A School for Brides

Starred review from April 15, 2015
Several years after the events of Keeping the Castle (2012), the Winthrop Hopkins Female Academy has opened in the rainy hamlet of Lesser Hoo. The school's mission: to ready eight young ladies, ages 12 to 19, for the marriage market. Given the remote location-coastal Yorkshire-potential grooms are in short supply (there's one) until a presentable young man walking in the vicinity breaks his leg. Brought into the school to heal, he's soon joined by friends. Rounding out the male prospects is a mysterious gentleman billeted at the local inn. Though all are single, the road to marital bliss is lined with potholes. Miss Asquith is attractive, delightful, and wealthy, but her father's business, a low-status gin distillery, is likely to deter eligible mates. Down-to-earth Miss Pffolliott is vexed by a strange man claiming to be her devoted admirer. Closet scientist and would-be astronomer Miss Franklin pursues a man with his own telescope. Intricate subplots with exceptionally vivid characters (Crooked Castle residents among them) add to the fun. Historical novels attempting the Regency comedy of manners can read like leaden, uninspired fan fiction. This affectionate homage to the genre delivers what's missing: a witty, intelligent plot whose characters-complex, conniving, hypocritical, and hilarious-seek happiness within an ordered world. This airy souffle of a tale, garnished with quirky charm, is an unmitigated delight from start to finish. (author's note) (Historical fiction. 12-18)

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Starred review from May 1, 2015

Gr 7 Up-Fairly exploding with intrigue, nefarious governesses, secret suitors, and marriage plots galore, this follow-up to Kindl's well-received Keeping the Castle (Viking, 2012) isn't a Regency romp but a roller-coaster. The book shares a setting with its companion novel but focuses on the girls of Winthrop Hopkins Female Academy, a school for young ladies aspiring to marry. However, fans of the original title will be cheered at brief glimpses of Althea (now Mrs. Fredericks), whose niece is a student at the academy. The girls of Winthrop would be the first to point out that the marital prospects in Lesser Hoo are most unsuitable-that is, until a traveling young man with a broken leg turns up. Soon Lesser Hoo is buzzing with visitors, some of whom wear out their welcome faster than others. The novel boasts a plethora of characters (eight students, three headmistresses, and a bevy of suitors, among others), and keeping all of them and their various exploits and adventures straight may prove daunting for some. While the strength of Keeping the Castle was its Lizzie Bennett-esque protagonist Althea, the draw of this wonderfully over-the-top send-up of the genre is its humor; indeed, the dialogue will have Downtown Abbey creator Julian Fellowes enviously cribbing notes. The author once again displays an intuitive understanding of upper-crust English society and a masterly ability to play with well-established genre conventions and types. VERDICT An enchanting addition, sure to charm Jane Austen lovers and those who live for the next big Downton Abbey reveal.-Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2015
Grades 7-10 The author's Keeping the Castle (2012) gets a welcome companion in this story set at a school for young ladies, where finding a husband is as big a part of the curriculum as embroidery or poetry. Once again, Kindl patterns the narrative after the works of Jane Austen, so readers will find girls of impoverished (and somewhat better) circumstances, young men (and some not so young) who are not always what they seem, and plenty of wry twists, some unexpected (and one or two fairly obvious). Readers might be initially put off by having to follow six characters who, at least in the opening chapters, are not very well distinguished from one another, though charming ink portraits and a cast list help somewhat. As the book progresses, the girls do become more distinct, especially the clever Rosalind Franklin, whose love of science gives her several standout scenes. Fans of Keeping the Castle will be delighted that various inhabitants of Lesser Hoo make appearances.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
In the secluded Yorkshire village of Lesser Hoo, the Winthrop Hopkins Female Academy houses eight young heroines as they learn the manners and graces necessary to secure a profitable marriage. Though pickings amongst the local bachelors are slim, an unexpected influx of eligible gentlemen fills the town with parties and gossip after an injured stranger becomes a guest at the school. Secret admirers, a conniving governess, and one very powerful telescope follow, quickly stirring up excitement both welcome and not. A tidy conclusion delivers some personal triumph for each young woman and, of course, a few betrothals. As light and quick as the playful banter volleyed among the Winthrop Hopkins girls themselves, this companion to Kindl's Keeping the Castle (rev. 9/12) is highly entertaining. The cast of characters is extensive, and the mix of personalities fills Lesser Hoo with the buoyant charm of a crowded party. (An introductory character list provides helpful reminders as to who's who.) Kindl's command of the Regency voice and style never wavers, and the dialogue could make any visiting Austen protagonist feel instantly at home. Though we don't get quite enough time to really see beyond the characters' surfaces, the girls' witty, kind, and sometimes critical opinions about their situations and surroundings turn backwater Yorkshire into the setting for a bright season of social comedy. sarah berman

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