Customer Reviews

City of Cannibals

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This book tells the story of a 16-year-old peasant girl named Dell. The story is set in England in 1536, a tumultuous time during the reign of King Henry VIII. This is a historic time where the King takes over the church and demands that all priests, monks and nuns take an oath of allegiance to him as the self-proclaimed head of church and state.

Dell runs away from home at this time and wanders into the city (London) that her father has told her is the "City of Cannibals." She has great fear that she will be killed and eaten by the denizens of the city. However, she is drawn into the city in search of the boy who has always supplied her family with important sustaining gifts, personally delivered in a sack each month. In her search for the boy, Ronaldo who she knows is promised to be a monk, she experiences many adventures.

This story is an important coming of age tale in a time much different from our contemporary society. I enjoyed reading the different situations that Dell finds herself involved with and how she responds to these circumstances. She is a strong female character who thinks well on her feet and makes responsible decisions. This story is also a love story of Dell's pursuit of Ronaldo. The author presents the mind of a teenage girl perfectly and appropriately captures her motivation in all she does. This is a story that allows the reader to see the trials of a teen in the past and that the spirit of youth is really the same today as it was then.

This is a well crafted, creative, story rich in metaphors of a young girl's adventure into an historical time that our history books can only hint at bringing alive. This historical fictional account of Dell does add life to history with all its emotions and puts the reader into a different time and place. It is evident the author has taken time to research her work and also taken much effort to edit her writing so that the descriptive words and phrases add that much more to the detail of the story. It is somewhat refreshing to view history and capture the daily essence of living through a young girl's eyes. Recommended for all ages and all genders but especially for young women.

The story is compelling, about a girl making her way through dangerous times in 1600s London. A colorful cast of supporting characters surround her. The fishmonger's daughter, a priest-in-training and a kindly woodworker help her. Cromwell and his henchmen haunt her. Her skills as a puppeteer enliven the story and delight the reader. The writing is full of fun vocabulary from the times, both unique and intriguing. It's a fun read with a historical soul.

Ricki Thompson's "City of Cannibals" is stunningly crafted. From the opening page, the reader is transported back to the 16th century, with all of its rawness. Thompson never falters in her portrayal of this time and, although this is a fictional account, the reader is introduced to Henry the VIII and Cromwell, and other key players from that era. The main character, Dell, is strong, independent, persistent, smart -- and totally engaging. I read this book straight through the afternoon it was delivered! What fun!

Dell's father is an abusive drunk. Fed up with his cruelty she runs away to the big city to find out the truth about her past from a boy she knows. It could be the story of any teen anywhere but 16-year old Dell lives in 16th Century England under the oppressive reign of King Henry VIII. The boy, whom she knows only as Brown Boy, has quietly delivered a sack of gifts to her mother's grave every month for as long as she can remember. Except her father has forbidden Dell to show her face to him, so they have never met. Dell believes Brown Boy knows secrets about her mother who was a lady-in-waiting for Queen Catherine, before she died in a tragic accident. Throughout her quest Dell crosses paths with a parade of colorful characters and is exposed to more myths and realities than she bargained for. In the process she discovers that Brown Boy is hiding some secrets of his own.

Like a masterful storyteller Ricki Thompson transforms a dangerous state of affairs into a rollicking adventure. She balances the brutality of the medieval period with an innocent love story. Vivid details combined with earthy vulgarity transport readers to London's gritty streets. "City of Cannibals" is historical fiction with a healthy dose of Shakespearean charm and wit.