A review by ljrinaldi
Voyage of the Sparrowhawk by Natasha Farrant

4.0

Let me start by saying I am both quite impressed with the author’s writing of what can only be considered a victorian adventure story for kids. (except it was post world war one, so that was well after the Victorian era had ended.) and also surprised that she tried to do it at all.

Think of The Railway Children by E. Nesbit, or any of Dickens stories, and you get the general idea. Plucky orphans, and coincidences, and great adventures. All packed in this fun but strange middle grade novel.

The basic story is that World War One has just ended and Ben needs to find his brother Sam who was wounded in the war, and never found, presumed dead. Lotti’s parents are also dead, and her guardians hate her guts, so she wants to find her grandmother in France.

So, they set out with a narrow boat, the Sparrowhawk, to cross the English Channel, something that is not done. Narrow boats are made for canals.

Along the way they meat a whole cast of characters, and there are amazing coincidences, and it is generally a feel good adventure story.

You just have to suspend your disbelief and take it for what it is.

Thanks to Edelweiss for making this book available for an honest review.