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gabrielle_erin's review
4.0
This was so whimsical and wholesome. Bonus points for Australian fiction.
aklev13's review
4.0
What a cute little gem of a book. I actually bought this for my niece recently as i enjoyed it so much, i simply had to share.
It’s about an actual bookstore in Melbourne and i really enjoyed the historical note about the store and the family. However, obviously the author has embellished with some magical details.
The villain was genuinely spooky in a Shadow man from Princess and the Frog kind of way. The tasks were cool - me and my partner enjoyed going over the riddle for a while. I really loved the little bits of Aussie slang and Aussie games/traditions that slipped into this book that really made this book feel like a homespun tale.
It’s about an actual bookstore in Melbourne and i really enjoyed the historical note about the store and the family. However, obviously the author has embellished with some magical details.
The villain was genuinely spooky in a Shadow man from Princess and the Frog kind of way. The tasks were cool - me and my partner enjoyed going over the riddle for a while. I really loved the little bits of Aussie slang and Aussie games/traditions that slipped into this book that really made this book feel like a homespun tale.
curatoriallyyours's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This was an adventurous middle grade book featuring a quirky family who own a wondrous book arcade in Melbourne. It features magical realism which is never fully explained, which was a wee bit confusing. Pearl and Vally are sweet protagonists and the way they deal with the themes of the book is heartwarming.
rhian2790's review
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
solanpolarn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
ellyrarg's review
4.0
Well that was delightful, the whimsy of the bookstore was indeed, very grand! I enjoyed this one, though the pacing (always upping the stakes, very little reprieve between rounds) and repetitive format (flowers, trap, task, thumb the man, family squabble) got a bit tedious after the first few rounds, and yet, still very delightful. Helps that it was about a bookstore, one of my squicks!
arianhrod's review against another edition
Got distracted by other books, have bought book 2 so will come back to this one