The Marvels by Brian Selznick

"Maybe Shakespeare was saying that even in a world where miracles can happen, there's still going to be pain, and loss, and regret. Because sometimes people die and you can't bring them back. That's what life is Joseph realized, miracles and sadness, side by side."

Brian Selznick is brilliant. The Marvels is another magical story written by the imaginative genius behind The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck.

The Marvels is told in two parts.  In the first, we meet Billy Marvel - a young boy on a boat with his brother and dog who are shipwrecked and lost at sea in 1766.  It goes on to tell the tale of what happens after the shipwreck and introduces us to the London life of theatre where Billy goes on to work.  We watch as the family of Billy Marvel, generation after generation spawn brilliant actors until 1900, when a young Marvel is banished from the stage.

Almost a century later, runaway Joseph Jervis seeks refuge with an uncle in London after hearing tales of him from his mother that are magical and mysterious.  His uncle, Albert Nightingale lives in a strange, beautiful house, that appears to be paused in time - complete with mysterious paintings and peculiar sounds.  The home and the mystery surrounding his uncle intrigues Joseph and leads him on a search for clues about his uncle, his family's past and the house.

 "The Marvels" is a love note to the power of stories and how they transform us in the best and worst of times. 

Please don't miss this novel.