5.0 out of 5 stars Another Tale of Suspense and Adventure by the Author of "Seahaven"

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 1 December 2022

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This is a real page-turner of a novel, with convincing time-shifts from modern English life to a Victorian world where children are abandoned to live by their wits. Susan is the central character and her grandmother's button box is her link to the past. It allows her to escape from problems which make her feel unwanted in her father's new family. However, the Dickensian world that she finds herself in is quite threatening with danger all around.

Her saviour in this unfamiliar setting is a boy called Baxter, who is old beyond his years and used to fending for himself. The two of them face a series of very exciting, even dangerous situations. They meet a fascinating set of colourful characters from market traders to performers, thugs and refined ladies and gentlemen, even Queen Victoria.

When Susan wakes up in Victorian London, she is often plunged into the middle of a situation that she does not understand, so the reader has to figure out what is happening at the same time as she does, which keeps the readers on their toes. The plot is full of dramatic twists and turns, with some dangerous moments for the two children, who have only their wits to protect them. This makes the readers care very much about them and the people who are on their side.

In the modern scenes of the story, Susan's problems are caused by her father's decision to marry and take her to live with her new step-mother and her three daughters. These sections are very true to life, and give us a lively contrast with the larger-than-life ups and downs of the time-shift scenes.

The double story is woven together with skill and there is never a dull moment. The different characters have their own ways of speaking, so that you know which world they belong to and that brings them to life. It was a nice touch to include explanations for some of the slang at the back of the book.

CHILL AWARDS Premier Readers Award - What 3 readers said:

Button Box
was evaluated against the following
Were the characters strong and engaging?
Was the book well written?
Did the story / plot have you turning the page to find out what happened next?
Was the ending satisfying?
Would you recommend to someone who reads this kind of story?

Reader 1
The author has created a wonderful adventure that takes the reader to the grimy
and frightening street of Victorian London. Whilst the story is dual time, the author
has concentrated much of the story on the evil happenings in Victorian London.
The characters are realistic and well-drawn. The story is clever, descriptive and
beautifully written.
The book is listed as: Genre: Children's Historical Action & Adventure. It certainly
is full of historical action and adventure and whilst the main characters are two
young children, there are plenty of adults who share the role as stars in the book.
For me, I feel, Button Box is just as appealing to adults. I note on Amazon it
suggests readers are aged between 10 – 18. I think I would be inclined to say,
suitable for all readers over 10....The ending in Victorian London was perfect
 a truly delightful read. Thank you, Ms Enright for an entertaining and
gripping read.

Reader 2
Brilliant! I loved everything about this book. In fact, it is definitely one of my
favourites of the year.
It is beautifully written, interesting storyline, and the colloquial dialogue is
absolutely spot-on. The parallels between Susan’s modern world and imaginary
are poignant. And I felt every bit of her emotions. The idea of the button box is
precious... I look forward to reading another book from this author – excellent writing. Thank you.
Reader 3
A lovely story, well written and described Victorian London so well with the poverty
and noxious smells.

Available to order in paperback and e-book formats from the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Button-Box-Ruth-Enright/dp/1739627776/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1657186258&sr=8-1