The Formidable Miss Cassidy by Meihan Boey features several celebrations including a wedding, a royal visit, and Christmas in Singapore. This book was delightful. In tone, it reminded me very much of Dorothy Gilman’s work; I felt I was in reassuring, safe hands with Miss Cassidy, the main point-of-view character who is interested in everyone and everything she encounters, accepting them as she sees them. The story starts with Miss Cassidy arriving in Singapore to serve as companion to a British teenager, whose mother and siblings have all recently died of unspecified illness. Slowly, supernatural happenings are revealed, and Miss Cassidy knows what to do. She is more than she appears to be, and good at solving mysteries.
There are scary creatures from folktales, but not so scary that I was terrified; just enough for interest. I loved the historical details of a large, well-off Chinese household and the family who lives within it, and Miss Cassidy’s outside observations that grow to be more familiar over the course of years. Mr. Kay, who looks as if he will be in a sequel, reminded me a bit of Mr. Rochester but with considerably more humor and kindness towards his family and their English instructor, who holds far more power than Jane Eyre.
Highly recommended. Excellent holiday reading. I am already planning to be there for the sequel.
