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Kingdoms and Empires #1
The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone
Bronte Mettlestone's parents ran away to have adventures when she was a baby, leaving her to be raised by her aunt Isabelle and the Butler. She's had a perfectly pleasant childhood of afternoon teas and riding lessons - and no adventures, thank you very much. But Bronte's parents have left extremely detailed (and bossy) instructions for Bronte in their will.
The instructions must be followed to the letter, or disaster will befall Bronte's home. She is to travel the kingdoms and empires, perfectly alone, delivering special gifts to her 10 other aunts. There is a farmer aunt who owns an orange orchard and a veterinarian aunt who specialises in dragon care, a pair of aunts who captain a cruise ship together and a former rock star aunt who is now the reigning monarch of a small kingdom. Now, armed with only her parents' instructions, a chest full of strange gifts and her own strong will, Bronte must journey forth to face dragons, Chief Detectives and pirates - and the gathering suspicion that there might be something more to her extremely inconvenient quest than meets the eye....
From the award-winning Jaclyn Moriarty comes a fantastic tale of high intrigue, grand adventure and an abundance of aunts.
The instructions must be followed to the letter, or disaster will befall Bronte's home. She is to travel the kingdoms and empires, perfectly alone, delivering special gifts to her 10 other aunts. There is a farmer aunt who owns an orange orchard and a veterinarian aunt who specialises in dragon care, a pair of aunts who captain a cruise ship together and a former rock star aunt who is now the reigning monarch of a small kingdom. Now, armed with only her parents' instructions, a chest full of strange gifts and her own strong will, Bronte must journey forth to face dragons, Chief Detectives and pirates - and the gathering suspicion that there might be something more to her extremely inconvenient quest than meets the eye....
From the award-winning Jaclyn Moriarty comes a fantastic tale of high intrigue, grand adventure and an abundance of aunts.
Audible Audio
First published October 25, 2017
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About the author
Jaclyn Moriarty
37 books1,531 followersJaclyn Moriarty is an Australian writer of young adult literature.
She studied English at the University of Sydney, and law at Yale University and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where she was awarded a PhD.
She is the younger sister of Liane Moriarty. She was previously married to Canadian writer Colin McAdam, and has a son, Charlie. She currently lives in Sydney.
She studied English at the University of Sydney, and law at Yale University and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where she was awarded a PhD.
She is the younger sister of Liane Moriarty. She was previously married to Canadian writer Colin McAdam, and has a son, Charlie. She currently lives in Sydney.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 630 reviews
January 25, 2019
I was ten years old when my parents were killed by pirates.
Well, you had me at pirates, but lost me with the rest of the book.
Newly orphaned Bronte, who has been living with her aunt since infancy, has been sent on an adventure at the behest of her newly deceased parents' will: she is to visit her other ten aunts, spend varying amounts of time with them, and give them each a pre-selected gift before she takes her leave. The instructions are oddly specific, right down to what foods Bronte is to eat, and where she is to eat them.
I enjoyed much about this book, particularly Bronte's visits with her aunts, and the fact that they were not all pleasant and perky individuals. BUT, there was just TOO MUCH "magic" crammed into these pages. There are elves and faeries, water sprites, dragons, spellbinders, mages, and whisperers. The whole enterprise was like a suitcase already stuffed to the gills, but the author insisted on shoving in just one more magical being.
I realize that complaining about too much fantasy makes me sound like a cranky old witch ("Stop making those fairy circles on my lawn, dammit!"), but so be it. I expect young Bronte will be going on many more adventures, but I shan't be joining her.
Well, you had me at pirates, but lost me with the rest of the book.
Newly orphaned Bronte, who has been living with her aunt since infancy, has been sent on an adventure at the behest of her newly deceased parents' will: she is to visit her other ten aunts, spend varying amounts of time with them, and give them each a pre-selected gift before she takes her leave. The instructions are oddly specific, right down to what foods Bronte is to eat, and where she is to eat them.
I enjoyed much about this book, particularly Bronte's visits with her aunts, and the fact that they were not all pleasant and perky individuals. BUT, there was just TOO MUCH "magic" crammed into these pages. There are elves and faeries, water sprites, dragons, spellbinders, mages, and whisperers. The whole enterprise was like a suitcase already stuffed to the gills, but the author insisted on shoving in just one more magical being.
I realize that complaining about too much fantasy makes me sound like a cranky old witch ("Stop making those fairy circles on my lawn, dammit!"), but so be it. I expect young Bronte will be going on many more adventures, but I shan't be joining her.
April 28, 2025
reading vlog: https://youtu.be/RnysFMwO-84
an absolutely delightful middle grade - my favourite i've read in quite some time!! was such a crazy fun time full of so much magic and chaos - and i enjoyed every minute!
an absolutely delightful middle grade - my favourite i've read in quite some time!! was such a crazy fun time full of so much magic and chaos - and i enjoyed every minute!
May 19, 2020
This was so good omg!!😭😭😭
January 4, 2023
I absolutely loved this! From the first sentence, 'I was ten years old when my parents were killed by pirates', I was hooked. This book is funny, fast paced, insightful and makes for incredibly compelling reading. Kids who confidently read chapter books will be well suited to this, but it would also be fun to read aloud. A lot of adults will enjoy it too - I did!
Oh and the illustrations by Kelly Canby are wonderful. ☺
Oh and the illustrations by Kelly Canby are wonderful. ☺
January 4, 2018
Ahh, perfectly charming, whimsical, funny and wholly original with some wicked and wild unexpected twists. This book was such a delight to spend time with and so creatively realised. The characters endeared themselves to me and I loved every minute spent with them. It was a whole lot of adventure and fun, but also with some tender and heart-wrenching tear-jerker moments. Recommended for everyone, and especially all the young people in your lives (grade 3 up) and the young at heart :)
July 3, 2019
Rather adorable story in the vein of things like the Series of Unfortunate Events or even a less creepy Coraline. At first it was a bit too weird and madcap for me, but I loved many of the aunts and Bronte's adventures, and the resolution was very satisfying. Bronte is a very real character, and so are the other children she interacts with. Many of the adults come off as a bit too cartoonish, and one aunt in particular stressed me out by being so oblivious and self-centered as to become an actual danger.
February 16, 2018
Ten year old Bronte Mettlestone is embarking on a wondrous adventure, adhering to her late parents legacy despite the concerns of Isabelle, her Aunt and guardian. Patrick and Lida Mettlestone were adventurers, abandoning their only child with Isabelle then captured by pirates. The news of their demise delivered during afternoon tea. To receive her inheritance, Bronte is to travel the kingdom and empires to deliver keepsakes to ten of her father's sisters, adhering to the specific instructions precisely or fracture the Faery thread binding her itinerary. Each fracture brings impending destruction to the town of Gainsleigh and Bronte must embark on her journey alone.
Bronte Mettlestone is a wonderful young lady, curious and dependable. Abandoned as an infant, Bronte has been raised by Isabelle in the shire of Gainsleigh, her parents traipsing around the kingdom discovering new worlds and adventures before their demise.
Her first destination is Livingston and the Elivish Festival of Matchsticks. Emma has been imprisoned for thievery of a pepper grinder. Claire organises Spellbinder conventions and Sophy is a veterinarian at the animal hospital for dragons. At the precise moment, Bronte presents her offering of cinnamon, chilli flakes or sugar cubes, rousing fond memories of her patents spanning the continent. Bronte growing increasingly exasperated towards her deceased parents she was never afforded the opportunity to appreciate. An avalanche in the mountain village, Katherine Valley Boarding School, the Riddle And Popcorn Cruise Ship and the Kingdom of music, culminating in a gathering in Nina Bay to celebrate the lives of her parents.
Bronte's journey is enchanting and at only ten years of age, her adventures are gallant and delightfully whimsical. Following the instructions, Bronte discovers new friends in each town including the mysterious young barefoot boy, adding intrigue. The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone is wonderfully endearing, imaginative and effervescent.
Bronte Mettlestone is a wonderful young lady, curious and dependable. Abandoned as an infant, Bronte has been raised by Isabelle in the shire of Gainsleigh, her parents traipsing around the kingdom discovering new worlds and adventures before their demise.
Her first destination is Livingston and the Elivish Festival of Matchsticks. Emma has been imprisoned for thievery of a pepper grinder. Claire organises Spellbinder conventions and Sophy is a veterinarian at the animal hospital for dragons. At the precise moment, Bronte presents her offering of cinnamon, chilli flakes or sugar cubes, rousing fond memories of her patents spanning the continent. Bronte growing increasingly exasperated towards her deceased parents she was never afforded the opportunity to appreciate. An avalanche in the mountain village, Katherine Valley Boarding School, the Riddle And Popcorn Cruise Ship and the Kingdom of music, culminating in a gathering in Nina Bay to celebrate the lives of her parents.
Bronte's journey is enchanting and at only ten years of age, her adventures are gallant and delightfully whimsical. Following the instructions, Bronte discovers new friends in each town including the mysterious young barefoot boy, adding intrigue. The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone is wonderfully endearing, imaginative and effervescent.
December 11, 2019
4.5 STARS
I don't have time to write an adequate review but I hope a few words are better than nothing because I truly enjoyed tagging along on Bronte's extremely inconvenient adventures. The writing style just clicked for me from page one and I knew the book and I would get on swimmingly. Still, I've ready plenty of novels where I enjoy the writing style yet find one or two (or several) annoying aspects popping up in the realm of character development or plot. Not so here. In fact, it's the sort of plot that I tend to avoid due to the highly episodic nature. Yet somehow meeting all the different aunts in the different realms of the kingdoms ended up being fun and/or fascinating, rather than just frenetic and the thread of Bronte's parents gifts to the various aunts and of Bronte's journey that they created for her through their will bound it all together with heartstrings strong enough to prevent annoyance on my part. Also, much of what seemed random in the story ended up being meaningful and I appreciated that there were so few loose ends. I did have a minor quibble with one point about the ending making perfect sense, but as I concluded this while suffering through a sinus infection, perhaps that was my fault and not Moiarty's.
I will say this, I'm not sure how many children in the target audience will connect with this story. There's so much grown-up-ness about it. Not that there is anything inappropriate, but much of it concerns the aunts and their concerns (for example, one is suffering from a broken heart, another has been thrown in jail for reportedly stealing something from another artist) and I'm not sure whether most ten year olds will really be able to relate to that. I almost feel like it's one of those books featuring a child protagonist that is almost more for adults (Flavia de Luce came to mind) but perhaps I am way off base here and lots of children connect with this. I'm just glad that I did. It was a wonderful experience.
I don't have time to write an adequate review but I hope a few words are better than nothing because I truly enjoyed tagging along on Bronte's extremely inconvenient adventures. The writing style just clicked for me from page one and I knew the book and I would get on swimmingly. Still, I've ready plenty of novels where I enjoy the writing style yet find one or two (or several) annoying aspects popping up in the realm of character development or plot. Not so here. In fact, it's the sort of plot that I tend to avoid due to the highly episodic nature. Yet somehow meeting all the different aunts in the different realms of the kingdoms ended up being fun and/or fascinating, rather than just frenetic and the thread of Bronte's parents gifts to the various aunts and of Bronte's journey that they created for her through their will bound it all together with heartstrings strong enough to prevent annoyance on my part. Also, much of what seemed random in the story ended up being meaningful and I appreciated that there were so few loose ends. I did have a minor quibble with one point about the ending making perfect sense, but as I concluded this while suffering through a sinus infection, perhaps that was my fault and not Moiarty's.
I will say this, I'm not sure how many children in the target audience will connect with this story. There's so much grown-up-ness about it. Not that there is anything inappropriate, but much of it concerns the aunts and their concerns (for example, one is suffering from a broken heart, another has been thrown in jail for reportedly stealing something from another artist) and I'm not sure whether most ten year olds will really be able to relate to that. I almost feel like it's one of those books featuring a child protagonist that is almost more for adults (Flavia de Luce came to mind) but perhaps I am way off base here and lots of children connect with this. I'm just glad that I did. It was a wonderful experience.
January 29, 2019
Bronte Mettlestone is given instructions in her parents' will (bound in faery thread) to visit ten of her father's sisters, keeping to a particular schedule and deliver them each a small gift. Along the way, she finds many adventures that are unexpected and build to a satisfying pinnacle in the final pages when the gifts she has been toting develop new significance. Lemony Snicket fans will enjoy meeting Bronte and the varied cast of characters in her story.
June 21, 2019
Initially, I found myself somewhat disappointed. I love Jaclyn Moriarty. (Upon review, I love 3 of her books. Then I felt meh about one, read another, and never finished The Ghosts of Ashbury High.)
Anyway, I usually like her YA novels. But this feels very juvenile fiction. Precocious heroine, odd adventure, cast of caricature characters. You know the type.
I struggled a bit to get into the beginning, but once the story starts going properly, it seriously tugged on my heart strings.
The story deals with grief, laughter, extended family, and the memories that bring us together. It was very sweet and very heart-aching and just..satisfying.
I feel a little disappointed to see this is being turned into a sequel. I think it was a lovely standalone. But we'll see! If you give it a try, shove through. It takes a bit for the separate themes to weave together but it is worth it when they do.
Anyway, I usually like her YA novels. But this feels very juvenile fiction. Precocious heroine, odd adventure, cast of caricature characters. You know the type.
I struggled a bit to get into the beginning, but once the story starts going properly, it seriously tugged on my heart strings.
The story deals with grief, laughter, extended family, and the memories that bring us together. It was very sweet and very heart-aching and just..satisfying.
I feel a little disappointed to see this is being turned into a sequel. I think it was a lovely standalone. But we'll see! If you give it a try, shove through. It takes a bit for the separate themes to weave together but it is worth it when they do.
July 21, 2020
Update: finishing Stolen Prince of Cloudburst sent me back to Bronte for a quick flick. Naturally I reread the whole thing.
I stayed up very late to finish because I could not put the book down. It's addictive, deceptively sweet, and entirely satisfying.
I stayed up very late to finish because I could not put the book down. It's addictive, deceptively sweet, and entirely satisfying.
December 11, 2022
This was such a fun little adventure!
I've never heard of this book before, but when I saw it at the bookstore it just looked too cute to resist! Honestly, I'm glad I took the chance and picked it up.
This was by no means a perfect middle grade, but I had so much fun! I was also super surprised by how well this book was plotted - you can see the author took a lot of care to make sure that everything tied together nicely by the end - and there were some fun plot twists as well!
If your looking for a fun, cute, and adventurous time, I'd recommend checking this out!
I've never heard of this book before, but when I saw it at the bookstore it just looked too cute to resist! Honestly, I'm glad I took the chance and picked it up.
This was by no means a perfect middle grade, but I had so much fun! I was also super surprised by how well this book was plotted - you can see the author took a lot of care to make sure that everything tied together nicely by the end - and there were some fun plot twists as well!
If your looking for a fun, cute, and adventurous time, I'd recommend checking this out!
July 24, 2024
3.5 probably.
I enjoyed it—genuinely laughed out loud at several points. I am also an adult, so maybe if I was a kid, the plot twists would have surprised me more.
I enjoyed it—genuinely laughed out loud at several points. I am also an adult, so maybe if I was a kid, the plot twists would have surprised me more.
September 25, 2018
More books in the Beat the Autumn Blues list can be found here.
Gosh was this one a cookie! At first it might have been a little bit harder to get into because of the unusual tone, but after I did? I absolutely loved it. This book has so many good things in it – and I just don't know where to start. First of all, it has kickass women characters. Starting with Bronte herself – a girl that I'm incredibly proud of, despite her being a fictional character! She's serious for a ten year old, and she's grown up without her parents. On top of that, she now has to go on an escapade that they mapped out for her in their will – because it's magically enchanted to destroy her hometown if she doesn't!
Who'd want to do that for absent parents? So what if they died just now, where were they during Bronte's 10 years of life with her aunt? Adventuring, that's where. So not only does Bronte have to go off ON HER OWN to have these adventures and travel where her absent parents bid her, she also has to deal with her grief and her seemingly inappropriate anger with her parents and... what the flying hell were they even thinking.
True to any self-respecting middle grade book, naturally, Bronte doesn't just have adventures and fun. She also learns a whole lot. And I loved the values taught in the book! Okay, so a quick rundown of what I loved about the world in Bronte Mettlestone:
- Women are strong. They can travel when they're just little girls. They can live on their own and be powerful wizards.
- More than that, they don't need a princes or kings to marry them to 'save' them. Don't open the spoiler if you're going to read the book – they can be queens and rule countries on their own, and rock at it.
- And even if they're annoying as hell like one of Bronte's aunts, they can be tough business ladies as well.
- But it doens't stop at #girlpower – this book makes the effort to explain to the reader that every conflict has two points of view and two stories behind the events of any war
- And most importantly – this book addresses the thoughts in an abandoned kid's head – a thought a lot of our children could be having right now, with how high divorce rates are.
Let me elaborate. I feel like I've elaborated enough about the women part in the bullet points, so I'll just talk about the other parts. First of all, I really loved how the political conflicts were talked about. It really needs to be presented like this more often – that in any war, there is rarely a "right" side and a "wrong" side. Yes, one side might be more right than wrong, but even so – it's not the entire nation's fault that their leader is being a total [insert preferred swear word here]. And it also doens't mean that these people are ALL evil and should be murdered.
Another thing is the problem of the abandoned child. Our society struggles a lot with the problems that come from childhoods with separated parents. Don't we know that a lot of children blame themselves for their parents splitting up? Or worse, a parent (or both) abandoning the child altogether? These thoughts and feelings should be addressed, and where else than in a middle grade novel? It's done SO well here too.
Bronte was abandoned as a child, because her parents went off 'to have adventures'. Of course she blames herself! She thinks she must've been boring, so they left her. Through talks with her aunts and the adventures in general, these ideas are dealt with and explained, resolved very well. But that's not all – the amount of mental baggage this book deals with is staggering. It talks about depression in adults and how a child should understand it, it talks about grief and that everyone deals with it differently. It talks about overwork in adults and how that is not a life path you should take, despite it being extolled in our money-driven society. Those are things I won't go into very deeply, but considering the ones I already mentioned, you must agree that this is a lot of stuff to be talked about in a children’s book – and talked about in a natural, non-invasive or weird way. 10 points forGryffindor Hufflepuff. (I just wanted to say that.)
And with all of these issues discussed, does the book get bogged down or droll? Nope! It has a light-hearted tone that will fix that autumn blues, just like I promised! And oh yes. Did I mention the illustrations? THEY'RE AMAAAAAAAZIIIIIIING ❤️❤️❤️
Disclaimer: I was given a copy for review. It does not affect my honest opinion.
Read Post On My Blog | My Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
Gosh was this one a cookie! At first it might have been a little bit harder to get into because of the unusual tone, but after I did? I absolutely loved it. This book has so many good things in it – and I just don't know where to start. First of all, it has kickass women characters. Starting with Bronte herself – a girl that I'm incredibly proud of, despite her being a fictional character! She's serious for a ten year old, and she's grown up without her parents. On top of that, she now has to go on an escapade that they mapped out for her in their will – because it's magically enchanted to destroy her hometown if she doesn't!
Who'd want to do that for absent parents? So what if they died just now, where were they during Bronte's 10 years of life with her aunt? Adventuring, that's where. So not only does Bronte have to go off ON HER OWN to have these adventures and travel where her absent parents bid her, she also has to deal with her grief and her seemingly inappropriate anger with her parents and... what the flying hell were they even thinking.
True to any self-respecting middle grade book, naturally, Bronte doesn't just have adventures and fun. She also learns a whole lot. And I loved the values taught in the book! Okay, so a quick rundown of what I loved about the world in Bronte Mettlestone:
- Women are strong. They can travel when they're just little girls. They can live on their own and be powerful wizards.
- More than that, they don't need a princes or kings to marry them to 'save' them. Don't open the spoiler if you're going to read the book – they can be queens and rule countries on their own, and rock at it.
- And even if they're annoying as hell like one of Bronte's aunts, they can be tough business ladies as well.
- But it doens't stop at #girlpower – this book makes the effort to explain to the reader that every conflict has two points of view and two stories behind the events of any war
- And most importantly – this book addresses the thoughts in an abandoned kid's head – a thought a lot of our children could be having right now, with how high divorce rates are.
Let me elaborate. I feel like I've elaborated enough about the women part in the bullet points, so I'll just talk about the other parts. First of all, I really loved how the political conflicts were talked about. It really needs to be presented like this more often – that in any war, there is rarely a "right" side and a "wrong" side. Yes, one side might be more right than wrong, but even so – it's not the entire nation's fault that their leader is being a total [insert preferred swear word here]. And it also doens't mean that these people are ALL evil and should be murdered.
Another thing is the problem of the abandoned child. Our society struggles a lot with the problems that come from childhoods with separated parents. Don't we know that a lot of children blame themselves for their parents splitting up? Or worse, a parent (or both) abandoning the child altogether? These thoughts and feelings should be addressed, and where else than in a middle grade novel? It's done SO well here too.
Bronte was abandoned as a child, because her parents went off 'to have adventures'. Of course she blames herself! She thinks she must've been boring, so they left her. Through talks with her aunts and the adventures in general, these ideas are dealt with and explained, resolved very well. But that's not all – the amount of mental baggage this book deals with is staggering. It talks about depression in adults and how a child should understand it, it talks about grief and that everyone deals with it differently. It talks about overwork in adults and how that is not a life path you should take, despite it being extolled in our money-driven society. Those are things I won't go into very deeply, but considering the ones I already mentioned, you must agree that this is a lot of stuff to be talked about in a children’s book – and talked about in a natural, non-invasive or weird way. 10 points for
And with all of these issues discussed, does the book get bogged down or droll? Nope! It has a light-hearted tone that will fix that autumn blues, just like I promised! And oh yes. Did I mention the illustrations? THEY'RE AMAAAAAAAZIIIIIIING ❤️❤️❤️
Disclaimer: I was given a copy for review. It does not affect my honest opinion.
Read Post On My Blog | My Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
December 26, 2020
I love Jaclyn's creative storytelling and this book was no exception. The narrative sometimes gets a bit silly and this one bogged down a bit in the middle of Bronte's adventures visiting all her aunts, but for a ten year old she gets into a whole lot of magical adventures.
Fun and a nice break from the grown up serious books. Thanks Jaclyn.
I was honoured to meet you and your sisters a few years ago at the Kirribili Club and I continue to enjoy you and your sisters' writing.
Fun and a nice break from the grown up serious books. Thanks Jaclyn.
I was honoured to meet you and your sisters a few years ago at the Kirribili Club and I continue to enjoy you and your sisters' writing.
March 25, 2025
This book is so good it made me sad my parents were never killed by pirates when I was a child so I could have had this adventure.
Read
March 29, 2023This one started out really slow for me but I warmed to it by the end.
April 13, 2024
This was absolutely phenomenal. Not only is it completely charming in every way, the story of Bronte's adventures is a masterclass in structure; layered perfectly, with payoff after payoff. The extensive cast of characters are all delightfully bonkers, and every second of Bronte's quest to complete her parents' last wish is joyful and satisfying. Dragons and avalanches and pirates, oh my!
June 8, 2020
4.5 rounded up to 5. This was an absolute delight. Excellent on audio!
September 13, 2021
I have always thought that Jaclyn Moriarty has one of the freshest and most original voices in Australian children’s literature and so was eager to read her latest children’s fantasy, beautifully presented as a hardback with whimsical illustrations by Kelly Canby. The book did not disappoint – it was a sparkling delight from beginning to end, with lots of unexpected discoveries, wondrous encounters and madcap adventures.
The story begins:
I was ten years old when my parents were killed by pirates. This did not bother me as much as you might think – I hardly knew my parents.
Bronte’s parents had run away to have adventures when she was just a baby, leaving her to be raised by her Aunt Isabelle and the Butler. But their last will and testament says she must set out alone, on a solitary quest, to take a farewell gift to each of her ten other aunts. Her parents’ will has been bordered by fairy cross-stitch, which means calamity will befall her home town if she disobeys. So Bronte sets out to fulfil her parents’ dying wish (although, really, it is extremely inconvenient). Before long she is grappling with dragons, Chief Detectives, spell whisperers and pirates. Luckily, Bronte is very resourceful and determined as well as kind-hearted and clever, and so she deals with one troublesome aunt after another with aplomb.
The world-building in this book is so rich and inventive it could easily support a dozen other books, and so I hope that The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone is the first in what will be a long series. This is the perfect book for a sensitive imaginative bookworm who is not yet ready for Harry Potter but wants a story filled with magic, adventure, humour and whimsy (the kind of kid I was when I was eleven!)
The story begins:
I was ten years old when my parents were killed by pirates. This did not bother me as much as you might think – I hardly knew my parents.
Bronte’s parents had run away to have adventures when she was just a baby, leaving her to be raised by her Aunt Isabelle and the Butler. But their last will and testament says she must set out alone, on a solitary quest, to take a farewell gift to each of her ten other aunts. Her parents’ will has been bordered by fairy cross-stitch, which means calamity will befall her home town if she disobeys. So Bronte sets out to fulfil her parents’ dying wish (although, really, it is extremely inconvenient). Before long she is grappling with dragons, Chief Detectives, spell whisperers and pirates. Luckily, Bronte is very resourceful and determined as well as kind-hearted and clever, and so she deals with one troublesome aunt after another with aplomb.
The world-building in this book is so rich and inventive it could easily support a dozen other books, and so I hope that The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone is the first in what will be a long series. This is the perfect book for a sensitive imaginative bookworm who is not yet ready for Harry Potter but wants a story filled with magic, adventure, humour and whimsy (the kind of kid I was when I was eleven!)
October 14, 2020
Super adorable road-trip middle grade, would be absolutely fantastic to read aloud.
I did find it kinda political that we met more than 20 adult characters in various careers, cultures, and areas, their romantic lives are several times a plot point, and absolutely none of them were confirmed to be anything other than straight, but oh well, books sometimes have blind spots.
I did find it kinda political that we met more than 20 adult characters in various careers, cultures, and areas, their romantic lives are several times a plot point, and absolutely none of them were confirmed to be anything other than straight, but oh well, books sometimes have blind spots.
November 8, 2023
3.5 This was really a cute book, but it got a little long and was slow in a few parts.
March 26, 2020
קראתי בעברית. ספר הרפתקאות מעולה. מזכיר קצת את "סדרה של צרות" אבל פחות מדכא.
October 10, 2021
I've never laughed this hard in my entire life.
Jaclyn Moriarty's comedic timing is borderline genius, and Charlie Sanderson's flawless narration really brought this story to life. Such an incredible book. 💙
Jaclyn Moriarty's comedic timing is borderline genius, and Charlie Sanderson's flawless narration really brought this story to life. Such an incredible book. 💙
March 15, 2024
This such a charming and delightful adventure that is filled with laugh out loud moments and unexpected twists and turns that leave you gasping. A truly enchanting book.
The whole Kingdoms and Empires world is filled to the brim with creativity and magic. I loved every moment I journeyed with Bronte throughout the different lands, encountering colourful and imaginative characters and creatures along the way. There are so many characters and yet they all fitted perfectly throughout and each had enough ‘spotlight’ to be introduced. The aunts are such zany and empowering women, showcasing the many avenues of accomplished women, whether they are a queen, or a stay at home mum, or a sorceress, or a captain of a cruise ship, they are all diffent and positive role-models.
Even though it is a thick book and might seem daunting for younger readers, it has short chapters, easy to read writing, charming illustrated pages, and an engrossing story that you practically whizz right through it. Bronte is an exceptional and likeable heroine that you feel attached to her immediately. Family really is the strongest theme of the book, especially being depicted as ‘there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ family’ and all family dynamics are different and should be cherished as they are.
Kelly Canby’s illustrations are so sweet and quirky that they compliment the book as a match made in heaven!
I love that at the end we are treated with a little teaser of a sequel because I can’t get enough of this world and what else it has to offer.
Journey through the Kingdoms and Empires with Bronte Mettlestone as your guide for one grand adventure…and possibly more!
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-S6wOUAH...
The whole Kingdoms and Empires world is filled to the brim with creativity and magic. I loved every moment I journeyed with Bronte throughout the different lands, encountering colourful and imaginative characters and creatures along the way. There are so many characters and yet they all fitted perfectly throughout and each had enough ‘spotlight’ to be introduced. The aunts are such zany and empowering women, showcasing the many avenues of accomplished women, whether they are a queen, or a stay at home mum, or a sorceress, or a captain of a cruise ship, they are all diffent and positive role-models.
Even though it is a thick book and might seem daunting for younger readers, it has short chapters, easy to read writing, charming illustrated pages, and an engrossing story that you practically whizz right through it. Bronte is an exceptional and likeable heroine that you feel attached to her immediately. Family really is the strongest theme of the book, especially being depicted as ‘there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ family’ and all family dynamics are different and should be cherished as they are.
Kelly Canby’s illustrations are so sweet and quirky that they compliment the book as a match made in heaven!
I love that at the end we are treated with a little teaser of a sequel because I can’t get enough of this world and what else it has to offer.
Journey through the Kingdoms and Empires with Bronte Mettlestone as your guide for one grand adventure…and possibly more!
IG Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-S6wOUAH...
September 20, 2021
So much win. It's kind of amazing how much I love Moriarty's books. I really liked how it all came together. Interesting universe with so many pirates and dragons and water sprites, but also committees and dull trips and people being late to pick one up at the station. I only had two tiny quibbles: it's weird to read about a girl living in a more-or-less-contemporaneous setting who wears dresses or skirts all the time. It's just a slight thing, but it pulls me just the tiniest bit out of the story every time a dress or skirt is mentioned because I so rarely see girls or women in them anymore. And also, this is a very white world. Not that everyone is explicitly called white, but because no one isn't. The illustrations reinforce the white-is-default impression. It's a good thing that I've become so accustomed to reading books with a diverse cast that I can't stop noticing when there aren't any other characters.
Despite those two issues, I loved the book. It's my favorite middle grade in I don't know how long. Highly recommended for white readers.
Library copy
Despite those two issues, I loved the book. It's my favorite middle grade in I don't know how long. Highly recommended for white readers.
Library copy
January 12, 2022
3.5 stars.
Massively quirky, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, young Brontë Mettlestone must travel the world and hand out specific presents to her many aunts as part of the dying wishes of her parents (they were killed by pirates while on a voyage).
While travelling, she begins to realize her parents kept secrets about themselves and about Brontë, and her trip with its very specific instructions are building to something very important about her world.
Brontë is incredibly self-reliant, for a ten-year old, as she travels by herself. She encounters strange and whimsical people and situations, dispensing cheer, housecleanings, and presents. She saves people along the way, before the big reveal about her family.
The story is funny, and I liked the whimsical people and things, but partway through I began to tire of the non-stop quirkiness. It’s still pretty good, and Brontë is a great character.
Massively quirky, and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, young Brontë Mettlestone must travel the world and hand out specific presents to her many aunts as part of the dying wishes of her parents (they were killed by pirates while on a voyage).
While travelling, she begins to realize her parents kept secrets about themselves and about Brontë, and her trip with its very specific instructions are building to something very important about her world.
Brontë is incredibly self-reliant, for a ten-year old, as she travels by herself. She encounters strange and whimsical people and situations, dispensing cheer, housecleanings, and presents. She saves people along the way, before the big reveal about her family.
The story is funny, and I liked the whimsical people and things, but partway through I began to tire of the non-stop quirkiness. It’s still pretty good, and Brontë is a great character.
January 18, 2019
Delightful! This would be a super read aloud for a class or bedtime. It has everything...pirates, elves, magic, a quest, kooky characters, heart, and (my personal favorite) dragons. I am looking forward to the next book!
December 14, 2021
An utter delight! I was so excited to see Jaclyn Moriarty had written, not only one new book, but a new series (new to me, anyway)! Funnily, I heard about it from two friends who both had accidentally read the third book first. I received the audiobook of book 1 (this one) for my birthday, and the reader, Charlie Sanderson, was fantastic! I will look for more of her recordings for sure. She was perfect as Bronte. I loved her declarative style and deliberate enunciation. Sometimes that enunciation was all it took to make me giggle. She did a ton of accents and voices, and they were just great.
I’ve loved Moriarty ever since I read the third book in her Ashbury High series first (hmm, I just made the connection—what is it with that?). One of the things I liked the most about that series is the adults were present in the teens’ lives and also very funny. This series is for middle grades, but that same element is there. Bronte’s young cousins are lots of fun, from Aunt Sue’s lively sons to Aunt Nancy’s affectionate daughters (I loved all the “Darling” this and “Darling” that).
There are so many moving parts in this—so many chapters too—109! There’s really just a lot of everything: lots of aunts, lots of wild adventures, lots of surprises, and lots of silliness. It’s a wacky, imaginative fantasy, and I loved every minute of it.
I’ve loved Moriarty ever since I read the third book in her Ashbury High series first (hmm, I just made the connection—what is it with that?). One of the things I liked the most about that series is the adults were present in the teens’ lives and also very funny. This series is for middle grades, but that same element is there. Bronte’s young cousins are lots of fun, from Aunt Sue’s lively sons to Aunt Nancy’s affectionate daughters (I loved all the “Darling” this and “Darling” that).
There are so many moving parts in this—so many chapters too—109! There’s really just a lot of everything: lots of aunts, lots of wild adventures, lots of surprises, and lots of silliness. It’s a wacky, imaginative fantasy, and I loved every minute of it.
August 2, 2021
3.5 rounded up.
If you're looking for a quirky middle-grade adventure, this is a very good pick. It's definitely a fun, fast-paced adventure book with interesting characters and a charming writing style. The one thing I didn't like too much about it was that it was a bit overwhelming at times. The world is full of fantasy creatures and beings and they all get thrown at you very fast, with a lot of different characters and settings. If that sounds appealing to you, this book is a good pick. If you prefer a more slow-paced book that takes place in only a few locations, it may not be your thing.
I've seen that the other books in this series are more companion novels set in the same world than sequels. I'm curious to see how I'll like them.
If you're looking for a quirky middle-grade adventure, this is a very good pick. It's definitely a fun, fast-paced adventure book with interesting characters and a charming writing style. The one thing I didn't like too much about it was that it was a bit overwhelming at times. The world is full of fantasy creatures and beings and they all get thrown at you very fast, with a lot of different characters and settings. If that sounds appealing to you, this book is a good pick. If you prefer a more slow-paced book that takes place in only a few locations, it may not be your thing.
I've seen that the other books in this series are more companion novels set in the same world than sequels. I'm curious to see how I'll like them.
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