Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Splendors and Glooms (MG)

Splendors and Glooms. Laura Amy Schlitz. 2012. Candlewick. 384 pages.

I enjoyed this one much more than I thought I would. I don't typically love spooky dark fantasy novels, but the historical setting of this one and the storytelling itself soon had me hooked. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall are two orphans working for a master puppeteer and performer, Gaspare Grisini. He isn't the best caretaker in the world, not particularly caring if they have food to eat, etc. But. He has taught them just enough; Parsefall a little too much. Parsefall he's trained to be a thief in addition to a performer. When Grisini is hired to perform at Clara Wintermute's birthday party, life changes for everyone...

I really liked the three children and enjoyed learning more about each of them. I loved the characters, the writing, the storytelling, the setting and atmosphere. I also liked the themes of brokenness and healing. It is a great historical fantasy novel set in England around 1860.


I think this is one of the must-reads of 2012!!!

Read Splendors and Glooms:
  • If you love GREAT children's books
  • If you like children's books with a slightly dark tone to them; 
  • If you like fantasy with magic, enchantments, magic curses, witches, etc.
  • If you enjoy children's historical fantasy

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

1 comment:

Amy @ Hope Is the Word said...

I have this one from the library right now. I can't wait to dig in!