Customer Reviews

the wolves of willoughby chase

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" is the first book in the "Wolves" Saga by Joan Aiken, a series of books set in an alternative 18th century England in the reign of King James III. In this altered history a large number of wolves migrate from the bitter cold of Europe and Russia into Britain via the Channel Tunnel, and terrorise the inhabitants in their continuing hunting.

The story is set at Willoughby Chase, the grand home of Lord Willoughby and Lady Green and their daughter Bonnie. Due to Lady Green's wasting illness, Bonnie's parents are taking a holiday in warmer climates and leaving her in the care of the Lord's newly-arrived distant cousin Letitia Slighcarp. Also due to arrive is Bonnie's orphan cousin Sylvia who lived in London with Lord Willoughby's poorer sister Aunt Jane, coming to keep her cousin company in her parent's absence. Sylvia is nervous about the train ride into the vast and wolf-ridden countryside, but the cousins become instant friends on her arrival, with an entire life of playing, skating and adventures together.

Yet the blissful life is not to last. In her parent's absence, Mrs Slighcarp takes over the household, dismissing the household servents, wearing Lady Green's gowns, and tampering with Lord Willoughby's legal papers with the help of Mr Grimshaw, the man who was supposedly knocked unconscious on Sylvia's train and taken into the care of Willoughby Chase. Despite the best efforts of James the clever footman, Pattern the girl's beloved maid and Simon, the goose-boy living half wild in the woods, the girl's plans to fetch back their parents goes astray, and Mrs Slighcarp sends them to a dismal orphanage after the news that Bonnie's parents have died.

Bonnie and Sylvia quickly weaken under the strain of the difficult living conditions, and Bonnie realises they must find a way to escape due to Sylvia's worsening health. Hope arrives however in the form of Simon the goose-boy, and together they plot a way to escape and reclaim Bonnie's inheritance...

I can't imagine a single child that wouldn't find this story appealing. With enough wolves, riches, villains, plotting and child independance to keep them satisfied for a long time, this book is sure to become a favourite, as are the others in the series. Bonnie and Sylvia are wonderful young protagonists, with Bonnie as the confident, ever-optimistic young tomboy, and Sylvia as the more timid, but never annoying, young lady. If you're concerned that boys may not be interested in female protagonists, Simon the young goose-boy should please them, as there's always a fascination for independent children living wild in the forests. Mrs Slighcarp, Mr Grimsby and Mrs Brisket (the *real* wolves of Willoughby Chase) are nasty villains, and therefore good ones, which everyone will love to see get their just desserts at the conclusion.

The scenery is beautifully created through Aiken's language, whether it be Sylvia's night time train ride, the opulence of the Willoughby house, or the children's summery travels in the countryside, and the pacing never slows or dwindles on any needless details. One scene in particular, when the girls are being hunted down by wolves on the estate's grounds is particularly gripping.

However, some older readers may be skeptical at the actual story itself. It seems to hold every cliche that a Victorian Children's Romance could have: a riches-to-rags-to-riches story, a villainous governess, a forged will, a cruel orphanage, a false death and a great escape, where every possible mishap is conclused with a happy ending - even if it's outrageously implausible (such as Bonnie's parents miraculous escape). Yet despite all this, somehow Aiken seems to make it all seem real and natural through her strong and descriptive writing. A great book to read aloud, and follow up with its sequel "Black Hearts in Battersea."

Researchers constantly find that reading to children is valuable in a variety of ways, not least of which are instilling a love of reading and improved reading skills. With better parent-child bonding from reading, your child will also be more emotionally secure and able to relate better to others. Intellectual performance will expand as well. Spending time together watching television fails as a substitute.

To help other parents apply this advice, as a parent of four I consulted an expert, our youngest child, and asked her to share with me her favorite books that were read to her as a younger child. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase was one of her picks.

We discovered this wonderful book through a school assignment. It is not a book that I would have expected that our daughter would have liked because the young heroines face terrible trials. She found the book very exciting and rewarding though, and I think you will, too.

Bonnie Green has lived in the lap of luxury in the manor house of Willoughby Chase in the English countryside. Her father, Sir Willoughby, is the richest man for five counties. She has all the toys, clothes, and ponies that anyone could want, and indulgent parents who encourage her to try things out. There is much love in the house, both from her parents and the dedicated household workers.

Because Bonnie's mother, Lady Sophia, has become ill, her parents are about to leave on a sea voyage to restore her health. Sir Willoughby has asked his attorney, Mr. Gripe, to locate a suitable governess and he recommends one who is a fourth cousin once removed of Bonnie's, Miss Slighcarp, who arrives the night before the parents leave.

To keep Bonnie company, Sir Willoughby has also invited Bonnie's cousin Sylvia to stay. Both will be tutored by Miss Slighcarp, who will also run the estate. Cousin Sylvia is an orphan has been living with Sir Willoughby's elderly sister, Aunt Jane. They have been barely surviving in genteel poverty, and Aunt Jane makes new clothes for the trip from her curtains.

Sylvia has to make a terrible journey by herself on the train. It is freezing cold, and wolves attack the train. One breaks the window and comes into the compartment. Fortunately, a fellow passenger, Mr. Grimshaw, subdues and kills the wolf before it can do any damage. He loans her a traveling rug to help keep her warm. Then he is injured when a suitcase hits him in the head. Bonnie insists that they bring him to Willoughby Chase for the doctor to look at. The servants have to shoot at the wolves to keep them away from the horses on the ride back to Willoughby Chase.

As soon as Bonnie's parents leave strange things start to happen. Most of the servants are dismissed. Mr. Grimshaw and Miss Slighcarp are looking through all of Sir Willoughby's papers and burning some. And, Miss Slighcarp starts wearing all of Lady Sophia's best gowns! When Bonnie complains, she is locked in a closet with only bread and water for food. Worse treatment soon follows.

The story makes a fine development of the concept that there are human wolves who can attack in packs and bring great danger to anyone, even the richest and most powerful. As a result, the reader comes to be appropriately skeptical of the intentions of others. But there are many characters who display good qualities, expecially love, loyalty, generosity, and courage. So the message does not make a young person feel insecure . . . just more cautious. The advice that all parents give to be careful around strangers is seconded in the story, when Mr. Grimshaw turns out to be an accomplice of Miss Slighcarp's in her greedy, evil plot.

The adventures that the girls go through are a combination of Oliver Twist, 101 Dalmatians, and a female version of Tom Sawyer. The story is enlivened by the many dramatic pen and ink drawings that accompany the text, and the humorous names for many of the less savory characters.

A good discussion to have with your child after you read this book together is how to tell if someone is trustworthy or not. You may also want to use this opportunity to encourage your child to look out for her or his rights, whether the person is a stranger or . . . even a relative.

May all be warm and safe from danger . . . especially from human wolves!

This book is great! Sylvia goes to live with her cousin Bonnie and they both are treated badly when Bonnie's parents go away on a sea trip by their governess. They are taken to an orphanage when the governess (Miss Slighcarp) starts her plans to take over Willoughby Chase and doesn't have time for them. They escape from the orphange with a little help from their friend, Simon and make their way to London, where they find Sylvia's Aunt Jane. Buy this book or pick it up from the library to find out what happens next. I recommend it to people who like adventures where girls are the heroes, and well-written stories. Joan Aiken's books have girls as the heroes in all of her books that I have read so far. They are really adventurous. DO NOT judge the book before it is finished, because sometimes the most unexpected endings occur. Read this book!

I was first introduced to The Wolves Of Willoughby Chase through the 1989 British-made film of the same name starring Stephanie Beacham (Miss Slighcarp), Mel Smith (Mr. Grimshaw), Emily Hudson (Bonnie), and Aleks Darowska (Sylvia). The film is superb and it is a shame that it is currently out of print almost everywhere (I had to order a poorly recorded VHS version from Canada in order to get a copy of it). I had never heard of the book or its author, Joan Aiken, before I saw the film. The book is even better than the film and should delight anyone who finds stories involving children, wolves, mansions, and evil governesses entertaining. Both the book and the film were childhood favorites of mine and I love them as much today as I did then. Upon purchasing the other five books in Joan Aiken's Wolves Chronicles (Blackhearts in Battersea, Nightbirds on Nantucket, The Cuckoo Tree, The Stolen Lake, and Dido and Pa), I was disappointed to learn that the other five books focus on the increasingly unwieldy adventures of Dido Twite, a character introduced in the second book. Bonnie and Sylvia Greene are never mentioned again. It is as if the last five books are a series and the first book stands alone as a separate story (the only element that links TWOWC to the other books is Simon, a character who appears again in the second book). I found this incongruency rather odd and irritating, but I'm sure that Dido Twite has her fans. Just don't read the other books expecting to hear more about Bonnie, Sylvia, and Willoughby Chase. TWOWC is truly a lone ranger.

I read this wonderful book to my daughter beginning at age five and continuing through age 10 or so. It was our favorite book to read together and we must have read it five or six times. Joan Aiken has weaved a suspenseful plot driven by strong characters, both good and evil. At the time I began reading "Wolves" to my daughter (1983) it was one of the very few book-length stories I could find that featured girls as heroes--girls who learned to overcome adversity and take care of themselves, with a little help from good friends. Aiken never writes down to her audience, and the vocabulary is quite challenging. But my daughter and I never worried about that too much. I'd read, she'd listen, and over time she figured out the words for herself and added them to her own vocabulary. Today, she's a professional writer herselrf (at age 19 1/2) and I've often thought that the time we spent with Joan Aiken's beautifully structured books had something to do with that!

"The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" is the adventure of two young cousins (Sylvia and Bonnie Green) who must outwit the evil new governess, Miss Slighcarp, and her accomplices from stealing the Willoughbys estate. When news comes of Bonnies parents death, Sylvia and Bonnie are forced into an orphanage at Miss Slighcarps order, but later escape with the help of Simon, a friend of Bonnies, and are then able to uncover Miss Slighcarps elaborate plot.

"The Wolves of Willoughby Chase" is the first book in the Wolves Chronicles, followed by "Black Hearts in Battersea", "Nightbirds on Nantucket", "The Cuckoo Tree", and "The Stolen Lake". I recommend you read the others as well if you enjoyed "The Wolves of Willoughby Chase".

I first read this book in fifth grade and have reread it often ever since. Its one of my favorite books, and I highly recommend it for all ages.

It was later made into a movie in 1988, but I haven't seen it yet.

Imagine Charlotte Bronte writing a children's book, and you have a pretty good idea of what The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is like. This moody, atmospheric tale of two young cousins on the run from their evil governess is a must-read for anyone remotely interested in the genre of children's literature. First published in 1961, it has since become a classic. From its opening pages, the novel strikes a gothic tone that hovers over the story and draws the reader into its spell. We see the great Willoughby Manor in the dead of winter, buried beneath an incomprehensible amount of snow. From a distance packs of starved wolves are howling as they circle the place, looking for human prey. Sir Willoughby Green is about to take his wife to Spain, where it is hoped the climate will improve her drastically ailing health. He has appointed a distant cousin, the evil Miss Slighcarp, to look after the Manor and take care of his daughter and his neice while he is away. What he doesn't know is that Miss Slighcarp has plans of her own, plans of taking the Manor away from Sir Willoughby. But first she'll have to get rid of these two troublesome girls, who represent a hindrance to her scheme. What follows is a chilling tale of suspenseful intrigue that will have you racing to get to the end. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Joan Aiken, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Delacorte, 1963)

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase was one of my whole class' favorite books in fourth and fifth grade. While looking for a copy of it on ebay once, I stumbled upon a film of the same name, based on the book, never released in America. I figured it was time to re-read the book before tracking down the movie.

It holds up exceptionally well. Bonnie and Sylvia's adventures are just as fun forty years later as they were back when the book came out. A few of the more esoteric references may confuse younger readers (but this is a great opportunity for parents to get into "when I was your age..." stories, so we won't hold that against it). In case you've been living in a cave since 1963, the story follows Bonnie and Sylvia, a plucky pair of youngsters. Bonnie has been spoiled rotten by her loving parents, while Sylvia grew up hard on the streets of London, looked after only by a doting aunt. The two of them come together at Willoughby Hall only days before Bonnie's parents leave on a long sea voyage. To keep the girls out of trouble and oversee the house while they're gone, the parents hire Miss Slighcarp, a distant cousin none of them has ever met. Miss Slighcarp, of course, turns out to be nothing like Bonnie's parents, and complications ensue.

Oddly, the book works partly because it shouldn't. Spoiled brats should never be as sympathetic as Bonnie is (though her transformation into a resourceful and productive member of society is a time-honored subplot done very well here), but Bonnie's engaging manner helps the reader get through the setup; it tends to jar at times, for example when she's cheerfully oblivious to her own thoughtlessness while showing Sylvia around the toyroom. All, though, goes to advance the plot nicely.

The book's largest failing has nothing to do with the book itself, but with the dust jacket synopsis, which gives away most of the book before the cover is even cracked. Do copywriters of this sort get fired from publishing houses? I certainly hope so.

A lovely piece of work, worth getting reacquainted with. If you've never read it, do so now; it doesn't matter if you've already reached adulthood. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is enchanting for all ages. *** ½

I thought that I had never read this book, until I remembered details of gooseboy Simon's pressing a key into clay to aid the girls escape from a cruel boarding school. How I loved that passage! I remembered nearly nothing of the rest of the book, so I'm glad I (re)read it. Sylvia and Bonnie are left on their own in England as their vile governess plots to make off with all their money! The wolves are scarier and more omnipresent than I remembered. In many ways, this is a book about fasting and feasting, as the girls have food taken away as punishment, but later enjoy heaps of nutritious, filling fare provided by kind strangers. A great story and one I'll have to remember to recommend to Lemony Snicket aficionados.

My dad read this to me when I was about 9, and I thought it was just the most fascinating story ever. I read it to my 9-year old sister a while ago, and she loved it just as much as I did.

The combination of danger (wolves, bad adults) with comfort and safety (warm mansion, cozy apartment, good adults) is irresistable. The contrast between cruelty (mean governesses, dungeons, starvation) and justice in the end makes for a truly satisfying read.

Now that I am older, I realize this book is not as well-written as I thought it was then. But that doesn't matter; the plot is exciting and perfect. I recommend this book for ages 8-13.