What does the novel seem to be about? The novel seems to be about a Count and Countess who have magical powers. Everything they ask for they seem to get however it seems like if they ask for too much then the powers reverse. The book could also be about a magical land where all your wishes come through Who is telling the story? A third person Which characters are introduced? The Count, Countess and little girl Can you explain the time and setting in which the novel is set? I think it's set in the past because of the use of 'count' and 'countess' and also the fact that they're riding a horse instead of being in a car. I think it is set in England because the characters seem to be quite 'english' sounding and I don't think you get Counts and Countesses in any other country What techniques are used to engage the reader's attention? Lists of descriptions could be a way of grabbing the reader's attention. The odd events that take place also catch the attention. Lots of speech keeps the text interesting. How do you react to what you have read? I wasn't expecting so much to happen in such a short amount of text. The content of it really kept me interested and I wanted to read on. The fact that there is a death in the opening of a book really surprised and shocked me. Would you want to read on? Yes, I want to know what happens next. I want to find out who the little girl is and why she died and also I want to learn more about the Count and his wife Do you have any unanswered questions about what you have read? Yes, I want to know who the little girl is; why she is there; how she got about being there; why does the Countess' clothes fall off.