Orphaned by the Great Plague just the year before, a boy manages to finally pull his life together in London in 1666. He has a job ferrying passengers and piloting other people's boats through the treacherous passage under the London Bridge. He has a caring friend and a new place to stay. But now he must face the possibility it might all go up in smoke.

A decent enough bit of juvenile historical fiction, but I never cared about the characters and the ending seemed abrupt and too pat. ( )

Orphaned due to the Great Plague of 1665, 12-year-old Peter has somehow built a new life for himself. It is tough, but he is living a relatively good life until the Great Fire of London strikes. Will Peter survive, or will he lose everything to the devastation of the fire?

I have to say that when I first received this book, I didn't realize that it was a children's book. I have nothing against reading children's books, as a matter of fact, I sometimes prefer an author's treatment of history in a children's book rather than an adult history book. It feels too much like work to me to read some historical fiction for adults. Some books are almost too well researched, if that makes sense to you.

Anyway, I found this book rather simple. As it should be, I suppose for a children's book and actually the story was "cute" - strange word to use I know for the time period that the book depicts. I suppose that I mean the plot was too easily wrapped up, in my opinion. I did enjoy parts of the story but at the end, I had to give The Great Fire by Monica Dickens a B+! ( )