For a book intended for younger readers, this was curiously written. I was intrigued the moment I saw the title, and couldn’t wait to find out more…
Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children: Alexander, age ten or thereabouts, keeps his siblings in line with gentle nips; Cassiopeia, perhaps four or five, has a bark that is (usually) worse than her bite; and Beowulf, age somewhere-in-the-middle, is alarmingly adept at chasing squirrels.
Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Only fifteen years old and a recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, Penelope embraces the challenge of her new position. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must help them overcome their canine tendencies.
There’s an air of whimsy to this book, but the style of writing was genuinely fascinating. With a rather eccentric turn of phrase, and a quite knowing tone, this reminded me a lot of Lemony Snicket.
The whole story was great fun, with plenty of scenes that highlight the oddity of the society amongst which the children are being brought up. I laughed out loud at some of these moments, and really enjoyed my first introduction to these children.