Thornhill Hardcover – August 29, 2017

I bought this because I follow some fans of the Illustrator/Author on Instagram, and it looked interesting. I wasn't expecting anything going into this book and was really intrigued from the beginning.A full read through this is about 2 hours -- which was surprising based on the heft of this book. I liked the interlude from writing to illustration, and how each storytelling method belonged exclusively to each character (Mary written, Ella drawn). My only criticism is that some key focal points of the illustrations were right in the binding fold.I would recommend this. I'm not sure what age group this would be appropriate for, maybe 13 or 14? I'd suggest taking the two hours to read it first and use your discretion.

The cover caught me, but when I held this book in my hands I tumbled in and devoured it in a single sitting. The writing is a little dark and musty, but in all the right ways. I really enjoyed the pace of Thornhill, and the illustrations, while in a similar voice, tell the story from a unique point of view.If you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, then this hauntingly beautiful book is right up your alley. I highly recommend this book, and have even passed out copies to friends who I know would appreciate it as much as I did.

My granddaughter loved this book. She read it in one day. She seems to be interested in books with one person to see how they handle a situation. I bought her the whole sweep series and she is almost done with them. It’s important that you keep a young person interested in 📖 their mind gets to experience different aspects of life. She would like to be a writer someday.

A good story about two lonely girls from two different times told in atmospheric illustrations and prose. The ending was unexpected .Perfect if you or your child loves a creepy story.

I agree with other reviewers on this one. The story holds your interest but it gets pretty dark. Wouldn’t recommend this for a kid.

Arrived on time and looks great on my shelf, can’t wait to read.

I loved the two perspectives of stories in this book. Spooky read

If classic literature were wildflowers, one could see the garden of blooms that created Thornhill. From seeds of Sarah Crewe, Jane Eyre, The Secret Garden and more grew this wonderful hybrid or illustration and prose. I loved it.

Well, I know what my favorite book of the year is.Thornhill is told across two timelines, detailing the lives of two lonely girls separated by 35 years. Mary, in 1982, narrates her time of misery and bullying in the Thornhill children's home through her unhappy diary entries, while Ella in 2017 exists as a wordless illustration, looking out at the abandoned Thornhill estate from her bedroom window. There she sees the apparition of a strange girl and is lured into an unfolding mystery in the absence of loving parents.The atmosphere in Thornhill is perfectly gloomy for reading on a dark, rainy November night. You can stare at the illustrations for ages just soaking in the darkness during Ella's story or imagine Mary, lost and alone, staring out her own bedroom window at the house that Ella will live in 35 years later. Though separated by time, both girls belong together in a world without caring adults. There's so much sadness and melancholy in Thornhill it will never make you feel good. But if you ever felt a pang of loneliness I am sure that there is much in this story that you will find familiar, however downbeat it may be.

I really enjoyed reading this story and found Mary's narration (through her diary entries) very compelling and heartbreaking. I loved the way the story was set up with two parallel storylines, one told in prose and the other in pictures. I loved the dark intensity of the book, the look and feel, the drawings, the beauty of it all, and the story grips you from the start and keeps you reading till the end.An atmospheric, gothic tale, we go through the struggle and fear that Mary is experiencing due to a girl's bullying. The way she deals with it all, goes into hiding, tries to find an ally but fails, was very disturbing and infuriating. There was no help or support from the caretakers, and she was completely alone. I loved when she finally broke out of her shell and found her strength into a sort of madness, but I was saddened that it took the complete destruction of everything she loves and holds dear to her to get to that point.Alternatively, Ella's world, which takes place in present time, was less appealing to me. The drawings and illustrations were beautiful, and I loved seeing her progress in slowly discovering Mary's tale and peeling back the layers, but I didn't think her storyline was as gripping, but more of an accompanying one to the main story.One point to take into consideration is that we are reading the whole story through Mary's eyes, as entries from her diary. So the narrator isn't only unreliable, but could be said to be somewhat unstable and emotional. It is worth thinking about that as we read the story, to try and keep an open mind and perhaps try to see things from someone else's perspective.

A creepy, powerfully affecting novel that tells the story of two girls living in different decades through diary entry and graphic novel genres.The hardback edition is beautifully produced.Definitely suitable for young adults but don’t give it to a primary age child unless you’ve read it all yourself first - there are some difficult themes that might upset and confuse some.

My granddaughter enjoyed reading this book. This book was already in use at school.

No more than a short story's worth....a coupld of pages at most, padded out with many black pages of illustrations not directly relevant to the story line...... never again from this writer...