Early Review – Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier (4.5/5 stars)
Reading level: Middle Grade
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Size: 400 pages
Publisher: Amulet Books
Release Date: August 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1419700255
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: ARC through NetGalley.com
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
I got an ARC of this book through NetGalley(dot)com; it just sounded like such a fun novel I had to give it a read. It ended up being a great novel; very well written and creative with some wonderful adventure and wonderful characters.
Peter Nimble was found blind floating down the river as an infant. It’s a miracle he survived; although he is blind. He’s been raised by a horrible man who has made him thieve for a living and Peter Nimble is probably the best thief in the land. His life changes though when he meets a traveling medicine man who asks him to guard a precious box. Well of course Peter has to steal the box and what he finds inside it astounds him; he finds three pairs of eyes. When he puts one of the pairs of eyes in his sockets he is whisked away on an adventure greater than he ever could have imagined.
This novel is set in Victorian times and is very much a historical fantasy of types with a good dose of adventure. Peter Nimble is a character that is easy to relate to and fun to read about. He is a thief but he manages to comes across as noble and very moral. His sidekick throughout the novel, a knight made up of a mesh of animals is similarly fun to read about.
Peter embarks on a wonderful adventure through crazy lands. Besides his sidekick, he only has those magical pairs of eyes that he doesn’t know the affect of. The book is well-written with occasional humorous asides by the narrator. The start of each chapter is beautifully illustrated.
Any middle grade, or older readers, who love fantasy adventure and love a quirky story will love this book. The world created is incredibly creative as is the premise of the stories; the characters are easy to relate to and fun to read about.
The story ends well, although it is stated that Peter has many other wonderful adventures, which I hope we get to read about in the future!
Overall an excellent middle grade read. A creative world, interesting plot, and wonderful characters make this a book that is fun to read and hard to put down. Fans of adventure fantasy in a historical setting will find a lot to enjoy here. The beautiful illustrations throughout the story only add to its charm. Definitely a fun and enjoyable read and highly recommended.
This book goes towards the following reading challenges:
– 100+ Reading Challenge
– E-book Reading Challenge
– Fantasy Reading Challenge
