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Brightwood
In this spine-tingling tale, a girl fights to save her home and her life from a mysterious stranger.
Daisy Fitzjohn knows there are two worlds: the outside world and the world of her home, a secluded mansion called Brightwood Hall. But only Brightwood is real for Daisy--she's never once set foot outside its grounds. Daisy and her mother have everything they need within Brightwood's magnificent, half-ruined walls, including Daisy's best friends: a talking rat named Tar and the ghost of a long-ago explorer who calls herself Frank.
When Daisy's mother leaves one morning, a peculiar visitor, James Gritting, arrives on the estate, claiming to be a distant cousin. But as the days tick by and Daisy's mother doesn't return, Gritting becomes more and more menacing. He wants Brightwood for himself, and he will do anything to get it.
Tania Unsworth takes readers on a twisting, heart-pounding journey through dark corridors and wild woods to a place where the line between imagination and madness is sometimes hard to find.
Daisy Fitzjohn knows there are two worlds: the outside world and the world of her home, a secluded mansion called Brightwood Hall. But only Brightwood is real for Daisy--she's never once set foot outside its grounds. Daisy and her mother have everything they need within Brightwood's magnificent, half-ruined walls, including Daisy's best friends: a talking rat named Tar and the ghost of a long-ago explorer who calls herself Frank.
When Daisy's mother leaves one morning, a peculiar visitor, James Gritting, arrives on the estate, claiming to be a distant cousin. But as the days tick by and Daisy's mother doesn't return, Gritting becomes more and more menacing. He wants Brightwood for himself, and he will do anything to get it.
Tania Unsworth takes readers on a twisting, heart-pounding journey through dark corridors and wild woods to a place where the line between imagination and madness is sometimes hard to find.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2016
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1408 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
May 4, 2021
Daisy's mother suffered trauma when she was young and as she got older, she no longer left her home except to get food and supplies. Daisy, her 11 year old daughter knows there is an outside world, but she has never left Brightwood Hall. When Daisy's mom leaves one day to get supplies and doesn't return, Daisy is left to fend for herself. Shortly after this, a stranger shows up on the property and begins measuring, chopping down bushes and killing the wildlife. Who is this stranger and what does he want? Where is Daisy's mother?
I found this an interesting story. Daisy and her mom live a very strange life. Her mother hoards supplies and other items, to the point of filling up the rooms in the manor house with storage shelves. There were a couple of points in the story where Daisy describes crawling through the boxes and piles of stuff that had me cringing. The house was huge, so just imagine what was in that home. I really liked Daisy. She is fun and has quite the imagination. She holds conversations with the animals, including a rat named Tar, the artwork, statues and even the topiary (she is best friends with a horse named True, that is a bush). All of these "friends" help her to figure out what to do when this stranger shows up at Brightwood. This was a well written middle grades mystery/fantasy. There is some action as Daisy enacts her plans, and some humour as well. Overall this was a fun action adventure story, but there was one thing that bothered me. At a couple of points the author talks about "The Crazy". It shows up every now and then in their family. It causes violence in various ways, often involving killing animals or even people. I'm not sure if that is necessary in a children's book. It wasn't a main part of the story, but I still didn't think it needed to be presented in the way it was. I did like that the author deals with the emotional issues surrounding the fear of losing things and hoarding due to trauma. Besides that one niggle, I enjoyed this story and recommend it to middle grade students who like stories with action, adventure and imagination.
I found this an interesting story. Daisy and her mom live a very strange life. Her mother hoards supplies and other items, to the point of filling up the rooms in the manor house with storage shelves. There were a couple of points in the story where Daisy describes crawling through the boxes and piles of stuff that had me cringing. The house was huge, so just imagine what was in that home. I really liked Daisy. She is fun and has quite the imagination. She holds conversations with the animals, including a rat named Tar, the artwork, statues and even the topiary (she is best friends with a horse named True, that is a bush). All of these "friends" help her to figure out what to do when this stranger shows up at Brightwood. This was a well written middle grades mystery/fantasy. There is some action as Daisy enacts her plans, and some humour as well. Overall this was a fun action adventure story, but there was one thing that bothered me. At a couple of points the author talks about "The Crazy". It shows up every now and then in their family. It causes violence in various ways, often involving killing animals or even people. I'm not sure if that is necessary in a children's book. It wasn't a main part of the story, but I still didn't think it needed to be presented in the way it was. I did like that the author deals with the emotional issues surrounding the fear of losing things and hoarding due to trauma. Besides that one niggle, I enjoyed this story and recommend it to middle grade students who like stories with action, adventure and imagination.
March 27, 2016
It’s rare in fiction you can say your favourite characters are a hedge and a rodent; but True, the topiary horse, is heartbreakingly brave and honest, and Tar, the black rat, has a delicious love of language almost as obsessive as his appreciation of filthy food. These are the kind of characters that populate this magical tale, just as they populate the secret, lonely world of Daisy Fitzjohn.
Daisy is an 11 year old, born and brought up in her mother’s grand old house; Brightwood Hall. But she has never left its grounds, or even met another human being besides her mum. Instead her friends are the pictures on the wall, the animals that live on the grounds, and imaginary friends that cajole and encourage her. Her unique and fragile existence is uprooted one day, when her mum fails to return from a shopping trip, and a strange man turns up at Brightwood Hall instead.
This beautiful, adventurous, existential tale is captivating from beginning to end, full of characters to feel for; from Daisy’s damaged mother, to the creatures of her imagination. I’m constantly looking for books to read to my 5-year-old, and I think she is still a little young for the emotional punch of this book - it had me sobbing by the end. But I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult, and I already look forward to sharing it with her, perhaps from 8 upwards.
Daisy is an 11 year old, born and brought up in her mother’s grand old house; Brightwood Hall. But she has never left its grounds, or even met another human being besides her mum. Instead her friends are the pictures on the wall, the animals that live on the grounds, and imaginary friends that cajole and encourage her. Her unique and fragile existence is uprooted one day, when her mum fails to return from a shopping trip, and a strange man turns up at Brightwood Hall instead.
This beautiful, adventurous, existential tale is captivating from beginning to end, full of characters to feel for; from Daisy’s damaged mother, to the creatures of her imagination. I’m constantly looking for books to read to my 5-year-old, and I think she is still a little young for the emotional punch of this book - it had me sobbing by the end. But I thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult, and I already look forward to sharing it with her, perhaps from 8 upwards.
October 17, 2017
Have you ever been a home body, a person who doesn't like to leave their home? What about if there was someone who NEVER left their home...until this moment. Little girl, Daisy Fitzjohn, has never left her house in her life. Nobody knows she exists. She eats, sleeps, learns, and plays all in the comfort of her home. Brightwood is a mansion that has been own by the Fitzjohn family for many generations, but now a man who was once part of that happy life will return...uninvited. Soon before the mysterious man arrived, her mother disappeared. Would Daisy need to leave her house and enter the world for the first time in search of help and her mother? I would recommend this book to other readers who loves mysteries and imagination.
November 24, 2015
This was an ARC copy of the story in exchange for a fair and honest review.
A book suitable for children aged 10 years + and although it is not meant for my age group it had the feel of childhood books I had read when I was that age. It relied on your imagination as well as the imagination and the will to survive of an 11 year old girl ( Daisy Fitzjohn)
Daisy is left alone in her home when her mother fails to return. Daisy is unlike other children, she has never left the grounds of her family home. Her mother, a reclusive artist has home schooled her and kept her safe behind the walls of their house. Daisy has made herself imaginary friends, a boy from a painting, a rat, a topiary horse among others.
Daisy has no way of finding what has happened to her mother and not long after her mother's disappearance, a strange man shows up at the house and then it is a battle of wills and invention on Daisy's part to stay alive and find out what has happened to her mother. Her imaginary friends help her and give her advice on how to best her scheming much older cousin whose only goal in life is to get his hands on their house.
A book suitable for children aged 10 years + and although it is not meant for my age group it had the feel of childhood books I had read when I was that age. It relied on your imagination as well as the imagination and the will to survive of an 11 year old girl ( Daisy Fitzjohn)
Daisy is left alone in her home when her mother fails to return. Daisy is unlike other children, she has never left the grounds of her family home. Her mother, a reclusive artist has home schooled her and kept her safe behind the walls of their house. Daisy has made herself imaginary friends, a boy from a painting, a rat, a topiary horse among others.
Daisy has no way of finding what has happened to her mother and not long after her mother's disappearance, a strange man shows up at the house and then it is a battle of wills and invention on Daisy's part to stay alive and find out what has happened to her mother. Her imaginary friends help her and give her advice on how to best her scheming much older cousin whose only goal in life is to get his hands on their house.
September 12, 2020
I'm surprised at how much I liked this! The writing is beautiful and complex for a kid's book, but it definitely reads for kids. I loved Daisy's character despite acting rather slow at times. (She's a smart kid but had to rely on Frank for a LOT of clues. It was quite frustrating.) She handled her situation quite well and I liked how it ended. I was actually shedding a tear, sad to leave this story.
Overall, a magically book for middle grade readers! Recommended for grades 4+ (mention of death, violence, mental illness, injury.)
Overall, a magically book for middle grade readers! Recommended for grades 4+ (mention of death, violence, mental illness, injury.)
July 26, 2018
Reminded me of Zilpha Keatley Snyder in all the best ways! I would have read and re-read this one as a child.
Spoilery thoughts on portrayal of mental illness in the book.
Spoilery thoughts on portrayal of mental illness in the book.
June 6, 2016
full review up here!
3.5 stars for this thrilling middle grade read! I would definitely recommend giving it a try when it comes out in september :) thanks to netgalley and algonquin young readers for allowing me to read this one!
3.5 stars for this thrilling middle grade read! I would definitely recommend giving it a try when it comes out in september :) thanks to netgalley and algonquin young readers for allowing me to read this one!
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October 11, 2020 This book was gifted to me by my dear friend Stepanie. In the letter, she enclosed the pages she described accurately, depicting how it feels to be a child. This fact is what makes its heroine Daisy so relatable, at least to a child who's mind worked the way mine did and-i suspect- Stephanie' as well.
Thirty years ago, Caroline Fitzjohn avoided her family's tragic fate when she got off the family yacht to fetch her dolls missing shoe. The yacht left without her. There is an explosion. Her brother and parents die. Six-year-old Caroline refuses to lose anything again.
Thirty years later her 11 year old daughter is one of the things she refuses to lose. The child lives with her in the family mansion. Having never seen the outside world, she makes friends with invisible spirits, the subjects of paintings created 100 years ago, topiary in the garden and a rat named Tar. Then one day, her mother disappears and a stranger arrives .
This book is well worth the read for the accurate depiction of an 11 year old girl who has invented a world of her own. The story is well written and has an aesthetic sense that makes it more enjoyable. There is little I would change. It is a sort of fairy-tale a child Daisy's might discover-but which a parent might deem to more mature. Often these are the best books of childhood. I'm glad I was gifted it as an adult
Thirty years ago, Caroline Fitzjohn avoided her family's tragic fate when she got off the family yacht to fetch her dolls missing shoe. The yacht left without her. There is an explosion. Her brother and parents die. Six-year-old Caroline refuses to lose anything again.
Thirty years later her 11 year old daughter is one of the things she refuses to lose. The child lives with her in the family mansion. Having never seen the outside world, she makes friends with invisible spirits, the subjects of paintings created 100 years ago, topiary in the garden and a rat named Tar. Then one day, her mother disappears and a stranger arrives .
This book is well worth the read for the accurate depiction of an 11 year old girl who has invented a world of her own. The story is well written and has an aesthetic sense that makes it more enjoyable. There is little I would change. It is a sort of fairy-tale a child Daisy's might discover-but which a parent might deem to more mature. Often these are the best books of childhood. I'm glad I was gifted it as an adult
January 7, 2019
O carte superba.Ma făcut sa plâng la sfârșit. Dar am simțit și o bucurie știind ca daisy......O recomand din toată inima.5☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
June 19, 2023
Could not put this book down. Fast fun read for any age group.
June 2, 2016
Brightwood is a well-written, suspenseful, and at times amusing story that pulled me right in and wouldn't let me go until it spit me back out!
Brightwood starts out under extremely traumatic circumstances, and then gets… even more depressing.
Caroline, severely traumatized by losing her family at such a young age (6 years old!), has transferred her depression on to her daughter’s life, by keeping Daisy away from all people. For eleven years! As horrific and terrible as that may seem, it gets worse.
While Caroline is clearly suffering from a high level obsessive compulsive disorder and severe abandonment issues, she seems to have been a loving, caring, and responsible mother to Daisy. Aside from the separation from all human life forms issue, Caroline and her daughter seem to have a strong loving relationship. Daisy, aside from her overabundant imagination and her ability to make animals, things, historical figures come to life (which is not necessarily a negative), seems not to have suffered too much under her mother’s neuroses.
But to watch Daisy suddenly be separated from her mother – the only person she has ever known and loved – is pure torture! You thought it was depressing before? It gets worse!
Daisy herself is an interesting character with a lively, overactive imagination. Her relationship with her imaginary friend, her rat, the pictures on the wall were fascinating to follow.
I had some problems with the ending. It seems unlikely that Daisy, whose only human contact (her entire life), her mother, has disappeared, and whose second human contact tries to kill her three times, would jump into a car with the first person who comes along and then would be all chatty with the police officer who questions her. Although I am only a hobby psychologist, I still assume that Daisy would have some trust and personal contact issues.
I would not label this book as a middle grade book. Although the main character is eleven years old, the content matter and the issues dealt with here are much too psychologically heavy for a typical middle grade reader. I would definitely push this to young adult or even adult level readers.
Even with all its majorly depressing topics, Brightwood sucked me right in. Despite a busy reading and working schedule, I just had to know more. I needed to know what would happen to Daisy, and I needed to know that she would be okay. I definitely had a stake in Daisy’s well-being. Any book that can bring me to feel so strongly (and to hurt so badly) deserves great praise.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Brightwood starts out under extremely traumatic circumstances, and then gets… even more depressing.
Caroline, severely traumatized by losing her family at such a young age (6 years old!), has transferred her depression on to her daughter’s life, by keeping Daisy away from all people. For eleven years! As horrific and terrible as that may seem, it gets worse.
While Caroline is clearly suffering from a high level obsessive compulsive disorder and severe abandonment issues, she seems to have been a loving, caring, and responsible mother to Daisy. Aside from the separation from all human life forms issue, Caroline and her daughter seem to have a strong loving relationship. Daisy, aside from her overabundant imagination and her ability to make animals, things, historical figures come to life (which is not necessarily a negative), seems not to have suffered too much under her mother’s neuroses.
But to watch Daisy suddenly be separated from her mother – the only person she has ever known and loved – is pure torture! You thought it was depressing before? It gets worse!
Daisy herself is an interesting character with a lively, overactive imagination. Her relationship with her imaginary friend, her rat, the pictures on the wall were fascinating to follow.
I had some problems with the ending. It seems unlikely that Daisy, whose only human contact (her entire life), her mother, has disappeared, and whose second human contact tries to kill her three times, would jump into a car with the first person who comes along and then would be all chatty with the police officer who questions her. Although I am only a hobby psychologist, I still assume that Daisy would have some trust and personal contact issues.
I would not label this book as a middle grade book. Although the main character is eleven years old, the content matter and the issues dealt with here are much too psychologically heavy for a typical middle grade reader. I would definitely push this to young adult or even adult level readers.
Even with all its majorly depressing topics, Brightwood sucked me right in. Despite a busy reading and working schedule, I just had to know more. I needed to know what would happen to Daisy, and I needed to know that she would be okay. I definitely had a stake in Daisy’s well-being. Any book that can bring me to feel so strongly (and to hurt so badly) deserves great praise.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2016
I received this book for free via Goodreads First Reads.
I found this to be a very interesting concept. An eleven year old girl who has never set foot outside of her own garden. The reason why is understandable if misguided without giving away the plot. She has had no interaction with anyone in that time except for her mother. This has caused her imagination to run wild and to give voices to trees, paintings and other things as well as her pet rat (which I love that she named it Tar as I used to name things backwards as a child).
Her mother has been there every day of her life until the start of this story. Then a distant relative comes into the garden and the plot thickens. That is as much plot as I feel I want to reveal.
I found Daisy to be a charming and strong character. Her imagination carries the book and proves that despite her strange upbringing she is more than capable of looking after herself. There are some genuinely touching moments as well as perilous ones.
I would recommend this book to any 9-13 year old and I think it could be read to younger children too. I would also think a lot of adults will get pleasure out of it. It is classed as Young Adult as it is a book for both the young and adults. 5 stars.
I found this to be a very interesting concept. An eleven year old girl who has never set foot outside of her own garden. The reason why is understandable if misguided without giving away the plot. She has had no interaction with anyone in that time except for her mother. This has caused her imagination to run wild and to give voices to trees, paintings and other things as well as her pet rat (which I love that she named it Tar as I used to name things backwards as a child).
Her mother has been there every day of her life until the start of this story. Then a distant relative comes into the garden and the plot thickens. That is as much plot as I feel I want to reveal.
I found Daisy to be a charming and strong character. Her imagination carries the book and proves that despite her strange upbringing she is more than capable of looking after herself. There are some genuinely touching moments as well as perilous ones.
I would recommend this book to any 9-13 year old and I think it could be read to younger children too. I would also think a lot of adults will get pleasure out of it. It is classed as Young Adult as it is a book for both the young and adults. 5 stars.
November 26, 2016
Daisy Fitzjohn and her mother have everything they need in the mansion that is their home. In fact, Daisy has never been outside the grounds, not even to accompany her mother on her weekly shopping trips. But one Monday morning Daisy wakes to hear her mother leaving in the car, which is puzzling. Wednesday is shopping day, so where could her mother possibly be going? When Daisy’s mother fails to return and when a long lost cousin arrives hoping to develop the property, Daisy will have to use her considerable wit, her intimate knowledge of the house and property, and the help of her friends (a rat, a topiary, a statue, and a ghostly explorer named Frank) to save herself and her home.
Brightwood is a fun and adventurous tale with an admirable, clever, and strong main character and a villain to be reviled. A fun, adventurous read suitable for home, classroom, and library collections.
I received an advance reader copy of Brightwood from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Brightwood is a fun and adventurous tale with an admirable, clever, and strong main character and a villain to be reviled. A fun, adventurous read suitable for home, classroom, and library collections.
I received an advance reader copy of Brightwood from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2016
Eleven year old Daisy has never left the grounds of her home, Brightwood mansion, where she lives with her mother. She has never even spoken to another person in her life. She has no idea what the outside world is like at all. Her mother is a hoarder, filling a box a day with things to help her remember and the house is so full that it has become a maze. One day, Daisy's mother goes out to the store, and does not return. Then, a man shows up at the house. He claims to be her cousin. He is not a nice man. Can Daisy survive? Will her imaginary friends help her? This is an intriguing mystery for middle grade children.
January 3, 2017
Almost all of Daisy Fitzjohn's family is killed with the sinking of the family yacht. Only her mother survives. Daisy has spent her entire life never leaving her family estate during her Brightwood. One day her mother leaves to go to town but she never returns leaving Daisy alone with ( with her pet rat and ghost friend Frank) A mysterious relative shows up who becomes increasingly threatening to her and she suspects fowl play regarding her mother's disappearance. The mid portion of the book drags a little but the ultimate conclusion should satisfy the young readers for which the book is intended.
June 9, 2016
A whimsical thriller? Not sure how to describe this book, filled with talking animals, a ghostly girl explorer, and a menacing cousin trying to claim Brightwood Hall as his own...
Brilliantly written. Highly recommended.
received as an ARC.
Brilliantly written. Highly recommended.
received as an ARC.
August 31, 2016
I loved the beginning of this book, the spooky magical feel of the house and the psychological trauma kept at bay with Daisy's imagination. Unfortunately, I wasn't prepared for the full-on descent into a deranged-killer horror story, that unfolded in the last 60 pages.
December 23, 2015
3.5 enjoyed this.
December 28, 2015
4.5 stars
November 29, 2016
Originally posted on You Have Your Hands Full
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Brightwood is a middle grade novel written by Tania Unsworth. This was originally published under the title The Secret Life of Daisy Fitzjohn, but the name was changed for the American edition.
Daisy Fitzjohn is a young girl living in a manor house in England. Her life is quite unconventional. To begin with, she has never left Brightwood Hall; this is a modern story, so never having left her house is unusual. Daisy has wondered about the outside world, but she is content to remain at home while her mother leaves the house for provisions. And if being isolated from the outside world was not enough, it is immediately clear that Daisy’s mother is a hoarder. Daisy is unfazed by the unconventional lifestyle; after all, she doesn’t know that anything is amiss. She is content to converse with her friends, like the rat named Tar and a topiary horse.
But one day, Daisy’s mother does not return from her errands. Instead, a stranger arrives and wants to know more about her family and the house. Daisy is wary, and doesn’t know if she should trust him. He refuses to leave, and Daisy knows that she is going to have to be braver than she ever has been. Luckily, she has Tar to help her, as well as a plucky ghost girl named Frank.
Brightwood is an amazing book. Unsworth does such a wonderful job of conjuring up a dilapidated manor house and a little girl who knows nothing of what lies beyond the gates of her home. I am reluctant to compare Brightwood to other books with children who have never been exposed to the outside world because those books usually involve abusive situations. Daisy’s mother is not abusive; the prologue provides us with the reason for Daisy’s mother’s obsession with order and rituals, and it is so bittersweet to see the physical manifestation of her family’s trauma. It is actually quite amazing to see how well adjusted Daisy is, given the circumstances.
I would absolutely recommend Brightwood. This is an eerie thriller, perfectly suited for middle grade readers. Daisy is such an interesting narrator, and I loved watching her interact with the various “personalities” on the estate. Even though she is surrounded by a familiar environment, she finds herself out of her element for the first time in her life. She needs to be clever and brave and to use instincts that she never has had any reason to use. Watching her process her thoughts and emotions when faced with this stranger was fascinating. My nine-year-old daughter is currently reading Brightwood, and she loves it; so far, Tar the rat is her favorite. I can’t wait to discuss it with her, and we are both looking forward to reading more from Tania Unsworth!
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Brightwood is a middle grade novel written by Tania Unsworth. This was originally published under the title The Secret Life of Daisy Fitzjohn, but the name was changed for the American edition.
Daisy Fitzjohn is a young girl living in a manor house in England. Her life is quite unconventional. To begin with, she has never left Brightwood Hall; this is a modern story, so never having left her house is unusual. Daisy has wondered about the outside world, but she is content to remain at home while her mother leaves the house for provisions. And if being isolated from the outside world was not enough, it is immediately clear that Daisy’s mother is a hoarder. Daisy is unfazed by the unconventional lifestyle; after all, she doesn’t know that anything is amiss. She is content to converse with her friends, like the rat named Tar and a topiary horse.
But one day, Daisy’s mother does not return from her errands. Instead, a stranger arrives and wants to know more about her family and the house. Daisy is wary, and doesn’t know if she should trust him. He refuses to leave, and Daisy knows that she is going to have to be braver than she ever has been. Luckily, she has Tar to help her, as well as a plucky ghost girl named Frank.
Brightwood is an amazing book. Unsworth does such a wonderful job of conjuring up a dilapidated manor house and a little girl who knows nothing of what lies beyond the gates of her home. I am reluctant to compare Brightwood to other books with children who have never been exposed to the outside world because those books usually involve abusive situations. Daisy’s mother is not abusive; the prologue provides us with the reason for Daisy’s mother’s obsession with order and rituals, and it is so bittersweet to see the physical manifestation of her family’s trauma. It is actually quite amazing to see how well adjusted Daisy is, given the circumstances.
I would absolutely recommend Brightwood. This is an eerie thriller, perfectly suited for middle grade readers. Daisy is such an interesting narrator, and I loved watching her interact with the various “personalities” on the estate. Even though she is surrounded by a familiar environment, she finds herself out of her element for the first time in her life. She needs to be clever and brave and to use instincts that she never has had any reason to use. Watching her process her thoughts and emotions when faced with this stranger was fascinating. My nine-year-old daughter is currently reading Brightwood, and she loves it; so far, Tar the rat is her favorite. I can’t wait to discuss it with her, and we are both looking forward to reading more from Tania Unsworth!
May 15, 2017
I'm not sure quite what I expected this book to be, but I found it a rather surprising sort of read. For one thing, there are only two human characters for most of the story, and secondly, the house, Brightwood Hall, is such an integral part of the story that it almost feels like a character itself. Daisy's mother, Caroline Fitzjohn is the first person we meet in the story, just as she and her family set off on their yacht. But Caroline leaves to ship to go looking for her doll's lost shoe and thus is the only family member to survive a terrible accident. Unfortunately, the trauma of losing her whole family leads Caroline to start hoarding things in what she calls "day boxes". Each day box contains miscellaneous items that represent the events of the day. The problem is that over the years, Caroline accumulates thousands of these boxes and ends up having major shelving installed throughout the mansion.
Daisy, of course, grows up surrounded by her mother's boxes and her hoarding of food and other supplies, so none of it strikes her as unusual, not at first anyway. But Daisy has never left Brightwood Hall, so the outside world is unknown to her except for what she has read about in her studies with her mother. When her mother leaves to go to town one day and doesn't return, Daisy is left to care for herself and wonder what happened to her. But her rather unusual friends, a rat named Tar, and a ghostly, imaginary explorer girl named Frank, help her cope. But when a stranger shows up who seems to know the place, but who is surprised to see her, Daisy's feelings of unease grow. Daisy's suspicions grow bigger as it becomes evident that this man has a rather uncomfortable connection to her mother. When Daisy is forced to confront the man her life really, truly becomes endangered.
This is definitely one of the most unusual thriller/mysteries that I've read for the middle grade crowd. Maybe because the only real help Daisy has is an imaginary/ghost girl who comes and goes at awkward moments. Daisy really is pretty much on her own. And since she has no real experience with anyone other than her mother, it creates a lot of tension when the stranger shows up and she doesn't know how to handle it. But Daisy is a character that it is very easy to root for and she has loads of courage and good sense. But it's going to take all she has to save her home, herself, and find out what happened to her mother.
January 17, 2018
This took me awhile to read, it wasn’t hard to read or boring. I have this bad habit of starting books but not finishing them.
Anyway, the story is engaging with the mystery of what happened in the past to how it connects to the present. Daisy is an 11 year old who makes friends with random objects, her mouse Tar and ghosts of long past adventures. Her harrowing ordeal of wondering what happened to her mum and some distant relative who shows up when her mum disappears. It’s alarming for sure, she has to figure out what to do with what Gritting, her mum’s cousin wants with her and Brightwood Hall. He’s honestly a bit of a psychopath and sounds like a serial killer. He likes “accidents” and got inspired from a horrible one that ended the lives of most of his family. He’s also the reason why Daisy’s mum is missing, oh and he tries to kill Daisy too because he wants the estate and everything that Daisy and her mum have because he wasn’t left anything when his wealthy relatives died and left him out of the will. He’s crazy! Poor Daisy has to get rid of him and survive and she’s essentially by herself in this crazy big house, with only her pet mouse Tar, a ghost or imaginary friend named Frank, souls of portraits, topiaries that talk and random woodland creatures she calls friends to help her get rid of the crazy guy she only just met that says that he’s there to take care of her and that they’re related somehow. That’s highly suspicious and I’m glad she had enough sense to be skeptical of his nature and what he was actually doing there.
This story is like a mystery filled with murder, secrets, adventure, survival, a bond of love between a mother and daughter and has bits of fantasy strewn through it. It’s interesting and well worth the read. I’m so happy she gets reunited with her mum in the end and that guy died. He deserved his death. I do wish there was more of a back story to tie it up at the end a bit better. Like what the police discovered in the aftermath of Daisy reuniting with her mum, it felt like it got swept over with the happy ending. It’s not bad really, I just wish there was more to it. Overall, this gets 5 stars from me because it’s honestly a good story. The author really knows how to write a sinister character hidden behind an innocent demeanor even though that demeanor was suspicious from the start. But he could’ve just been a random guy helping out a little girl.
Anyway, the story is engaging with the mystery of what happened in the past to how it connects to the present. Daisy is an 11 year old who makes friends with random objects, her mouse Tar and ghosts of long past adventures. Her harrowing ordeal of wondering what happened to her mum and some distant relative who shows up when her mum disappears. It’s alarming for sure, she has to figure out what to do with what Gritting, her mum’s cousin wants with her and Brightwood Hall. He’s honestly a bit of a psychopath and sounds like a serial killer. He likes “accidents” and got inspired from a horrible one that ended the lives of most of his family. He’s also the reason why Daisy’s mum is missing, oh and he tries to kill Daisy too because he wants the estate and everything that Daisy and her mum have because he wasn’t left anything when his wealthy relatives died and left him out of the will. He’s crazy! Poor Daisy has to get rid of him and survive and she’s essentially by herself in this crazy big house, with only her pet mouse Tar, a ghost or imaginary friend named Frank, souls of portraits, topiaries that talk and random woodland creatures she calls friends to help her get rid of the crazy guy she only just met that says that he’s there to take care of her and that they’re related somehow. That’s highly suspicious and I’m glad she had enough sense to be skeptical of his nature and what he was actually doing there.
This story is like a mystery filled with murder, secrets, adventure, survival, a bond of love between a mother and daughter and has bits of fantasy strewn through it. It’s interesting and well worth the read. I’m so happy she gets reunited with her mum in the end and that guy died. He deserved his death. I do wish there was more of a back story to tie it up at the end a bit better. Like what the police discovered in the aftermath of Daisy reuniting with her mum, it felt like it got swept over with the happy ending. It’s not bad really, I just wish there was more to it. Overall, this gets 5 stars from me because it’s honestly a good story. The author really knows how to write a sinister character hidden behind an innocent demeanor even though that demeanor was suspicious from the start. But he could’ve just been a random guy helping out a little girl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2021
Daisy Fitzjohn is eleven years old. She lives at Brightwood Hall with her mother who is an overprotective hoarder of epic proportions. It all began when her mother was six years old and lost her family in a boating accident that she, too, was supposed to be a part of. She swore that she would never lose anything important again so she hoards. Food, random bits and bobs from each day, and Daisy herself. Daisy was born at the family home, Brightwood, and has never left.
Daisy spends her days reading, climbing over thousands of boxes, doing her homework (homeschooled, of course), and talking to her friends -- a rat named Tar, a topiary horse named True, and various portraits and statues around the estate. They have no telephone and no television. Her only contact with the outside world comes from the rubbish that gets thrown over their gate and whatever her mother brings home from the bulk-buy store.
Aside from the prologue which was the boat trip thirty years ago, and the epilogue that takes place eight months after the bulk of the book, the entire story encompasses a week in Daisy's life. And what a week it was!
Daisy's mother goes to the store on Monday instead of her usual Wednesday ... and doesn't return. Without a telephone, Daisy has no way to call for help. Without any knowledge of the world outside of Brightwood, she wouldn't even begin to know where to go for help. So, she stays home and waits.
On Tuesday a strange man arrives at Brightwood and she follows him as he examines the house and grounds. It turns out that the man is her mother's cousin and before long he has Daisy questioning everything that she had ever known -- and not known.
"Be still. Listen. Deep inside you, deeper than your heart, something lies hidden. Nothing can touch it, not the gardener's shears, not rain or storm, not even the boxwood blight. Can you feel it?"
Before long it becomes clear that her mother might not be returning right away, if ever, and that her cousin wants Brightwood for himself. It's up to Daisy and her friends -- maybe imaginary, maybe not -- to make sure that doesn't happen.
It's a middle-grade book so "written for" someone at least three decades younger than I am but that didn't keep me from falling in love with Daisy and it certainly didn't keep the pages from turning until I found out what happened next. A good book is a good book, regardless of the age of the target audience.
This is a good book.
Daisy spends her days reading, climbing over thousands of boxes, doing her homework (homeschooled, of course), and talking to her friends -- a rat named Tar, a topiary horse named True, and various portraits and statues around the estate. They have no telephone and no television. Her only contact with the outside world comes from the rubbish that gets thrown over their gate and whatever her mother brings home from the bulk-buy store.
Aside from the prologue which was the boat trip thirty years ago, and the epilogue that takes place eight months after the bulk of the book, the entire story encompasses a week in Daisy's life. And what a week it was!
Daisy's mother goes to the store on Monday instead of her usual Wednesday ... and doesn't return. Without a telephone, Daisy has no way to call for help. Without any knowledge of the world outside of Brightwood, she wouldn't even begin to know where to go for help. So, she stays home and waits.
On Tuesday a strange man arrives at Brightwood and she follows him as he examines the house and grounds. It turns out that the man is her mother's cousin and before long he has Daisy questioning everything that she had ever known -- and not known.
"Be still. Listen. Deep inside you, deeper than your heart, something lies hidden. Nothing can touch it, not the gardener's shears, not rain or storm, not even the boxwood blight. Can you feel it?"
Before long it becomes clear that her mother might not be returning right away, if ever, and that her cousin wants Brightwood for himself. It's up to Daisy and her friends -- maybe imaginary, maybe not -- to make sure that doesn't happen.
It's a middle-grade book so "written for" someone at least three decades younger than I am but that didn't keep me from falling in love with Daisy and it certainly didn't keep the pages from turning until I found out what happened next. A good book is a good book, regardless of the age of the target audience.
This is a good book.
May 20, 2022
Plot
Daisy has never seen outside the grounds of her family estate. In fact, other than her mom, she's never seen any other people. So when her mom goes out to get more provisions and never comes back, Daisy is left stranded with no phone and no one but the paintings and animals to talk to. The old house is large, filled with many rooms, stocked with more food and supplies than they could ever use, and a ballroom full of boxes. Thousands and thousands of boxes. Daisy's mother has been saving items every single day since she was orphaned as a young child. When a mysterious man from her mom's past arrives, Daisy is uneasy about letting him into the house. Who is he? Why is he cutting down plants on the property? Why did he bring supplies with him? He didn't know that Daisy existed, but then again no one does... So what's a kid to do?
Review
I love a good gothic mystery, and this one was okay. Brightwood is Home Alone inside a decrepit old hoarder's mansion. The main character is worried about getting the "crazy," which seems to be her mother's family's long line of mental illness with psychopathic tendencies mixed in. The genre is hard to pinpoint because really it's suspenseful realistic fiction, but the MC has a big imagination due to never having interacted with any other humans aside from her mother. Which might make it seem like a fantasy, but Daisy knows deep down that she is just entertaining herself.
The audiobook narrator did a lovely job, and I looked up some of her other narrations, and we've got a series that she's done so I added it to my nightmare TBR list [at the rate I consume audiobooks, if I stopped adding books to my list today it would take me 14 years to finish reading everything].
Daisy has never seen outside the grounds of her family estate. In fact, other than her mom, she's never seen any other people. So when her mom goes out to get more provisions and never comes back, Daisy is left stranded with no phone and no one but the paintings and animals to talk to. The old house is large, filled with many rooms, stocked with more food and supplies than they could ever use, and a ballroom full of boxes. Thousands and thousands of boxes. Daisy's mother has been saving items every single day since she was orphaned as a young child. When a mysterious man from her mom's past arrives, Daisy is uneasy about letting him into the house. Who is he? Why is he cutting down plants on the property? Why did he bring supplies with him? He didn't know that Daisy existed, but then again no one does... So what's a kid to do?
Review
I love a good gothic mystery, and this one was okay. Brightwood is Home Alone inside a decrepit old hoarder's mansion. The main character is worried about getting the "crazy," which seems to be her mother's family's long line of mental illness with psychopathic tendencies mixed in. The genre is hard to pinpoint because really it's suspenseful realistic fiction, but the MC has a big imagination due to never having interacted with any other humans aside from her mother. Which might make it seem like a fantasy, but Daisy knows deep down that she is just entertaining herself.
The audiobook narrator did a lovely job, and I looked up some of her other narrations, and we've got a series that she's done so I added it to my nightmare TBR list [at the rate I consume audiobooks, if I stopped adding books to my list today it would take me 14 years to finish reading everything].
August 24, 2024
Spontaneous read for the beautiful cover, as well as for the premise sounding so much like how Enola Holmes starts (at least in the movie version), but better because this character stays on her estate.
I definitely understand the comparisons made to other books -- it's heavy on the quasi-fantasy vibes with the way she holds conversations with people in portraits, an imaginary friend who appears to have stepped out of a black and white photograph, topiary, the lion statues, and a semi-tame rat. That aspect isn't my favorite, though I think a lot of kids will love it. But for me, every description of the historic manor, its contents, and the grounds? Outstanding.
I also loved every memory Daisy had of her mother, who is ultra sympathetic to me with her desperation to hold on to memories and keep her daughter safe (the opening chapter, a flashback to when she lost her family in a boating accident after being accidentally left behind, is one of the strongest aspects of the book). I got so stressed about what could have happened to her by the halfway point that I had to look up spoilers, to either ease my tension or prepare myself. I was that invested! I would honestly really love an adult variation on this book that is HER story.
It goes without saying that Gritting is THE WORST, and thankfully he gets what's coming to him. :) The ending wraps up too fast and glosses over a lot, but I guess I can't ask for much more in a kids' book.
Final notes: the audiobook (read in a lovely English accent by Anne Marie Gideon) made for an absolutely perfect bedtime story.
I definitely understand the comparisons made to other books -- it's heavy on the quasi-fantasy vibes with the way she holds conversations with people in portraits, an imaginary friend who appears to have stepped out of a black and white photograph, topiary, the lion statues, and a semi-tame rat. That aspect isn't my favorite, though I think a lot of kids will love it. But for me, every description of the historic manor, its contents, and the grounds? Outstanding.
I also loved every memory Daisy had of her mother, who is ultra sympathetic to me with her desperation to hold on to memories and keep her daughter safe (the opening chapter, a flashback to when she lost her family in a boating accident after being accidentally left behind, is one of the strongest aspects of the book). I got so stressed about what could have happened to her by the halfway point that I had to look up spoilers, to either ease my tension or prepare myself. I was that invested! I would honestly really love an adult variation on this book that is HER story.
It goes without saying that Gritting is THE WORST, and thankfully he gets what's coming to him. :) The ending wraps up too fast and glosses over a lot, but I guess I can't ask for much more in a kids' book.
Final notes: the audiobook (read in a lovely English accent by Anne Marie Gideon) made for an absolutely perfect bedtime story.
August 25, 2022
I was extremely disappointed in this book. Having main characters interact with characters that are vaguely magical (are they a ghost? A painting? Is Daisy imagining it all?) is fine because soft magic in a book doesn't have to be completely explained for me to enjoy it. However, these aspects having virtually no payoff and no significance comes off feeling as though the author was like "it would be cool if..." just to have it in the book.
The absolute snail's paced plot does not truly start kicking off until the stranger arrives and once he does, it felt very obvious his overall intentions, though that was also "shrouded in mystery" and dragged on for much longer than necessary until Daisy comes to her own conclusions about his identity and purpose for being at the mansion.
I felt as though there was a lot of build up in both the small world building of the home and the characterization of the Fitzjohn family just to have it ultimately fall flat and not hold a ton of significance other than "now Caroline is a hoarder and sometimes members of the family have 'the crazy'" which felt contrived.
What saved this book from being a 1 star rating was simply character confrontations towards the end of the book, Daisy's ability to actually think well on her feet and not just mull about over her mother's disappearance, and Tar. I really liked Tar even though he wasn't in the book for very long all things considered.
The absolute snail's paced plot does not truly start kicking off until the stranger arrives and once he does, it felt very obvious his overall intentions, though that was also "shrouded in mystery" and dragged on for much longer than necessary until Daisy comes to her own conclusions about his identity and purpose for being at the mansion.
I felt as though there was a lot of build up in both the small world building of the home and the characterization of the Fitzjohn family just to have it ultimately fall flat and not hold a ton of significance other than "now Caroline is a hoarder and sometimes members of the family have 'the crazy'" which felt contrived.
What saved this book from being a 1 star rating was simply character confrontations towards the end of the book, Daisy's ability to actually think well on her feet and not just mull about over her mother's disappearance, and Tar. I really liked Tar even though he wasn't in the book for very long all things considered.
March 6, 2017
Engrossing and charmingly original. Beautifully written.
Daisy has never left Brightwood, living there with her reclusive artist mom, who makes a box of every day so she doesn't lose the memory, after losing her whole living (even though rich) family as a child when their yacht exploded.
Then one day her mom leaves, off her usual shop schedule, and a man appears. Who is he and what does he want?
Ominous. Great. "No one knows you exist."
Daisy not entirely alone: she has her pet rat, Tar, who grades food, water and dirt with relish. She has a lovely horse topiary friend, True, which leads to one of the saddest parts. (And a great discussion of how you know you're real and keeping your "shape") A boy in a portrait. And a black and white girl--great character " may I be honest?"--( Polly) Frank, who took the pictures and saved the life of Clarence, the (clueless) family explorer/adventurer.
And she has her courage.
Plot issue: what did she think would happen in the temple trap? Kill him? Would she have done that on purpose? If not, he's trapped in the house.
Problem: the Crazy. A streak of madness, sociopath, no empathy or extreme sense of entitlement. Ordering troops to their death. Causing "accidents" to get people out of the way. Runs in their family; skips generations (HAS it skipped her mom or not?). Bad portrayal of mental illness.
But people are planning to make sure Daisy and her mom have a less reclusive life going forward.Cf "Room"? Her mum was considering letting her come to the shops.
Daisy has never left Brightwood, living there with her reclusive artist mom, who makes a box of every day so she doesn't lose the memory, after losing her whole living (even though rich) family as a child when their yacht exploded.
Then one day her mom leaves, off her usual shop schedule, and a man appears. Who is he and what does he want?
Ominous. Great. "No one knows you exist."
Daisy not entirely alone: she has her pet rat, Tar, who grades food, water and dirt with relish. She has a lovely horse topiary friend, True, which leads to one of the saddest parts. (And a great discussion of how you know you're real and keeping your "shape") A boy in a portrait. And a black and white girl--great character " may I be honest?"--( Polly) Frank, who took the pictures and saved the life of Clarence, the (clueless) family explorer/adventurer.
And she has her courage.
Plot issue: what did she think would happen in the temple trap? Kill him? Would she have done that on purpose? If not, he's trapped in the house.
Problem: the Crazy. A streak of madness, sociopath, no empathy or extreme sense of entitlement. Ordering troops to their death. Causing "accidents" to get people out of the way. Runs in their family; skips generations (HAS it skipped her mom or not?). Bad portrayal of mental illness.
But people are planning to make sure Daisy and her mom have a less reclusive life going forward.Cf "Room"? Her mum was considering letting her come to the shops.
September 7, 2017
I really liked this book! Tania Unsworth, whom I met, uses such descriptive language that the words jump out of the pages and form into images in my mind the second I read them. Unsworth developed the few characters that were there very well. She also never at least hinted whether Frank the ghost was real or if Tar the rat could talk, or if Frank's existence and Tar and Little Charles' ability to talk were just figments of Daisy, the main character's imagination. There were only two things I didn't like about this book. I didn't really like that in the Epilogue (9 months later), Daisy's mom seemed to completely recover from the paranoia and fear of losing things she had been suffering from since her parents and brother had died when she was six. I just found it unrealistic that she just got better in nine months, all of a sudden. The other thing I didn't like about this book was that in the Epilogue, there was no mention of Daisy's mom suffering consequences of any kind. In real life, if you keep your kid at home and don't let them go to school without letting the nearby authorities know like her mom did to Daisy, you could have your child taken away from you. Despite the the flaws, I think that Brightwood was a very enjoyable read and recommend it if you like books where fantasy and reality collide.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2016
Daisy Fitzjohn has never been off her property, where she lives with her mother. Every day her mother makes a "day box," a box that she fills with items that remind her of what happened that day. Her mother goes to town for supplies, but spends most of her time at the house due to a traumatic event that happened when she was six years old. Daisy is not lonely though; she has (possibly imaginary) friends to keep her company.
Her mother goes into town on a different day than normal and does not come back. However, a stranger shows up. It turns out to be a cousin who wants the Brightwood property for himself. Here the book took on a Home Alone vibe, as Daisy fought against the cousin using tricks and luck.
This book is aimed at middle school aged children, but I as an adult enjoyed it and plan on sharing it with my own children (17 and 11 years old). The action moves quickly and will keep the reader interested. There is enough description of the world this book is set in to allow the mind to easily imagine the look of the Brightwood house and grounds. If it were turned into a movie, it could be a very good one.
I received this book through the Goodreads Giveaways program. Thank you to the author.
Her mother goes into town on a different day than normal and does not come back. However, a stranger shows up. It turns out to be a cousin who wants the Brightwood property for himself. Here the book took on a Home Alone vibe, as Daisy fought against the cousin using tricks and luck.
This book is aimed at middle school aged children, but I as an adult enjoyed it and plan on sharing it with my own children (17 and 11 years old). The action moves quickly and will keep the reader interested. There is enough description of the world this book is set in to allow the mind to easily imagine the look of the Brightwood house and grounds. If it were turned into a movie, it could be a very good one.
I received this book through the Goodreads Giveaways program. Thank you to the author.
June 12, 2017
In Brightwood, Tania Unsworth spins a bone-chilling mystery novel about a Daisy Fitzjohn. Daisy Fitzjohn has never stepped outside of the safety of her home called Brightwood, staying only with her mom. When Daisy's mother does not return from a shopping trip, Daisy is left alone and a stranger begins to creep around the mansion.
What made this novel stand out the most was its main characters. As someone who has minimal contact with people other than her mom, Daisy has created many imaginary friends that guide her. Daisy is a clever and strong character for a 10-year-old, never frustrating me as many young characters do. On the other hand, Daisy’s mom—Caroline—is extremely scared of losing things after a terrible accident during her childhood. I felt as if each of the characters had a quirk that could be explained through other events in the book. The quirks made sense, they were not unrealistic stretches of fiction.
I would recommend Brightwood to adventurous children in the 3rd-6th grades. The writing is not too complex or elaborate, but it is descriptive enough to paint a vivid story. As a 15-year-old, the book was an easy read for me, but it was not boring; it kept me thrilled from start to finish.
Amanda T., age 15, Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa
What made this novel stand out the most was its main characters. As someone who has minimal contact with people other than her mom, Daisy has created many imaginary friends that guide her. Daisy is a clever and strong character for a 10-year-old, never frustrating me as many young characters do. On the other hand, Daisy’s mom—Caroline—is extremely scared of losing things after a terrible accident during her childhood. I felt as if each of the characters had a quirk that could be explained through other events in the book. The quirks made sense, they were not unrealistic stretches of fiction.
I would recommend Brightwood to adventurous children in the 3rd-6th grades. The writing is not too complex or elaborate, but it is descriptive enough to paint a vivid story. As a 15-year-old, the book was an easy read for me, but it was not boring; it kept me thrilled from start to finish.
Amanda T., age 15, Greater Los Angeles Area Mensa
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