Melanie Dobson has once again created a dual-time book that is unforgettable. The Wings of Poppy Pendleton is well-written and changes perspectives between multiple people in a way that keeps readers engaged and invested in the stories.  Dobson takes her story and weaves it into the fabric of history as though it could have actually happened. Some of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching events can be found on these pages.

The story of the modern character, Chloe Riddell, and her adventures as she learns about the past occupants of Poppy’s castle is intriguing and sad. Readers should be warned that it may be difficult to put this down as you try to untangle all of the intricacies of the tale. Be prepared to be swept up in the lives of the characters and emerge a bit wrung out on the other end. One will feel both deflated and uplifted by the journey.

The events that took place with Poppy and Amelia Pendleton are shrouded in mystery until Chloe and her friend, Landon, are able to fully uncover them. The journey and transition of Poppy and Amelia is almost ethereal.  They seem like fragile, delicate flowers that emerge from their crystalline states as strong and amazing people. Their characters are masterfully unfolded almost without notice until it becomes clear how they have conquered the struggles of their past experiences and their stories meld together to create a beautiful tapestry from the threads of their lives.

Review of a Digital Advance Reader Copy provided by the Author

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language: None

Violence/Gore: Multiple references to a character being poisoned; a child watches a person beat a man with a hammer and then push him overboard to his death; a character tries to burn another person to death; a child and woman are kidnapped and threatened.

Sex/Nudity: Multiple references to a married man having a mistress and having a wandering eye; several implications that an adult man is interested in a child sexually; report of non-married characters sleeping together with a resulting pregnancy; implication that a person is participating in prostitution, but no details given; references to children being trafficked for sexual reasons.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death of parents, human trafficking – specifically involving children, drug smuggling, murder, kidnapping.

Drug/Alcohol Use:

Characters consume various forms of alcohol and several instances in which a character becomes inebriated; report of a person using opium in a tonic for children; report of a character using heroin; report that a person was smuggling drugs.