This book was recommended to me by author Shaun Holt. He knows I love books and all things relating to books. I cannot express enough gratitude to him for doing so. This book has become my new all time favorite. I was intrigued from what he had told me about this amazing novel and I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. That same night I put it on hold at my local library for a measly fifty cent charge…well worth it in the end.
In this new Zamonian adventure, Optimus Yarnspinner, a young writer, inherits from his beloved godfather an unpublished short story by an unknown author.
The search for the author’s identity takes Yarnspinner to Bookholm—the so-called City of Dreaming Books. On entering its streets, our hero feels as if he has opened the door of a gigantic second-hand bookshop. His nostrils are assailed by clouds of book dust, the stimulating scent of ancient leather, and the tang of printer’s ink. Soon, though, Yarnspinner falls into the clutches of the city’s evil genius, Pfistomel Smyke, who treacherously maroons him in the labyrinthine catacombs underneath the city, where reading books can be genuinely dangerous. In The City of Dreaming Books, Walter Moers transports us to a magical world where reading is a remarkable adventure. Only those intrepid souls who are prepared to join Yarnspinner on his perilous journey should read this book. We wish the rest of you a long, safe, unutterably dull and boring life!
What more could a book lover want than an entire city created about books. This fantasy book takes you on an adventure from the first person point of view of Optimus Yarnspinner. It reads as if he wrote this novel as a story himself. When he travels to Bookholm, Yarnspinner has no idea what is in store for him. The city is brimming with so many different species of book loving beings. With the vast amount of publishers and book stores, I would live there. I despise the city…too many people for my comfort. However, if I knew books were always at my disposal and everyone around me enjoyed them as much as I do…I might be persuaded to change my view of that particular city.
The readers travels with Yarnspinner as he ventures to find the author of this masterpiece he has found himself with. On this adventure we run into so many more creatures. The booklings were among my favorite. I will not say more, as I would like you to read and enjoy this treasure of a book for yourself. Each species has been so thought out. Even if pictures were not provided, though many were…and with great detail, I could vividly see them in my mind. The descriptions of each being was not alone, in being filled with great detail. Every location and event was not told, but shown to the reader. This allows the reader to experience so many feelings. As I read this book I experienced sadness and loss, excitement, fear, curiousness, and longing. I was not simply given descriptions simple things that readers are assumed to know. The details help to build such a beautiful and mysterious world. This novel is written beautifully well.
As I read, I learned new vocabulary and became immersed in this wonderful tale. Being so well written, I often thought I could feel what Yarnspinner did about the manuscript. Word choice was deliberate and thought out, to convey the most meaning. The sentences flowed very well, pulling me along the journey. The plot grips you from the start and does not let go. There are so many points of action or suspense that you are often left on the edge of your seat wanting to read all night. With dangers around every turn in the catacombs, you find yourself hoping that Yarnspinner is able to make his way through and find this mysterious author. I admit…on more than one occasion my husband went to bed alone and I remained on my couch engrossed in this dreamy fantasy. I often found my dreams taking place within this bookish world. I went on journeys with Yarnspinner through the catacombs as I slept and they were amazing. I would love to see a movie rendition of this tantalizing story. Then the question comes to mind…a family friendly version or one more suitable for an older audience? Cut the violence….nah, I enjoy those parts.
From the very first page…the warning…I was pulled in. This is a book unlike any other I have read. To think such a masterpiece has been sitting on a shelf someplace, unloved, unknown to the larger reading community. Please pick up a copy from your local library or Amazon. If you enjoy books as much as I do, or even a fraction as much, grab this book. You will not regret such an amazing journey and all the creatures you will meet within. Walter Moers is a literary genius. I will buy myself a copy of this book and the sequel. I look forward to reading more of his work, as I believe you will as well once you read this masterpiece.