Lenny’s Book of Everything – Karen Foxlee
I loved Karen’s previous children’s fantasy novels, Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy and The Most Magical Girl, so was keen to get my hands on her latest novel, Lenny’s Book of Everything. The highlight of Karen’s fantasy novels for me was not just the writing, but the beautifully crafted characters. Her new book has all that and more.
From the first page of Lenny’s Book of Everything, I knew I was reading something special, even better than Karen’s previous novels, which as I said, I really loved. Lenny is a cracking character – courageous, insightful and endlessly optimistic in the face of a harsh reality. She has a fresh, wise outlook on the world, and is fiercely protective of her younger brother Davey, who is growing way quicker than normal.
I honestly don’t want to write too much about this book as I will start raving, and that will detract from the beauty of the story. Think exquisite writing along the lines of Glenda Millard’s and characters that break your heart only to rebuild it. And the imagery: Our mother had a dark heart feeling. Sigh.
Oh my. This is a must-read, and I can’t wait to discuss it with my gorgeous 13-year-old nephew who has also just finished it. (And yes I gave it to him for Christmas!) When I was speaking to him, he’d only just closed the last page and couldn’t talk about it yet. When you read Lenny’s story, you’ll know why.
To quote Lenny’s younger brother, ‘Holy Batman!’ this is a beautiful novel.
