- I already fell in love with Oliver’s writing with Delirium and Before I Fall – and I wanted to check this out as a potential Christmas gift.
I also recommend:
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
- Plain Kate by Erin Bow
Summary from GoodReads:
Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice—until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone.
That same night, an alchemist’s apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable.
Will’s mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po, and it draws the three of them together on an extraordinary journey.
My Review:
When I picked up Liesl & Po, I expected good things. The cover was perfect, the author one of my favorites, and I settled down into my sofa, prepared to thoroughly enjoy myself.
What I didn’t expect was to be drawn in and completely surrounded by magic. From the very first introduction of Liesl, to the boy looking in the window and the screwy mix-up, I was enchanted. I felt like I was reading something that was special – and special it was.
I’ve been on a good run of books lately – I struggled recently with a dry-spell in my reading, and when I picked up a book to break it I was lucky enough to read this one. I firmly believe the magic in this book has touched everything I’ve read since – and the list is slowly racking up.
Liesl & Po is a story of letting go of those gone, of being brave in the face of immense danger, of accepting what might not be the “norm”, and of looking for friendly faces where there was once thought to be only hostile. It’s a beautiful, beautiful novel and one I highly recommend for the middle graders, teens, and adults in your life.
Check out these reviews!