Review: Rosa by Starlight

Rosa by Starlight is a stunning, beautifully told contemporary fantasy adventure where magic flows, bringing the chance of hope and happiness for a young girl in need of both.   

Following the death of her parents, Rosa has been living with her aunt and uncle.  They treat her cruelly including locking her in her room at night, taking away her fairy tale books and cutting down her apple tree in order to replace it with the artificial grass that is their business. 

As Rosa’s world becomes more insular and lonelier, she finds magic when a large, black cat walks through her window – and the window is closed!  Rosa adores Balthazar who helps her find a beautiful Venetian glass bead bracelet in her garden, but what connection could this bracelet have to Rosa? 

The discovery of the bracelet coincides with Rosa’s aunt and uncle’s announcement of a trip to Venice which they intend to take when Rosa is on a school trip to Wales.  When the school trip is cancelled at the last minute, Rosa must accompany her aunt and uncle to Venice …

Once in Venice, Rosa finds herself abandoned by her cruel, heartless aunt and uncle.  Staying in a hotel run by the Mancinis, she begins to explore the city – noticing its cats – and its magic.  When Rosa finds herself in incredible danger, can magic save her?  Will she find the friendship and family she desperately wants amongst the cats and people she meets in Venice?

Whilst Rosa’s story is a heart-wrenching exploration of loneliness, told through the window of magical realism, it is also a story imbued with a sense of awe and a feeling of hope.  The Venetian setting of shadows and light adds to the magic of the story and gives the reader a sense of being ‘outside of reality’ as they explore the Venice Rosa experiences from its hotels and piazzas to its bridges and waterways … and her unique bond with its feline friends.

Rosa is an incredibly sympathetic young girl who has felt loneliness from a young age after her cold, heartless aunt and uncle become her guardians.  She has a gentle and kind nature, but also an inner strength, determination and resilience which gives her hope as she takes small freedoms and makes connections that may bring her happiness.

The illustrations are absolutely stunning and complement the magical, heartfelt story-telling perfectly.

A magical, timeless and beautifully told story that is just perfect for readers of 8+.

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.