Marie Rutkoski’s debut novel, The Cabinet of Wonders, is an enchanting adventure story, full of magic, friendship, danger, and wonder.
12 year old Petra Kronos lives in a small village outside Prague in the late 16th century. Her father is both an inventor and a magician with a special power over metal. Her favorite companion is a wise, magical tin spider her father created, and her best friend captures lightning into glass spheres. When the novel opens, her father is returned to the family after having been commissioned to build a magical clock for their Prince; after completing his work, he is blinded by the Price and his magical eyes have been stolen. Petra is determined to right this terrible wrong and recover her father’s eyes, so she sneaks off to Prague with her spider and some magical marbles from her friend Tomik.
Once in Prague, spunky Petra wrangles a job at the castle; meets a pick-pocketing, clever Gypsy boy named Neel; jumps headlong into the intrigue surrounding the clock her father has designed and its hidden, threatening magic; and begins to discover her own magical prowess. Weaving elements of fairy tale & adventure quest expertly with a fast-paced plot and likeable characters, The Cabinet of Wonders is a great start to what will hopefully be a fantastic series.
- Posted by Cori