the journey to the river sea by eva ibbotson

Journey to the River Sea was my first Eva Ibbotson, but it will certainly not be my last. But with the help of Miss Minton – and of her friends Clovis King and Finn Taverner, who have plenty of have troubles and secrets of their own – Maia does have the chance to get to know the surrounding Amazon, and completely falls in love with the place in the process. Life with the Carters turns out to be very different from what Maia had imagined: the family insist on pretending they’re still in England, and refuse to let Maia meet any of “the natives” or spend any time at all outdoors. Maia is accompanied by her new governess, Miss Minton, an intelligent woman with a mysterious past. I would also recommend One Boy and his Dog.Set in 1910, Journey to the River Sea is the story of Maia, an orphan girl who’s sent from the Mayfair Academy for Young Ladies in England to Manaus, Brazil, where the Carters, her deceased parents’ only living relatives, reside. Eva Ibbotson's books are delightful, beautifully written and would keep any young reader hooked.

I would highly recommend this to any 9+ reader. She is an inspiration in so many ways, holding Maia's hand on her journey growing up & discovering so much about the world. She has an ability to teach Maia everything from the delights of the magical jungle to the virtues of kindness, loyalty, friendship and love. She appears to be dour and terrifying at the outset, but turns out to be a dark horse, with an intriguing secret past. Which character – as performed by Imelda Staunton – was your favourite? The plot meanders as dramatically as the Amazon river itself, from the strange and obsessive Carter parents and their terrible twins to the excitement, drama and fun that Maia has with Finn and Clovis. Maia's awakening to the wonders of the Amazon jungle, its people and all the possibilities away from the stultifying confines of school and the Carter family. Despite the protagonist being a girl, my 10 year old son loved this story, particularly enjoying the excitements with Finn & Clovis, and it transported us to another time, and another world. It kept us hooked, wanting to know what happened next. The story of Maia's journey from Victorian boarding school to the wilds of the Amazon is exciting and full of unexpected adventure.

What did you like most about Journey to the River Sea?

The journey to the river sea by eva ibbotson