Page 61 - Phonebox Magazine February 2008

Book Review
By Oxfam Bookshop, Olney
The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke
After their mother’s death, to avoid Spavino? And does this strange request have any connection to the
being separated, 12 year old Prosper and his small brother Boniface run away to Venice, a city they knew their mother loved. Arriving in the cold of Autumn penniless and homeless might have been the end of their adventure but they are befriended by a gang of street children who live in a disused cinema and are provided with money and supplies by the mysterious Thief Lord.
But who is this Thief Lord, who seems too young to be a master thief? Is Victor, the detective hired by Prosper and Bo’s
aunt to trace them, really as inept as he seems? Whose side is he really on? Who is the Conte who wants the Thief Lord to steal an apparently worthless carved wing of wood from the house of Ida
strange happenings on the Isalo Segreta? Or to the mysterious disappearance of the merry-go-round belonging to the Merciful Sisters?
Twists and turns of the plot bring the protagonists together in the house of Ida Spavino in the middle of the night and from there the pace and danger of the action increases until the climax of the story unexpectedly brings everyone what they want – or what they deserve.
Originally published for children this is a thriller worth anyone’s time.
It is well plotted with characters which are real and complex. Even the adults – unusually for a children’s book – are not merely plotting devices but have depth and complexity – and agendas of their own. The thread of magic woven through the story seem plausible because Venice itself is a very real character in this story; described affectionately, sometimes lyrically, sometimes grittily, but always with a sense of the magic she exerts over those who know her. K
Review by Sandra Metcalf
The Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris
Here is the sequel which aficionados of ‘Chocolat’ have been chapter by chapter, by three
waiting for. However, ‘The Lollipop Shoes’, despite its quirky title, is darker and more sinister than its precursor. Gone is the light- hearted tone, the gentle amusement as, one by one, the inhabitants of Lansquenet-sous-Tannes are won over, their favourite chocolate revealed. Four years have passed, and Vianne, now the mother of two girls and living in Montmartre, is working in a chocolaterie which is not her own. This rather gloomy shop is transformed, not by Vianne, but by Zozie de l’Alba – at least, that is her latest name. She is adept at identity fraud, stealing, not only the names but also the bank accounts of her unfortunate victims. Coming upon the little shop by chance, she gradually makes herself indispensable. However, Zozie has her own agenda, and her befriending of both Vianne and Anouk is for her own benefit.
Just as ‘Chocolat’ began during Lent and finished on Easter Day, this novel begins at Halloween and ends on Christmas Day, but the tension and uncertainty continue to the end. The story is told,
characters, Zozie, Vianne and Anouk, now eleven years old. Each has her own slant on what is happening, one an arch-manipulator, making them happen.
We are given new insights into
characters we have met before, and
events hinted at in ‘Chocolat’ reach
their conclusion in ‘The Lollipop
Shoes’. However, it is not necessary
to have read the first novel to
appreciate its sequel – this book
stands alone, and is outstanding in
its appeal. Labelled ‘The Sunday
Times bestseller’, it is one to enjoy,
albeit, at times with a horrified fascination. K
Review by Thelma Shacklady
The books reviewed above were bought from Oxfam Books and Music, Olney, which sells donated books, records, CDs, tapes and music to raise money for Oxfam’s work in combating poverty around the world. The range of books is wide, the quality excellent and prices are lower than you would pay on-line or in the supermarket. Come and visit us, find yourself a bargain, and help the world become a better place for everyone.
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