Partly a mystical fairy tale, partly a travelogue of the world’s (mostly) unknown secrets, this book should have been right up my alley. Not only is it largely concerned with travel, but it contains a secret mysterious library with secret doors that connect across the globe. I’m not sure why I didn’t like the book more.
It certainly isn’t a bad book – the writer has an engaging style and the prose is easy to read and has a lighthearted approach to descriptions. The natural world and the animals that live within it are especially well done.
But what I found myself concerned with was the point of this journey that we are on. The main character embarks on it with very little introspection, and considering the time they have on the road alone, you’d think they’d have more thoughts and theories on it than they do. We usually hear about her joy and adventures not firsthand but in her memories, which makes us wonder if she is really out there living or just plodding on to stay alive. Most of the interesting introspection is left for the end of the book.
We are asked to believe in some magic, and once we accept that proposition it makes the “real-life” magical moments that the main character discovers less, well, magical. She talks of amazing things that she has witnessed in her travels but they are less amazing when coming from someone with a mysterious magical curse.
Still, the concept of the interconnected library, the thoughts on travel and what it means, and the metaphors throughout are interesting enough for me to enjoy the book. Not sure if I can recommend it for everyone, though.
Next I am reading The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. I really liked her book Circe, so I’m hoping this turns out even half as good.
