By: Eva Ibbotson Publisher: Puffin Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Puffin Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 416 Publication Date: April 06, 2006 Reading Level: Young Adult
Book Description: Annika has never had a birthday. Instead she celebrates her Found Day, the day a housemaid and a cook to three eccentric Viennese professors found her and took her home. There, Annika has made a happy life in the servants’ quarters, surrounded with friends, including the elderly woman next door who regales Annika with stories of her performing days and her countless admirers—especially the Russian count who gave her the legendary emerald, the Star of Kazan. And yet, Annika still dreams of finding her true mother. But when a glamorous stranger arrives claiming to be Annika’s mother, and whisks her away to a crumbling, spooky castle, Annika discovers that all is not as it seems in her newfound home . . . .
This is the BEST book EVER EVER EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my all-time favorite book. It is one of those books you just can't put down. I would be dishonest to say it had any flaws. My favorite parts are where Anika (the main character) is listening to her neighbors' aunt's stories, especially about how the jewel shop owner gave the old woman "glass" copies of the jewels she had and the time where she makes the Christmas carp by herself. Eva Ibbotson is a great author anyway, and this is her book "jewel," fitting the story.
OK Book reviewed by Sam Do you celebrate your birthday or your found day? Well, Annika the main character of The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotston celebrates her Found Day which was the day that a cook named Ellie and a housemaid, named Sigird who work for three professors, found Annika in a beautiful church. Annika is a servant who goes to bed every night with one thought that puts her to sleep, her real mother coming to find her in Vienna. Vienna is a beautiful town in Austria. Annika has a lot of friends in Vienna, including an old lady who lives next door. Annika looked after her and started to grow fond of the old lady. When Annika was looking after the old lady the lady would tell her stories and one day the old lady showed Annika a chest of jewels and necklaces that were copied. There was one copied jewel that was emerald and circular and that jewel was called the Star of Kazan. The Star of Kazan is a thrilling adventure. If you need an adventurous book then you should read the The Star of Kazan.
The Star of Kazan My daughter and I read this book together and loved it from beginning to end. Some books start off slow and gradually get more interesting, this one is an attention-getter from page one. My daughter, who's eight, and I both looked forward to reading it every night.
The Inside Jewels In this journey of the lost child, Anika, found in a chuch by the servants Sigred and Ellie.Anika must find her true mother in the western of Europe.Will her mother turn out as her dreams or steal all of her possesions?
The Star of Kazan Title:The Star of Kazan Author:Eva Ibbotson Genre: Fiction
This book is about a girl who was found in a church, by two maids on vacation. They went back to Vienna. Both the maids asked The Professors (their boss) if they could keep her. They said yes. Happy and excited the new parents decided to name their new child Annika. As Annika grew she grew into a maid and a fabulous cook. Sigrid the first maid taught her how to do everything around the house. Ellie taught her everything about cooking. That became something she cherished and loved. She also became friends with a very old lady, La Rondine, who had a chest of supposedly fake jewel. Annika was found of the lady and didn't want her to die. But, when she died the jewels became willed to Annika. As Annika grew older she wished to know who her real parents where and why she was left in the seat of a church in the mountains. Every night she dreamed her true mother who was very beautiful and elegantly dressed to come to her door and say, "Where is my child? I must see my long lost child." One day this happened and her mother came forth. Everything Annika had imagined of her mother she was. Beautiful, elegant, and loving. She was to become a "von." The day she left was a gloomy and quite day, no one wanted her to leave. At her new home in Spittal she was disturbed. The rooms were cold, the food was cold, and where there was to be paintings there was nothing. She also had a brother, Hermann and a cousin, Gundrun. They both were very gloomy. She soon became friends with the caretaker of the farm, Zed. Zed also had a dog name Hector. The threes spent a lot of time together. One day Hector found a pircture, it was La Rondine. All of a sudden the estate changed, the had aquaired a big sum of money from a relative. Annika didn't know it but because she had should her mother the picture she was to be sent to Grossenflous, a boarding school. Later Zed was to be blamed. Annika's mother said Zed was not to be trusted and she listened. When Zed heard of the new he ran away with Hermann's horse. At Grossenflous no one ever talked laughed or had fun. The place sucked the souls out of eveyr child who attended. Day by day she became thinner. One da y the Professors found unsual piece of information, got more information, and found out where Annika was. Soon the Professors, Ellie, Sigrid, and Stefen, their close friend were headed toward Grossenflous. There they devised a plan to get Annika out. It worked, but Professor Gertrude's harp was shattered in the escape. Annika was taken back to Vienna and told to rest. She rested for three days.
You have to read the book to see how it all ends.
My comments: The author is descriptive so you get an image in your head, but she doesn't overdue it. The whole story was told in third person, but I think first person would give it a different feel. More feeling. This book was pretty well. I kept on reading most of the time, however it did have some slow parts. It had a great plot and twist at the end of the book I never saw coming. The book didn't remind of other books though. Still it was an awesome book.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
