Worlds of Ink and Shadow

Gr 7 Up—This work reimagines the lives of the Brontë siblings with the conceit that Verdopolis and the other worlds they created in their real-life juvenilia were not just words on the page but actual places into which they could cross over and interact. Escape into these vibrant, magical lands is a refuge from their dismal, hopeless lives. With no mother, a distracted father, and their two older sisters dead from disease, Anne, Emily, and Charlotte are all destined to be governesses while Branwell struggles to train as a painter. But their magical adventures inevitably come at a price, and when they lose control of their characters, they first vow to stop crossing over, then realize they may have to find a way to destroy their worlds completely. This sad but fascinating look into the tragically short lives of the famed siblings successfully mixes facts with a fantastical premise to create a gripping and innovative story.