A Corner of White

A Corner of White: The Colours of Madeleine Book One

Jaclyn Moriarty

ISBN: 978-0-545-39736-0

April 2013

4 Stars

*This is an uncorrected galley I received from NetGalley*

After Madeleine and her mother run away from their previous lives to Cambridge (our world) she forms a relationship with a boy, Elliot, from the Kingdom of Cello.  Elliot’s father is missing under mysterious circumstances and Madeleine wants nothing more than for her father to rescue her from her new dreary life.   Their correspondence is forbidden but as they pass notes back and forth through the “crack” they find that their mysteries are being solved with their unique experiences including assignments about Isaac Newton and the magical Butterfly Child.  With the increasing “color attacks” in the Kingdom of Cello and Madeleine’s mother’s strange behavior they have to depend on each other to find answers quickly.

I am only saying this to explain why this took me longer to read than it should have and doesn’t reflect upon the rating I am giving. The formatting was really rough and made it difficult at times to read.  If the story wasn’t as good as it is I don’t think I could have continued. 

My one complaint is that there were times in the beginning that I found myself a little confused and going back to make sure I had a grasp on the material.  There are a lot of characters to keep straight and when you are flipping from one world to another more clarity can be required.  I would have to read a finished copy to see if maybe the formatting had something to do with this. Otherwise I only have good things to say. The plot is amazing!  The story lines of the two protagonists might not be entirely original but the author puts a unique spin on it. Even though some of the things they come into contact with are tough problems that the reader may be able to relate to, it’s told in a way that’s easy to digest.  The characters are a lot of fun and I got emotionally involved in their stories.  The best part of this one for me is the magical atmosphere the author created.  If there was a way to get to the Kingdom of Cello I would be on my way.

I truly recommend this one no matter if you are a young adult or adult. It has a little something for everyone and is like a vacation and a great story all in one.