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    A Brief History of Montmaray: The Montmaray Journals, Book 1
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    A Brief History of Montmaray: The Montmaray Journals, Book 1
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    A Brief History of Montmaray: The Montmaray Journals, Book 1
    Audiobook8 hours

    A Brief History of Montmaray: The Montmaray Journals, Book 1

    Written by Michelle Cooper

    Narrated by Emma Bering

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    "There's a fine line between gossip and history, when one is talking about kings."

    Sophie Fitzosborne lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray with her eccentric and impoverished royal family. When she receives a journal for her sixteenth birthday, Sophie decides to chronicle day-to-day life on the island. But this is 1936, and the news that trickles in from the mainland reveals a world on the brink of war. The politics of Europe seem far away from their remote island-until two German officers land a boat on Montmaray. And then suddenly politics become very personal indeed.

    A Brief History of Montmaray is a heart-stopping tale of loyalty, love, and loss, and of fighting to hold on to home when the world is exploding all around you.

    "Once in a while, a special book will cross our paths and make us grateful for life and the ability to read. I'm talking about A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper. I'm calling her Australia's next stroke of literary brilliance."-Viewpoint

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJan 12, 2010
    ISBN9780307707796
    Unavailable
    A Brief History of Montmaray: The Montmaray Journals, Book 1

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    Reviews for A Brief History of Montmaray

    4/5

    207 ratings23 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I read this entire series in 2 days. It reminded me of one of my favorite books, Rosamunde Pilcher's Coming Home.
    • 4/5
      Definitely a good addition to the gothic romance/historical fiction genre for teens & adults alike. Narrated via her journal, Sophie FitzOsborne lives in a crumbling castle on the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray, off the coast of France with her (mad) uncle, King John, her sensible & upright cousin Veronica, her younger tomboy sister Henrietta ("Henry"), & their grumpy housekeeper Rebecca, who cares for King John. Toby, Sophie's brother, is away at English boarding school, & the day to day upkeep of the FitzOsborne's manor falls mainly on Veronica's shoulders. While character building & background details about the tragic stories of both cousins' parents are revealed, the author still keeps the plot developments humming along - & thankfully, although conveyed in a "dear diary" format, never too self-involved (Sophie is 16 & recognizes she may have a hopeless crush on Rebecca's son, Simon Chester) nor pedantic. It's 1935-36 & the Spanish are at war, which Franco & his Fascists will win, the new Nazi government begins to make its moves, & the FitzOsborne girls are commanded by their wealthy Aunt Charlotte to leave Montmaray & come to England (time to make their "debuts" into society). When two German soldiers land at Montmaray things take a very serious turn; the FitzOsbornes' almost penniless but sheltered existence on their remote island has dangers of a political & military nature to face. Plot really takes off here & the suspense builds to the very last pages - recommended for teens who appreciate British dialect in the telling (author's Australian) & enjoy teen girl protagonists who must navigate coming of age, family difficulties AND monumental events in the world around them.
    • 3/5
      Sixteen-year-old Sophia Margaret Elizabeth Jane Clementine FitzOsborne (better known as Sophie), a princess in the royal family of a tiny island kingdom lying in the Bay of Biscay, midway between Britain and the Iberian peninsula, records the twilight days of Montmaray, just before the outbreak of World War II, in this young adult novel from Australia. With a population depleted by the ravages of World War I - the island's adult male population was almost entirely wiped out, fighting in the Montmaravian unit led by King John - and of emigration, an economy that had been bankrupted by the recent stock-market crash, and a ruler driven mad by his role in destroying his own people, Montmaray was in a steep decline, its royal family - mad King John, his scholarly daughter Victoria, his nephew and heir, Toby, and Toby's two sisters: our narrator, Sophie, and the tomboy ten-year-old Henry (Henriette) - practically the only residents left. As Sophie struggles with the decision to leave Montmaray - she has been offered a "season" in English high society, by her wealthy Aunt Charlotte - she also bears witness to the dramatic events, from a royal death to the invasion of the Nazis, that bring one chapter of her life, and of the life of Montmaray, to a close...I was really quite excited when A Brief History of Montmaray was chosen as one of our "in the spirit" reads for the Kindred Spirits group to which I belong - dedicated to the work of L.M. Montgomery, we sometimes read books that have been nominated as being "in the spirit" of that author's work, in our book-club - as I have something of an interest in Ruritanian fantasy (sometimes also styled "Ruritanian Romance"), in which non-fantastic tales unfold in imaginary kingdoms. The praise heaped on this one by most of my goodreads friends, and by group members, led me to believe that, if nothing else, it would be an entertaining read. Unfortunately, I wasn't quite as charmed as I'd hoped, although the story did pick up a little bit for me, midway through the book. It wasn't that Cooper's tale was derivative - although it could very well be, judging by the frequency of comparisons, in other reviews, to Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle (which I have not yet read) - but more that I simply didn't care all that much about the characters. I'm struggling to put my finger on the issue, but something about them - perhaps because we see them through Sophie's journal, and her narrative voice isn't very strong? - felt very distant to me.Still, as noted, I did get involved in the end - probably because the story switched from character study to outright action - and was racing through the final section, to see what would happen. I'm also, despite my lukewarm response to the first half of this book, planning to read the sequel, The FitzOsbornes in Exile (which our book-club is also discussing), so it obviously wasn't that bad. Hopefully I will feel more of a connection to some of the characters, in the subsequent book.
    • 5/5
      LOVE. Looooove this book. It is to me what I Capture the Castle is to so many others. Charming, engaging, sympathetic...nothing really happens for the first half of the book and I DON'T CARE. I wanted it to be twice as long. I want to live on Montmaray. I want to be a princess of a tiny, made-up island, even though they are really poor and it's always cold and the king is crazy...I am terrible at coherent reviews, but I massively recommend this book.


      *Stars: I either give 5 or none; either this is a book I will fight for, or it's not, and I only star the ones I am willing to throw down in defense of. Non-star books, please don't take offense. I am weird and my tastes are not necessarily indicative of the worth of anything.
    • 3/5
      Its not this book's fault that it gets compared to I Capture the Castle. It's not the book's fault that I love Dodie Smith's similar tale of cusp of womanhood/stuck in a moldering castle/impossible family drama/conflicting romantical feelings, like how I believe I'll love my child.
      That said, it's still a good book. The journal format is at times a little too journal like, in that some details of everyday life that would realistically be in a teenage girl's journal do not make for compelling fiction. I am intrigued this is the beginning of series because I think this a strong case for seeing a character undergo a dramatic change, not just continue the story.
    • 4/5
      Listened to Listening Library edition narrated by Emma Bering. Definitely planning to listen to the next one on audio as well.
    • 4/5
      Loved this! The difference between 4 and 5 stars for me was one of expectation: for the first half or so, this was effectively like rereading I Capture the Castle. (Note that this is not a complaint; I adore the tone and style of Castle, and was explicitly looking for something similar.) When it took a swing into gothic horror territory, I found it jarring -- but maybe that's just because I know Castle so well. Anyway, delightful book, and I suspect the more serious parts will be the parts I remember best. Looking forward to reading the sequels.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book which has the feel of I Capture The Castle. This takes place in 1936 on the small island of Montmaray, an independent kingdom. The somewhat crazed king, his 17 year old daughter and his orphaned neices and nephew live on the island which lies between France and Spain. There is a lot of heartstopping drama due to the fact that the island lies 200 miles from neighbors and is often at the mercy of a raging sea. Include a rundown "castle" built on cliffs and the growing threat of WWII and there is plently of adventure.
    • 4/5
      A Brief History of Montmaray is the diary of sixteen year old Sophia FitzOsborne, a princess of the (sadly fictional) island kingdom of Montmaray.It has an I Capture the Castle feel to it - a coming-of-age story, a delightful narrator, an impoverished, eccentric family and a crumbling castle. It's 1936 and the island's population consists of Sophie, her uncle - the mad King John, her cousin Veronica, her younger sister Henry, their housekeeper, and four villagers. Sophie's older brother, the king's heir, is at school in England and the housekeeper's son, who spends most of his time in London, appears occasionally. Sophie's account of life on Montmaray is charming and compelling, making growing up in a cold castle on a small island seem wonderful somehow despite the impoverished circumstances, absence of reliable parents, challenges of running a household, loneliness and isolation. The FitzOsbornes' indifference to certain social conventions is delightful, and the girls are independent and resourceful; their passion for their home and homeland readily apparent.A Brief History of Montmaray has a bittersweet quality, because this existence is precarious. Princesses inevitably leave Montmaray upon marriage, and while Sophie dreams of being presented to Society in London, she's reluctant to go without Veronica, and Veronica is determined never to leave Montmaray at all. Montmaray's isolation also makes it vulnerable - it's difficult to seek help when there are accidents, crises or German trespassers...This wonderful story left me quite impatient to read the sequel, The FitzOsbornes in Exile (which in turn has left me waiting eagerly for The FitzOsbornes at War. I'm terrified about what World War II will do to these characters - but I also think it would more than a war to stop them from being wonderful and individual.) I'm very glad to have made the acquaintance of the FitzOsbornes!"[we're] quite alone on a small island [...] two hundred miles of storm-tossed sea between us and civilisation, a house-hold that consists of: 1. One middle-aged man of indifferent health and intermittent sanity 2. One middle-aged housekeeper, who prefers not to housekeep too much as it interferes with her worship of the man previously mentioned 3. Two girls, neither of whom can cook very well, although between them they have adequate skills in the areas of book-keeping, plumbing, dusting, historical research, laundering and story-telling 4. One ten-year-old tomboy, able to fish, swear and trap rabbits, but unable to write, make her own bed or remember to brush her teeth 5. One dog, several mad cats, numerous chickens, a dozen pigeons and far too many rats."
    • 4/5
      I've been reading a lot of mostly straight up fiction (sometimes with a hint of fantas), as rec'd to me by a younger co-worker. This was one of those books she thought I'd like and she was right. Sophia tells us, through her diaries, about her life on the fictional island (and kingdom) of Montmaray. I love the setting, the way Cooper weaves historical fiction with fantasy. I tend to avoid WW2 focused books, but for some reason the Montmaray Journals keeps drawing me in. I think part of the reason is that the story is told from the point of view of someone who isn't directly involved with the impending war, but will eventually be impacted. I love Sophia's views and her worries and the way she's so detached from what's going out around her (she's a princess on an island that rarely ever gets any news). What happens at the end is surprising and provides a good segue into the second book in the series.
    • 5/5
      I almost put this book down as soon as I began it, I was so put off by its similarities to I Capture the Castle by Dodi Smith. I'm so glad I persevered. Though A Brief History of Montmaray does bear superficial resemblance to I Capture the Castle - an impoverished, eccentric family inhabiting a run-down castle; plot advanced through the journal entries of a teen age girl; story set in the late 1930's; even the name Simon for a main character - Cooper has created a story and characters that are wholly her own. The FitzOsbornes of Montmaray are charming individuals, and their adventures on their tiny island kingdom as they struggle to survive in the days leading up to World War II are exciting, and often poignant. While I Capture the Castle leaves its heroine on the cusp of WWII, A Brief History of Montmaray and its sequel, The FitzOsbornes in Exile, bravely take on the politics and some of the horror of the Nazi regime.
    • 5/5
      A couple of months ago, a friend sent a short list of recommended YA reads. On this list was A Brief History of Montmaray, with the note: "I don't normally go in for princesses but this one is pretty awesome." I've never been interested in princesses, either, so the note piqued my curiosity. What would make a princess interesting to me?A Brief History of Montmaray, apparently!Sophia, whose journal entries comprise this brief history, is one of several princesses of the island of Montmaray. The eldest princess, Sophia's cousin Veronica, is daughter of the current--not-quite-sane--King John. Sophia's sister is the youngest princess (who'd rather be a prince, thank you very much); her brother, the prince, is away studying in England. As the number of villagers grows increasingly sparse, the girls must manage the castle virtually on their own. Even before Nazi-related trials and tribulations enter the story, it's a captivating tale of survival, humor and grace. The girls matter-of-factly face a unique set of circumstances that, to them, are simply ordinary life. Each girl is so vibrantly portrayed and so realistic, I felt increasingly as I turned the pages they were good friends I've known my whole life. Part of this might be a testament to how deeply I relate to their circumstances, given that I was one of four siblings who survived childhood despite poverty, isolation and a parental figure whose mental illness made her more of a parental figurehead than a parent in some regards. Mostly, though, I think it's Michelle Cooper's compassionate, loving, poignant depiction of each of the girls and all the other characters of this stunning novel.When everything goes awry even by the girls' standards, the book becomes impossible to set down. (It was merely "extremely difficult" before.) I plowed through the last 100 pages this morning before my son awakened. I rejoiced at the book's beautiful conclusion, which so comforts me given how it mirrors my own life questions at the moment, and also at the fact there are more Montmaray books waiting to be devoured by me. If only I'd checked them out preemptively!If you don't enjoy princess tales, you might nevertheless enjoy this princess tale, and the fiercely independent, precocious princesses who make it such a beautiful, delightful tale of survival.
    • 4/5
      I picked this one up just as I was finishing I Capture the Castle and was immediately struck by the similarities. Young girl, growing up in a castle, written in journal style, same time period. Even a common character name. Unlike I Capture the Castle, however, which maintains a slow, steady pace throughout, A Brief History of Montmaray becomes quite gripping about halfway through (and maintains this pace), when the fictitious island is visited by a couple of Nazis. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope that Cooper writes a follow-up.
    • 4/5
      The narrator and framing, akin to "I Capture the Castle" set in a decaying castle on a remote island , creates an enjoyable read, combining suspense, romance, and adventure.
    • 3/5
      Princess Sophie Fitzosborne of the Kingdom of Montmaray begins a journal on her 16th birthday in 1936, detailing her life and a history of the island kingdom. This is not your typical princess lifestyle; rather than the lavish castle with plenty of servants, hers is a run-down, crumbling edifice that's more of a large old house rather than medieval castle-- and all but one of the servants has fled. Most of the small kingdom's residents either died in World War I or moved away after; now, only a handful of the Royal family and a servant live on the isolated island hundreds of miles off the Spanish and French coasts in the Bay of Biscay. The story is epistilary and unfolds luxuriously-- meaning slowly but not necessarily in a boring manner. The cast of characters makes for interesting reading, including a king gone mad, Nazis who arrive on a potential quest for the Holy Grail, and family positioning over who is next in line to assume the throne of the down-trodden kingdom. Recommended to readers who do not require plot-driven books.
    • 3/5
      I'm not sure if I missed it or if the author missed the opportunity for the children to really understand why they were poor. I would have preferred a little less blantant history; and some kind of realization about the value of the villagers who had died and left the island.I think the small homosexual episode was totally unnecessary and didn't play well into the story.Development of characters Sophia and Veronica was great.
    • 5/5
      Princess Sophie FitzOsborne and her family live in a crumbling castle on a tiny island kingdom off the coast off Spain. The population of what once was a flourishing (but tiny) and prosperous kingdom has been reduced to a few servants, and 4 family members, including the King who is mad. Teenage Sophie and her cousin (and the King's daughter) Veronica are in charge of the sustenance of the household, and basically the kingdom. The year is 1936, and the only connection they have with the outside world is through a passing ship or an airplane. Their safety is threatened when two Nazis come ashore, searching for the Holy Grail. This novel had a slow start for me--it reminded me of "I capture the castle" with the useless parents and the kids who were in survival mode. But soon, it was filled with adventure and breathless moments--hidden passageways, priceless antiques, near death experiences. You must read it!
    • 5/5
      December 11, 2013

      It's not the perfect book for everyone, but for those who love I Capture the Castle and Code Name Verity, it should be a very good fit. The surface is the story of three princesses living in a medieval castle (almost) on a tiny rocky outcrop in the Atlantic, among the last few residents of the miniscule kingdom of Montmaray. The time is 1936. As the title implies, a fair amount of history is revealed, all of it accurate except for the ruling family and the island itself. Self-appointed librarian Veronica and novel-reader Sophie are both realistic and pragmatic even as their gothic cliche of a country, kingdom, castle, and way of life are fading out of the modern world. The whole is a marvelous synthesis of Mitford eccentricity and the terror of another Great War, as told by a young woman more familiar with Jane Austen than the progress of the early 20th century. The tone is more Indiana Jones than Anne Frank and it must be said that the book rollicks. There is an endearing Portugese Water Dog named Carlos and an impetuous younger sister who prefers to go by the nickname Henry. I'd particularly recommend it to younger readers who like clever kick-ass princesses.

      ***

      January 3, 2015

      I'd checked the whole series out for Natasha, and since it was just lying around, I decided to pass an idle moment with it. And then I got sucked in, and read some of it aloud to Natasha, and she got sucked in, and then I had to read the next two as quickly as possible in order to hand them back over to her. Loved them even more this time.



      Library copy.
    • 4/5
      This book had been sitting on my shelf for a while (well technically on top of the snake tank, but whatever) and I finally got around to reading it. I really enjoyed it and it was a lot more mixed in its themes than I was expecting. The story is emotional and often hilarious but also serious and thought provoking. A great piece of historical fiction with memorable setting and characters.
    • 2/5
      I'm not sure if it was my general dislike of YA historical fiction or this particular example, but I was underwhelmed by A Brief History of Montmaray. The story was fairly predictable, but with an impressively exciting conclusion. I found the characters to be somewhat single dimensional as well. However, as is often the case, this book was not written with me or my sensibilities in mind. I think that my 12-year old self might have enjoyed the tale, so my recommendation would be for younger readers (grades 6 and up).
    • 2/5
      From the book jacket: Sophie FitzOsborne lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray, along with her tomboy younger sister Henry, her beautiful, intellectual cousin Veronica, and her uncle, the completely ma King John. When Sophie receives a journal for her sixteenth birthday, she decides to write about her day-to-day life on the island. But this is 1936, and the news that trickles in from the mainland reveals a world on the brink of war. My reactionsI was bored, and finished only because it satisfied a challenge. I found Sophie’s musings repetitious (How often do I need to hear about how cranky Rebecca is? How handsome Simon is? How stubborn Henry is?). At first I was reminded of We Have Always Lived in the Castle but that quickly subsided. I didn’t find the underlying intrigue about Sophie’s brother and who will inherit the throne from Uncle John terribly interesting. We’re to believe they are completely isolated, with little or no modern conveniences (no electricity, no phone, no motorized boat), yet when they need help they hoist a flag and miraculously a passing ship sees it and comes to their aid. One of my pet peeves is cliffhanger endings that “force” the reader to get the next book to find out what happens. And that is exactly what this book gives us. I know this is a YA novel and I do cut the genre a little slack, so I’m still giving it two stars. Some of the scenes were quite suspenseful, and some of the interactions between characters not only advanced the story, but were plausible. I also liked that the young women were portrayed as strong, intelligent, resourceful and determined.
    • 4/5
      Princess Sophia FitzOsborne lives in a crumbling castle on the tiny island of Montmaray with her tomboy younger sister, Henry, her brilliant cousin Princess Veronica and her insane uncle, King John. Her journal entries are typically filled with accounts of her chores and musings about her crush--that is, until rumors of a second world war reach their isolated home. Sophia's narrative voice in "A Brief History of Montmaray" reminds me of an old-fashioned Georgia Nicholson, full of humor and wry observations on life. The story itself is highly entertaining, especially when it takes a turn for the Gothic; fans of classics like "Rebecca" and "Jane Eyre" will enjoy this novel.
    • 4/5
      Sophie FitzOsborne is a princess of the island nation of Montmaray. Situated in the Atlantic Ocean hundreds of miles off the coasts of England, France, and Spain, Montmaray has less than a dozen inhabitants. Sophie lives with her tomboyish younger sister Henrietta (who wants to be a boy and insists on being called Henry), Sophie’s mad uncle, King John, and her brilliant cousin, Veronica. Sophie’s brother, Toby, who will be the next king, is in school in England when he sends Sophie a journal for her 16th birthday. She sets out to write about life on Montmaray in 1936.This book takes its own sweet time about getting started. I was through 180 of the 290 pages before anything resembling a plot began to unfold. Which is not to say the first 180 pages weren’t interesting. I enjoyed imagining what it would be like to be a princess of such a rundown nation, where there weren’t always candles enough for reading or food for eating. Once the action started, it was fast and furious. There were Nazis, a quest for the Holy Grail, pretenders to the throne, a heroic Portugese Water Dog, wicked stepmothers and mysterious disappearances all in the last 110 pages. It’s also one of those books that doesn’t wrap everything up….plenty of mysteries left at the end. Perhaps there will be a sequel. All in all, I’d give it a thumbs up. Just be patient. The action is coming.