Thomas
Wildus is turning thirteen. He is a fine boy who loves books, chess,
doodle-wars with his best friend Enrique, hanging out with his mother, and
magic. It might sound stupid but Thomas believes magic is real. That’s what his
father said anyway, before he disappeared seven years ago.
So,
when Thomas discovers a strange bookshop downtown, he is so thrilled to be
offered an ancient and mysterious book, The Book of Sorrows,
by an equally mysterious man. Borrowing the book, however, comes with a set of
rules which include absolute secrecy. Consumed by an inexplicable desire to
read the book, Thomas willingly agrees.
As
soon as he reads the book, however, strange things begin to happen. Thomas is
pulled into a strange new world and learns something about his family. And this
is just the beginning.
This
is an exciting book about magic, family, and friendship. The story begins by
presenting Thomas as a serious but fun-loving student, affectionate son, and a
great friend. Then, mystery starts piling up as the plot thickens and the
readers are sucked into the story. Scenes are described in meticulous detail
particularly Thomas’s escape scheme somewhere in the middle of the book.
Dialogues between characters, especially between Thomas and Enrique, are funny
and realistic for boys their age and the closeness they share.
In
addition to the interesting plot and exciting scenes are endearing characters,
first of them, naturally, is Thomas. He is a smart and kind boy who is willing
to stand up for others, a loving and reliable son, and a student of magic with
admirable persistence and unwavering determination. Equally endearing are his
best friend Enrique and the magician Squattapus. Finally, though this book is
part of a series, the ending is satisfactorily conclusive.
Needless
to say, I enjoyed this book immensely. However, I would have appreciated
additional details on John Wildus, though I strongly believe there would be
more about him in the next books.
Congratulations
to J. M. Bergen (@JMBergen1) on such a great book!