Title: The Sprig of Broom
Author: Barbara Willard
Series: The Mantlemass Chronicles, book 3
Major Themes: England, Plantagenets, Tudors, Renaissance/Reformation
Synopsis: Medley Plashet came to realize that there was a mystery surrounding his father; would that mystery keep him from finding happiness?
After we read The Lark and the Laurel, I wondered if the children would want to hear any more books in the series. There was a bit of romance in the book, and that sometimes disgusts my boys so much that they don’t want to have anything to do with the book or series again. However, they were excited about this series and wanted more, so we read The Sprig of Broom. There was just a bit of romance in this one, too—but it was mostly a mystery that captured everyone’s attention and held it.
Publisher’s description:
Medley Plashet found himself utterly alone, with a life full of riddles, and it was then that Master Lewis Mallory took the boy into his household at Mantlemass and set him to work there. Then Medley heard that Kit Crespin was held prisoner in the Tower of London, and from that moment he began to unravel the mystery of his situation and learnt at last the significance of the sprig of broom.
My thoughts:
The first chapter, set in 1485, shows a boy being taken somewhere—he doesn’t know where—by someone he doesn’t know, and introduced to a man and being told this man is his father who wanted to see him once before he died. The next chapter is dated 1506, and tells the story of, seemingly, unrelated people! Throughout the entire book, we were wondering exactly how everything tied together, although enough clues were dropped that I had it pretty much figured out before the end. One clue: The sprig of broom, for those who know English history, was a symbol of the Plantagenet dynasty of kings.
I am really enjoying Barbara Willard’s ability to describe England in the time of the War of the Roses and the early Tudor period. Judging by a nonfiction book I have been listening to lately about life at that time, The Sprig of Broom is quite accurate as far as customs and daily life. I also like the way this story makes it easy to remember who the Plantagenets were! We are going to continue reading The Mantlemass Chronicles as we work our way through the study of history.
I asked my 4-year-old, who is enthralled by all stories, if she liked A Sprig of Broom. She says she loved it. “The good parts were nice and enjoying,” she says.
WARNING: Chapter 1: “The devil himself knows where,” description of men being killed horribly in a battle, talk about stripping corpses after battle. Chapter 2: “I swear it.” Chapter 4: “Cursed poor sport we’ve had,” “Lord, if I’d,” “Hang you,” woman thought to be a witch, as if a hobgoblin had sprung from the shadows, man and woman living together without being married, ghouls and goblins. Chapter 5: “Might have been the devil.” Chapter 6: Boy lies, boy talks about girls in a rather leering way, “she’s a wise woman (witch).” Chapter 7: Woman called a witch, woman lived unwed with a man and others might expect favors, Every wise woman’s a witch to some, cat killed, woman killed. Chapter 8: “Lord, lord,” new king called a god, a golden god, “Lord.” Chapter 9: “Lord,” “Great God Almighty.” Chapter 10: “Though it damn modesty and niceness.”
Age levels:
Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15, Family Friendly
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12, 12 – 15
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Paperback | Library Binding
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com