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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
Petra and her father live in a small village and have a simple life. Her father works with metals and his hobby is making tin animals that come to life - all they need is oil to survive. Petra's pet is a spider named Astrophil. Because of his beautiful work, the Prince has requested that her father make a special clock for his castle. Unfortunately, the Prince wants to be the only one to work this magnificent clock and steals her father's eyes and wears them. (gross!) Petra sets off to get her father's eyes back - but danger is all around her.
This is the first book in The Kronos Chronicles
This is the first book in The Kronos Chronicles
I DNF’d on ebook at 40%. This middle grade book is set in Bohemia where magic is only for the wealthy. Those of a lesser social status are frowned upon for taking “shortcuts” to do work. When Petra’s father has his eyes removed by the Prince for building the most magnificent magical clock, Petra takes it upon herself along with her magical talking robot spider to infiltrate the Palace and take her father’s eyes back.
Reasons I didn’t like it:
1) Trigger warnings did not prepare me for how dark this middle grade story is. It’s more descriptive in gore than I was expecting and deals with miscarriage, child death, violence, torture and poverty.
2) The plot was all over the place. If it wasn’t for the TWs I probably would have stuck out the rest of this book to finish but it felt like the author didn’t have a clear plan of how to get to the end.
3) The MCs decisions were hard to follow. I didn’t understand Petra’s motivations or why she chose the decisions she did for most of the book.
This book was recommended to me on StoryGraph based on other books I have liked.
Reasons I didn’t like it:
1) Trigger warnings did not prepare me for how dark this middle grade story is. It’s more descriptive in gore than I was expecting and deals with miscarriage, child death, violence, torture and poverty.
2) The plot was all over the place. If it wasn’t for the TWs I probably would have stuck out the rest of this book to finish but it felt like the author didn’t have a clear plan of how to get to the end.
3) The MCs decisions were hard to follow. I didn’t understand Petra’s motivations or why she chose the decisions she did for most of the book.
This book was recommended to me on StoryGraph based on other books I have liked.
This book is set in an imagined European past where magic is a reality. It takes inspiration from a legend about a real clock that you can still see today in the old section of Prague, and combines it with fantastical elements to create an entertaining and compelling tale. I loved the many magical gadgets—especially the mechanical spider known as Astrophil.
The Cabinet of Wonders starts off with a gruesome scene in the prologue, but the rest of the book is full of vim and vigor, with a determinedly bright outlook. These adjectives describe the protagonist, Petra, equally well.
Spunky, unconventional girls are all over kidlit these days. None of them think of themselves as pretty, although most of them are drop-dead gorgeous and they just don't realize the effect they have ton people. Many have to undertake grim tasks, risk their lives and everything they treasure to achieve a seemingly impossible goal. Many of them have boy best friends who may turn into romantic interests. These heroines act with great courage and make decisions out of classic values such as honor and justice.
So why is it that Petra's story doesn't feel trite or commonplace?
The answer comes down to a just-right combination of craft, story, heart, with some magic thrown in. Exactly what that combination is, well, that's what so many writers try to find out every day.
Back to the book: Petra loves her father.
That fact drives the whole story. Her relationships with her pet spider, Astropil, and good friends, Tomik and Neel, are shown in great depth. Her motivations are clearly set out and easily relatable. The magic is fantastically imaginative. But it's her love for her father that pulses underneath all the actions and development of the book. That is why, when towards the end [spoiler alert] she blurts out the unthinkable "I hate you!", my breath got caught in my throat.
When a story affects me this way, I am sold.
I do have a small number of nitpicky things with the book. I understand the reasons for each of them, but I still wish somehow there are ways to solve those plot problems without the results sticking out quite so much.
[Spoiler alert again. You are under strict orders to read the following only after you've enjoyed the book!]
First off, the prologue bothered me. It didn't seem necessary to show Mikal Kronos being transported home. Starting the story with chapter 1 seems perfect. We get to meet Petra and her normal life before everything in her life turns upside down. But we need to know about the Jarek's horse, which is touched on in the prologue, so Petra can come home at the end.
Second nit-pick: when Petra started work at the castle, it seems strange that she would jeopardize her chance to stay at the castle, all because of the bad treatment--which she surely would have expected--she's received from the head cook. She's risked so much, she would have had to endure a lot more than what she did to sabotage her plans. Again, I realize she has to make her way to Iris's workshop and this was how she got there.
Third, just before Petra sees the heart of the clock, she suddenly recalls Tomik, whom she hasn't thought about for chapters. I had to stop to remember who Tomik is. Tomik is mentioned because Petra is about to unleash the spheres so we need a reminder of their existence. I wish Tomik was on her mind more often during her time in the castle, if only in the form of comparison with Neel.
These complaints, though, are very, very small.
[End: spoiler alert.]
This is an excellent book, and I highly recommend it. Go read it.
ps I typically don't read much fantasy or sci-fi, but now the folks over at the Cybils are turning me on to the genre. Hunger Games, Graceling, and now Cabinet of Wonders. Grumble, grumble. Like I don't have enough books that I already want to read? I hope you guys are happy!
AN UPDATE: As I mull over this book's prologue, Nathan Bransford is offering an agent's perspective on the subject of prologues. Check it out.
Spunky, unconventional girls are all over kidlit these days. None of them think of themselves as pretty, although most of them are drop-dead gorgeous and they just don't realize the effect they have ton people. Many have to undertake grim tasks, risk their lives and everything they treasure to achieve a seemingly impossible goal. Many of them have boy best friends who may turn into romantic interests. These heroines act with great courage and make decisions out of classic values such as honor and justice.
So why is it that Petra's story doesn't feel trite or commonplace?
The answer comes down to a just-right combination of craft, story, heart, with some magic thrown in. Exactly what that combination is, well, that's what so many writers try to find out every day.
Back to the book: Petra loves her father.
That fact drives the whole story. Her relationships with her pet spider, Astropil, and good friends, Tomik and Neel, are shown in great depth. Her motivations are clearly set out and easily relatable. The magic is fantastically imaginative. But it's her love for her father that pulses underneath all the actions and development of the book. That is why, when towards the end [spoiler alert] she blurts out the unthinkable "I hate you!", my breath got caught in my throat.
When a story affects me this way, I am sold.
I do have a small number of nitpicky things with the book. I understand the reasons for each of them, but I still wish somehow there are ways to solve those plot problems without the results sticking out quite so much.
[Spoiler alert again. You are under strict orders to read the following only after you've enjoyed the book!]
First off, the prologue bothered me. It didn't seem necessary to show Mikal Kronos being transported home. Starting the story with chapter 1 seems perfect. We get to meet Petra and her normal life before everything in her life turns upside down. But we need to know about the Jarek's horse, which is touched on in the prologue, so Petra can come home at the end.
Second nit-pick: when Petra started work at the castle, it seems strange that she would jeopardize her chance to stay at the castle, all because of the bad treatment--which she surely would have expected--she's received from the head cook. She's risked so much, she would have had to endure a lot more than what she did to sabotage her plans. Again, I realize she has to make her way to Iris's workshop and this was how she got there.
Third, just before Petra sees the heart of the clock, she suddenly recalls Tomik, whom she hasn't thought about for chapters. I had to stop to remember who Tomik is. Tomik is mentioned because Petra is about to unleash the spheres so we need a reminder of their existence. I wish Tomik was on her mind more often during her time in the castle, if only in the form of comparison with Neel.
These complaints, though, are very, very small.
[End: spoiler alert.]
This is an excellent book, and I highly recommend it. Go read it.
ps I typically don't read much fantasy or sci-fi, but now the folks over at the Cybils are turning me on to the genre. Hunger Games, Graceling, and now Cabinet of Wonders. Grumble, grumble. Like I don't have enough books that I already want to read? I hope you guys are happy!
AN UPDATE: As I mull over this book's prologue, Nathan Bransford is offering an agent's perspective on the subject of prologues. Check it out.
Good debut - I liked that it did not shirk from describing the danger faced by the protagonists, a too-common problem in YA lit.
Recommended by my mother-in-law, the librarian. :)
Recommended by my mother-in-law, the librarian. :)
Very sweet story with some fun characters in a fictional Prague/Czech situation. It's a little "steam punkey" and would be a good middle-school aged book I think! Or good for us adults who like this sort of thing. I enjoyed it and would recommend to others.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book is a wonderful little fantasy that swept me off my feet and carried me along for the ride. I loved how inventive, creative, and new this book was, with everything from living tin animals (yes, as in the metal) to clocks that can control the weather to vials that collect your worries. Marie Rutkoski's fantastical Bohemian world is such a fun place to let yourself wander off to for a few hours. Her writing is superb, although as a warning, she does "head-hop" quite a bit (though usually only for a few paragraphs, if that). However, I liked it, as I think it added to the story. It was fun to get to see inside another character's head without completely switching POV's, and Ms. Rutkoski skillfully only gives you what she wants you to see right then. The head-hopping is done in a purposeful, tasteful, and humorous way.
Overall, this book reminds me of the kinds of books I would read when I was a kid that were just full of imagination and new worlds and magic. This is probably because this book IS one of those books that I would have read as a child, being technically middle-grade and all. However, at the same time, it is surprisingly mature. It has hints of darkness that intrigue older readers while still being appropriate for the middle-grade audience it is geared towards. Additionally, the plotline moves swiftly and remains interesting throughout. The characters are mostly thoroughly fleshed out, and I loved Neel and Petra's sarcastic relationship. Petra herself was probably my favorite character, which says something because I don't often like main characters, seeing them as too flat. For this reason, as well as Ms. Rutkoski's beautifully simple writing, I think The Cabinet of Wonders is a wonderful beginning to a series that all ages can enjoy, from elementary school readers to older adults.
(As a side note, one of my favorite parts was
Overall, this book reminds me of the kinds of books I would read when I was a kid that were just full of imagination and new worlds and magic. This is probably because this book IS one of those books that I would have read as a child, being technically middle-grade and all. However, at the same time, it is surprisingly mature. It has hints of darkness that intrigue older readers while still being appropriate for the middle-grade audience it is geared towards. Additionally, the plotline moves swiftly and remains interesting throughout. The characters are mostly thoroughly fleshed out, and I loved Neel and Petra's sarcastic relationship. Petra herself was probably my favorite character, which says something because I don't often like main characters, seeing them as too flat. For this reason, as well as Ms. Rutkoski's beautifully simple writing, I think The Cabinet of Wonders is a wonderful beginning to a series that all ages can enjoy, from elementary school readers to older adults.
(As a side note, one of my favorite parts was
Spoiler
at the end when Petra and Neel were trying to get away from the Prince's castle and the man who had driven Petra's father back to Okno was in the stables (Jarek). I expected Ms. Rutkoski to follow the typical style and have the man be "evil" and call the guards. However, she surprised me. The man explained that he wasn't regretful of driving Mikal Kronos back to Okno; yet, he wasn't quite proud of it, either. He proceeded to tell Petra and Neel which horse was the best and let them go on their way. He wasn't "all bad," and aside from the lovely complexity in character that that showed, I highly appreciated Ms. Rutkoski not playing the typical card and making adults seem like the enemy. Too often, middle-grade and YA books make adults all bad and the enemy of kids when in reality, most of them are not. It was such a small part in the book but such an important one, in my opinion.
The young Prince has commissioned a special clock to be made in his honor. But in his haste and greed, he wrongly assumes the clock has been finished to his specifications. He has the eyes of the clockmaker removed so that he cannot make another like it for anyone else. However, the clock is not finished and will not do all that the Prince desires. But the Prince decides that he wants to finish the clock himself and can do so with the eyes of the maker guiding him. The clockmaker is returned home, blinded. It is rumored that the Prince keeps the eyes in his Cabinet of Wonders. If the clock should ever be finished, it will change the balance of power in the kingdom and have far reaching consequences for the world. His young daughter, Petra, decides to take matters into her own hands to restore her father's sight. She slips away to the Castle intending to steal back her father's eyes. She is a clever and likable protagonist. Along the way, she enlists the help of new friends. Part alternative history, part fantasy, Cabinet of Wonders promises to be the first in a new series. Although you may have to suspend your disbelief a bit, it is a fast read with plenty of suspense and intrigue.