Amazing description of scenery and character development. Finding where you belong and you can’t help be along for the ride!

Don't be put off by the description of this book. It may seem dark, but it was engaging and a likable story. Those looking for interesting characters and a grand read, I recommend this story. It was a quick read and moved along swiftly. Would recommend the book for middle school students who may be reluctant to read.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in return for my honest review.

I recommended Nevers last summer, but now that I'm reading it again for our middle school Enlightenment reading list, I'm reminded of how much I liked it. Odette has spent all fourteen years of her life taking care of her beautiful, selfish, accident-prone mother Anneline, so she’s not surprised to find herself in the back of a cheese cart jolting through the French countryside in search of yet another fresh start after her mother’s latest marriage ends with a collapsing castle. Odette knows better than to expect stability, but as she turns their shabby rented rooms into a home, cleverly contriving meals and rent payments, she discovers that the quirky village of Nevers is beginning to feel a lot like home. Odette makes her first real friend in her neighbor Nicois, and together, they discover a mysterious book that may hold the clue to Odette’s past, a Revolutionary mystery, and a very unhappy donkey’s nighttime braying.

This book, set in an alternative post-Revolutionary 18th century France is full of odd characters recalibrating their lives in the wake of massive social and political change and magical realism that makes all kinds of unexpected things possible. Nevers is a charming town populated by odd people who are completely comfortable with themselves: the elderly women inventor, the town’s midwife, and the merchant who wishes he could be a chicken are particularly notable. And while some ends tie up a little too neatly, it is a fairy tale — and the effortless inclusion of not-straight-cis-people is refreshing.

Don't be put off by the description of this book. It may seem dark, but it was engaging and a likable story. Those looking for interesting characters and a grand read, I recommend this story. It was a quick read and moved along swiftly.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in return for my honest review.

I struggle on how to rate this book. As an adult, I enjoyed it. However, there are a lot of grown-up themes which makes me hesitant to recommend it to a grade school reader.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book, which I voluntarily chose to review.

In theory, this book sounded really cute, and maybe it's because I'm not actually a middle grader reading this, but I just couldn't get into it.

I ended up DNF-ing Nevers around 30%. This very well could be a case of "it's not you, it's me", particularly because of my age.

Not all middle-grade reads work for every age, and this is one of them.

Quirky little story with eccentric characters. Fairytale-ish with a bit of a mystery build in. 6th grade up should find this tale amusing as a summer or any spare moment read.

ARC Copy...I did like it was a slice of life style of that rime period in the countryside of France with it's characters and...hehe aww so cute a pig + chick become the best of friends!

This story takes place in a small town of Nevers which is in the Burgundy region of France. Odette and her mother arrive there via a cheese cart, as they are too poor to pay for transportation. Odette's mother, Anneline, is very beautiful and falls in love easily but has been unlucky in love. In fact, it appears that she's caused the deaths of her 5 husbands. Odette is a resourceful and practical girl who takes care of the day to day life kinds of things, like finding a place to live and food to eat. There is a bit of a mystery surrounding Odette's father (Anneline doesn't like to talk about him) and the story has the most wonderful resolution. This would be a great one for middle and high school students who like a strong female character or enjoy reading about France at the turn of the 18th century.

Charming and memorable, Nevers combines elements of fantasy with fairy tales and a dash of mystery. Odette and her mother Anneline (who is beautiful, but alarmingly prone to accidentally causing the deaths of the many men who fall in love with her) are newcomers to Nevers, a town of unusual residents including a gentleman who longs to be a chicken and a donkey that cries out in Latin. It's a strange place but one that Odette believes could be a true home...so long as her mother doesn't fall in love or accidentally murder someone (again).

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

This middle grade book brings to life the town of Nevers in the years soon after the French Revolution and follows the adventure of Odette, a serious girl who must act the adult as she looks after her flighty mother. Odette stumbles from a hidden place in a cheese cart and into Nevers with its closed pottery factory and a strange dancing donkey who bellows in a Latin after dark. The girl yearns for a stable home for herself and her mother, and in Nevers, she finds that and so much more.

There are elements of magical realism and some grittiness, too. It doesn’t shy away from the hardships of that time period. However, this balanced by a strong sense of hope and acceptance. There are characters who are intersex and gay, all part of a setting that feels cozy and realistic in its diversity. I was left feeling like I wanted to settle down in Nevers and live with these people. As a child reading this, I would have felt that even more strongly.

My only criticism is that the plot felt too convenient, especially a subplot about a book where Odette could have had more agency. That said, the book is still a joy, a read to be enjoyed by children and adults.

I received an electronic ARC from Orca Book Publishers through NetGalley.
Delightful cross between historical fiction and magic. Set in 1799 in a small town in France following the Revolution.
Odette and her mother, Annalise, find yet another town to live in after her mother causes the accidental death of yet another person. Nevers welcomes them and feels like a place they will fit in.
Cassidy stays true to the period in her descriptions and weaves fantasy throughout - Latin speaking donkey, coincidences and connections between people.
Middle grade readers will enjoy the plot and be surprised by the narrator revealed in the Epilogue.
Informative text at the end explains this period in French history.

I had a really hard time getting through this one. I thought it had a very slow start and was confusing. The characters didn’t suck me in and I wasn’t a big fan of the writing style. I do think there will be people who will love it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Orca Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

A fun read with lots of eccentric characters, Nevers by Sara Cassidy is an enjoyable historical fiction book that focuses on a small community in France in 1799. There is a lot of humor, and a touch of magic that keeps the reader engaged right until the end. I love the small town atmosphere, and watching Odette find a place for herself in Nevers.

Cute, fast paced read. A lot of talk about being who you are and being proud. Also, of the divide between the rich and the poor. The formatting of the arc was a little tiny bit disjointed, but the overall story was pretty cute.

Solid read!

I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.