tatyr's review
5.0
This was such a touching read aloud. The end had my 8 year old daughter in tears. It took her poor sensitive heart some time to recover.
mtaylor414's review against another edition
5.0
My 9 year old had to read this for school and we enjoyed it so much. Very heart-warming!
tikitami's review against another edition
5.0
I loved it. A magical story about a girl and her monster. Read this book and don't forget to have tissues on hand.
kande0321's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
rachelkreadsbookz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
readingrobin's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
All I have to say is that the best kind of children's fiction tends to be the one that tends to expertly balance the harsh cruelties of life, especially during the Victorian era, with an unshakable sense of hope and a lot of heart. Sweep is one of those books that doesn't shy away from the reality and history of children in peril, but there is a warmness in its pages that comes from feeling and seeing the love and protection of dear ones long since passed. Definitely a bit of a tearjerker, but in a good way.
ljrinaldi's review
4.0
As far as I know, there wasn't a Golem in Victorian London, but the truth of this historical fantasy is that there had been chimney sweeps since the great fire of London in 1666, and it was't until 1875 that a law was passed that was strong enough to protect the children that were as young as four, that were used to climb up and clean the chimneys.
This story takes place just in 1874, and is about one such Sweep, a girl named Nan, abused, indentured to a cruel master, whose original master died, and left her a piece of char that gave her warmth. It is from this warm char that she grows her monster, or Golem, Charlie.
The original book was called Soot Golem, which is sweet, and to the point, but the name was changed, I believe, to show that it was a girl sweep which was a bit unusual, although girls were used as sweeps, as were boys.
This was a fun book, as we follow Nan, and Charlie, the monster, as they try to survive in Victorian London, while hiding from her previous master, who wants her dead.
The only issue I had with the story, where I had to suspect my disbelief, was not the golem, but on the house they hid in. Surely the neighbors would have noticed, a) smoke from the chimneys, and b) light from the windows. Although, this was the height of the "london fog", where the air was very polluted, so perhaps they couldn't notice such things.
Good characters, good friendships, and Charlie is a delight.
#SweepTheBook #NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
This story takes place just in 1874, and is about one such Sweep, a girl named Nan, abused, indentured to a cruel master, whose original master died, and left her a piece of char that gave her warmth. It is from this warm char that she grows her monster, or Golem, Charlie.
The original book was called Soot Golem, which is sweet, and to the point, but the name was changed, I believe, to show that it was a girl sweep which was a bit unusual, although girls were used as sweeps, as were boys.
This was a fun book, as we follow Nan, and Charlie, the monster, as they try to survive in Victorian London, while hiding from her previous master, who wants her dead.
The only issue I had with the story, where I had to suspect my disbelief, was not the golem, but on the house they hid in. Surely the neighbors would have noticed, a) smoke from the chimneys, and b) light from the windows. Although, this was the height of the "london fog", where the air was very polluted, so perhaps they couldn't notice such things.
Good characters, good friendships, and Charlie is a delight.
#SweepTheBook #NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
kerrithebookbelle's review
5.0
Sweep is the most heartfelt book I have read in literal YEARS. We follow Nan, a young orphaned chimney sweep as she discovers that life isn’t always harsh and there is light to be found in the world. After getting stuck in a chimney on the job, she comes across a small soot poof golem named Charlie that she takes under her wing. They become best of friends, but the world isn’t done messing with Nan and soon Charlie’s secret is in danger of getting out.
This book made me cry. I don’t cry reading books. But this one got me. Firstly, Nan is such an incredibly complex and sweet character at such a young age (she’s 10 at the start of the novel). Her relationship with Charlie is the most heartwarming thing to watch grow, and watching her develop on her own – making new friends, learning how to stand up for herself, etc. – was the most rewarding thing. And aside from Nan, all of the characters, especially the kids, both break and warm your heart.
The plot itself is actually much more complex than one would expect from a middle grade novel. It deals with poverty, child labor laws in the early 1900s, health complications, education, religion and peaceful protests. As Nan and Charlie navigate their way through a world that has tossed them out with the ashes (literally), they grow and begin to learn that they can actually challenge and change the system that has been so oppressive and violent towards them. It’s awe inspiring to have such a relevant and complex message included in a middle grade novel. It doesn’t shy away from the atrocities of the world, but presents them in a way that kids could easily understand.
On top of that, the writing style is gorgeous and easy to read. It tells such a beautiful, tragic tale but the writing is so easily digestible that I read more than half of it in one sitting before I knew what I was doing. It’s thick, but it’s a quick read, and it packs a punch in that short amount of time.
Sweep is the epitome of what a good middle grade should be, and I would not be surprised if this book is put in schools and taught in junior highs across the country. It has all the makings of a future classic and I am not joking when I say I put it on par with The Book Thief.
This book made me cry. I don’t cry reading books. But this one got me. Firstly, Nan is such an incredibly complex and sweet character at such a young age (she’s 10 at the start of the novel). Her relationship with Charlie is the most heartwarming thing to watch grow, and watching her develop on her own – making new friends, learning how to stand up for herself, etc. – was the most rewarding thing. And aside from Nan, all of the characters, especially the kids, both break and warm your heart.
The plot itself is actually much more complex than one would expect from a middle grade novel. It deals with poverty, child labor laws in the early 1900s, health complications, education, religion and peaceful protests. As Nan and Charlie navigate their way through a world that has tossed them out with the ashes (literally), they grow and begin to learn that they can actually challenge and change the system that has been so oppressive and violent towards them. It’s awe inspiring to have such a relevant and complex message included in a middle grade novel. It doesn’t shy away from the atrocities of the world, but presents them in a way that kids could easily understand.
On top of that, the writing style is gorgeous and easy to read. It tells such a beautiful, tragic tale but the writing is so easily digestible that I read more than half of it in one sitting before I knew what I was doing. It’s thick, but it’s a quick read, and it packs a punch in that short amount of time.
Sweep is the epitome of what a good middle grade should be, and I would not be surprised if this book is put in schools and taught in junior highs across the country. It has all the makings of a future classic and I am not joking when I say I put it on par with The Book Thief.
gracenote07's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0