Description
Pearl and Vally Cole live in a bookshop. And not just any bookshop. In 1893, Cole's Book Arcade in Melbourne is the grandest bookshop in the world, brimming with every curiosity imaginable. Each day brings fresh delights for the siblings: voice-changing sweets, talking parrots, a new story written just for them by their eccentric father. When Pearl and Vally learn that Pa has risked the Arcade - and himself - in a shocking deal with the mysterious Obscurosmith, the siblings hatch a plan.
Soon they are swept into a dangerous game with impossibly high stakes: defeat seven challenges by the stroke of midnight and both the Arcade and their father will be restored. But if they fail Pearl and Vally won't just lose Pa - they'll forget that he and the Arcade ever existed.
Review
Based in the Coles Book Arcade, which opened in Bourke Street, Melbourne in 1883, our author has taken many of the fascinating and amazing things that were in the store and created an equally wonderful story.
Bookshop owner, Mr Cole, does a deal with an Obscurosmith (an evil magical trickster), to attempt to bring his daughter Ruby back to life. But everything goes wrong, and now two of his children, Pearl and Vally have entered into a deal with him to try and save their father, the incredible Coles Book Arcade, and all of their memories.
But this evil trickster has set them seven challenges that become increasingly more difficult and treacherous. With the rules seeming to change and the odds stacked against them, can they survive and save everything or will they lose it all?
As a book-lover I absolutely loved the setting, but the storyline and characters were equally wonderful.
This is one of the best middle-grade readers that I have read in many years, and there have been many thousands. An amazing setting, magical trickery, feisty and courageous children, and their desire to do good in the face of evil. Family, loyalty and love of wonderful books, it just doesn’t get any better!
Reviewed by Rob
