As I read this book, I felt an air of nostalgia running through it as I was reminded of the magical tales that turned me into a reader as a child; the magic is palpable yet mysterious throughout and the Mountfathom seat is so richly ornamented that it heightens magic into another realm for the reader. Indeed, the description of Mountfathom is where this narrative really soars; there is breathtaking detail and the scale of the mansion, with its rooms dedicated to The Amazon and The World, are highly original and exciting to read- I loved Luke’s room, where the Amazon rainforest lingers on one wall and ghostly traces keep a benevolent eye on his every move. These descriptions encapsulate the sense that we are always on the cusp of the unknown and adventure throughout this tale.
One aspect which took me a while to accept was the writing style. Sentences are a little off-kilter and staccato. This clipped language meant it was easy to get in a muddle at first (the prologue- whilst highly intriguing was a befuddling beginning) Indeed, the opening sentence of the novel neatly outlines the twists and turns of language that take a while to navigate; “There is a road. A narrow way that circles countryside in twist and hairpin and meander and whirlabout, but difficult to find-“. However, once I got used to this, I found the snappy sentences added pace and immediacy to the plot- I was swept up in the action and the use of the present tense allows you direct access into Luke’s thoughts and movements- it ended up being one of the more successful and long lasting effects of the novel for me; the immediacy never let up and you raced towards to end before you were ready.
One aspect which took me a while to accept was the writing style. Sentences are a little off-kilter and staccato. This clipped language meant it was easy to get in a muddle at first (the prologue- whilst highly intriguing was a befuddling beginning) Indeed, the opening sentence of the novel neatly outlines the twists and turns of language that take a while to navigate; “There is a road. A narrow way that circles countryside in twist and hairpin and meander and whirlabout, but difficult to find-“. However, once I got used to this, I found the snappy sentences added pace and immediacy to the plot- I was swept up in the action and the use of the present tense allows you direct access into Luke’s thoughts and movements- it ended up being one of the more successful and long lasting effects of the novel for me; the immediacy never let up and you raced towards to end before you were ready.