A Castle in England by Jamie Rhodes

A Castle in England by Jamie Rhodes
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

While the concept and format of this book are intriguing I didn't find that it fulfilled its potential. The history of a castle told through vignettes of different families who lived there throughout the centuries is an appealing subject and I've read books that use this device to great satisfaction. However, "A Castle in England" is very spotty in its storytelling. Each vignette is hard to follow as there is no flow in either illustration or narrative. Scenes quickly switch and one is left feeling befuddled. After each vignette is a text section which explains both the historical context of the vignette along with the factual background of the castle and its inhabitants. This is where the meat of the book can be found and an understanding of the vignette just read becomes more clear. I did like that each section was illustrated by a different artist which lends itself to the progression of the history.