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Girl in the Attic
Valerie Mendes' gripping, fast-moving novel explores the whirlpools of change in teenagers' lives, the strengths of friendship, and the inescapable, binding pull of love. Thirteen-year-old Nathan is furious when his mum hauls him off to Cornwall for Christmas and then tells him they are to move there for good. He wants to be back with Dad and his best friend, Tom, in his London life. But then he finds a cottage—and a girl. The girl in the attic. Who is she and what is the family secret that haunts her life?
213 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2002
About the author
Valerie Mendes
24 books20 followersValerie Mendes started writing when she was six. Seventy years later, she looks half her age, feels twenty-one – and is still obsessed with telling a good story.
Educated at North London Collegiate School and the University of Reading, Valerie worked as a journalist for part-work publisher Marshall Cavendish before joining the English Language Teaching Division of Oxford University Press. A short stint with Penguin Books and a second one with OUP at their invitation marked her move to Oxfordshire, where she still lives.
After a long career in publishing, Valerie was encouraged to become a full-time writer. She has published two picture books, Tomasina’s First Dance and Look at Me, Grandma! and four young adult novels, Girl in the Attic, Coming of Age, Lost and Found and The Drowning.
Larkswood, Valerie’s first historical novel for the adult market, was published by Orion in 2014, and translated into German. The Choice, Valerie’s second historical novel for adults, is set in Oxford, Woodstock and Cornwall in 1936.
Valerie returned to writing for teenagers with Where Peacocks Scream, set in modern day Oxford.
Educated at North London Collegiate School and the University of Reading, Valerie worked as a journalist for part-work publisher Marshall Cavendish before joining the English Language Teaching Division of Oxford University Press. A short stint with Penguin Books and a second one with OUP at their invitation marked her move to Oxfordshire, where she still lives.
After a long career in publishing, Valerie was encouraged to become a full-time writer. She has published two picture books, Tomasina’s First Dance and Look at Me, Grandma! and four young adult novels, Girl in the Attic, Coming of Age, Lost and Found and The Drowning.
Larkswood, Valerie’s first historical novel for the adult market, was published by Orion in 2014, and translated into German. The Choice, Valerie’s second historical novel for adults, is set in Oxford, Woodstock and Cornwall in 1936.
Valerie returned to writing for teenagers with Where Peacocks Scream, set in modern day Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
January 23, 2021
I own this book.
This book follows Nathan, a naive, stubborn and frankly a little selfish brat whose parents get divorced and he makes it all about himself. Obviously. When his mum decides to go to Cornwall for Christmas, meaning he'd miss out on his annual tradition with his friends in London, he hits the roof, pining to be with his dad and his dad's new family. When he's stuck in Cornwall, his worst dream becomes a reality when his mum announces her plans to return to her childhood home. Well, Nathan thinks this it, the end of the world. So he runs off to the beach where he finds a mysterious girl who claims he's too late to help. Confused, he follows her to a cottage that's for sale and he suddenly decides that this is the only way he'll move to Cornwall willingly if they buy the cottage and help the girl who lives in the attic with an alcoholic and abusive father. Blah blah blah, some drama happens and then at the end everything is fixed, her dad decides to stop drinking after Nathan helps save his life and they uncover all the mysteries in the books and Bob's your uncle, Nathan is okay about living in Cornwall because he has the girl(friend) in the attic.
I got this book on a whim from a charity shop, expecting it to mirror the likes of Girl in the Wall by AJ Gnuse but it represented a sadder tale of abuse. This book would have probably impressed me more if Nathan wasn't so annoying and it was written in a more understandable tense. I couldn't follow why it was written in almost second person narrative with it being from Nathan's POV but also treating Nathan as a completely separate person at times. It was confusing. This book also wrapped things up a little too neatly for me.
This book follows Nathan, a naive, stubborn and frankly a little selfish brat whose parents get divorced and he makes it all about himself. Obviously. When his mum decides to go to Cornwall for Christmas, meaning he'd miss out on his annual tradition with his friends in London, he hits the roof, pining to be with his dad and his dad's new family. When he's stuck in Cornwall, his worst dream becomes a reality when his mum announces her plans to return to her childhood home. Well, Nathan thinks this it, the end of the world. So he runs off to the beach where he finds a mysterious girl who claims he's too late to help. Confused, he follows her to a cottage that's for sale and he suddenly decides that this is the only way he'll move to Cornwall willingly if they buy the cottage and help the girl who lives in the attic with an alcoholic and abusive father. Blah blah blah, some drama happens and then at the end everything is fixed, her dad decides to stop drinking after Nathan helps save his life and they uncover all the mysteries in the books and Bob's your uncle, Nathan is okay about living in Cornwall because he has the girl(friend) in the attic.
I got this book on a whim from a charity shop, expecting it to mirror the likes of Girl in the Wall by AJ Gnuse but it represented a sadder tale of abuse. This book would have probably impressed me more if Nathan wasn't so annoying and it was written in a more understandable tense. I couldn't follow why it was written in almost second person narrative with it being from Nathan's POV but also treating Nathan as a completely separate person at times. It was confusing. This book also wrapped things up a little too neatly for me.
May 2, 2020
A well written story that is quick and easy to read, but felt a bit short and underdeveloped. It wasn't what I expected, and was a light exploration of friendship, transitions, family, alcohol abuse, love and acceptance. Although it included elements of all these I felt they could have been deeper and more fleshed out. The ghosts and premonitions seemed unnecessary with the way the plot unfolded here, but could have made an interesting point if the tale had taken a different direction. This was not a bad book, and I did enjoy it; but I'm left feeling a bit underwhelmed.
March 12, 2019
A strange but well written book that I enjoyed. I wish it was longer as it felt a little under developed and there are a few plot lines that require development. However, it is a great read to relax with, the characters are interesting to read about. Would recommend
November 26, 2020
I really love the writing style, loved the settings and the imagery, and I really wanted to fall in love with this book, but it felt underdeveloped. So many undiscovered ideas, I wish there was a little more explanation, for example
(SPOILER)
Why can the girl read minds? and
What about the ghosts? Are they just a normal thing? Is the reader supposed to be ok with the main characters just ignoring the ghost situation completely?
(END SPOILER)
I didn't like the romance as much, it just felt a little forced, almost like "you're the main boy, and you're the main girl, and now kiss". The main character was also not my cup of tea, I found him whiny and annoying, although maybe that's how he is supposed to be, I just didn't find this book as charming as I wish I did.
(SPOILER)
Why can the girl read minds? and
What about the ghosts? Are they just a normal thing? Is the reader supposed to be ok with the main characters just ignoring the ghost situation completely?
(END SPOILER)
I didn't like the romance as much, it just felt a little forced, almost like "you're the main boy, and you're the main girl, and now kiss". The main character was also not my cup of tea, I found him whiny and annoying, although maybe that's how he is supposed to be, I just didn't find this book as charming as I wish I did.
August 27, 2021
A nice book about a teen who is reluctantly displaced by his family, only to find the sleepy Cornish village in which he finds himself has something more than he bargained for the eponymous heroine. A nice mystery tale with a biting edge of family divides, it is well-written and very readable. I enjoyed it.
September 7, 2017
i have been searching for this book forever! i read it as a kid in primary school and i remember loving it! the title must have dropped out of my head in the last 12 years but now i can find it and reread it!
October 2, 2022
It’s such a good story but for me a I found it very boring and dull. I didn’t like the character at all and I didn’t like the story either. The only decent bit of the book is a chapter before the end and that was a mess of trying to wrap everything up on one go which didn’t really happen. Xx
September 12, 2017
A story about love, affection, heart break, courage, adolescent infatuation amd bonding. Very well written and narrated.
June 19, 2019
Picked up this book blindly and I have to say I am not disappointed at all. I should get out of my comfort zone more often.
January 19, 2020
I really enjoyed this book! I read a few reviews that made me question whether I would but I think it’s a lovely book, typical teen romance novel with family secrets and twists and turns.
June 18, 2020
This was a reread as a childhood book. As an adult it wasn’t as good as I remembered, but a nice nostalgic read all the same.
October 15, 2020
Surprisingly humourless teen romance. Very lean prose. Slow start, speeds up nicely in the last quarter. Interesting to discover how much more realistic Young Adult Fiction has become in the last twenty years. Still feel it has some way to go, perhaps because it always adults writing for teenagers, and not teenagers writing for themselves.
April 14, 2023
This book could have done with another 100 pages just so it didn't feel so rushed. The characters are all pretty unlikeable. The story was okay but I just feel a bit meh after reading it 🤷♀️
December 8, 2011
Nathan is a thirteen year old boy whose parents are separating. For Christmas Nathans mom wants to move to St.Ives and spend Christmas with his grandfather. Nathan doesn't agree because he would be separated with his best friend and he would miss the party. When they got there, they stayed in a hotel until his mom would find a cottage to live in. One day nathan told his mom the he was going for a walk, while he was walking he found this cottage with a girl looking outside the attic. As a curios boy he wanted to know more about her. Nathan would stalk her everyday, the cottage was for sale so he took the number and went back home to show it to his mom. Jake croft, Rosalies dad was a very bad person. he was always drunk and always shouted at Rosalie,he didn't have a job.They went and saw the house and his mom liked it a lot. Nathan found out that her name was Rosalie and that her mom died from slipping of a cliff. they got to know each other more and hung out more. Jake Croft was at a bar at night while nathan was taking walk. Jake got stabbed with a knife because he owed everybody money. Nathan saved his life and took him to the hospital. But Rosalie looked like she has lived a horrible life from the look of her face so Nathan invited her to spend Christmas lunch together with his mom and grandpa. Charlie who owns an art studio was invited too. Rosalie never knew until that day that Charlie was her moms true love. Charlie had a room full of her mom and her mom had a locked chest with all his pictures in it.Rosalie still lived with her dad even though Charlie was her real father. when Nathan moved into her house drew a sketch of him and gave him her cat Tiggy. Nathan and Rosalie liked each other but rosalie had to leave.
This book was incredible to me i really loved it! I would recommend it to people who love romantic and mysterious books.
This book was incredible to me i really loved it! I would recommend it to people who love romantic and mysterious books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2011
Girl in the attic is about a boy that his mom and dad had been separated and the mom decided to move to St. Ives from London. His mom was searching for a cottage, so Nathan, the boy, was running around St. Ives so he found that cottage that a girl was in the attic. He took the number and came back and forth to the cottage and talked to the girl. Later, the girl, Rosalie, and her fake dad, jake, moved to another house and Nathan helped and they found something hidden about her mom that died. Jake went to the hospital because people who he owed money to beat him up. Nathan helped by taking him to the hospital.He invited Rosalie to have lunch on Christmas eve with his family. Rosalie ran away because Charlie, her real dad, told her something so Nathan followed her and discovered a new pathway which led to the sea under the cliff which her mom died off. There, Charlie came and took them to the studio and told them about everything between her and him and her and Jake. After a while, he showed her a secret place he had done, it's all about her mom's paintings. Finally, Rosalie gave Nathan her cat Tiggy and drew him.
I loved this book. It is amazing. I advice everyone to read it:D
I loved this book. It is amazing. I advice everyone to read it:D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 20, 2022
Summary:
A young boy called Nathan is hauled off to Cornwall by his mother after his parent’s sudden separation. Nathan is upset by this & he longs for his old London life, his best friend Tom & his father. One day, Nathan comes across an old cottage & he spies a girl of similar age who is up in the attic. Nathan feels connected to her in some way & he wants to befriend her. But who exactly is the girl in the attic?
My Thoughts:
I went in thinking I was going to be reading a ghost story (thanks to the blurb on the back) so I was very surprised to find myself reading a coming-of-age story. It was a pleasant read.
My Rating: * * *
A young boy called Nathan is hauled off to Cornwall by his mother after his parent’s sudden separation. Nathan is upset by this & he longs for his old London life, his best friend Tom & his father. One day, Nathan comes across an old cottage & he spies a girl of similar age who is up in the attic. Nathan feels connected to her in some way & he wants to befriend her. But who exactly is the girl in the attic?
My Thoughts:
I went in thinking I was going to be reading a ghost story (thanks to the blurb on the back) so I was very surprised to find myself reading a coming-of-age story. It was a pleasant read.
My Rating: * * *
June 3, 2008
the first pages are rather boring....:/
a boy has his father leaving his mother and him and lives with another woman which already has daughter.
The boy is desperate to get his father back....
I was a bit confused as I thought that the book would be about a girl in the attic(duh)
I'll read more of it as I just got this book and hope it will get me turning pages soon!
a boy has his father leaving his mother and him and lives with another woman which already has daughter.
The boy is desperate to get his father back....
I was a bit confused as I thought that the book would be about a girl in the attic(duh)
I'll read more of it as I just got this book and hope it will get me turning pages soon!
January 10, 2018
Fairly interesting, but not what I expected from the back cover. I thought it was going to be a sort of ghost story or something else along the lines of a fantasy or thriller. Instead, it was a pretty regular teen novel.
January 20, 2014
I don't know, this book just really confused me. I felt like it was written for and aimed at children, but there was language and it dealt with more adult issues like child abuse and infidelity.
It wasn't a bad book, I just can't say I particularly enjoyed it.
It wasn't a bad book, I just can't say I particularly enjoyed it.
December 5, 2008
It was just weird and not that great of a book.
February 5, 2011
It was weird :/ I don't really know what to say, it was just weird.
April 29, 2012
This is a great book. I really enjoyed reading it and love the end!
October 16, 2014
The cover and the blurb made it look like a ghost story. I was a little disappointed when it wasn't, but I enjoyed it all the same.
July 8, 2015
i was told it is a thriller a bit disappointed but i think its okey. Girl in the attic - Boy in the garden something to remember.
August 30, 2015
J'aurais pu aimer ce livre mais la fin était vraiment décevante...
April 18, 2009
this book was mystical, loved it though
December 13, 2013
An easy read, an ok story
December 22, 2015
Enjoyable and strong sense of place. Strong plot and believable characters.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews