Once, there was a lovely little town that fell on hard times.
The library burned down. The people grew suspicious of one another. The mayor couldn’t (or wouldn’t?) fix its difficulties.
Once, there was an Ogress who dwelled in the forest nearby.
She loved to bake. She made friends with crows. She was twice as tall as any grown-up. And when the Mayor needed someone to blame for the town’s problems, she was strange and quiet and right there.
Once, there were fifteen children who lived in the town’s Orphan House.
Anthea was useful. Bartleby loved books. Cass noticed everything. And all of them looked at the town, and the mayor, and the Ogress, and wondered what they could do to help.
Once, there was a dragon…
What happened next?
Listen!
The excerpt on the back cover, plus the cover art of The Ogress and the Orphans. All credit goes to the author, Kelly Barnhill.
Intrigued? Read on:
The book under scrutiny for our first book review is a cute middle grade novel called The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill. This witty tale will delight anyone searching for a cozy, gentle read with a heart-touching ending. Set in a world where ogres roam and dragons lurk, this heartfelt book tells the tale of an Ogress searching for a place to belong and orphans who must unravel the mysteries of their town before it is too late.
What I love:
Often, themes are foggy or preachy. However, The Ogress and the Orphans brought tears to my eyes with its beautifully woven theme and magical narrative style. It is witty, it is gentle, it is awe-inspiring and enchanting.
The characters are real and true, each with their quirks and personal goals. The Ogress, a friendly yet lonely being, just wants to help her town, but doesn’t see the malice that lurks.
Meanwhile, Bartleby and Anthea are desperate to figure out what has caused their lovely town to become un-lovely. And the mayor? Well. You’ll see….
What I don’t love:
Honestly? It’s hard to think of any downsides to this tale. The only thing I don’t like is that once more, the dragon is the villain. However, the author somewhat nullifies this by assuring readers that dragons can be evil or good. It is this particular one that is bad, not dragons in general. Still. I’ve seen way too many evil dragons and not nearly enough good ones.
Content warnings:
Mild violence and minor creep factor.
In one scene, there is a skirmish where humans are wounded and the Ogress’s farm is endangered. However, this is the only scene with violence.
Also, (SPOILER) the dragons have the ability to shape shift using the skins of dead creatures. To me, this is a little unsettling. (SPOILER)
There are no other warnings.
Ratings:
Appropriate content: 4/5
Story construction: 5/5
Writing skill: 5/5
Ethics: 4/5
Other information:
Christian: No
Point of view: Third person omniscient
Tense: Past tense
Romance: No
Series: No
Conclusion:
Ultimately, Kelly Barnhill has woven a quiet wonder about the power of kindness, love, and truth. I highly recommend The Ogress and the Orphans for children anywhere between 8 and 12, though at 15, I still enjoy this book. Adults and older teens will find it an easy, relaxing read, too witty and sweet to put down. My overall rating for this book is 4.5 out of 5 slices of pie. (Because why use stars when there’s pie?)
Farewell until next time, readers!
–Astor
Psst! Have any suggestions for the next book review? Comment below or email me at astorbreneman@the-window-seat.com to let me know!
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