Nick is, as Queen Bess described him, stubborn and loyal, holding fast to his determination to return to his home- and mother- in Stratford. Luxurious clothes, flattery, and opportunities which he would not have had at home do not shake his determination to return there. While he eventually complies with Carew's demands- working at the theater and performing with the boys' choir- he never stops looking for an opportunity to escape despite the fact that he actually enjoys his vocal training at St. Paul's.
If I have a criticism of the book, it is this: everything wraps up a little too quickly and neatly. Nick's father turns too rapidly from being a harsh, judgemental man who has disowned his son, to being humble and repentant. We aren't really given a scene which explains this sudden turn in his character. I think that, had we been privy to the heated discussion/argument between Attwood and John Combe which seems to have been instrumental in changing Nick's father's mind, it would have made this transformation a little more believable. As it is, the only hint we have of Attwood's thought process is when he is sitting by the river and mutters, "O Absalom- my son, my son!" These are the words of King David, mourning the son who had sinned against him, but he still loved. Then, after a while, Attwood murmurs only, "My son, my son," suggesting, perhaps, that he is forgetting Nick's supposed sins and remembering only that he is his child. It's not much, though, and I really think a scene where the words of John Combe shock Attwood out of his righteous indignation would have been helpful.
All in all though, Master Skylark is a good read, with more thought and depth to it than a lot of childrens literature. It contains moments of fun and levity, but also times of pain and darkness; there is a villain who is capable of kind acts, and a righteous man who is devoid of grace and mercy. In short, despite some flaws, there's a lot of human nature and wisdom to be found in its pages.