The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge was one of the most popular books so I decided to start reading it first. I found the first chapter a little bit hard going as there are lots of metaphors, and I was a bit put off by the setting. This novel starts with a boat journey and appears to be set in Victorian England. I’m a bit Victorian-ed out but I kept going, mainly as I have challenged myself to read all of the Bookbuzz books this year.
By the time Faith and her family arrive at the island they are going to be staying on the story has picked up, and it has stopped raining. At last! Frances Hardinge is quite a visual writer so I have picked out some images which for me sum up what I got from reading the first few chapters. There were lots of metaphors which I like in a book so I would recommend pausing for a minute on some of them. I particularly liked the one about the snake, which is actually a real snake but doesn’t look anything like how it should.
Some words which you might have found difficult were ornithology, fossils and basilisk. All these words make me think of museums!
1, Where are Faith and her family going?
2, How are they getting there?
3, What does her father do? What is his job? Reverend Paster, priest, natural scientist, fossil collector
4, Why did Faith’s family leave Kent? Scandal about her fathers fossils being faked.
5, Which one of her fathers animals does Faith look after?
6, What words in the first few chapters sound old fashioned? Posset, nursery, maid, letters written in ink.
Come and see me if you want any help with the book!
Discovery Centre CAB 