Lindsay Galvin has this approach to writing history that brings the actual events to life but throws in a sense of myth or legend to challenge conventional thinking.
In this story, Gilbert is staying with his grandparents on Pudding Lane when the famous fire we know so well breaks out. He helps to save his grandparents and young cousin but soon finds himself swept up with new friend Jennet, trying to save themselves in the river Thames. Gilbert just wants to get home to his mother!
Along this journey, Gilbert is accompanied by a bird that seems to eat tar, grows exponentially and is highly sought after by the king. Surviving is no longer just avoiding the great fire of London. It is also about avoiding prison, mobs and one dangerous man known as Cutler. Cutler and Gilbert both realise that the bird is a Phoenix but neither can quite believe it.
I loved this book and read it through on a rainy Sunday. It was a brilliant mix of history, facts and myth! I could just imagine a giant Phoenix soaring over London while she burned, absorbing the all important heat in order to grow!
A fantastic book, one that will appeal to many readers.
My Shelves Are Full 