Review: A great read for all ages
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 20, 2011
The cover looks sort of ominous, doesn't it?I loved reading this book. It's got everything you could want, lovely, lovely characters, humor, great writing, some dead things that go bump in the night(or try to find their Undead Prince Charming...) - a lot of fun.Taking place in a picturesque environment, the plot is something of an intriguing web that will just weave itself around you, subtle but strong, and you'll find yourself irrevocably immersed. Peter's family life is not fun at all; the struggles his mother goes through are very touching, and I couldn't help but wonder what would come of their little family.When they move in with Peter's grandfather, in a big scary house, the real adventure begins. Peter makes a new friend very quick, Dill the awesome, and together they start exploring a mysterious new world with that sense and wonder of adventure that most of us shed as we grow older. All kinds of oddities go on in their little town.What I loved most, and a lot, were the characters. I loved pretty much each and every one of them, in fact. Darren Pillsbury is greatly talented in building fabulous characters. Peter Normal, our brave little hero, is absolutely adorable; he's had it tough, but he has great spirit. His new friend, Dill, is equally as adorable, or perhaps even more, he's that kind of very fun kid that says strange things, thinks fast and makes everything into a great adventure.They form a great dynamic duo, adventuring and discovering the world. The fresh curiosity, the vibrant spirit, the unmistakable cuteness kids have are all there. The attention-seeking, absurd little quirky girl is there as well, Peter's sister Beth is quite amusing. I could just picture her, walking around in her armor-swimming suit.The one I liked most of all as a character though was Peter's grandfather. He's the grumpy, sort of stern, proper sort of man, that acts tough enough but is quite a dear deep down, and I find his interaction with everyone, especially the kids very entertaining.It's been a long, long while since I've had this much fun reading a novel; I felt like a kid, and I loved every minute of it. You could call it sort of dark-ish, maybe, but to me it doesn't seem too much so. It's not really scary, but it will be a lovely little scary story for kids above 13 or so.I do recommend this to anyone who wants to feel very young again, and this is a great read for all ages alike. Go ahead, read it, I'm absolutely sure you'll love it just as much as I did!