Arthur (Art) Mumsby and his irritating sister Myrtle live with their father in a huge and rambling house called Larklight…that just happens to be traveling through outer space. When a visitor called Mr. Webster arrives for a visit, it is far from an innocent social call. Before long Art and Myrtle are off on an adventure to the furthest reaches of space, where they will do battle with evil forces in order to save each other--and the universe. A fantastically original Victorian tale set in an outer space world that might have come from the imaginations of Jules Verne or L Frank Baum, but has a unique gravitational pull all its own…My Thoughts: Although it took me a bit to get into this book (which I blame more on me trying to read during a foot ball game than any lack in the writing department), I thoroughly enjoyed it once I managed to sit down and concentrate on the spiderriffic adventures. For the record, I loathe spiders. I can't even kill the vile things. Because killing them would require me to get close to them. No. Just, no. Not happening.
Anyway. This is one of those books were the action is non-stop (and when it does stop, our ingenious narrator quite kindly skips ahead to jump right back into the thrill and the danger) and the characters are full of life. Arthur (Mr. Narrator, himself) has some very amusing observations about his sister, Myrtle (who desperately wants to be a genteel young lady), and the crew of the Sophronia.
Fun, fast-paced and full of creepy spiders, this is a very cool ride into a steampunk, space adventure. Did I mention the spiders? *shudder*
More books by Philip Reeve
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I use large books (like a dictionary or textbook) to kill spiders. Sometimes I throw the book at them. Heh.
ReplyDeleteAmanda: In the book, they use a rolled up newspaper at least once. I, however, won't even get close enough to them to throw something. *total wimp*
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