Magical History | The Cabinet of Wonders: The Kronos Chronicles: Book I

Take me to Prague, please | The Cabinet of Wonders: The Kronos Chronicles: Book I | Marie Rutkoski

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	• The Cabinet of Wonders: The Kronos Chronicles: Book I Marie Rutkoski Square Fish, 2010 - 288 pages average customer review:based on 29 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A great Steam Punk and Magic novel

It is difficult to find books that could be classified as Steam Punk, but this novel is a great candidate. Of course, I say that as a compliment since I'm a big fan of Steam Punk art and culture, and books and movies that explore that world are hard to come by. For those are unfamiliar with the term, Steam Punk is a fantasy world generated from a specific time period in our own world's history, based in the time of the Scientific and Industrial Revolutions. As such, most Steam Punk works are set to look like that time period, are usually in England or Europe, and imagine a world where everything is powered by steam, or, in the case of this novel, have a strong fascination with metal. Even if the writing weren't great, which it is, I would still recommend this novel just for its contribution to the world Steam Punk.

So, to the writing itself. Rutkoski has created a very tangible imaginative world with unique magic and fresh characters. Petra is a lovable character who you can't help but to root for, and Neel is also fun to follow. There are so many elements to this book that I loved: that it's set in the Prague of an alternate history, the living metal animals, especially Astrophil, the various types of magic and that, characteristically, each person only has one ability, the rich description of the scenes and the world as a whole, and Rutskoski's talent in creating narrative voice with the perfect balance of inner dialogue, dialogue between characters, scenery description and plot movement/action.

Having seen the name and the cover, I was hoping that it would be an amazing book, and I was not disappointed. I recommend this novel to all readers 11+.

-Lindsey Miller, [...]

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Magical History

In 16th century Bohemia Prince Rodolfo commissions Kronos, a gifted metalworker, to build a magical clock. When the clock is finished, the evil prince steals the metalworker's eyes and wears them himself. When the blinded Kronos returns home, his 12-year old daughter Petra sneaks off to Prague to recover her father's eyes with her pet tin spider Astrophil. With the help of a gypsy boy and a dye-making countess whose skin bleeds acid, Petra make her way through the Prince's castle to his Cabinet of Wonders. This astonishing mix of history and enchantment will entrance readers.

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Take me to Prague, please

Prague is a city of alchemy and golems and marionettes, of dungeons and towers and ancient manuscripts, of music and magic and tumbled tombstones. It is so beautiful. Maybe the most beautiful city I've ever seen. Certainly the most magical, and Marie Rutkoski captures that so well in this marvelous book, the premise of which grows out of a grim city legend about the famous "astonomical clock." The legend says that the prince who commisioned the clock plucked out the clockmaker's eyes when he was finished building it, so he would never be able to create anything to rival it. Eww! Well, in this story, young Petra is the daughter of the clockmaker, and her life is turned inside-out when her beloved father is brought home from Prague. . . without his eyes.

Doing what any good heroine of an adventure story would do, she sets out (along with her mechanical pet spider) to steal her father's eyes back from the prince, traveling to Prague, getting mixed up with gypsies, and getting a job in the castle, all while her own magical gifts are starting to manifest. The fascinating historical personages of Rudolf II and John Dee are added to the mix, and some of the most fun and imaginative magic I have read in a long time.

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Imagination Mover

This is a fun first book written by an imaginative author. Search for father's eyes and a talking spider make The Cabinet of Wonders a treat for those who like to live in the world of imagination.

A Book of Wonders

Petra Kronos has anything but an ordinary life. She has a tin spider who can talk, and likes to hide in her tangled hair, her best friend can trap lightening in a jar, and - worst of all - the prince of Bohemia has stolen her father's eyes, enchanted them, and wears them. Petra makes the journey to Bohemia to steal her father's eyes back, and her adventure takes fun twists and turns along the way. This is the first book by this author, and I anticipate it will be the first of many fun, engaging books which capture the imagination.

Her writing flows smoothly, is never boring, and immediately brings the reader into the story. I recommend it!

Reviewed by Kim Schults

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My family has always had a way with metal.
Petra Kronos has a simple, happy life. But it?s never been ordinary. She has a tin spider named Astrophil who likes to hide in her hair and give her advice. Her best friend can trap lightning in a glass sphere. And Petra?s father is able to move metal with his mind. He has been commissioned by the prince of Bohemia to build the world?s finest astronomical clock. Then Petra?s father returns home—blind. The prince has stolen his eyes, enchanted them, and now wears them. Petra doesn?t know why, but she does know this: She will go to Prague and steal her father?s eyes back. When she finds out that her father?s clock has the power to destroy the world, Petra realizes she may never make it home alive.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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