Published 5th May 2022 by Lammas Publishing.
From the cover of the book:
1553. Goldhanger, a tiny fishing village on the Blackwater marshes.Fifteen-year-old Dela's strange bond with animals has her branded a witch by the locals.
Running for her life, with only a rescued dog for a friend, Dela manages to find sanctuary at the palace of Princess Mary.
These are dangerous times, with the boy-king Edward on his deathbed and the succession uncertain.
Traumatised at first, in an alien world of spies and courtiers, Dela is befriended by a trio of acrobats and players. But when she is drawn to one of them, Fitz, she discovers he holds a terrible secret that promises to tear her fragile world apart.
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1553: Fifteen-year-old Dela has always had an unusual bond with animals, like her cunning woman mother before her. Recently she has found herself unable to control her abilities and this has got her noticed by those who don't look upon her talents with a friendly eye, especially the vicious Sir John Tallon and his cronies. She has been branded a witch, and with the country on a knife-edge as the boy king Edward VI lays on his death-bed, she has to flee her home in the tiny village of Goldhanger, and seek shelter out in the Blackwater marshes.
By a twist of fate, Dela falls in with the household of the beleaguered Princess Mary, whose future also remains uncertain in the game of thrones that is playing out in London. Dela becomes friends with a trio of acrobats who are part of Mary's small court, particularly the handsome young Fitz, who she is drawn to. She also forms a bond with a scruffy little dog, who she names Turnspit, rescuing him from his cruel task in the manor house's kitchen.
Dela and Turnspit become inseparable and her desire to protect him causes ructions among the staid court ladies of the household, who Dela finds it uncomfortable to mix with. But it is not until she discovers the secret that Fitz has been keeping from her, that her powers betray her once more and get them all into serious trouble.
The Goldhanger Dog is a enchanting and immersive tale that follows the close friendship between two unlikely misfits - a traumatised young girl and an unloved little dog. Set against the backdrop of a turbulent time in English history, Wanda Whitley uses this adorable pair to open up the world of the late Tudor period, delving into the dizzy heights of Royal court circles, and the hard lives of ordinary people.
I will admit to finding it a struggle to connect with Princess Mary, as she is not the most likeable figure either in this book, or looked upon with hindsight, despite Whiteley's brave attempts to touch upon the many reasons that shaped her into the person we see here. However, I enjoyed how Whiteley plunges into this turbulent period, and gets into some of the nitty gritty about the succession following the death of Henry VIII, making it accessible for readers from YA years upwards.
Whiteley incorporates so much about many different aspects of Tudor life, and underlies the piece with tangible feelings of fear and menace, both on a personal level and in terms of the wider issues affecting the country. She doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of life, or the darker side of human nature, but she balances this out with themes of trust, love of family, close friendship, and a gentle romance between Dela and Fitz.
My absolute favourite thing about this book is the lovely thread of magical realism that Whiteley weaves through the story with Dela's ability to connect with animals, which works perfectly with the eerie otherness of the salt marshes. There are some really stirring moments as Dela's desire to protect the ones she loves causes matters to spiral out of control, and the bond she develops with Turnspit is very moving.
The Goldhanger Dog is an engaging historical fiction adventure, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Dela and Tunrspit, laughing, crying and desperately worring about how they were going to get themselves out of the many dangerous predicaments they get into. It's one of those rare books that can easily be read on different levels - making it a perfect choice to read alongside your teens too.
The Goldhanger Dog is available to but now in paperback.
Thank you to Midas PR for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.
About the author:
She collaborated on the bestseller Streetkid, by Judy Westwater (as co-author Wanda Carter) - a memoir that spent 4 months in the top 10 of the Sunday Times Bestsellers List.
She enjoys books that cannot be easily classified, especially those hybrid works that are loved by both adults and teens. The Goldhanger Dog is a coming of age love story adventure that also bridges two genres: those of historical fiction and fantasy.
In her career, Wanda has always been a guiding hand for new authors. An ex-Publishing Director (HarperCollins), she is founder of manuscriptdoctor.co.uk, where she helps critique new works and build skills in authors who are starting out. 'Everyone can enjoy the immersive pleasure of writing,' she says.
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