Winner of the 2013 IPPY Living Now Award for Best Adventure Novel
Gypsies and the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, take three highly-gifted orphans on a journey beyond anything they could imagine.
Three high-spirited 17 year olds, with intelligent quotients in the genius range, accompany their teacher and mentor, Carolina Lovel, to Frascati, Italy, a few weeks before they are to graduate from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women.Carolina's purpose in planning the trip is to remove her gifted, creative students from the Wood Rose campus located in Raleigh, North Carolina, so they can't cause any more problems ("expressions of creativity") for the headmaster, faculty, and other students – which they do with regularity.Carolina also wants to visit the Villa Mondragone where the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, was first discovered and search how it is related to a paper written in the same script she received on her 18th birthday when she was told that she was adopted – a search that will fill in all of the missing pieces of her past and help each of her students to discover something meaningful within themselves.
Excerpt
"Ouch! You're standing on my fingers!" This from the petite girl with a long, blond ponytail, wearing a nightgown, most of which was pulled up between her legs and tied into a knot at her waist to keep it from getting tangled on the limb where she was perched. Somewhere above her the sound of a saw and splintering wood filled the darkness followed by a stream of profanity repeated in several foreign languages for emphasis.
Professional Reviews
http://www.bookswithbite.net
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Review: The Cadence of Gypsies
Title: The Cadence of Gypsies
Author: Barbara Casey
Publisher: Hungry Goat Press
Release Date: March 2011
Book: ARC sent by publisher
"On her 18th birthday Carolina Lovel learned that she was adopted and was given a letter written by her birth mother in an unknown language. After years of research she travels to Italy on a mission to find the truth about her past. Carolina is accompanied by three extremely gifted but mischievous students the FIGs from Wood Rose Orphanage and Academy for Young Women. In an effort to help their favorite teacher, the FIGs will have to use their special abilities to decipher the Voynich Manuscript, the most mysterious document in the world, and the one thing that is strangely similar to what Carolina was given. Their search will take them into the mystical world of gypsy tradition and magic, more exciting and dangerous than any of them could have imagined."
What I like most about this book is the adventure I got to on with Carolina. I loved reading about her past and discovering secrets. The plot at times did seem slow but then is would pick up once the reader got to the secrets.
Carolina takes a job after graduating and is put in charge of three talented girls. These girls definitely needed guidance. Carolina is a great mentor to these girl. The girls took to Carolina right away and helps her find out who she was. The girls use their gift and come together as a team finding out Carolina past piece by piece.
The love interest in Carolina's life is a very respectful man. I like that he was a gentlemen and allowed Carolina to find peace with who she is before he moves anymore in their relationship. Although I am a tad bit miffed that the reader didn't see more into their relationship. So I was bit leery when they declared their love for each other with no premise.
Overall, it was enjoyable book with lots of great twists in the plot. The way the all of the characters life intertwined with each other was good. I enjoyed watching all of them learn new things and become great friends.
A Truly Clever Read!!
5 out of 5 stars A Truly Clever Read!! February 23, 2011
By
Carrie Filetti "littlebrownbird"
Carolina is taken from her gypsy mother at a young age and sent to America where she was adopted. At eighteen her adoptive parents give her a box. Inside this box Carolina discovers the truth about her birth, that she was adopted, and with help from her boyfriend, they begin research in finding out who Carolina really is. With the odd items in the box, she finds an old paper written in a script that matches an ancient manuscript that scholars can't even decipher.
After graduating college, Carolina takes a job at a girl's academy for orphaned children. There she is put in charge of three gifted girls who are more of a detriment than a blessing to the school. When the girls play a prank that goes too far, Carolina offers to take the girls with her on a trip to Italy. There Carolina will begin her search for her birth family. To her pleasant surprise the girls are able to pull their gifts together in assisting their mentor.
Lyuba has never gotten over the fact that her small child was taken from her and sent off to America to be adopted. Day after day she lives alone as a widowed gypsy and collects herbs to make remedies that she sells to the public. Being very talented, she also has other gifts. In the band of gypsies she travels with, she also teaches the children these special gifts. But there is one child who uses the knowledge he has been taught to harm those around him.
This book is full of twist that keeps you turning pages. I thought it clever how everyone played an important role in each other’s lives. A fun and enjoyable read!
This Old Adult Loved It!
The Cadence of Gypsies was written for young adults. However, this old adult loved it. To me, the book has rhyme and cadence like a song being interwoven, its parts coming from seemingly unintended attributes. Yes, a Deceptive cadence which does not resolve itself until the end. Or perhaps the analogy would be Scrabble. Author Barbara Casey has truly fitted parts in a way that challenge the reader. Plus she uses her writing skill to entice and elicit inquiry and research. "Why?" you question as you hurry to turn the page only to be presented with another "Why?" Little by little, the parts fit. The diagram takes shape. While all the intrigue is going on, the reader is loving (or loathing) the characters, sympathizing, recognizing, or qualifying each person as he and she is presented.
To the delight of this reader, in addition to the construction, this wonderful book incorporates places, names and facts. The Voynich Manuscript is real. The famous vineyards and territory of Frascati and the historic Villa Mondragone are beautifully and well depicted. The story evolves while being nourished by historical and relevant data including musical, mathematical, and artistic references thanks to the three FIGS (females of intellectual genius).
Yes, The Cadence of Gypsies is a book to share with all members of the family and one to add to the Classics in our libraries. Thank you, Barbara Casey.
The second book in the Megan Martin series takes Megan, her best friend May, and now the nosy neighbor girl, Brianna, on adventures through a haunted house.
