The Child Thief: A Novel
by Brom
Our Price: $55.52
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $8.74 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: BromEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-08-25
ISBN: 0061671339
Number of pages: 496
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Book Reviews of The Child Thief: A Novel
Book Review: Much More Than a Dark Retelling
Summary: 5 Stars
As I sit here and stare into space, it dons on me that this is going to be a very difficult review to write. The release seemed to have come out of nowhere-a book written by an artist that I had scarcely heard of before. There was interest though, despite reading a short excerpt that left me rather uncertain of the whole thing. After reading the first chapter I felt the prose was workmanlike, a factor that can push me to put down a novel faster than anything else, but the story was interesting. Then there was the art. Just seeing the samples that Brom had up on his sight was more than enough to make me want the book. So I took a chance and ordered it, knowing full well that I might just end up with a rather expensive and very slight art book. I am glad I took a chance.
It is highly like that you have watched Disney's version of Peter Pan at some point, either as a child, with a child, as a fan of Disney cartoons, or just bored out of your mind on a rainy day. At some point you may have watched another version of it released in the nineties, Hook. The Child Thief has nothing to do with those. Instead it is based off the original-and darker works-by J.M. Barrie, but Brom has not created a simple dark retelling of the tale. Brom blends Celtic myth with the concept of Barrie's child thief and from this combination springs a setting that is brimming with imagination, wonder, and foreboding. This is a setting where not everything is as it seems, where the line between good guy and bad is blurred, and where old gods frolic and die.
Though I did have my reservations going into the novel because of the prose, they were quickly dissolved. Instead of the workmanlike prose I encountered in the first chapter, I was instead faced by a prose that was near-lyrical and filled with just the sort of imagery I would expect from an artist-turned-writer. The Child Thief is extremely readable, not because the prose is simple, but because it-and the story-grabbed me and refused to let go. I almost expected the novel to be bogged down with description, but thankfully that turned out to be a biased assumption and little more. Brom manages a balanced description that paints just enough of a picture-spiced with vibrant colors-to let the imagination run with it. As such, the novel is never bogged down by excessive description, nor does it skim over details.
The best part of the novel though, what I feel deserves the most praise, are the characters. Like all books you have primary characters and you have secondary characters and, like most books, the secondary characters here are not given any extraordinary amount of focus. This is so common these days that I do not bother to mark it as a negative-it has become par for the course. Still, there are secondary characters throughout the novel that are focused on, if only briefly, and when this happens... well, it managed to change my perspective of the novel completely. The main characters seem to be Peter, the iconic wild boy that just so happens to be an obsessed sociopath, and Nick, a recent addition to Peter's Devils. Nick is a skeptic and a doubt-bringer, in constant struggle with himself and the world around him. On the other hand, Peter is cocksure, a trickster, who will do anything for Avalon and the Lady of the Lake he promised to always serve. The two work extremely well off of each other, with Nick serving as the conscience that Peter lacks and Peter standing in as the wild boy Nick might become.
Nothing is ever certain or as expected in this novel. The Flesh-Eaters, a group of English immigrants and the crews of the ships they sailed on, and their war against the Faery of Avalon provides a stark realization of this truth, as do characters on both sides of the fight. This was a pleasant surprise and one that certainly elevated my estimation of the novel, but I am afraid I cannot go any further into it as it would be a definite spoiler.
Another high point of the novel was the art. Each chapter is preceded by a sketch that illustrates some scene from the chapter and each is of high quality and take up an entire page. There are also several full-color glossy illustrations tucked into the middle of the book that detail a handful of the characters found within the novel. The novel is almost worth buying for the art alone, but that this novel is very near to fantastic is a definite reason to pick it up as well.
I found this review hard to write because I have a lot of praise of the novel, but not much in the way of complaints. My major complaint was the use of CAPS when a character yelled and the characters yelled more than enough to make it annoying. It is not something I see a lot of these days, thankfully, which probably makes it stand out all the more when it does appear. Do not like it at all. My second complaint has to do with the cursing, but it is not really my complaint. I have nothing against cursing in novels and it did not bother me at all, but I can see others being bothered by the abundance of four letter words.
The Child Thief is a dark tale that still manages to be chock full of wonder and imagination, while including more than its share of violence, foul mouths, and unbalanced minds. The main characters as well as some of the more prominent secondary characters are undeniably human with faults, doubt, and real emotions. Near-lyrical prose and an interesting story do a lot to lure the reader into the pages and the trap that waits amongst them, forced to continue on and on until finally there is only the last page to turn. And of course, the art is a wonderful supplement to the novel. If I was forced to chose a book at this moment to name the best I've read this year, I do believe this would be that book. I am serious when I say this: Do yourself a favor and buy this book.
Summary of The Child Thief: A Novel
In the vein of Gregory Maguire's bestselling works, the award-winning artist Brom takes us on a haunting look at the true world of Peter Pan, in his first full-length novel. From modern day New York to the dying land of Faerie, "The Child Thief" reveals the world of Peter Pan through the eyes of an insecure runaway who is seduced by Peter's charm. But any dreams of a fairy wonderland are quickly replaced by the reality of life and death survival as Peter's recruits are forced into a lethal battle in which the line between good and evil is blurred.Literature & Fiction Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Literature & Fiction Books
Little Womenby Louisa May Alcott
Scribner; Published: 1986-06-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.49
Price in other shops:
The Killing Groundby JACK HIGGINS
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS LTD; Published: 2007; Hardcover; Book
Saving Fish from Drowningby Amy Tan
4th Estate; Published: 2005; Paperback; Book
Life Expectancyby Dean Koontz
Harpercollins Pb; Published: 2005-08-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.00
Constant Princessby Philippa Gregory
Touchstone/Simon & Schuster; Published: 2005; Hardcover; Book
Wolf of the Plains (Conqueror, Book 1)by Conn Iggulden
Harper; Published: 2007; Paperback; Book
Saharaby Clive Cussler
Harper Collins Pb; Published: 2005-03-21; Paperback; Book
Perelandra (Cosmic Trilogy)by C. S. Lewis
Voyager; Published: 2005-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.80
Price in other shops:
The Lord Of The Rings: Part 2 The Two Towersby J. R. R. Tolkien
Harper Collins Publishers; Published: 2001; Paperback; Book
Red Marsby Kim Stanley Robinson
Trafalgar Square; Published: 2001-06; Paperback; Book
Similar Books and other products
Summer Knight (The Dresden Files, Book 4)by Jim Butcher
Roc; Published: 2002-09-03; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.77
Price in other shops:
Dr. Horrible and Other Horrible Storiesby Zack Whedon
Dark Horse; Published: 2010-09-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.79
Price in other shops:
Gris Grimly's Wicked Nursery Rhymesby Gris Grimly, Baby Tattoo Books
Baby Tattoo Books; Published: 2003-08; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.00
Price in other shops:
Johannes Cabal the Necromancerby Jonathan L. Howard
Doubleday; Published: 2009-07-07; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
The Child Thief: A Novelby Brom
Harper Voyager; Published: 2010-08-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.10
Price in other shops:
The Plucker: An Illustrated Novel by Bromby Brom
Abrams; Published: 2011-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.08
Price in other shops:
The Plucker: An Illustrated Novel by Bromby Gerald Brom
Harry N. Abrams; Published: 2005-10-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $32.25
The Devil's Roseby Brom
Harry N. Abrams; Published: 2007-10-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $10.35
Price in other shops:
The Devil's Roseby Brom
Abrams Books; Published: 2007-10-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.18
Price in other shops:
The Plucker: An Illustrated Novel by Bromby Gerald Brom
Abrams; Published: 2011-03-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.98
Price in other shops: