The Cabinet of Wonders
Marie Rutkoski
2008, 258 pages
Children’s Fiction
Petra is a 12-year-old girl who lives in a village outside of Prague in the countryside of Bohemia. Her father is not a simple toymaker, but a magical artificer of metals. His skills allow him to create animals that are nearly alive. Petra’s silver pet and constant companion is a clever spider, who loves to cling to her hair and keeps up a running conversation with her about everything she does. As the story begins, Petra’s father is away in the great city of Prague, on the mission to build a great clock for the Prince Rodolpho.
He returns ignominiously, magically blinded and without even being paid for his work, even though his clock is working, and a marvelous work which has entranced the people of Prague. Petra, enraged by what was done to her father, takes it upon herself to take the dangerous journey to Prague and to right this terrible wrong.
Along the way she meets a boy thief and his family, works for a color-formulating wizard in the prince’s court, and sees fireworks for the first time. Her life and her quest are changed by a mysterious envoy from the court of Queen Elizabeth in England. Is he an ambassador, a spy, a wizard or, perhaps, all three? And, above all, should she give him her trust?
The story ends on Petra’s 13th birthday, with her ideas about family, trust and friendship changed forever. Enough issues are left unresolved to encourage the reader to complete reading the series, including The Celestial Globe and The Jewel of the Kalderash – both books are available in the Concord Public Library collection. This is a highly recommended story for the independent reader.
We also have this title available as a book on CD at the library: 6 discs, 7 hours run time.
Tricia HutchinsConcord Public Library
Visit CPL at concordpubliclibrary.net.
