In fact, as we see, most of the children mentioned in this tale lose or have lost one or both of their parents. At first, this looks like a fairly predictable orphaned-English-girl-gets-shipped-off-to-live-with-distant-relatives story. However, Finn is loyal to his father’s wish that he escape the restrictions of aristocracy and live freely in nature. As with so many young adult novels the protagonist has to find her way in the world through her own courage, gifts and wits, with just a little help from a few friendly helpers. When her husband was alive he bred snails in the garage; they also kept fish and had a small and very hairy dog.

A gorgeous 20th anniversary edition of Eva Ibbotson's award-winning, bestselling classic adventure, with a beautiful cover by Katie Hickey and an introduction by award-winning author of Letters from the Lighthouse Emma Carroll.I was also certain that the author had little knowledge/experience of the cultures she was harmfully and incorrectly depicting. Despite being written in 2001, the story felt rather dated and twee more like something that would have been created about forty years earlier and I am not sure it will appeal to a modern young audience.

But Eva Ibbotson has faith in her protagonists and their dreams, and her belief in them makes you happy to believe in them too. As well as being an exciting adventure story, this award-winning contemporary classic will leave readers with plenty to think about. Following the usual pattern, the main character, Maia, is bright, intellectually curious and eager to embrace life.

I enjoyed this through and through, and somewhere in the second half it sailed from a 3-star rating to a 4-star one. Also, Miss Minton has a deep hatred for her corset, she doesn’t take smack from anyone and she carries around a trunk of books. for she has her brilliant, resourceful governess, Miss Minton, who is always by her side, the support of the local people and most importantly, Finn, the wild native boy who is running from his own form of familial entrapment.