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Greenglass House #3
Bluecrowne
Return to the world of the bestselling Greenglass House, where smugglers, magic, and pyrotechnics mix, in a new adventure from a New York Times best-selling, National Book Award-nominated, and Edgar Award-winning author.
262 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2014
216 people are currently reading
4499 people want to read
About the author
Kate Milford
16 books1,145 followersKate is the author of THE THIEF KNOT, GREENGLASS HOUSE, GHOSTS OF GREENGLASS HOUSE, BLUECROWNE, THE LEFT-HANDED FATE, THE BONESHAKER, THE BROKEN LANDS, THE KAIROS MECHANISM, and the forthcoming THE RACONTEUR'S COMMONPLACE BOOK (February 2021).
Originally from Annapolis, MD, Kate now lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband Nathan and son Griffin and their dogs, Ed and Sprocket. She has written for stage and screen and is a frequent travel columnist for the Nagspeake Board of Tourism and Culture (www.nagspeake.com).
Originally from Annapolis, MD, Kate now lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband Nathan and son Griffin and their dogs, Ed and Sprocket. She has written for stage and screen and is a frequent travel columnist for the Nagspeake Board of Tourism and Culture (www.nagspeake.com).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 275 reviews
May 31, 2020
There is something about this fantasy/historical mix, particular to Kate Milford, that does not work for me. Maybe it’s too deliberate? Maybe it mixes genres in a way that feels poorly communicative? I don’t know what it is, but I’m left with the familiar feeling that pieces here do work, but the book as a whole doesn’t.
Interestingly, I think the pieces that work best are the dark ones - or, to be more precise, the ones that hint at real darkness. I’m not sure it ever really gets there. I’m not sure any of the family stuff works for me, and it’s all upended quickly, anyway, for some weakly grounded myth.
I read the author’s note at the end where she mentions that all her books are set in the same world, and then I read those book titles, realized I had read most of them, and remembered almost nothing about them. I think that’s telling.
Interestingly, I think the pieces that work best are the dark ones - or, to be more precise, the ones that hint at real darkness. I’m not sure it ever really gets there. I’m not sure any of the family stuff works for me, and it’s all upended quickly, anyway, for some weakly grounded myth.
I read the author’s note at the end where she mentions that all her books are set in the same world, and then I read those book titles, realized I had read most of them, and remembered almost nothing about them. I think that’s telling.
December 14, 2018
The year is 1810, and Lucy Bluecrowne, dismayed at the prospect of being exiled from her long-time home aboard her father's ship, the Left-Handed Fate, does her best to accept these new "orders," and to reconcile herself to her new life on land. It helps that she will be living with her stepmother, Xiaoming, and her half brother Liao, and that her father has constructed the marvelous Greenglass House for her, based on all of the houses she has admired over the years, in their various ports of call. Lucy's feelings about these living arrangements are soon overshadowed however, as two nefarious characters - one a time-travelling villain more than willing to kill to get what he wants, the other a man with a supernatural talent for incendiary activities - target Liao. Can Lucy, always known for her cool head and strategic thinking, rescue her little brother? And what role will Xiaoming, who is not exactly what she seems, play in it all...?
Having greatly enjoyed Kate Milford's Greenglass House and Ghosts of Greenglass House , I was eager to pick up Bluecrowne, and learn bit about the family which first built this marvelous house, and the life of Nagspeake in a different time period. Unfortunately, despite my high expectations, at first I didn't particularly take to the story. Perhaps I was expecting a bit more about the house - one of my favorite "characters" in Milford's books - or perhaps I simply was missing Milo and the other beloved characters from the earlier Greenglass House books. Whatever the case may be, although I enjoyed the first half of this one, I didn't love it. Then, picking it up after a week's break, I simply raced through the second half, finding it immensely engaging. Perhaps I just wasn't in the right frame of mind, while reading the first half. Whatever the case may be, I ended up enjoying Bluecrowne immensely, even if there wasn't enough about Greenglass House itself in it, and finished it with a desire to track down the rest of the author's books. Lucy and Liao's adventures continue in The Left-Handed Fate , which will probably be the nest one I read, but other characters appear in such titles as The Boneshaker , The Broken Lands and The Kairos Mechanism . I anticipate lots of happy reading ahead, which is a lovely way to finish a book! Recommended to Milford fans, and to anyone who enjoyed the Greenglass House books.
Having greatly enjoyed Kate Milford's Greenglass House and Ghosts of Greenglass House , I was eager to pick up Bluecrowne, and learn bit about the family which first built this marvelous house, and the life of Nagspeake in a different time period. Unfortunately, despite my high expectations, at first I didn't particularly take to the story. Perhaps I was expecting a bit more about the house - one of my favorite "characters" in Milford's books - or perhaps I simply was missing Milo and the other beloved characters from the earlier Greenglass House books. Whatever the case may be, although I enjoyed the first half of this one, I didn't love it. Then, picking it up after a week's break, I simply raced through the second half, finding it immensely engaging. Perhaps I just wasn't in the right frame of mind, while reading the first half. Whatever the case may be, I ended up enjoying Bluecrowne immensely, even if there wasn't enough about Greenglass House itself in it, and finished it with a desire to track down the rest of the author's books. Lucy and Liao's adventures continue in The Left-Handed Fate , which will probably be the nest one I read, but other characters appear in such titles as The Boneshaker , The Broken Lands and The Kairos Mechanism . I anticipate lots of happy reading ahead, which is a lovely way to finish a book! Recommended to Milford fans, and to anyone who enjoyed the Greenglass House books.
June 27, 2019
Twelve-year-old Lucy Bluecrowne has spent her entire life on board her father's ship, The Left-Handed Fate her father's ship. Captain Bluecrowne has constructed the marvelous Greenglass House for her, based on all of the houses she has admired over the years, in their various ports of call. While Lucy is upset about being left behind, she is joined by her half-brother Liao, and his mysterious mother, Lady Xiaoming, both of whom she loves. Meanwhile, two nefarious characters come to disrupt their lives to satisfy their master, Morgenvarde. Liao's gift for making rockets, inherited from his Chinese mother's family, puts him in their cross-hairs.
Kate Milford has a knack for writing about mysterious events or people, and with an undertone weaving both good and dark magic; however, Bluecrowne is not really a third book in the Greenglass House series as its only connection to the first two books is the house itself, which plays a minor role in the book's events.
Kate Milford has a knack for writing about mysterious events or people, and with an undertone weaving both good and dark magic; however, Bluecrowne is not really a third book in the Greenglass House series as its only connection to the first two books is the house itself, which plays a minor role in the book's events.
January 10, 2026
Unterhaltsames Abenteuer mit einem spannenden Mix aus Zeitreisen und alten Mythen - mit viel Herz, Familienzusammenhalt und einer Portion Mut, die über sich hinauswachsen lässt
December 17, 2020
Ok Kate Milford is definitely a new favorite author. Lol This was so good. I went into this so nervous I wouldn’t like it as much, since it does go a different way. This is more of a backstory, but still in the Greenglass House world. It’s about some characters from 1810 that we learned about in the 1st book. I shouldn’t have been worried. This was amazing! It’s clear to me that I can read all the stories set in this world until the end of time lol Even the 2 books I posted recently of hers, The Boneshaker & it’s prequel I think, are connected in a way to this world! She said so in the back of this book! Love it! There’s also ANOTHER book that is another story about the 2 siblings in this one, & I’m ordering that one ASAP! This one even had more of a..not magical element per se, but in that direction for sure. It added so much to the story. The math, & all the water lingo, & everything the author needed to come up w/for this story...either she did a TON of detailed research, or she’s just a genius lol there’s so much more, but I don’t want to spoil those elements to the story. I loved the sibling relationship so much. These characters were so amazing. Even the villains! Written so good. I can’t even describe how good. Everything again described in such detail, it was so easy to see everything. It was also so good to see a stepmother represented so well. Usually they are always painted in such a bad light in many books, so that was very refreshing to see. Again, she nailed that ending! Reading the 4th book now, & already loving it. This book not only had another gorgeous cover by Jaime Zollars, but it also included beautiful illustrations sprinkled throughout the book as well! I wish the 1st 2 did as too. They add so much to a book. But I loooooove this, & highly recommend it!💜
March 14, 2019
Twelve-year-old Lucy Bluecrowne has spent her entire life on board The Left-Handed Fate her father's ship. Captain Bluecrowne has a letter of marque from King George III and all Lucy's life Papa and the Fate have been chasing the French capturing prizes and sometimes doing battle. Now Papa is forcing Lucy ashore. Papa has built a house for Lucy, her half-brother Liao and his mother Lady Xiaoming. Lucy resents being left behind while her Papa sails off without her. What on earth will she do with herself? Nine-year-old Liao is eager to be on shore and experiment with powders to make beautifully colored rockets (fireworks). Liao seems to have a gift for making rockets, inherited from his Chinese mother's family. Foulk Trigemine has traveled through time to find a conflarationeer, someone who can and will delight in playing with fire and explosions at the command of his master, Morgenvarde. Trigemine's associate, a powder peddler named Blister, has honed in on the very person they have been searching for- a small boy with a talent for making rockets. They are determined to obtain Liao for their master's evil purposes at any cost. When Lucy discovers the diabolical plan, she is determined to save her brother no matter what.
This is an exciting, unputdownable story. I liked the ties to Greenglass House and seeing how the house came to be and what some of the objects actually were. I recommend reading the series in order and all together. Don't skip around and don't stop until you finish. There's a lot going on and it's hard to remember. Once again I had to wake up early to finish my book because I just couldn't put it down. I found the story a bit too scary for the intended age group. The evil is really dark even though he never fully appears in this story. I also think the world building is better in The Left-Handed Fate.
I can easily relate to spunky, stubborn Lucy. My inner 12-year-old also rebelled at being told to stay on land. My outer adult rationalized Captain Bluecrowne's decision, knowing he just wanted to keep his family safe and have some place he could come back to that felt like home. I love the house he designed and how, when Lucy finally takes a good look at it, she discovers the meaning behind the odd design. It's obvious Papa loves his family very much and wants what he thinks is best for them.
Liao is cute but a little too perky and precocious for me. His interest in gunpowder and rockets is worrisome and I could not rest if Liao was playing in his workshop. His mother, Lady Xiaoming, is a quiet pillar of strength. She is a devoted, loving mother yet never smothers her son. Her secret was a bit too much to take in but not a surprise since the villains revealed it first.
Trigemine is a truly awful villain. He shows no remorse for kidnapping a child and trying to kill the child's mother. He is only worried about his own fate if he fails. I didn't understand the complicated mathematics behind time traveling or how and why he came to be there at that time. Blister is consumed by lust. Lust for the power and glory gunpowder brings him. I do not think he is inherently evil but blinded by anything except for this lust. Morvengarde, who is mentioned in Greenglass as a company, is the true villain. He will stop at nothing to achieve his own ends. He seems to be in league with the devil or a devil figure.
I liked the inclusion of some unlikely heroes. A giant blacksmith named Christopher Swifte has the balance of power in his favor. I was surprised by his story. I also really liked Cerrajero. His background is unique and he has arcane knowledge from his Chinese forbears that helps move the plot along. The Fates, as Captain Bluecrowne's crew is known, are a family. I love how they pitch in to help Lucy at the expense of their regular duties. Kendrick is especially like an older brother, looking after Lucy and Liao and helping Lucy adjust to her new life.
This is a really interesting fantasy sci-fi series that is out of the ordinary. I recommend it to fantasy readers ages 12+.
After rereading The Left-Handed Fate, I have to drop my rating for this one a bit. It's nowhere near as polished as LHF. While the plot is exciting, it's predictable. I really want to know more about Lucy and Liao though.
This is an exciting, unputdownable story. I liked the ties to Greenglass House and seeing how the house came to be and what some of the objects actually were. I recommend reading the series in order and all together. Don't skip around and don't stop until you finish. There's a lot going on and it's hard to remember. Once again I had to wake up early to finish my book because I just couldn't put it down. I found the story a bit too scary for the intended age group. The evil is really dark even though he never fully appears in this story. I also think the world building is better in The Left-Handed Fate.
I can easily relate to spunky, stubborn Lucy. My inner 12-year-old also rebelled at being told to stay on land. My outer adult rationalized Captain Bluecrowne's decision, knowing he just wanted to keep his family safe and have some place he could come back to that felt like home. I love the house he designed and how, when Lucy finally takes a good look at it, she discovers the meaning behind the odd design. It's obvious Papa loves his family very much and wants what he thinks is best for them.
Liao is cute but a little too perky and precocious for me. His interest in gunpowder and rockets is worrisome and I could not rest if Liao was playing in his workshop. His mother, Lady Xiaoming, is a quiet pillar of strength. She is a devoted, loving mother yet never smothers her son. Her secret was a bit too much to take in but not a surprise since the villains revealed it first.
Trigemine is a truly awful villain. He shows no remorse for kidnapping a child and trying to kill the child's mother. He is only worried about his own fate if he fails. I didn't understand the complicated mathematics behind time traveling or how and why he came to be there at that time. Blister is consumed by lust. Lust for the power and glory gunpowder brings him. I do not think he is inherently evil but blinded by anything except for this lust. Morvengarde, who is mentioned in Greenglass as a company, is the true villain. He will stop at nothing to achieve his own ends. He seems to be in league with the devil or a devil figure.
I liked the inclusion of some unlikely heroes. A giant blacksmith named Christopher Swifte has the balance of power in his favor. I was surprised by his story. I also really liked Cerrajero. His background is unique and he has arcane knowledge from his Chinese forbears that helps move the plot along. The Fates, as Captain Bluecrowne's crew is known, are a family. I love how they pitch in to help Lucy at the expense of their regular duties. Kendrick is especially like an older brother, looking after Lucy and Liao and helping Lucy adjust to her new life.
This is a really interesting fantasy sci-fi series that is out of the ordinary. I recommend it to fantasy readers ages 12+.
After rereading The Left-Handed Fate, I have to drop my rating for this one a bit. It's nowhere near as polished as LHF. While the plot is exciting, it's predictable. I really want to know more about Lucy and Liao though.
February 22, 2026
Wow.
This was... such a beautiful read. I adore Milford's other books, and Greenglass House is one of my favorite books of all time. I didn't expect to love this one as much as I did Greenglass House -- since I always have trouble connecting to new main characters and new time periods in the same world -- but this book blew me away. It is not the same as Greenglass House, but in a very, very good way. It takes place in the 1800s (I think? I may have to double check that I've gotten the time period right!) and it follows Lucy Bluecrowne, a girl who has practically spent her whole life on her father's ship, The Left-Handed Fate (which is a brilliant name, by the way) and now must begin a new life ashore with her stepmother and half brother. But two nefarious strangers, Trigemine and Blister, identify her brother as the pyrotechnic genius they need for whatever evil plan Morvengarde has cooked up, and now Lucy must fight to save her brother and keep her family together.
Gosh. The characters. What can I say about them? Lucy is such a relatable character. She has such a fierce, fighting spirit, which I always love in middle-grade characters, and I absolutely love the relationship she has with her half brother and stepmother!! While Lucy and I aren't that much alike, I was still able to slip right into her mind and really understand her. Her brother, Liao, is such a wonderful character as well!! He is relatable, mischievous, kind, and the two of them are a fantastic duo! And his fireworks!!! I loved the addition of pyrotechnics in this story, and I really admire how Milford is able to weave together magic and science and history and the real world! I also loved the relationship Lucy had with Xiaoming (her step mother). I feel like a lot of the times, in stories, the stepmother is always this evil villainess who absolutely hates her stepdaughter... Which did not happen here, actually, and there's just this wonderful family love between the two of them! Though they may still be a tad distant, there's still that love and connection between the two, and which I really liked.
Also, what happened to Xiaoming....
😭😭😭
On one hand, she is such a beautiful character and it was wonderfully written and I just love her so much. On the other, it is so heartbreaking. I really hope we see more of her in a future book!!! 🥺 She's just... so wonderful.
I'm not entirely certain how accurate the Chinese characters (and by that I mean the writing system, not book characters) in this book are. However, my own Mandarin isn't the best, and I don't think those words (especially surrounding pyrotechnics and alchemy and immortal beings) would be used all that often in real life anyway, so... 🤷♀️ And there are a few curse words smattered throughout. Mostly just "damn" from the nefarious characters, though there was one stronger word from Lucy after she burned herself trying to make tea. It did not put me too off, as they were few and far between, but it's something you might want to keep in mind. And some bits of pyrotechnics and alchemy that were discussed, I... kind of just ignored, because I don't understand pyrotechnics or alchemy at all. XD
I did, however, quite like how this book has the POVs of the adult characters!! It is something that you really won't see in so many modern middle-grade novels, which is a pity. I get the reasons for it, but it was so intriguing getting to see parts of the story from the villain's POV. It gave you a lot more information on what was going on, who they really were, and what their plans were!
Overall, this is an absolutely brilliant book that is both beautiful and heartbreaking. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's a fan of Kate Milford's other books, who might be looking for a middle-grade read with lots of deep and complex plot threads. Five out of five stars from me. (Also, it is very rare that I write a long Goodreads review for any book!! I only ever write such long reviews if I really, really adore the book.)
This was... such a beautiful read. I adore Milford's other books, and Greenglass House is one of my favorite books of all time. I didn't expect to love this one as much as I did Greenglass House -- since I always have trouble connecting to new main characters and new time periods in the same world -- but this book blew me away. It is not the same as Greenglass House, but in a very, very good way. It takes place in the 1800s (I think? I may have to double check that I've gotten the time period right!) and it follows Lucy Bluecrowne, a girl who has practically spent her whole life on her father's ship, The Left-Handed Fate (which is a brilliant name, by the way) and now must begin a new life ashore with her stepmother and half brother. But two nefarious strangers, Trigemine and Blister, identify her brother as the pyrotechnic genius they need for whatever evil plan Morvengarde has cooked up, and now Lucy must fight to save her brother and keep her family together.
Gosh. The characters. What can I say about them? Lucy is such a relatable character. She has such a fierce, fighting spirit, which I always love in middle-grade characters, and I absolutely love the relationship she has with her half brother and stepmother!! While Lucy and I aren't that much alike, I was still able to slip right into her mind and really understand her. Her brother, Liao, is such a wonderful character as well!! He is relatable, mischievous, kind, and the two of them are a fantastic duo! And his fireworks!!! I loved the addition of pyrotechnics in this story, and I really admire how Milford is able to weave together magic and science and history and the real world! I also loved the relationship Lucy had with Xiaoming (her step mother). I feel like a lot of the times, in stories, the stepmother is always this evil villainess who absolutely hates her stepdaughter... Which did not happen here, actually, and there's just this wonderful family love between the two of them! Though they may still be a tad distant, there's still that love and connection between the two, and which I really liked.
Also, what happened to Xiaoming....
😭😭😭
On one hand, she is such a beautiful character and it was wonderfully written and I just love her so much. On the other, it is so heartbreaking. I really hope we see more of her in a future book!!! 🥺 She's just... so wonderful.
I'm not entirely certain how accurate the Chinese characters (and by that I mean the writing system, not book characters) in this book are. However, my own Mandarin isn't the best, and I don't think those words (especially surrounding pyrotechnics and alchemy and immortal beings) would be used all that often in real life anyway, so... 🤷♀️ And there are a few curse words smattered throughout. Mostly just "damn" from the nefarious characters, though there was one stronger word from Lucy after she burned herself trying to make tea. It did not put me too off, as they were few and far between, but it's something you might want to keep in mind. And some bits of pyrotechnics and alchemy that were discussed, I... kind of just ignored, because I don't understand pyrotechnics or alchemy at all. XD
I did, however, quite like how this book has the POVs of the adult characters!! It is something that you really won't see in so many modern middle-grade novels, which is a pity. I get the reasons for it, but it was so intriguing getting to see parts of the story from the villain's POV. It gave you a lot more information on what was going on, who they really were, and what their plans were!
Overall, this is an absolutely brilliant book that is both beautiful and heartbreaking. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who's a fan of Kate Milford's other books, who might be looking for a middle-grade read with lots of deep and complex plot threads. Five out of five stars from me. (Also, it is very rare that I write a long Goodreads review for any book!! I only ever write such long reviews if I really, really adore the book.)
January 29, 2025
i love kate milford’s writing style and everything i’ve read of hers so far, but unfortunately this one wasn’t very interesting to me! i still enjoyed it, but it wasn’t my favorite. i’d still like to read her other books though
September 29, 2019
At first I was a little bewildered about this, as it is part of the Greenglass House series, the opening characters are less than likable, and the "time travel" bit was off-setting - the two are Foulk Trigemine (really AWFUL person) and Ignis Blister ( not as Awful, but not so nice either), they have been sent on mission to find a conflagrationeer - both assuming it is an adult.
Enter Lucy Bluecrowne, her half-brother Liao, his mother, Lady Xiaoming, and Lucy's father Captain Bluecrowne - who sails the world on the top sail schooner, The Left-Handed Fate. For most of Lucy's life she has lived aboard the schooner, sailing the world with her father, however, he has come to the time in his life that he believes Lucy, Liao and Lady Xiaoming should have a stable home, and takes them to Nagspeake, (where the first 2 books in the series take place), and so we have the back story as to how Greenglass House has its beginnings.
But Wait - we still have those two awful characters who are Literally UP TO NO GOOD, unknown to Lucy and Liao these two are "sucked" into a terrible trap. As we come to find out Lucy's younger brother LOVES anything to do with fireworks and are there going to be some fireworks the likes that have never been seen by any of the Bluecrowne family...….
The ONE thing Lucy Loves more than life itself is sailing - her father arranges for her to "purchase" a small "cutter" from Kendrick - one that she must fix up herself, with help from Liao and some of the shipmates from the Fate. Once again, enter Trigemine and Blister - oh woe is me, they are really UP to NO GOOD! Poor Liao is the one they seem to be after, with promises of new firework materials, Liao is about to find out how EVIL really works. Wait, Lady Xiaoming is not just your normal run of the mill mother!
Let the FIREWORKS begin...…...
Enter Lucy Bluecrowne, her half-brother Liao, his mother, Lady Xiaoming, and Lucy's father Captain Bluecrowne - who sails the world on the top sail schooner, The Left-Handed Fate. For most of Lucy's life she has lived aboard the schooner, sailing the world with her father, however, he has come to the time in his life that he believes Lucy, Liao and Lady Xiaoming should have a stable home, and takes them to Nagspeake, (where the first 2 books in the series take place), and so we have the back story as to how Greenglass House has its beginnings.
But Wait - we still have those two awful characters who are Literally UP TO NO GOOD, unknown to Lucy and Liao these two are "sucked" into a terrible trap. As we come to find out Lucy's younger brother LOVES anything to do with fireworks and are there going to be some fireworks the likes that have never been seen by any of the Bluecrowne family...….
The ONE thing Lucy Loves more than life itself is sailing - her father arranges for her to "purchase" a small "cutter" from Kendrick - one that she must fix up herself, with help from Liao and some of the shipmates from the Fate. Once again, enter Trigemine and Blister - oh woe is me, they are really UP to NO GOOD! Poor Liao is the one they seem to be after, with promises of new firework materials, Liao is about to find out how EVIL really works. Wait, Lady Xiaoming is not just your normal run of the mill mother!
Let the FIREWORKS begin...…...
February 20, 2019
i really, really like milford's writing and her main characters, her magic is the kind that goes well with me and so that said it makes me biased. i enjoy her books and don't see a lot of flaws. though i always start her books a little scared and also when i am in a good mood, cause her villains are bad in a scary way, psychopaths in children's books are super scary.
October 11, 2018
This was a good story for your young readers and even teens. It mixes history, magic and pirates. A combination children will love. This is book that combines two series, It is Book 2 in the Arcana series and book #3 in the Greenglass house series. I think I'll have to find the previous books but this one is pretty good as a stand alone. Lucy Bluecrowne is left on dry land with her young brother and step-mother as her father heads back to sea. She is sad but resigned. When her young brother is kidnapped she and her stepmother employ magic to get him back. I think boys will love this even though the main character is a girl. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
January 31, 2025
I liked the first two books in this series. This one was purposefully very different, though connected, from those two, and definitely my favorite so far.
June 16, 2024
Kate Milford’s awesome, original, mysterious first two novels made me an instant fan! She is a born storyteller who taught me about this old art. Genuine raconteurs do not begin with “Once upon a time” but with the attention gathering: “Listen”! Her utterly enchanting house pervaded with delicious intrigue that never lifted. For a change, we were in their current publishing years and if that did not excite me highly: the series openers encompass my favourite two genres, ‘non crime mystery’ and ‘paranormal mystery’! They both earned the easiest five star feedback I have given.
“Bluecrowne” was excellent and included Chinese mysticism. It lacked modernity, the paranormal, and dealt with criminals. They not only needed to be fought and evaded but ate up several chapters as narrators, which I dislike. My favourite genres are so rare, most authors are unaware of writing in them and cannot be counted on to keep up their spectacular momentum. I think they also fail to observe how rare our present day is in fiction, however obvious that might seem. This 2018 novel fell into the mass produced, faked ‘historical fiction’ that distances me from enjoying stories.
Contributing to a dropped star was a sad conclusion for one person and vessel. Fiction is made for positive endings in any odds. As a matter of fact, if one person was as powerful as they were said to be, the likelihood of defeating a villain was a shoe-in. One unfortunate ending felt forced, because there were plenty of ways to escape the last minute threat. I want no more historical outings with this family but was glad to meet them.
This background novel made me eager to revisit modern Greenglass House with fresh eyes. The most exciting adventures are to explore this unique place abounding in secrets!
“Bluecrowne” was excellent and included Chinese mysticism. It lacked modernity, the paranormal, and dealt with criminals. They not only needed to be fought and evaded but ate up several chapters as narrators, which I dislike. My favourite genres are so rare, most authors are unaware of writing in them and cannot be counted on to keep up their spectacular momentum. I think they also fail to observe how rare our present day is in fiction, however obvious that might seem. This 2018 novel fell into the mass produced, faked ‘historical fiction’ that distances me from enjoying stories.
Contributing to a dropped star was a sad conclusion for one person and vessel. Fiction is made for positive endings in any odds. As a matter of fact, if one person was as powerful as they were said to be, the likelihood of defeating a villain was a shoe-in. One unfortunate ending felt forced, because there were plenty of ways to escape the last minute threat. I want no more historical outings with this family but was glad to meet them.
This background novel made me eager to revisit modern Greenglass House with fresh eyes. The most exciting adventures are to explore this unique place abounding in secrets!
May 6, 2014
In 2010, I put Kate Milford’s The Boneshaker on my list of favorite books of the year. In 2012, I put her The Broken Lands on my list of favorite books of the year. Well, another two years have passed, Milford is out with another story, and, well, you know the rest . . .
Though maybe not all the rest, as there’s a bit of a twist to her newest work, Bluecrowne. Like her last work, The Kairos Mechanism, this brief novel (220 pages) is part of her Arcana Project, a Kickstarter project to self-publish smaller stories that weave in and out of her BONESHAKER world, acting as both a sort of connecting tissue binding together the larger, traditionally published novels and as a tide-you-over gift to those of us impatiently waiting for those ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Though maybe not all the rest, as there’s a bit of a twist to her newest work, Bluecrowne. Like her last work, The Kairos Mechanism, this brief novel (220 pages) is part of her Arcana Project, a Kickstarter project to self-publish smaller stories that weave in and out of her BONESHAKER world, acting as both a sort of connecting tissue binding together the larger, traditionally published novels and as a tide-you-over gift to those of us impatiently waiting for those ... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
March 16, 2021
Bluecrowne is Milford's shortest work, and in many ways her most accessible work, even moreso than Greenglass House. Bluecrowne tells a story of the house's earlier inhabitants and while Milford drops in plenty of carefully plotted Easter eggs from her most famous work, this brilliantly ties into her Boneshaker and Broken Lands books as well. While it can be enjoyed on its own - the final act is darn thrilling - it's best appreciated by Milford's fans as it continues to grow her Nagspeake universe.
October 15, 2018
Holy cow what an amazing book! And now I have to go back and read the earlier works! Milford is a master of world building and research, both of which make her characters and plot shine! Truly genius!
October 3, 2018
so satisfying! fans of Greenglass House and The Left-handed Fate will not be disappointed!
February 14, 2022
I believe this was the shortest of all Milford's books that I've read and I will say, it did get bonus points for not running overly long.
But I've read several of the Nagspeake books and this is supposedly a prequel to Greenglass House and features characters from The Left-Handed Fate but I still felt pretty lost in a lot of respects. Anything dealing with the roaming world, the immortal character, Morvengarde, or Jack Hellcoal specifically. I was really struggling to understand who they were/what their goal was/how they existed/how Jack was making his own Hell and what the hell that even meant.
I had a lot of questions and I'm not sure if I am missing something, or if this is just how this series of books operates (since I seem to remember feeling this way after a couple of the other books as well). We get little snatches of information but it's so little, unexplained, or glossed over, we never understand anything of depth about the motivations of the antagonists or their place in the world, despite getting at least 30% of the book from their viewpoint. So that brought it down a good bit.
I liked Lucy and Liao's sibling relationship, and the glimpses we see of their relationship to Liao's mother/Lucy's stepmother. The storytelling was much easier to follow when we were in Lucy's POV, except for , and I wish we could could have kept that ease throughout the book, while still getting some aspects of the roaming world and the antagonists, but without feeling left in the dark.
I will be coming back for more, because apparently I can't help myself and I am SO curious if I will ever get a good idea of the world and the shadowy side characters and get answers to my many many questions.
But I've read several of the Nagspeake books and this is supposedly a prequel to Greenglass House and features characters from The Left-Handed Fate but I still felt pretty lost in a lot of respects. Anything dealing with the roaming world, the immortal character, Morvengarde, or Jack Hellcoal specifically. I was really struggling to understand who they were/what their goal was/how they existed/how Jack was making his own Hell and what the hell that even meant.
I had a lot of questions and I'm not sure if I am missing something, or if this is just how this series of books operates (since I seem to remember feeling this way after a couple of the other books as well). We get little snatches of information but it's so little, unexplained, or glossed over, we never understand anything of depth about the motivations of the antagonists or their place in the world, despite getting at least 30% of the book from their viewpoint. So that brought it down a good bit.
I liked Lucy and Liao's sibling relationship, and the glimpses we see of their relationship to Liao's mother/Lucy's stepmother. The storytelling was much easier to follow when we were in Lucy's POV, except for , and I wish we could could have kept that ease throughout the book, while still getting some aspects of the roaming world and the antagonists, but without feeling left in the dark.
I will be coming back for more, because apparently I can't help myself and I am SO curious if I will ever get a good idea of the world and the shadowy side characters and get answers to my many many questions.
December 12, 2022
All of Kate Milford’s books share a world and have overlapping characters, and I went to read Bluecrowne right after devouring Greenglass House and Ghosts of Greenglass House. I hate to admit I went into Bluecrowne expecting to be disappointed because it is set 200 years before the two previously mentioned books. Unfortunately my suspensions were confirmed. I missed the familiar characters of the aforementioned books, as well as the house-related mysteries. I did, however, enjoy the little easter eggs that explained the origins of the house and some of the relics that Milo and Meddy find in it in the future. I did appreciate that. Overall, however, this book was not as engaging for me and I was constantly googling vocabulary words related to ships, navigation, fireworks, smuggling, etc., which really stunted my reading. I could have done with some more context clues or clearly given definitions to help translate what was being talked about throughout most of the book. Not my favorite in the series, but it did give some interesting background and rich insight into the books I liked better.
April 30, 2023
This was a fun adventure, unfortunately I think I prefered the other Greenglass House books more.
This was definitely more fantasy adventure than a mystery. It's not marketed as a mystery but after absolutely loving the mystery elements of the other Greenglass House novels, I found myself missing it.
I did really like understanding why the house was originally designed in such a cobbled way. The story behind it was sweet.
It was also a lovely story about family (blood-related or otherwise) and sacrifices.
I found myself thinking I was lacking knowledge of the universe's magic (as it isn't as touched upon by the GH novels). I have a feeling the magic is more entwined within the stories of The Broken Lands, The Bone shaker, and/or The Kairos Mechanism, and would probably be a little clearer had I read those first. (That's a guess anyway).
Overall I did enjoy the story, but I didn't find myself as in love with it as the others.
This was definitely more fantasy adventure than a mystery. It's not marketed as a mystery but after absolutely loving the mystery elements of the other Greenglass House novels, I found myself missing it.
I did really like understanding why the house was originally designed in such a cobbled way. The story behind it was sweet.
It was also a lovely story about family (blood-related or otherwise) and sacrifices.
I found myself thinking I was lacking knowledge of the universe's magic (as it isn't as touched upon by the GH novels). I have a feeling the magic is more entwined within the stories of The Broken Lands, The Bone shaker, and/or The Kairos Mechanism, and would probably be a little clearer had I read those first. (That's a guess anyway).
Overall I did enjoy the story, but I didn't find myself as in love with it as the others.
December 29, 2021
Bluecrowne is set in an earlier time of the Greenglass House story world and tells the backstory around why the owners of Greenglass House never really live in it. This book also gives a little context to some of the mysterious items Milo finds in his attic.
What I Iiked: Time travel and a new case of characters to root for and enemies to loathe. This had a very different feel than the Greenglass house books with a heavier lean into the fantasy genre. It had much more magic and folklore but still shares the same qualities I loved before, including great scene setting and overall atmosphere.
While I read this in one sitting and had a hard time putting it down, the characters didn’t quite draw me in like the Greenglass House books did. But I still really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more of this story world.
What I Iiked: Time travel and a new case of characters to root for and enemies to loathe. This had a very different feel than the Greenglass house books with a heavier lean into the fantasy genre. It had much more magic and folklore but still shares the same qualities I loved before, including great scene setting and overall atmosphere.
While I read this in one sitting and had a hard time putting it down, the characters didn’t quite draw me in like the Greenglass House books did. But I still really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read more of this story world.
October 26, 2019
It's the year 1810 and Lucy Bluecrowne, an English privateer, has just moved to Nagspeak, Canada to start a new life with her father, stepmother, and brother. A new life on land was never what Lucy wanted, but after a terrible accident on her ship, The Left Handed Fate, it goes without saying. Lucy and her little brother Liao are exploring the small town when they stumble upon two merchants. It turns out these mad men are after more than a good trade. They want her little brother. After finding out about a unique magic that has bound her family, it's up to Lucy to save the lives of her little brother and stepmother.
November 10, 2022
So many delicious elements to this one. A privateer daughter, and her brother who makes improbably wonderful fireworks—time-roamers and scary mob bosses (excuse me, men of business)—all tied up with Chinese myth and characters full of surprises and a big dose of family love.
I felt like the plot was well crafted. She set up the conflict by chapter two and rolled it out fabulously.
Update the next morning: my favorite character is the mom. She is no NPC—she supports her kids, in the sense that an entire armed division supports the infiltration team. And the magic/hightech-hair-sticks trope is one of my favorites—it’s a small thing but I adore it!
I felt like the plot was well crafted. She set up the conflict by chapter two and rolled it out fabulously.
Update the next morning: my favorite character is the mom. She is no NPC—she supports her kids, in the sense that an entire armed division supports the infiltration team. And the magic/hightech-hair-sticks trope is one of my favorites—it’s a small thing but I adore it!
January 30, 2020
This book really could function as a stand-alone novel. Its historical fiction, pirate/scalawag plot filled with action and some magical elements. It was fast and fun, especially knowing how it fits into the Greenglass House "universe" now. I liked it much more than the sequel, and plan to continue with more of these stories from Greenglass House. This one was grittier than the original, with some violence and language that made sense in the story.
January 13, 2024
This being my fourth book in this world by Kate Milford, I've already committed myself to reading all of them. I enjoyed the tie-ins that I noticed to the other three books I've already read.
I particularly enjoy how magic and historical are woven together...even if I don't always understand it.
(Also compared to Greenglass House, Ghosts of Greenglass House, and The Raconteur's Commonplace Book - this book finally had a manageable amount of characters for me to keep track of)
I particularly enjoy how magic and historical are woven together...even if I don't always understand it.
(Also compared to Greenglass House, Ghosts of Greenglass House, and The Raconteur's Commonplace Book - this book finally had a manageable amount of characters for me to keep track of)
February 1, 2026
This was a cute story set in the world of Greenglass House and serves as a prequel of sorts that gives a bit of history on the house and how it came to be. You meet Lucy Bluecrowne and her brother and it’s a really unique nautical story full of adventure.
It’s been awhile since I’ve picked up a middle grade, but I love what Kate Milford has created here and I will definitely continue with this series at some point.
It’s been awhile since I’ve picked up a middle grade, but I love what Kate Milford has created here and I will definitely continue with this series at some point.
February 2, 2019
Well, I wasn't expecting *that* after the first two Greenglass titles, but I really enjoyed it. For how it fit with the others and how it diverged. Dang, I love Milford's writing. And the world she's created - the sorta-other-universe Nagspeake of the first two books is awesome. This ratchets that Nagspeake up several levels.
August 11, 2019
When real life feels hard, I turn to juvenile fiction. This series continues to delight and entertain me. I loved this peek back in time to Lucy and Liao Bluecrowne. I loved the mix of magic and history and the familiarity of Nagspeake even without familiar characters.
November 5, 2023
To be honest Bluecrowne was a chore to read. It was not very interesting and just lacked structure. I could only read about a chapter before I got really bored and uninterested. It just wasn't my type of book I guess.
January 19, 2019
Now that I know the history of the house, I want to go back and reread the other books so that I can figure out which were the items left behind. I need more time to read!!!
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