Years ago I saw the animated movie and recently I read that the book version was very cleverly written so I picked up this book from the library.
Clever is the right word here – the story is complex, and with magic in the air it can be pretty tricky to figure out what exactly is going on. Magic doors opening into other cities (or worlds) allows for the plot to develop quickly and suddenly, and the relationships between the main characters are especially entertaining.
If I had to criticize this book at all I’d say that the ending winds up rather abruptly – with a Scooby-Do kind of exposition to explain what happened all along, but in the end this is a kid’s book, so a clear explanation is probably the best way to go. I understand there are two more books in the series, but I’m not sure whether I’m anxious to read them.
What I will do, however, is watch the animated movie again with a sharper eye on the characters and story. Next up is “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck.
