Edie dislikes her life with her passive aunt and cruel cousins. When a family relative approaches her with an opportunity to go to a boarding school and investigate happenings around a client's daughter, Anastasia, a Russian princess, Edie is excited but cautious. Once at the boarding school, Edie starts to feel like she has found a potential family, but the mystery behind Anastasia's stolen items continues, and Edie will find she can't trust everyone at her new home.

THE GIRL WITH THE GLASS BIRD is, above all, an interesting read. Esme Kerr has a very distinctive and quirky voice. The setting and several of the characters are a blend of creepy and charming, and I was never quite sure which side weighed the strongest while reading. I like the old school feeling of the boarding school, even though it is set in contemporary times, and the author captures the boarding school vibe perfectly.

The characters are each a little strange in their own way, and Edie is particularly intriguing. Her sense of loneliness is heartbreaking at times, and every time she is caught doing something not allowed, I always wanted to cringe in sympathy. The friendship between her and Anastasia feels realistic, and there are plenty of deep layers woven around the interactions between the children and the adults that make you worry for these two characters who have so much on their shoulders. The mystery surrounding Anastasia is a mixture of excitement, suspense, madness, and a dash of horror.

Though I didn't love this story, the mystery and friendship elements make this an enjoyable read. I would recommend THE GIRL WITH THE GLASS BIRD by Esme Kerr to middle grade readers looking for a distinctive voice and a story that makes their minds wonder.

Book Summary

When feisty Edie is sent to a remote school to spy on fragile Anastasia, she never imagines that they'll become best friends instead--and discover an ominous plot that puts both their lives in danger!

Through a series of strange coincidences, orphan Edie finds herself at Knight's Haddon, a stately boarding school for girls. But Edie is not just another student--under normal circumstances, she could never afford to go to boarding school. She's been sent to Knight's Haddon by her art- dealer uncle to investigate the disappearance of a precious crystal bird that belongs to his secretive client's daughter.

Anastasia, a Russian royal, has a fragile disposition and a melodramatic bent--or so the headmistress and all the other girls say. Edie's assignment is not only to find the missing glass bird; it's to befriend the troubled blueblood and keep a watchful eye on her.

When the two girls uncover a dangerous plot, how can they stop it? Inside the walls of the isolated estate, is there anyone they can trust?