aboriginee and somehow getting 'acclimated' to the sun and not burning up. I am a redhead, and I just couldn't suspend disbelief on this issue. :)
September 12, 2019
4.5 stars. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed Golden Urchin! I think I was expecting some boring romance story but the romance played a minor role in this tale of adventure and mystery. The heroine Mitji/Meg comes from an aborigine tribe but escapes to the more "civilized" world of Australia and Victorian England with lots of learning and escapades along the way. All the main characters were likeable, especially Meg; she never felt sorry for herself and always tried to see the best in every situtation.
January 1, 2023
I love how when I read Madeleine Brent's books I get to go on an adventure among so many different places and learn about different cultures. Living among the Aborigines! The customs are so strange. This was funny, sad, intense, heart-warming, and all the things you expect when reading this author. I gave it 4 stars only because it was not my favorite from this author, but I was not disappointed with this adventure...I still might change it to 5 stars, cuz I can't decide if I should rate it compared to his other books, lol.
February 17, 2021
It's hard to beat the putty I was in this author's hands while reading Stormswift, which remains my favorite. And that takes absolutely nothing away from how much I adore the bewitching, mesmerizing characters discovered in this wild transcontinental adventure.
December 4, 2017
A WONDERFUL story!!! Great twists, adventure, romance...it has it all!! I just wanted to story to keep going after it ended.
March 11, 2008
I try to balance my reading with fiction, non-fiction, and fluff. Fluff being fun, escapist books that are fast to read and...well, you know. Madeleine Brent fills the bill. She is really a he named Peter O'Donnell, a British writer famous for his Modesty Blaise books. He wanted to break into the American market, so he decided that romance novels were the way to go. His/her romances are more adventure novels and don't have explicit sex in them. Golden Urchin is one of my favorites. A little girl is separated from her parents in Australia and raised by the Aborigines. She is eventually taken in by a rancher/farmer in the outback. All Brent's books are full of mystery, take the reader to far off exotic places and are extremely good romps. If Golden Urchin isn't to your liking, Brent wrote a number of fantastic books many think are better than this one.
October 31, 2020
The main character is a Pollyanna type character but with violence and fists. I liked her. However she didn't have much to do in the middle of the book with all the other characters moving the plot, and explainig everything to her. I also find it hard to believe that a person like our MC would be ok with so little freedom. She can't go for a short walk without asking for permission at many points of her journey.
The book contains infidelity and elements of grooming when the MC is 15-17.
The research is solid even tho the book doesn't touch imperialism that aborigines faced with a ten foot pole.
The book contains infidelity and elements of grooming when the MC is 15-17.
The research is solid even tho the book doesn't touch imperialism that aborigines faced with a ten foot pole.
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December 25, 2016The first part was interesting. Not sure how accurate, but seemed researched. 'Course, even though the aborigines are described as somewhat like 'noble savages' and the girl was raised with them, she has absolutely no pangs about leaving them. Yes, they were incompletely tolerant of and kind to her, but human nature isn't logical. She apparently has absolutely no trouble adapting to the confining garments and etiquette of the white world, either, and that's when I began to be exasperated. When we got to the romance and classism and melodrama, I gave up.
September 13, 2017
One problem with enjoying vintage fiction is running across the occasional imperialism and casual racism. This book was loaded with more of this than I could overlook. What's more, the adventure and relationships got a little dull. This is the story of a white girl who is raised by an Aborigine tribe in Australia. As a teenager, after having grown tired of being such an outsider in her tribe, she comes across an Englishman in trouble in the Outback. This ends up leading to her learning a new culture and eventually discovering her own story.
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