By John Connolly
Published by Simon and Schuster, 2006
ISBN 0743298853, 9780743298858
352 pages
One can't help but fall under the spell John Connolly casts in this adult fairy tale cobbled together from bits and pieces of beloved children's tales. David the young boy at the center of the story, is simultaneously sympathetic and repulsive, brave and smart, bitter and angry. At the start of this book you really wonder if he's just going insane. At the end of the story I'm not convinced the events happened anywhere but inside his imagination - but maybe just maybe there really is a world behind the garden wall.
Even if the main plot device is a complete rip off of the Labyrinth, I still enjoyed it. The Crooked Man is no Goblin King and David is not match for Jennifer Connelly's Sarah. David sort of wishes away his little half brother, and only in the end when confronted with his predecessors actions recants and rebukes the Crook Man's offer.
I'm surprised this isn't a film yet. I could see this being a new generations Willow or Dark Crystal even. Yes, I want this done with puppets. I did look it up and like every other book that manages to sell a few thousand copies, the screenplay is in development. Who knows if anything will come of it.
Three out of Four Stars.
I just thought I'd drop in to tell you that your review of this inspired me to add it to my Amazon wish list (which I also use as my "what to check out of the library next" list).
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