I had been eyeing off this book in the newsagent for AGES, thinking it sounded intriguing, but never got around to buying it. Well, I couldn't resist any longer! A book about a book - the ultimate!
But seriously, this is the story of a difficult teenager, Tamara, whose father suicides, leaving her mother and her with nothing. They have to leave their expensive house and lifestyle to live with an Aunt and Uncle in the gatehouse of a castle. When a mobile library passes by one day, Tamara takes a book off the shelf that is locked, but eventually opened to reveal strange goings on. Harry Potter type mysteries ensue, and the circumstances and people around Tamara, become curiouser and curiouser.
This book had me turning the pages to find out what was really going on in, as there were a lot of secrets being withheld from Tamara. Tamara was not a particularly likeable character at the start, but as the walls seemed to close in around her, she became more vulnerable, and a nicer person.
I felt that it took a long time for Tamara to get to the bottom of things. If it was me, I would have demanded explanations from the Aunt and Uncle much sooner. There was also no explanation for the book's appearance or magic. Tamara's relationship with Marcus ended abruptly too. Other than those things, though, I was absorbed by the story, racing through to find out how it would all be resolved. This book probably should be marketed as young adult fiction, as it is not really sophisticated enough to be considered adult fiction.
Still I recommend it, as it is very intriguing!
My rating:
****
Sounds good :)
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