What do you think?
Rate this book
The Ghosts of Magnificent Children
The year is 1848. It is a time when magic and ghosts exist.
Four Magnificent Children are captured by Badblood’s Circus.
Theo can look into your eyes and reveal your secret thoughts, which come out of his mouth like a swarm of bees.
Ginny has a bird called Blue living inside her. Her ribs are woven together to form a birdcage. Blue perches on a swing made from one of her ribs.
And the Thought-reading Twins, Archie and Millie Luxbridge, have an extraordinary ability to read each other’s minds.
They become stars of the circus but are unaware that Badblood has a dark and secret plan.
One hundred years later the children’s ghosts appear on an island off the coast of Ireland where a boy called Rua befriends them. Rua discovers that a terrible fate awaits them and, in a desperate race against time, he struggles to learn how they may be saved.
Four Magnificent Children are captured by Badblood’s Circus.
Theo can look into your eyes and reveal your secret thoughts, which come out of his mouth like a swarm of bees.
Ginny has a bird called Blue living inside her. Her ribs are woven together to form a birdcage. Blue perches on a swing made from one of her ribs.
And the Thought-reading Twins, Archie and Millie Luxbridge, have an extraordinary ability to read each other’s minds.
They become stars of the circus but are unaware that Badblood has a dark and secret plan.
One hundred years later the children’s ghosts appear on an island off the coast of Ireland where a boy called Rua befriends them. Rua discovers that a terrible fate awaits them and, in a desperate race against time, he struggles to learn how they may be saved.
- GenresFantasy
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 30, 2016
1 person is currently reading
48 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Read
October 16, 2016Reviewed by Mia Madden, age 13.
This is an incredulous debut novel about four unique children. It's 1848 and twelve-year-old twins Archie and Millie live luxuriously. One night a circus comes and the twins go to it without permission. They get captured because of their abilities; they can read each others thoughts and Millie can turn into a fox and stick on to walls. In the same year, fourteen-year-old Theo and thirteen- year-old Ginny wander the streets with a nefarious pick-pocketing gang. Ginny gets briefly adopted after attempting to rob a finely dressed woman, but gets handed over to the circus. Theo gets caught as well and is also turned in. The circus wants these two because Ginny has a bird living inside of her and Theo can see your worst secret and how you die.
These four kids band together and stay alive and become known as The Magnificent Children. But while touring Ireland, strange things happen that will mess with their minds forever. 100 years later, the children wake again to discover that they are dead. They meet an islander named Rua who wants to help them with their troubles. The children don't exactly trust Rua, as his father wants to destroy the children once and for all. Will Rua save the children or die at his ruthless father's hands?
I find this book was sort of like Ransom Rigg's Ms. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and I like it. After all, no book can be 100% unique. But, The Ghosts of Magnificent Children was better in my opinion as it was unpredictable, funny, mysterious and tragic at the same time. An absolutely super debut by Busher and I long for a follow-up title. Hopefully the author will write plenty of books to keep us entertained.
I recommend this for ages 9+.
This is an incredulous debut novel about four unique children. It's 1848 and twelve-year-old twins Archie and Millie live luxuriously. One night a circus comes and the twins go to it without permission. They get captured because of their abilities; they can read each others thoughts and Millie can turn into a fox and stick on to walls. In the same year, fourteen-year-old Theo and thirteen- year-old Ginny wander the streets with a nefarious pick-pocketing gang. Ginny gets briefly adopted after attempting to rob a finely dressed woman, but gets handed over to the circus. Theo gets caught as well and is also turned in. The circus wants these two because Ginny has a bird living inside of her and Theo can see your worst secret and how you die.
These four kids band together and stay alive and become known as The Magnificent Children. But while touring Ireland, strange things happen that will mess with their minds forever. 100 years later, the children wake again to discover that they are dead. They meet an islander named Rua who wants to help them with their troubles. The children don't exactly trust Rua, as his father wants to destroy the children once and for all. Will Rua save the children or die at his ruthless father's hands?
I find this book was sort of like Ransom Rigg's Ms. Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and I like it. After all, no book can be 100% unique. But, The Ghosts of Magnificent Children was better in my opinion as it was unpredictable, funny, mysterious and tragic at the same time. An absolutely super debut by Busher and I long for a follow-up title. Hopefully the author will write plenty of books to keep us entertained.
I recommend this for ages 9+.
July 20, 2018
A completely captivating tale, The Ghosts of Magnificent Children also offers a thought-provoking character study of time, place and motivation. The characters are compelling and realistically drawn with wholly original and genuine voices. There is an eerie, yet beautiful quality to the writing, that begs the reader to both put the book down and read on at the same time. Think of books like Miss Peregrines' Home for Peculiar Children or Neil Gaimans' The Graveyard Book and Stardust. It is filled with texture and nuance that consumes the reader and takes them completely into the story. Vivid, lyrical and completely ingenious, this is a book that will haunt your dreams for a long time to come. A truly magnificent debut!
August 22, 2024
I hadn't heard of this author before I bought the book as I often do due to the cover capturing my attention .2 lots of totally different children twins from a rich family and 2 from the streets end up together on an amazing journey I have now ordered the authors other books
July 10, 2021
PLS I LOVE THIS BOOK SO FUCKING MUCH ITS ONE OF MY COPMFORT READS 100%. i frist red it in year 7 and now im in year 10 and its still so good. IT HAS GHOSTS GHOSTS ARE COOL. IT HAS A CIRCUS CIRCUSSES ARE SO COOL (except irl cause we dont support animal abuse). ive read this so many times and honestly its so underrated and suitable fOR just about any age
October 31, 2016
A beautifully atmospheric cover suggesting mystique, magic and sorcery I thought, with its old caravan, dim lighting, man doing a circus trick and a girl in a lacy dress. I love the raised lettering too.
A book for 10-14 year olds, as I read it, I was wondering if I would have found it very scary at the age of 10 and I think I would, there's certainly much to threaten the safety of these four children with special powers. I know there's lots to terrify in books like Harry Potter and Miss Peregrine too but the "good" in those books seemed stronger against the "evil". There are lots of cliffhangers and as soon as you finish one chapter, your fingers will be turning the page to see what happens next.
As a Harry Potter fan, I was surprised to see a main character named Ginny Potter as it immediately made me think of Harry and his marriage to Ginny Weasley.
A book for 10-14 year olds, as I read it, I was wondering if I would have found it very scary at the age of 10 and I think I would, there's certainly much to threaten the safety of these four children with special powers. I know there's lots to terrify in books like Harry Potter and Miss Peregrine too but the "good" in those books seemed stronger against the "evil". There are lots of cliffhangers and as soon as you finish one chapter, your fingers will be turning the page to see what happens next.
As a Harry Potter fan, I was surprised to see a main character named Ginny Potter as it immediately made me think of Harry and his marriage to Ginny Weasley.
October 5, 2016
A dark and atmospheric fairy tale with a Grimm setting and a cast straight out of a Tim Burton movie. I particularly loved Ginny and her special ability. Original magic realism for kids. An impressive debut!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews