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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
I'm always delighted when I come across an original children's fantasy novel. Not only is The Cabinet of Wonders creatively plotted, it is magnificently written! Definitely worth a look. 4.5 stars here!
I loved this book as a kid but this reread was definitely shocking to see the stuff I didn't realize when I first read it. The story was super nostalgic to me and honestly a great middle grade fantasy especially from 2008 and I would have rated it much higher if not for the offensive portrayal of Roma people. I hoped at the beginning it would just be only a few offensive lines but the story continued to have a main character who was Roma who fit unfortunately way too many stereotypes, especially being a thief. The g-slur was also used and while the Roma character did explain that it was offensive and Roma should be used instead, I read the summary of the sequel book and the g-slur was used there again. It was honestly quite a frustrating read because it seemed like the author was trying to present some of these stereotypes of Roma to challenge them, like the discussion of the g-slur, the brief conversations about colorism, etc. In the note at the end she also briefly mentioned some of the horrific history Roma people have been through and said she wanted to portray them well. I was hoping she would continue challenging these stereotypes as the story went on which is why I kept reading, but at the end I do not think she accomplished that. If portraying these offensive stereotypes to challenge and break them down was her goal, she did not succeed in that and instead ended up reinscribing painful and racist stereotypes. I was hoping to reread the whole series but I will not be continuing.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Clever and fun. Unsatisfactory ending - recommend having the sequel ready before finishing this.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Torture, Violence
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The entire series is great! Historical fantasy is quite rare in kids books
The best mid-grade fantasy I've read in years! An engaging blend of history and fantasy that left me reaching for my history books. Petra is tough and smart, too.
Set in an alternative 19th century Austro-Hungarian Empire, this book follows a daughter's quest to restore her father to health. Magic is operative in this world, as are the typical politics of the era. Petra is a brave, quick-thinking child. Also, very, very, very lucky.
This book was fun, but clearly the beginning of a series. Figures showed up and disappeared in a manner that leads me to believe that they will return in later novels. The puzzles and challenges set before Petra also don't ultimately seem all that challenging. So, I'm a little disappointed, but I'm interested in reading the next book.
This book was fun, but clearly the beginning of a series. Figures showed up and disappeared in a manner that leads me to believe that they will return in later novels. The puzzles and challenges set before Petra also don't ultimately seem all that challenging. So, I'm a little disappointed, but I'm interested in reading the next book.
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Torture, Violence
Wow, this was a fun book that took me completely by surprise. The protagonist Petra lives in an alternate history Bohemia, where magic exists and adventure thrives. But it's not your standard alt history with write-by-the-numbers magical systems--Rutkoski creates a world of wonder, where magic is more mysterious and wonderful and downright cool. Petra's father Mikal Kronos is an artisan who can "see" metal and do fabulous things with it that no one else can. He builds a spectacular clock for the Prince of Bohemia, who then takes Mikal's eyes so that he cannot create another.
Petra, in true adventure heroine fashion, vows to recover her father's eyes. Accompanied only by her pet metal Spider Astrophil (a fun character indeed), she lives through a series of encounters reminiscent of books such as the Golden Compass, or kids' adventures tales of the past.
While the book is sub-titled The Kronos Chronicles #1, it is a completely told tale, and will not leave the reader hanging. I look forward to reading book #2 of the series for more adventures of Petra and Astrophil.
Petra, in true adventure heroine fashion, vows to recover her father's eyes. Accompanied only by her pet metal Spider Astrophil (a fun character indeed), she lives through a series of encounters reminiscent of books such as the Golden Compass, or kids' adventures tales of the past.
While the book is sub-titled The Kronos Chronicles #1, it is a completely told tale, and will not leave the reader hanging. I look forward to reading book #2 of the series for more adventures of Petra and Astrophil.
My real rating is about 2.5 stars.
This book was interesting, but it was overall confusing and a bit far-fetched. It was just...well...it’s hard to rate or describe anything in this book. THE CONFUSION! AGH! Blah! My head is still spinning.
This book was interesting, but it was overall confusing and a bit far-fetched. It was just...well...it’s hard to rate or describe anything in this book. THE CONFUSION! AGH! Blah! My head is still spinning.
It seems to me that today's average everyday fantasy author for kids has to walk a delicate line. You want to create an alternative history novel laden with magical elements? Fair enough. Here is the choice set before you. Nine times out of ten books of this sort, whether they're of the steampunk variety or the more common knights + wizardry type stuff, are written for kids thirteen and up. Think about it. [b: The King of Attolia|40159|The King of Attolia (The Queen's Thief, #3)|Megan Whalen Turner|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1293505327s/40159.jpg|847545] books, Philip Reeve's [b: Larklight|287892|Larklight (Larklight, #1)|Philip Reeve|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1438032062s/287892.jpg|3981653] series, Jonathan Stroud's [b: Bartimaeus Trilogy|9265369|Bartimaeus Trilogy|Books LLC|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347714601s/9265369.jpg|14146152]), and so on and such. All of these are mature books for mature readers. They deal with large themes, long complicated plots, and dark motivations. So do you skew your book older or younger? Really, when you sit down and think about it, Marie Rutkoski's new series The Kronos Chronicles is a rare beastie. In her first installment The Cabinet of Wonders, Rutkoski opts for the younger end of the spectrum, combining just the right mix of kid fantasy within a well-planned historical setting. I'm as tired of new otherworldly series as the rest of you, but Rutkoski's new world is crisp and smart enough to win over even the most jaded fantasy fan.
When they brought her father home with bloody bandages over his eyes, that's when Petra Kronos got good and mad. Her father was given a remarkable commission: construct a clock for the prince himself in Prague. But instead of showering her father with gifts and praise upon its completion, the prince plucks out his eyes so as to make them his own (and prevent her dad from creating anything quite as nice again). Yet the clock is more than it seems. With the potential to control the weather itself, the Prince knows full well how powerful he could be if he just managed to put together the final piece. Now Petra is determined to steal back her father's eyes before that happens, even if it means befriending the Roma, sneaking into the palace, helping a woman who can leak acid through her skin, and reluctantly working alongside the magician and spy John Dee. Fortunately she has her tin spider Astrophil by her side and a host of talents that even she has been unaware of until now.
One of the problems I've had with a lot of fantasy novels lately is just how bloody long they are. Blame Harry Potter, blame [b: Twilight|41865|Twilight (Twilight, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361039443s/41865.jpg|3212258], blame whoever you like but the fact of the matter is that a lot of authors aren't taking the hint that sometimes your novel really doesn't have to be 300+ pages. Now let's take a gander at The Cabinet of Wonders. Coming in at a trim 258 Rutkoski could have explained at length about everything from Petra's mother's death to the girl's experiences with her in-laws while her father was away. Instead we are plopped into the story midstream and Rutkoski has a clear enough sense of the story she's telling to fill the small background details along the way. The result is a story that moves at a quick clip but never hurries so quickly that you loose the plot's thread or get confused about where things are going. In spite of the fact that you are reading yet another book about a motherless daughter whose doting scientific father pays her little heed, this territory is still relatively new.
I was a bit partial to the writing too. Just because the author isn't indulging in ludicrous fripperies doesn't mean that she hasn't an ear for a keen description once in a while. Check out this quickie encapsulation of our heroine's eyes. "Petra's eyes were gray - or, to be more precise, they were silvery, like they each had been made with liquid metal anchored in a bright circle by a black center." More interesting still, Rutkoski sometimes makes the executive decision to switch point of view willy-nilly between Petra and someone near her. Interestingly enough, the person she does this with the most is the evil prince. Making the executive decision to enter the head of your villain is something we've been seeing a lot of in children's literature lately (see: [b: The Underneath|2768169|The Underneath|Kathi Appelt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347371015s/2768169.jpg|2793892] by Kathi Appelt) and is always a risk. You could go too far and confuse the reader with this change of personality. Rutkoski's transitions aren't as smooth as they could be, but they ultimately serve the tale she's telling and don't go so far as to hurt it or anything.
As the Author's Note at the end is careful to point out, the book takes place during the European Renaissance at the end of the sixteenth century in Bohemia, part of the Hapsburg Empire. In this note Ms. Rutkoski mentions that she was at first a little worried that people would take issue with the way in which she has "manhandled history". She has little to fear. Historical fiction is one thing. Pseudo-historical fantasy another altogether (though I'd be willing to debate with someone on this point). So while she may not be 100% accurate at all times I doubt anyone would demand it of her. In any case, she works in enough real details to give the book spice. I was particularly pleased with the moment when John Dee shows Petra a painting of Queen Elizabeth that shows her wearing a yellow dress covered in eyes and ears. It sounds like just another fantastical idea on the page, but the actual image (known as The Rainbow Portrait) is rather famous and well worth searching out.
Let's talk gypsies. Over the years I've shuddered each and every time I've seen them in a work of children's fiction. Gypsies are like fairies or elves to most authors. You just throw them into a plot and hope that they end up kidnapping kids/telling fortunes at some point. There's never any acknowledgment that there are real Gypsies in the world, nor any complexity to their characters. So it was that I was amazed at how careful Rutkoski was with her Gypsy (which is to say, Roma) characters. In her Author's Note she acknowledges their past and the fact that they are "certainly real". And when she uses them in the book, it's almost as if she's mocking those old literary tropes. A Roma woman does indeed offer to tell Petra her future but when the girl politely refuses it's seen as the correct action. What's more, I loved how Neel would work Roma stories into the narrative alongside concepts like the "idea of zero". There's a lot going on here, and it's handled with evident care.
There isn't exactly a lack of child-friendly fantasies out there, sure. But we've finally gotten to the point where the Harry Potter wannabes have slacked off a little, leaving room for other kinds of series. And as for fantasies written with the 9-12 year-olds in mind, The Cabinet of Wonders is joining books like [b: Savvy|2133795|Savvy (Savvy, #1)|Ingrid Law|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480110534s/2133795.jpg|2596626] and [b: Out of the Wild|2422837|Out of the Wild (Into the Wild, #2)|Sarah Beth Durst|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347582071s/2422837.jpg|2430017] to entertain our slightly younger readers. With enough originality to choke a nag, Rutkoski firmly establishes herself as a new author to watch. I'll keep an eye eagerly peeled for her future books.
Ages 9 and up.
When they brought her father home with bloody bandages over his eyes, that's when Petra Kronos got good and mad. Her father was given a remarkable commission: construct a clock for the prince himself in Prague. But instead of showering her father with gifts and praise upon its completion, the prince plucks out his eyes so as to make them his own (and prevent her dad from creating anything quite as nice again). Yet the clock is more than it seems. With the potential to control the weather itself, the Prince knows full well how powerful he could be if he just managed to put together the final piece. Now Petra is determined to steal back her father's eyes before that happens, even if it means befriending the Roma, sneaking into the palace, helping a woman who can leak acid through her skin, and reluctantly working alongside the magician and spy John Dee. Fortunately she has her tin spider Astrophil by her side and a host of talents that even she has been unaware of until now.
One of the problems I've had with a lot of fantasy novels lately is just how bloody long they are. Blame Harry Potter, blame [b: Twilight|41865|Twilight (Twilight, #1)|Stephenie Meyer|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1361039443s/41865.jpg|3212258], blame whoever you like but the fact of the matter is that a lot of authors aren't taking the hint that sometimes your novel really doesn't have to be 300+ pages. Now let's take a gander at The Cabinet of Wonders. Coming in at a trim 258 Rutkoski could have explained at length about everything from Petra's mother's death to the girl's experiences with her in-laws while her father was away. Instead we are plopped into the story midstream and Rutkoski has a clear enough sense of the story she's telling to fill the small background details along the way. The result is a story that moves at a quick clip but never hurries so quickly that you loose the plot's thread or get confused about where things are going. In spite of the fact that you are reading yet another book about a motherless daughter whose doting scientific father pays her little heed, this territory is still relatively new.
I was a bit partial to the writing too. Just because the author isn't indulging in ludicrous fripperies doesn't mean that she hasn't an ear for a keen description once in a while. Check out this quickie encapsulation of our heroine's eyes. "Petra's eyes were gray - or, to be more precise, they were silvery, like they each had been made with liquid metal anchored in a bright circle by a black center." More interesting still, Rutkoski sometimes makes the executive decision to switch point of view willy-nilly between Petra and someone near her. Interestingly enough, the person she does this with the most is the evil prince. Making the executive decision to enter the head of your villain is something we've been seeing a lot of in children's literature lately (see: [b: The Underneath|2768169|The Underneath|Kathi Appelt|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347371015s/2768169.jpg|2793892] by Kathi Appelt) and is always a risk. You could go too far and confuse the reader with this change of personality. Rutkoski's transitions aren't as smooth as they could be, but they ultimately serve the tale she's telling and don't go so far as to hurt it or anything.
As the Author's Note at the end is careful to point out, the book takes place during the European Renaissance at the end of the sixteenth century in Bohemia, part of the Hapsburg Empire. In this note Ms. Rutkoski mentions that she was at first a little worried that people would take issue with the way in which she has "manhandled history". She has little to fear. Historical fiction is one thing. Pseudo-historical fantasy another altogether (though I'd be willing to debate with someone on this point). So while she may not be 100% accurate at all times I doubt anyone would demand it of her. In any case, she works in enough real details to give the book spice. I was particularly pleased with the moment when John Dee shows Petra a painting of Queen Elizabeth that shows her wearing a yellow dress covered in eyes and ears. It sounds like just another fantastical idea on the page, but the actual image (known as The Rainbow Portrait) is rather famous and well worth searching out.
Let's talk gypsies. Over the years I've shuddered each and every time I've seen them in a work of children's fiction. Gypsies are like fairies or elves to most authors. You just throw them into a plot and hope that they end up kidnapping kids/telling fortunes at some point. There's never any acknowledgment that there are real Gypsies in the world, nor any complexity to their characters. So it was that I was amazed at how careful Rutkoski was with her Gypsy (which is to say, Roma) characters. In her Author's Note she acknowledges their past and the fact that they are "certainly real". And when she uses them in the book, it's almost as if she's mocking those old literary tropes. A Roma woman does indeed offer to tell Petra her future but when the girl politely refuses it's seen as the correct action. What's more, I loved how Neel would work Roma stories into the narrative alongside concepts like the "idea of zero". There's a lot going on here, and it's handled with evident care.
There isn't exactly a lack of child-friendly fantasies out there, sure. But we've finally gotten to the point where the Harry Potter wannabes have slacked off a little, leaving room for other kinds of series. And as for fantasies written with the 9-12 year-olds in mind, The Cabinet of Wonders is joining books like [b: Savvy|2133795|Savvy (Savvy, #1)|Ingrid Law|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1480110534s/2133795.jpg|2596626] and [b: Out of the Wild|2422837|Out of the Wild (Into the Wild, #2)|Sarah Beth Durst|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347582071s/2422837.jpg|2430017] to entertain our slightly younger readers. With enough originality to choke a nag, Rutkoski firmly establishes herself as a new author to watch. I'll keep an eye eagerly peeled for her future books.
Ages 9 and up.