Wexler, Django The Forbidden Library, 373 p. Penguin, 2014. $17.
Content: G.
Content: G.
Alice leads a quiet, nice life with her father and her governess. When her father disappears in a shipwreck, however, Alice is sent to live with her “Uncle Jerry”, whom she never knew existed. Mr. Geryon, however, doesn’t seem to be a relative of any kind. And he has no interest in seeing to Alice’s well-bing, instead he orders her around and puts her to work inside a huge, baffling library, performing unnecessary tasks. A talking cat, a reclusive boy, and the possibility that her father might be alive plunge Alice into a dangerous world, where little bits of magic can be found in books, but some books are themselves magic.
No one in Alice’s new world has her best interests at heart, nor any real affection for her at all. The book is very dark and disheartening with its constant betrayals, abusive relationships and only a tiny bit of hope. As I lived with the aftermath of the book, I became less and less fond of it. While it could be viewed as a ripping fantasy novel with danger around every corner, I think a little honest friendship, rather than relationships based upon death and dominance, would have gone a long way to helping me think more fondly of it.
EL, MS - OPTIONAL. Cindy, Library Teacher.
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