Book Review: Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

 

Title: Wonderstruck

Author: Brian Selznick

Released: September 13th 2011

Published by: Scholastic Inc.

Page Amount: 640 pages, US Hardcover 

Goodreads Blurb:

From Brian Selznick, the creator of the Caldecott Medal winner THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET, comes another breathtaking tour de force.

Playing with the form he created in his trailblazing debut novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick once again sails into uncharted territory and takes readers on an awe-inspiring journey.

Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother's room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.

Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories--Ben's told in words, Rose's in pictures--weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. Rich, complex, affecting, and beautiful--with over 460 pages of original artwork--Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and visionary.

Review:

I really enjoyed this book. I love the combination of the two stories. One that is told in words and one through illustrations. I love that Brian Selznick tells a story through illustration and you can still completely follow that side of the story. The illustrations are beautiful as well. At first the two stories seem totally unrelated but by the end they both come together in a beautiful and very gratifying way. I definitely recommend this. I gave it 5 stars. 

<3 Amanda Leigh