Review Blog

Feb 09 2010

Elizabethan Mysteries: Revenge by John Pilkington

Usborne Publishing, 2009.
(Age 10+) In Elizabethan London, apprentice actor Ben Button befriends a young beggar and thief. Ben convinces his master to give the beggar shelter, but soon discovers that things are not as they first appeared. The beggar has a mysterious past, and a vendetta against an important nobleman, whom the beggar claims is supplying arms to the enemy Spaniards. Ben is reluctant to believe the stories he is told, but once he sees the proof for himself, finds he must help his new friend to save England.
While there are moments of authenticity to the writing, there are also times when the language and expressions used simply do not ring true with the era. Even so, the action is fast-paced, and readers will get a glimpse into life in England at the time of the Spanish Armada. This is the third of four Elizabethan Mysteries, with Rogue's Gold, Traitor, and Thief.
Donella Reed