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Book Review, © Copyright 2002, Jim Loy
This is fiction (slightly magical fantasy) for teenagers. The critics love it, most readers love it, some hate it. Cornelia Funke is the third most popular children's author in Germany, and this is her first book to be translated into English. It is a pretty book, with a violet dust jacket and nice drawings of Venice on the inside. The map of Venice, inside the book, is of little use for reading the book. Prosper and Bo are children whose parents have died. Their aunt and uncle want to take care of Bo, but not Prosper. The boys run away to Venice, where they are taken in by Scipio, the Thief Lord. Prosper, Bo, and three other children live in an abandoned movie theater. Victor, a delightful, bungling detective is hired by Prosper's and Bo's aunt and uncle to find them, but Victor is soon kidnapped by the children. I have read an opinion that the characters are one dimensional. I have an opinion about that. The characters are mostly not described physically; instead their actions are described and we read what they say. This type of characterization is quite common with some very highly respected authors. Victor and Bo are excellent characters. The others (including the Thief Lord himself) are a little more vague, but I think that they are interesting characters. I enjoyed this book, and I recommend it.
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