When Anne Nesbet decided to write The Cabinet of Earths, she also decided she wasn't going to hold anything back. This books is full of compelling characters and imaginative plot twists, and it's set in the most beautiful city in the world ~ Paris. Oh, and it has magic and disease and a mysterious cabinet, too. I always love learning about the true bits and pieces of any book I read, so I appreciated the information in the Author's Note at the end of the book. In fact, I wish I'd read her note first. In the note, Anne Nesbet talks about the life and work of two very real French chemists of the eighteenth century, a painting in the Louvre Museum called The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin, and a peculiar house at 29 avenue Rapp in Paris. The people, the art, and the house are all real, and they all appear in The Cabinet of Earths. I love that!
This book would make an excellent choice for a middle grade reader who is almost, but not quite, ready to delve into the world of young adult fiction. It has a hint of romance, but nothing to keep it out of the hands of a fifth grader. Lots of deep looks and flirting. There's also some dark magic, addiction, and a mother who is ill with cancer, so it should be read by kids who are mature enough to *enjoy* the material.
Anne Nesbet has shown us a bit of what she's got in The Cabinet of Earths, and I can't wait to see what else she's got in store for us. Maybe a book set in Russia, or a story about the film industry - and those are just ideas I got from her book jacket.
Blog you later!
Ali B.
1 comment:
Great review Ali. I loved Anne's notes too. It just added to the story.
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