Gideon the Cutpurse (Gideon Trilogy , #1) (Gideon Trilogy, #1)

by Linda Buckley-Archer

[nannah]

I haven't read this since high school, so I've been meaning to reread this for a while! It was one of my favorites back then, and I'm glad it's still a good read. :)

Peter Schock and Kate Dyer are two kids thrown together by a misfortune: they're transported from the 21st century to 1763 in a laboratory accident. There (then), they meet Gideon, a cutpurse-turned gentleman who is beautifully complex, his employer, Lord Luxon, and Lord Luxon's henchman, the Tar Man, who steals the kids' only way home. In their attempt to get this accidental time machine back, Peter and Kate are thrown into a plot involving highwaymen, kings, and chance meetings with historical figures.

At first, I remember thinking the writing seemed a bit stilted, but it didn't take long for this book to charm me over. This story has a way of worming its way into your heart, even with some cliched lines and a few cringe-worthy phrases. It's just, put simply, a well-written children's book.

It's disappointing to reread this adventure and find it so lacking in diversity, but it's hard to dislike a book I so loved when I was younger. I'm probably still biased, to be honest.