The King in the Window
Of all of the children's books I read this summer, this was probably the best. I loved the plot and the sudden, occasional, really insightful thoughts. And the writing style was really nice, though the random (though few) inconsistencies bugged me a bit. And it's just so original. I don't think I've read such an original fantasy novel in years. My only problems: Oliver's lucky guesses as the solution to problems (Deus-ex-machina-esque, although this was more at the beginning) and the easy way
Oliver Parker is a 12-yr-old American boy living in Paris (his father is an overseas journalist). Olivers life is rather drab: his father works all the time, he doesnt have a lot of friends, he finds French school difficult, etc. One night, after a celebration of the Epiphany, Oliver dons a paper crown and glances into a window when he sees the image of a young boy inside the window that is not a reflection of himself. Oliver begins communicating with this boy who calls Oliver the King in the
Adam Gopnik's "The King in the Window" depicts the adventures of young Oliver. Oliver's family has just finished celebrating Epiphany in France and Oliver pretends to be the king and wears a paper crown. Bored to death, Oliver stares out his window and is frightened to see a reflection of another boy in the window. To his surprise, this puzzling boy happened to be a window wraith who accidentally mistakes Oliver for being king. From there Oliver explores the world of France in an attempt to save
When I was ten, my mother came home with a pretty, gold-wrapped novel that I actually thought was for her at first. She handed it to me, and said she found it *somewhere* (where? I don't know. Still haven't seen it in a book store.) Then she just left me there on the floor with it while she went off to go do some adult stuff, or whatever it is that adults do. Drink champagne and talk about politics? Hell if I know.That was the first time I fell in love. It wasn't one of the characters I fell in
I cannot say enough good things about this book. This book serendipitously found me at the library, and I'm glad it did. Though it was classified as a children's book, I don't really think that it is. It has a great story - including lots of action, lots of thought provoking comments, and interesting concepts (like multiverses!). Oliver is an American-born 12-year-old living in Paris. After an eventful Ephiphany where he gets a golden key and a paper crown, he gets mistaken for the new King of
This was a fanciful tale of a boy who accidentally becomes the "King in the Window" and must lead an army of philosophical (think Racine, Moliere, etc) window wraiths against the evil mirror soul-suckers and his arc-nemesis, the Master of Mirrors.It was a nice little coming-of-age story that got a bit complicated in it's dealings with mirrors and duality and the multiverse, but I enjoyed how Oliver had to grow up and think and learn to be a good King and defeat the evil Master. The long standing
Adam Gopnik
Paperback | Pages: 410 pages Rating: 3.6 | 862 Users | 119 Reviews
Present Books To The King in the Window
Original Title: | The King in the Window |
ISBN: | 0786838949 (ISBN13: 9780786838943) |
Edition Language: | English |
Characters: | Oliver Parker, Mrs. Pearson, Charlie, Neige |
Literary Awards: | James Tiptree Jr. Award Nominee for Longlist (2005) |
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Oliver Parker is a ten-year-old American boy miserably trapped in Paris, where his father is stationed as a journalist. Intimidated by his French school and its prickly teachers, oppressed by gray and wintry Paris, and feeling curiously remote from his father-who spends more and more time staring dully into his computer screen--Oliver longs to return to America. But if he has to stay in Paris, Oliver sure wouldn't mind if the elegant and very French little girl down the street, Neige, deigned to notice him. During dinner with his parents one cold January evening, Oliver feels silly wearing the paper crown of an Epiphany-festival French king. That night, looking in the mirror, he sees a boy in an ancient French doublet gazing back at him. The boy, Francois, tells Oliver that he himself is kingly, and that he has a special mission--rescuing souls. Only days later, on a trip to Versailles, Oliver is transported to the French spirit kingdom, ruled over by the fatuous King Louis the Nth. There, the famous playwright Moliere tells Oliver he must deliver France from the forces of the great Egg, who sucks up the spirits of men, women, and children when they look into a mirror of glass or of water. Oliver reluctantly rises to the challenge. Fortunately, he has help--from the can-do American Charlie, who arrives for a visit; from Neige, a Parisian diva in training; and from Mrs. Pearson, a British author and personage who leads a foray straight through Lewis Carroll's looking-glass. Ultimately, Oliver pursues Egg into the underworld-located directly underneath Paris--and realizes he must save not just the world, but all of its souls as well. In a marvelous denouement in which Oliver musttransform Eiffel Tower itself to fight the soulless wraiths, the boy proves himself a true king. The King in the Window is a beautifully written, suspenseful adventure tale in the tradition of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien--an instant classic.Particularize Based On Books The King in the Window
Title | : | The King in the Window |
Author | : | Adam Gopnik |
Book Format | : | Paperback |
Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
Pages | : | Pages: 410 pages |
Published | : | October 15th 2006 by Miramax Books (first published October 1st 2005) |
Categories | : | Fantasy. Young Adult. Fiction. Childrens |
Rating Based On Books The King in the Window
Ratings: 3.6 From 862 Users | 119 ReviewsCriticize Based On Books The King in the Window
Oliver Parker is a 12-yr-old American boy living in Paris (his father is an overseas journalist). Olivers life is rather drab: his father works all the time, he doesnt have a lot of friends, he finds French school difficult, etc. One night, after a celebration of the Epiphany, Oliver dons a paper crown and glances into a window when he sees the image of a young boy inside the window that is not a reflection of himself. Oliver begins communicating with this boy who calls Oliver the King in theOf all of the children's books I read this summer, this was probably the best. I loved the plot and the sudden, occasional, really insightful thoughts. And the writing style was really nice, though the random (though few) inconsistencies bugged me a bit. And it's just so original. I don't think I've read such an original fantasy novel in years. My only problems: Oliver's lucky guesses as the solution to problems (Deus-ex-machina-esque, although this was more at the beginning) and the easy way
Oliver Parker is a 12-yr-old American boy living in Paris (his father is an overseas journalist). Olivers life is rather drab: his father works all the time, he doesnt have a lot of friends, he finds French school difficult, etc. One night, after a celebration of the Epiphany, Oliver dons a paper crown and glances into a window when he sees the image of a young boy inside the window that is not a reflection of himself. Oliver begins communicating with this boy who calls Oliver the King in the
Adam Gopnik's "The King in the Window" depicts the adventures of young Oliver. Oliver's family has just finished celebrating Epiphany in France and Oliver pretends to be the king and wears a paper crown. Bored to death, Oliver stares out his window and is frightened to see a reflection of another boy in the window. To his surprise, this puzzling boy happened to be a window wraith who accidentally mistakes Oliver for being king. From there Oliver explores the world of France in an attempt to save
When I was ten, my mother came home with a pretty, gold-wrapped novel that I actually thought was for her at first. She handed it to me, and said she found it *somewhere* (where? I don't know. Still haven't seen it in a book store.) Then she just left me there on the floor with it while she went off to go do some adult stuff, or whatever it is that adults do. Drink champagne and talk about politics? Hell if I know.That was the first time I fell in love. It wasn't one of the characters I fell in
I cannot say enough good things about this book. This book serendipitously found me at the library, and I'm glad it did. Though it was classified as a children's book, I don't really think that it is. It has a great story - including lots of action, lots of thought provoking comments, and interesting concepts (like multiverses!). Oliver is an American-born 12-year-old living in Paris. After an eventful Ephiphany where he gets a golden key and a paper crown, he gets mistaken for the new King of
This was a fanciful tale of a boy who accidentally becomes the "King in the Window" and must lead an army of philosophical (think Racine, Moliere, etc) window wraiths against the evil mirror soul-suckers and his arc-nemesis, the Master of Mirrors.It was a nice little coming-of-age story that got a bit complicated in it's dealings with mirrors and duality and the multiverse, but I enjoyed how Oliver had to grow up and think and learn to be a good King and defeat the evil Master. The long standing
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