Milena has a magical, mystical heritage and she must summon all her powers in order to defeat the evil Puppet Master and his equally menacing protégés; the twins Zdenko and Zdenka. Owen weaves a fantastic gothic story, seeped in the traditions of the circus and telling the story of the Czech people.
The book is beautifully illustrated and only adds to the decadence that is Prague. At times, genuinely terrifying, the story is simple enough, but it is intriguing, masterful and keeps the reader guessing right until the end.
Anyone who enjoys a good story with twist of horror will love this book. It's not for the faint hearted though - Joanne Owen has created a truly terrifying character in the Puppet Master and at times it was genuinely frightening. I loved the unfaltering belief the main character had that her mother was still out there and the way that a seemingly unlinked legend became so important to the unfolding events was fantastic narrative.
You also feel like you're in Prague, the chill, the grandeur of the city and the pride that the people have in themselves and in their heritage came through the book clearly.