Synopses & Reviews
andlt;B andgt;Cosmo must journey to the past to understand his future in this humorous, heartbreaking, and brilliantly original debut novel.andlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Cosmoand#8217;s granddad used to be the cleverest person he ever knew. That is, until his granddadand#8217;s mind began to fail. In a rare moment of clarity, his granddad gives Cosmo a key and pleads with Cosmo to go to the South Gates of Blackbrick Abbey, where his granddad promises an and#8220;answer to everything.and#8221; In the dead of night, Cosmo does just that.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;When Cosmo unlocks the rusty old gates, he is whisked back to Blackbrick of years past, along with his granddadand#8212;now just sixteen-years old and sharp as a tackand#8212;beautiful Maggie, and the absolutely dreadful Corporamore family. But much more than time travel adventure awaits Cosmo on the old, sprawling estate: heand#8217;ll also discover revealing truths about his granddad, his family, and himself.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Abounding with humor and heart, this extraordinary novel is an original, unforgettable story about lost memories, lost times, and lost lives, reclaimed.
Review
"Original and compelling, this is a beautifully written novel about love, loss, history and memory. Wonderful storytelling."
Review
"This beautiful novel is deceptively easy to read; the story rattles along while dealing sensitively with issues of love, loss, illness and memory. Itand#8217;s a moving and poignant story, but there are funny moments, too. andlt;Iandgt;Back to Blackbrickandlt;/Iandgt; is an impressive debut novel that already feels like a classic."
Review
"Original and compelling, this is a beautifully written novel about love, loss, history and memory. Wonderful storytelling." < -="" i="" -=""> - The Bookseller - < -="" -=""> - (UK)
Review
"This beautiful novel is deceptively easy to read; the story rattles along while dealing sensitively with issues of love, loss, illness and memory. It’s a moving and poignant story, but there are funny moments, too. Back to Blackbrick is an impressive debut novel that already feels like a classic." welovebooks.com
Review
and#8220;The book is a thoughtful blend of time travel adventure and family drama, and Cosmoand#8217;s voice balances wry humor with deeply felt angst over his grandfatherand#8217;s illness Fans of gentle fantasies and readers with relatives suffering similar physical challenges will find Cosmo a worthwhile companion.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Debut author Fitzgerald adeptly conveys Cosmoand#8217;s love for his grandfather and his fury at the way arrangements are being made all around him; Cosmoand#8217;s distinctively Irish speech is another strong point. Watching Cosmo learn what can and canand#8217;t be fixed makes for a strong story thatand#8217;s less about time travel than about love and memory.and#8221;
Review
"Adventures and contretemps ensue, making for a rollicking ride. Cosmoand#8217;s fresh and sassy approach to life is true to his youthful perspective. His age is left intentionally vague (as is what happened to his father), and his voice engages. The solidly constructed time-travel plot adds to the fun."
Synopsis
Cosmo must journey to the past to understand his future in this humorous, heartbreaking, and brilliantly original debut novel.Cosmo’s granddad used to be the cleverest person he ever knew. That is, until his granddad’s mind began to fail. In a rare moment of clarity, his granddad gives Cosmo a key and pleads with Cosmo to go to the South Gates of Blackbrick Abbey, where his granddad promises an “answer to everything.” In the dead of night, Cosmo does just that.
When Cosmo unlocks the rusty old gates, he is whisked back to Blackbrick of years past, along with his granddad—now just sixteen-years old and sharp as a tack—beautiful Maggie, and the absolutely dreadful Corporamore family. But much more than time travel adventure awaits Cosmo on the old, sprawling estate: he’ll also discover revealing truths about his granddad, his family, and himself.
Abounding with humor and heart, this extraordinary novel is an original, unforgettable story about lost memories, lost times, and lost lives, reclaimed.
About the Author
Sarah Moore Fitzgerald is a professor and associate vice president at the University of Limerick in Ireland, where she lives with her family. andlt;iandgt;Back to Blackbrickandlt;/iandgt; is her first novel for young readers.