This was the sort of book that sucked me in from the very first line, an always promising incident that usually proves itself well. Rushdie opens up this story of stories in the proper way a story should begin, with enough whimsy and charm to hint at the nature of the entire book. So starts the tale of a twelve-year old boy named Luka who has a pet bear and dog and whose father is a storyteller....
more This was the sort of book that sucked me in from the very first line, an always promising incident that usually proves itself well. Rushdie opens up this story of stories in the proper way a story should begin, with enough whimsy and charm to hint at the nature of the entire book. So starts the tale of a twelve-year old boy named Luka who has a pet bear and dog and whose father is a storyteller.
Luka's world is a surreal one, seeming to be the very one we live in but written with so much wonder that the reader is left trying to figure out what is reality and what is merely imagination and storytelling. For Luka's father is a mastery storyteller, and Luka and his brother have grown up in a semi-magical world created by their father's stories. However, one day Luka's father slips into a deep sleep bordering on death and Luka is given the opportunity to brave a video game-esque in order to get the Fire of Life, a substance guaranteed to heal his father.
Much of the book is a celebration of stories, full of references and cameos of gods and goddesses and all sorts of beings from literature and mythology. They exist in a fantastically creative world where all stories lie, and Rashdie's passion for these stories comes across in a powerful and poignant way.
The story is thoroughly lovely, an example of the simple hero and adventure story, a boy going through a strange world in order to achieve a goal. It's a classic scenario that fits well into the wild world of the book.
Rashdie's writing is simple, clear, and delightfully whimsical. The story is very creative and sweet, though the world could have used more visual detail. And the video game style of everything will appeal to fans of video gams and perhaps the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels.
All in all, this is one enchanting little adventure.
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