Les secrets de Temple College

by Cathryn Constable, Alice Marchand (Translator)

Pourquoi Livy est-elle attirée par les toits de son nouveau collège? La nuit, tandis qu'elle grimpe entre les tourelles jusqu'aux statues d'anges au sommet de la splendide Tour Blanche, une étrange sensation l'envahit. Elle jurerait qu'elle va s'envoler. Un mystère que Livy voudrait élucider, mais elle n'est pas la seule. Entre les cheminées, des ombres observent la jeune fille: certaines personnes seraient capables de tout pour avoir le pouvoir de voler.

Amitiés, suspense et découvertes d'alchimie : une aventure fantastique passionnante, par l'auteur de «Sophie et la Princesse des loups».

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Fiction, Mystery, Childrens, Dark Academia, School Stories

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

About the author

Cathryn Constable read Theology at Cambridge University. She then worked at Vogue, W, Elle Decoration, Elle and The Independent.

She also wrote for a number of publications including Tatler, and The Sunday Times, before turning her hand to writing for children.

She is married with three children and lives in Islington, London.

Reviews

[Angela Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Cathryn Constable’s second novel for Young Adults, The White Tower, one of the characters says,

The right book at the right moment is medicine for the soul.

It most certainly is. If you know a young person who’s trying to come to terms with the death of a friend or, less agonisingly, trying to come to terms with loneliness, The White Tower – as well as being a wonderful, magical story – just might help. Not help in the sense of self-help but, in the tradition of the best fairytales and stories, in the sense that it’s a story that can help us make sense of our lives, make sense of the nonsensical death of a friend at a far-too-young age and the loneliness both of her, after her death, and of her friend who's lost and lonely and stuck on earth without her. A story that shows there’s always hope, in the end, if you can find your way through, if you can – in the end – find the right words, if you can forget about your fear, find your courage and say what needs to be said. It’s in that sense that The White Tower is a modern fairy tale.

I must declare an interest here, Cathryn Constable is a friend of mine, we graduated from the same MA in writing a while ago, but I wouldn’t be reviewing The White Tower if I didn’t genuinely love it and want to spread the word.

I absolutely loved this book. It’s a magical alchemical story about things of this earth and not, about friendship and loneliness, about being in the wrong element, about fear and flying, about life and death and sorrow and illness and transformation. In a book for children/young adults, Constable addresses the major themes in all our lives, themes that affect and trouble and delight us, but her language and her story are never laboured or didactic or obvious. She has a true lightness of touch (including with her research: it never showed but it gave the novel gravitas). And her language is alchemical: it transported me into the thirteen-year-old heroine’s worlds, both real and imaginary. I read the book in one sitting, I didn’t want to put it down and, at the end, I cried. I can’t remember crying when I read novels as a child (and I read hundreds) but this one made me cry with its genuine, unsentimental recognition of the sadness of loss and saying goodbye, but also that if we don’t say goodbye we can’t begin the transformation from the agony of loss to the beginnings of accepting it.

I loved the way the ‘real’ story of Livy (the 13-year-old heroine) mourning her dead friend and her loneliness without her friend and at her new school (and her real relationship with her parents and her brother and the counsellor’s sad but true advice that sometimes parents can’t help their children when they’re going through difficult times), the story of her ordinary life, was interwoven with the visionary and imaginative story (which I won’t say anything about because I don't want to give it away). But blood has much to do with it, both real and metaphorical: Livy’s desire to find a cure for bad blood for her friend’s leukaemia, and the opposition and battle between good and bad blood. Constable also shows a great sympathy with and understanding of the cruelty of schoolgirls to each other, but also of the kindness and loyalty they show to each other.

Read The White Tower, whatever age you are. You will love it.

[Luna's Little Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Character-wise Catheryn Constable’s second book, The White Tower, had me captivated. I really liked Livy. I mean, I really liked her. For me to enjoy books I don’t need to love the characters if the story can stand on its own but if you, as reader, have that connection with a character it makes the whole book more enjoyable. Something about Livy just clicked.

Cathryn Contstable’s writing is enticing; the school, Sentinel’s and Livy’s nightly adventures all picture clear as I read the words.

The White Tower is part fantasy, maybe a dash of science fiction all wrapped in a contemporary story about friendship, grief and family. The contemporary side of the story was the reason I connected so much with Livy and though I did enjoy the mystery of school it wasn’t what kept me returning to turn the next page. That was Livy herself.

[Britt Meter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy the book as much as I hoped. The book sounded interesting about Livy being accepted at Temple College and learning about the history of the school, the secrets and also the knowledge they were hiding. I found the concept interesting but throughout the book I was really bored, and there were times when I wanted to DNF it, but towards the end it picked up. I find the characters boring and overall the story was stale and undeveloped. It was 1.5-2 stars

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blurb reivew written on June 5th 2021:

A cute, if a bit generic, middle-grade novel about self-discovery. I thought the magical elements are promising, but the novel is ultimately bogged down by poor writing execution and the lack of meaningful tension. So overall, I found this a pleasant if quite forgettable read.

(2.5 stars out of 5)

[Clarabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une lecture envoûtante, portée par une héroïne à mi-chemin entre Lyra Belacqua et Harry Potter. Rien que pour l'ambiance... extraordinaire et merveilleuse. Mais l'histoire nous entraîne dans une aventure passionnante, chargée de mystères, qu'on découvre avec fascination. Suis définitivement conquise. Il faut lire aussi Sophie et la princesse des loups du même auteure.



http://blogclarabel.canalblog.com/arc...

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has all the elements in I love - schools, mystery, and an interesting premise - but it simply didn't work for me. I don't know if it was the pace, or the rather disjointed nature of some of the earlier chapters, but I never quite felt like I had a handle on who was who and what was what.

[Anna Bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE WHITE TOWER is an exceptionally beautiful and atmospheric upper middle grade/early YA novel. (the British seem to straddle that line really effectively-- the novel feels ageless, to be honest.) this book truly feels like London, in all its timelessness. I loved Livy, the main character, and I enjoyed reading about her relationships with her new friends at her new school and about her grief in moving on after losing a dear friend to leukemia.
one note I feel compelled to make, esp in a book for children: THE WHITE TOWER contains some pretty heavy themes about death and moving on. this might be a good joint parent/child read.
to sum up: gorgeous. luminous and yet somehow also a page-turner. loved it.

[SpaceBubble · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un roman jeunesse sympa assez poétique. Il plaira aux enfants et aux jeunes ado car c’est une douce lecture de moins de 300 pages.
J’ai aimé les personnages et l’histoire même si je n’ai pas été accro à ce livre

[Makenzie Muñoz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had an interesting idea, the writing just want for me. I found myself bored with the majority of the book, until the last few chapters. Looking back, I think this would make a really good movie! Some things were confusing to read, but could be really great on screen.

[St Stephen's C C]

When Livy's accepted at Temple College, a school for the very brightest, no one is more surprised than her, though she has always felt different. Recently, Livy's been drawn to the roof, where, among its towering stone angels, she has the strangest desire to fly. But her behaviour is noticed by others, for whom the ability to defy gravity is a possible reality ...one that they'll stop at nothing to use for their own ends.

[sanli · Rating 1 out of 5]

Obviously this book is meant to be a guide for other people going through the same/similar thing, and it may have worked if only it wasn’t that the book was terrible. I read it in 2017 and I could barely get through but I did it in the end. You may have a different opinion but this will remain my least favourite book.

[reese · Rating 1 out of 5]

i found it boring, but don't take this review seriously lmao. i was at my ten-year-old cousin's house with nothing to do so i read this when i randomly saw it on her shelf. it obviously isn't for my age anymore so i wasn't able to enjoy it that much reading it now. 1.75 actual rating

[Bicho · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall: 2

Characters: 1
Plot: 2
Story: 2
Writing: 2
Setting: 3
Enjoyment: 2

[Corry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disjointed. Could have been a riveting story but the connection between paragraphs and thoughts are very haphazard.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually found this book a little slow. I'm not sure if that was Catheryn Constable's intention. I've not read any previous work's by this author so I have nothing to put it down to.

Obviously, the story is about grief. Livy's best friend died from Leukaemia and everything is changing in her life, especially when her Father get's a new job and Livy changes school. Everything becomes suddenly, very unfamiliar.

I have to enjoy the character's in books. If I can gel with them, whether it's love or dislike or empathy on their situation, I can get into the book better. I didn't really make a connection with Livy but I felt empathetic to her situation.

Constable has a clear knack for writing about difficult pieces of a character's life, it's so easy to write about grief and to read it and even enjoy the book and the author nailed this, imo. Constable knows how to entice you into read her book and I really enjoyed reading about the School itself and Livy having another night adventure. The descriptive nature of the words placed on the pages of this book clearly painted a path in my imagination.

This book's genre is a bit of everything and I wasn't really aware of that when I picked it up. Fantasy and contemporary pair really well together. There is a mix of grief, friendship and family love in this book. I think that's what makes it so easy to read and the way it connects together.
Grief > friendship > love > family. It's very neatly displayed and I really enjoyed this book because of it's good structure throughout.

[zapkode · Rating 5 out of 5]

{My thoughts} – Livy is a thirteen year old girl that has been through some rough times. Her bestfriend had passed away after a battle with cancer and then get father gets a new job as a librarian at Temple College. A school that requires money to attend. Since her father is a librarian there she gets to attend the school through a scholarship.

She is your everyday normal teenager that us hurting. She misses her friend she lost. She’s being forced to attend a new school and to communicate with new kids and in a sense become friends with them. She doesn’t quite know how to deal with it all and becomes rather overwhelmed.

She starts to communicate with the past librarian from the school and her and her mother begin to feel bad for him. Her father however he doesn’t like him one bit on the account of how he didn’t keep the books in the library where they belonged and was having trouble finding the ones he needed.

There is so much to this book. It let’s you see that your allowed to hurt when you lose someone close to your heart. It let’s you see that it’s okay to move on and make new friends when your ready. It let’s you see that sometimes your imagination may not be playing tricks on your mind.

I recommend this book for any child that is dealing with a loss. It could help them to understand that in the end they aren’t left completely alone like they may think. It also allows them to see that things may not always be how they appear but in the end things are capable of working out eventually.

[Mandy Laferriere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Livy Burgess's best friend Mahalia has just lost her battle with leukemia. Livy is reeling with grief, but her parents decide it might be good for her to take an opportunity for free tuition at the prestigious Temple College, a preparatory school in London. Livy's dad is offered a job as the new librarian there, and it's a chance the family can't pass up. The action starts immediately when, after the move, Livy and her mom encounter the eccentric ex-librarian at Temple, who appears to be homeless and quickly losing his marbles. Also, the stern and intimidating headmistress seems to have an agenda; she's very interested in a possible connection the Burgess family may have to the founder of Temple College, scientist Peter Burgess. Livy senses something's not quite right at her new school, and when she meets an intriguing boy on the roof, even more questions are raised. She's determined to figure out what's going on, even if she has to risk her own life to do it. Livy's love for her departed friend, and her struggle to make new ones and find her place in the world, will resonate with readers. Minor characters are underdeveloped, with the exception of Livy's lively four-year-old brother Tom, and there are a few aimless plot points. The twist at the end is a shocker, though, and the resolution satisfies.

[Areeba Riaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today I'll be reviewing "𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧" by 𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚.

The white tower is an atmospheric young adult fiction book and it's an awesome light read.

⚪𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩:
When Livy's accepted at Temple College (after her friend's death), a school for the very brightest, no one is more surprised than her, though she has always felt different. Recently, Livy's been drawn to the roof, where, among its towering stone angels, she has the strangest desire to fly. But her behaviour is noticed by others, for whom the ability to defy gravity is a possible reality ... one that they'll stop at nothing to use for their own ends.

⚪𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠:
• I loved the protagonist of the story Livy Burguss and her reactions to anything. The actions seem almost same to what a real person dealing with trauma would perform.
• When you are reading the book, you are not likely to predict the ending so that's a plus point for me.
• There are great characters in the book and my most favorite is of Alex, Livy's nerd friend.
• Also I absolutely adore the cover of the book. It's so beautiful ❤️
• The lesson taught at the end of book is also worth applauding.

⚪𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠:
•I disliked how the "shiny girls" characters are stereotyped in the book.

Otherwise this book is a perfect read.

⚪ 𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

"𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚖𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕"

⚪𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
3.75/5

[Arianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five years after the release of her much-lauded children’s fiction début The Wolf Princess, Cathryn Constable follows up with a novel full of things to like: mysterious adventures, crumbling but atmospheric old buildings, hints of potions, concoctions and alchemy, tantalising tendrils of magic. Plain, uncomplicated prose accommodates moments of wonder and almost lyrical description – and perhaps could have accommodated a little more of it – in an ostensibly modern-set tale with distinct overtones of the traditional school story. Constable’s magical realism works best when displaying Livy’s explorations, Tom’s boundless energy and one of the mysterious relics of Temple College’s eerie past.

Read the rest of this review at The Paper Alchemist: https://thepaperalchemist.wordpress.c...

[Sootysweep · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fun read. It has a very dreamy feel and flows nicely. Things are described well. It is easy to read and you want to find out more. You really want to know more and the storyline is very intriguing. The plot is good and exciting. There are lots of secrets tucked away in the story and that is one of the best bits of the plot. Although the death of the main characters best friend plays a big part in the story, I think that it is included a little bit too much. I think that the slight touch of sadness really does make the story come alive.

[Sabina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know this is a young reader's book but I found it to be a page turner. The style of writing in this book captures ones imagination and heart. One found one dreaming that maybe, just maybe, the main character could fly, that the statues were really coming to life, and that one could cure illness so that one would no longer lose loved ones. Highly recommended for tween readers and adults who want an easy read that will have you dreaming at night.

[Heidi Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book. The plot is a bit odd but is brilliant anyway and I loved the way that it was written. The only problem is that I was so sad when I finished this book that I felt like I couldn't read another one because it would never be as good as this one! The White Tower is possibly my favorite book of all time.

[Tina Jameson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of Alchemy, Angels, and the slow recovery from the intense grief and disconnection with the world caused by the death of your best friend. Beautifully told; I will be very happy to recommend this to our middle school readers.

[Zoeッ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular. This book surpassed my expectations. I was entranced from the moment I started reading, I couldn't stop turning the pages! Everything that leads up to that one moment...
A must read for all!

[Kidlitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of different elements here and the central character is sympathetic but it's a bit slow and hard to follow the plot. I do think the right reader will give it a chance and the cover illustrations in the UK and US are both gorgeous.

[gi❀ia ⁷ · Rating 3 out of 5]

started and couldnt stop. it was really beautiful and sad in a good way?
i absolutely enjoyed reading it

[Bretille · Rating 3 out of 5]

Une histoire plus complexe qu'il n'y paraît au départ, à la fois simple et avec une bonne idée de départ.

[Shu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly surreal

[Joanne Court · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐

[Ding a ling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes you realize that you can't trust everyone.