Challenges

The bride's farewell by Meg Rosoff is one of a number of books on display throughout the Library united by the theme 'Journeys'. The bride's farewell is a beautifully written historical novel set in the 1850s in the area around Salisbury. On the morning of her wedding Pell Ridley rides out of her village on her horse -Jack- accompanied by her mute brother Bean. Their journey takes them on an adventure, through good times and bad, until they all find their rightful place in the world. I really adored this book, the characters are beautifully imagined - even the horse, Jack and Dicken the dog. The countryside and the poverty of the time are well described and Pell's family story is both shocking and moving.

Read more about all of Meg Rosoff's novels at her website http://www.megrosoff.co.uk