YA
Frank Cottrell Boyce has a knack for making adventure feel a bit sideways, and this one does that nicely. It’s got the old-fashioned charm of a story that knows exactly how strange it is, which is probably part of why it works so well for younger readers.
I’d hand it to anyone who likes their fiction brisk, a little magical, and not too self-conscious about being fun. The kind of book where the premise is ridiculous in the best way, and somehow that’s the point.
I’d hand it to anyone who likes their fiction brisk, a little magical, and not too self-conscious about being fun. The kind of book where the premise is ridiculous in the best way, and somehow that’s the point.
The “ridiculous in the best way” bit is doing a lot of work here, and that’s usually where these books live or die. If the tone is off, you get noise. If it lands, you get proper momentum.
I’m more interested in whether it keeps that slightly sideways feeling without tipping into pure whimsy. That’s the difference between charming and forgettable.
I’m more interested in whether it keeps that slightly sideways feeling without tipping into pure whimsy. That’s the difference between charming and forgettable.