The Hidden Gallery

more adventures of Penelope and her wolf pups.
I really like these books. I also like the reader, Katherine Kellgren.

So, what specifically do I like? I like Penelope. I like how she is a proper Victorian teenager, slightly silly, but well aware of her place and proper behavior and duty. I detest the fake Victorians, who are more like modern teenagers playing Victorians, and getting it all wrong, because they put weight on wrong places. You see, if you want to know how a Victorian teenager thought, you read books about Victorian teenagers written by Victorians. Like Louisa May Alcott and Frances Hodgson Burnett. And I have read a LOT of those books. A Victorian teenager wouldn't “revolt” against their parents and guardians just for the fun of it, like a lot of modern teenagers do. We have this idea of a “teenager”, you see, the Victorians did not. The Victorians had just children or adults, and if you wanted to be an adult, you behaved like an adult. Now, we do have the Lady Ashtons, hothouse flowers with nothing else to do with their lives than being “pretty”, and possibly produce an heir. Anyway, Penelope feels like an adult, even though she's just 15-16, but not quite adult yet, because she is a bit silly every now and then, and does thoughtless things, just because she doesn't know any better, because of lack of experience. She still makes childish conclusions and decisions, but she is doing her best. I really like her.
I love the children. I absolutely adore these wolf cubs!
I like the mystery. Sounds like a lot of people indeed are related...
I like the adventure. It is exciting and a little scary, but safe... though I know it now, not when I was reading it. Now, of course the children and Penelope have, what my husband calls “a hero contract”, that is, they won't die. But - maybe other bad things happen.

Oh, those incorrigible children! In case you missed my raving review of the first book, let me assure you that this series is well worth your time. If you love Middle Grade books, especially ones full of charming characters and witty banter, then this is definitely for you. I fell head over heels for Miss Penelope Lumley and her three wolfish charges from the moment I met them. It's pretty much impossible not to. Perhaps it's “optoomuchistic” of me, but I do believe you'll adore this second book in the series!

Before I do my gushing about the story itself, please allow me to once again praise Katherine Kellgren for her gorgeous narration of this story. Her accents are spot on, her voices for the children too sweet for words, and she just has a way of making the whole story come to life. From her plucky portrayal of Miss Penelope Lumley, to her all but ear-splitting rendition of Lady Ashton's voice, each character is brilliantly done! I will listen to all of these on audio if I can help it. They are absolutely wonderful!

On to the story, shall we? In The Hidden Gallery, Miss Lumley and her spirited young charges are off to London! A new place to explore was thrilling enough, but what shot this into the five star category for me was the fact that this wasn't simply a jaunt into the big city. Adventures aplenty, and the revealing of some new clues about the origin of our the three wolfish children, made for a very fun read. I'm not certain whether my thoughts on how this will all work out are correct, but I'll say that I'm intrigued! Is there a possibility that our four main characters are linked? Perhaps, my friends. Perhaps.

I know I'm being vague, but trust me when I say that it's necessary. There is so much to love about this story, but all of it is much better appreciated if you're experiencing it first hand. Suffice it to say that the word I use entirely too much while chatting up these books to others is charming. They truly are. These are the novels I wish were around when I was a Middle Grade reader. Although that won't stop me from reading them now, that's for sure. On to the next!