The Messenger

The Messenger

by Monica Dickens

When Rose is 13, she is chosen to be a messenger of the Great Grey Horse, whose long-ago heroism once saved an entire village. Rose is galloped back through time to solve the mystery of the annex to her parents’ hotel, a house which fills its guests with a sense of tragedy and despair.

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Horses, Time Travel

Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

From the publisher: MONICA DICKENS, born in 1915, was brought up in London and was the great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. Her mother's German origins and her Catholicism gave her the detached eye of an outsider; at St Paul's Girls' School she was under occupied and rebellious. After drama school she was a debutante before working as a cook. One Pair of Hands (1939), her first book, described life in the kitchens of Kensington. It was the first of a group of semi autobiographies of which Mariana (1940), technically a novel, was one. 'My aim is to entertain rather than instruct,' she wrote. 'I want readers to recognise life in my books.' In 1951 Monica Dickens married a US naval officer, Roy Stratton, moved to America and adopted two daughters. An extremely popular writer, she involved herself in, and wrote about, good causes such as the Samaritans. After her husband died she lived in a cottage in rural Berkshire, dying there in 1992.
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Reviews

[Kagama-the Literaturevixen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a bit confusing when I first read it,but it made an impact. If I re-read it maybe i could understand the complex plot.

And back then I had no idea it had sequels....

[Clare Snow]

I was obsessed with this series when I was a kid. I rode horses, and I was so sad they never whisked me away to strange places...

[Mohanad · Rating 4 out of 5]

روز احتفلت للتو بعيد ميلادها الثالث عشر، فترسم خطا رفيعا بين عالمين، الطفولة والبلوغ، تمضي ايامها اعتيادية بين المدرسة واعمالها في الفندق الذي تمتلكه عائلتها، تعشق الخيول وتتدرب لامتطائها، ثم تلمح ذات يوم حصانا رماديا لامثيل له في المرج القريب، فلاتدري ان كان هذا حقيقة ام خيالا، تتغير حياتها فجاة يوم تسمع لحنا في راسها يناديها نحو المرج، تهرع مترددة حتى تراه، الحصان النبيل فايفور، تمتطيه فتعود بالزمن لتتقمص شخصية فيلستي وتشهد التعاسة في ملحق الفندق الذي تكتنفه الغرابة، ذلك البيت المخيف، وتتكرر رحلاتها مع الحصان لتكون مراسلة الحصان العظيم وتعود تعود مجددا نحو الماضي لتكون سيلفيا ثم ايفي الممرضة ثم ويني التي تشهد انتحار رجل شنقا في خزانة البيت الملعون ثم ليليان التي تشهد قتل عمتها المتهمة بالخيانة من قبل زوجها حتى تنجح في فك الطلسم ورفع التعويذة، روز وردة كل الورود نجحت في ان تكون المراسلة وستعود عبر ثلاثة اجزاء اخرى لتتحرى قضايا مؤلمة وتساعد الضعفاء

[Melissa Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this book, although I kept getting lost. The author would jump quite quickly from one scene to the next, so I would reread to keep up. By the end, I understood what was going on. Lol

[Sarah Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly morbid for an 80's children's fantasy including domestic violence and suicide but compelling and cohesive.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this so much when I was a kid!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading as an adult this feels like a cross between E. Nesbit and Shena Mackay.