Glassborn by Peter Bunzl & illustrated by Katarzyna Doszla

9th November 2023 ~ Usborne

Glassborn is the magical sequel to Magicborn by Peter Bunzl – a story of shapeshifting creatures, unknown powers, a twin connection and a enchanted forest. It reads well as a stand-alone novel so readers don’t need to have already traveled to this wonderful fantasy world to enjoy the story.

In Glassborn, we meet the four Belle siblings: Cora (a 14 year old story-teller), Bramble (a 13 year old who loves military history and likes to argue everything), Elle (a 12 year old who loves nature) and Acton (the baby of the family at 11 years old who loves games, adventures and Cora’s stories). Their mother has died and they are taken to live with their aunt at Fairykeep Cottage. Much to Acton’s delight, it’s the same cottage as in Cora’s stories of Tempest and Thomas (from the enchanting world of Magicborn). Could it be true that there is a curse on their family and a “chosen one” will come along to save them all?

Acton finds his way into Fairyland. Amidst the winter magic, he’s kidnapped by the Fairy Queen’s servents. His siblings must channel the magic of their family and the power of Cora’s stories to find Acton and defeat the Fairy Queen.

Glassborn is a story fizzing with fairy energy. There is a dark, cold magic that lifts from the pages, pulling readers into its depths. With clear links to C.S. Lewis and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, it is the connection to the Brontë family that I find fascinating. We visited Haworth this past summer and were able to step back in time into the lives of this intriguing family.

Fairykeep Cottage was inspired by the parsonage in Haworth where the four Brontë siblings lived with their father and their aunt who cared for them. The three sisters (Charlotte, Emily & Anne) and their brother (Branwell) were all incredibly creative. The girls wrote endless stories while Branwell filled his room with drawings and paintings. Publishing was still very much a man’s world so the girls used pen names for their writing: Charlotte published as Currer Bell, Emily as Ellis Bell and Anne as Acton Bell. Peter Bunzl used these pen names, as well as a twist on Branwell’s name, as inspiration for the characters in Glassborn.