The Golden Hour
After the sudden death of their mother, Rowan and Nina Popplewell are packed off to Maine to spend a month in a small town with two crazy aunts. There they discover a dilapidated hotel that changes daily into something fantastic. During the golden hour at sunset, and the silver hour at dawn, the hotel transforms into a portal to other times and other places. Eleven-year-old Nina, hungry to escape from guilt and grief, sneaks off to take a trip on her own. This frightens her cautious older brother into following her to Revolutionary France. As he and two new friends brave great danger, Rowan realizes how lost he truly is – not only in time, but also in heartache and mourning. Determined to save himself, his friends, his father, and his sister, he manages through courage and quick thinking to bring them all back to a better present. Nicely researched, and with well-drawn characters, The Golden Hour is a fine debut and a promising start to the series.
