What do you think?
Rate this book
Wishhobbler
Somewhere in the damp, twisting alleyways of the Songwynd slums there lives a hideous freak of nature.
Driven by poverty, Spin and her family move to the Songwynds in search of work. There they share a tiny, rat-infested flat with a wishhobbler.
An enormous toffee and custard guzzling fleabag, the wishhobbler’s viciousness has caused fear and mayhem among the slum dwellers. Unable to hit back at the wishhobbler, her victims instead pick on Spin and her family. Friendless, haunted by thugs and bullies, and struggling to cope with a rare illness, Spin isn’t having much fun.
When the wishhobbler disrupts the carefully laid plans of the mysterious Television Racers, Spin finds herself at the centre of a deadly confrontation.
And then things take a turn for the worse ...
By turns comic and terrifying, this fully illustrated novel is a must for anyone who's ever been bored, bullied or lived with a monster.
Originally published in 2001, this is a brand new and expanded edition of a much loved novel. The original 24 stunning pen and ink drawings have now been joined by nearly 30 brand new illustrations.
Abandoned by her mother at an early age, Spin has been adopted by Sir Fistache mal Arthreign. The knight’s habit of collecting waifs and strays has thrown together a family of rowdy headbangers. Expelled from countless towns and villages, they hope to make a fresh start in the Songwynd slums. But the decision to bring along their pet wishhobbler wrecks any chance of this.
An outsider wherever she goes, Spin longs for something to be a part of. Forced into work to feed and clothe her adoptive family, she finds a way of using her new job to enter the carefully guarded world of the Television Racers. Not the first mistake she’s ever made, but it could well be the last ...
Driven by poverty, Spin and her family move to the Songwynds in search of work. There they share a tiny, rat-infested flat with a wishhobbler.
An enormous toffee and custard guzzling fleabag, the wishhobbler’s viciousness has caused fear and mayhem among the slum dwellers. Unable to hit back at the wishhobbler, her victims instead pick on Spin and her family. Friendless, haunted by thugs and bullies, and struggling to cope with a rare illness, Spin isn’t having much fun.
When the wishhobbler disrupts the carefully laid plans of the mysterious Television Racers, Spin finds herself at the centre of a deadly confrontation.
And then things take a turn for the worse ...
By turns comic and terrifying, this fully illustrated novel is a must for anyone who's ever been bored, bullied or lived with a monster.
Originally published in 2001, this is a brand new and expanded edition of a much loved novel. The original 24 stunning pen and ink drawings have now been joined by nearly 30 brand new illustrations.
Abandoned by her mother at an early age, Spin has been adopted by Sir Fistache mal Arthreign. The knight’s habit of collecting waifs and strays has thrown together a family of rowdy headbangers. Expelled from countless towns and villages, they hope to make a fresh start in the Songwynd slums. But the decision to bring along their pet wishhobbler wrecks any chance of this.
An outsider wherever she goes, Spin longs for something to be a part of. Forced into work to feed and clothe her adoptive family, she finds a way of using her new job to enter the carefully guarded world of the Television Racers. Not the first mistake she’s ever made, but it could well be the last ...
212 pages, Paperback
First published April 2, 2001
5 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Francis O'Dowd
15 books4 followersIndie Ink Awards Finalist Francis O’Dowd is a Scottish writer, illustrator and musician who was raised in a house with no number on a street with no name. He describes his work as ‘Kids’ books for adults.’
By turns comic and terrifying, his Porkskreach Rapscallions series of dark, urban fairy tales are extensively illustrated with eccentrically beautiful pen and ink drawings.
His exquisitely illustrated series of shorter books, Tales from the Mirror's Witch, sprang from a set of albums he composed and recorded exploring the darker side of fairy tales.
Francis lives in Scotland with his wife, their daughter and two sons, many dogs, Guinea pigs, hamsters and fish, and has a time machine parked in the back garden. He has shaken the hands that Killed the Video Star and was once asked for his autograph by Tom Baker, who used to be terribly famous.
Find book trailers, music videos, readings and more on his YouTube channel.
By turns comic and terrifying, his Porkskreach Rapscallions series of dark, urban fairy tales are extensively illustrated with eccentrically beautiful pen and ink drawings.
His exquisitely illustrated series of shorter books, Tales from the Mirror's Witch, sprang from a set of albums he composed and recorded exploring the darker side of fairy tales.
Francis lives in Scotland with his wife, their daughter and two sons, many dogs, Guinea pigs, hamsters and fish, and has a time machine parked in the back garden. He has shaken the hands that Killed the Video Star and was once asked for his autograph by Tom Baker, who used to be terribly famous.
Find book trailers, music videos, readings and more on his YouTube channel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Read
January 21, 2024
It was strange music; the tunes were happy, but the sound of the instruments was sad. Like someone who’d been hurt a long time ago. It made me think of Da, with his huge grin and sad eyes. And the stories he told of fighting for the King, the King who lost his crown and wore warpaint and a hat instead. Of battling dragons, swine thieves and wolf lords.
I read this in one day. I couldn’t put it down. Like, I’m kinda stunned by how much Wishhobbler took me by surprise. It was just so original and whacky and wild and fun and bizarre and gothic and utterly weird. I loved it.
The story follows young Spin - short for Spinworthie Turec mal Arthreign - who lives in a rat infested tenement room with her family: her siblings Sausage-Supper, Sias, Shambass and Surrey, and Ma, the Wishhobbler. (Da, Spin notes, is not the most creative in naming them, but tries his best.) Ma, for her part, wrecks everything because she’s a magical creature who was injured years ago and was taken in by Spin’s dad - Sir Fistache Mal Arthreign, Knight of the Implicate Order - who has vowed to take care of her despite her constantly going through the walls of every home they attempt to make. And the neighbour’s. And the shops’. She’s also not the most motherly of magical creatures.
She nudged it open with her snout and threw me out into the cold morning air. ‘Wake wake.’
Sadly, we live on the fourth floor.
I had no idea what Wishhobbler was going to be about because I totally forgot the blurb and was just going off the sheer vibes of the cover. And this is a book where vibes are everything BECAUSE OH MY GOSH IT IS SO GOOD. There’s also a whole bunch of amazing art inside of it. Like pages and pages of Edward Gorey-type art that absolutely blew my mind. They’re super gothic, macabre and surreal, and just really well done.
I really loved the prose and language style and atmosphere. It was truly original. Like brilliantly so. I’m very impressed. O’Dowd’s book fits right in with A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Gashlycrumb Tinies and Howl’s Moving Castle.
And then there’s the television sets.
OH THE TELEVISION SETS. Well, they race them you see. They race the televisions.
The spectators roared and cheered as the televisions rolled down the hill. The Snapjazzer Cake hadn’t been pushed hard enough and its tiny wheels quickly came to a halt just a few feet from the starting line. The Walrus quickly took the lead. The Bathtub was in difficulties almost immediately […] The Polar Bear sailed gracefully into a headstone and moved no more.
THEY. RACE. TELEVISIONS. (No, of course they don’t watch them, don’t be silly.)
It reminded me of the Gloucestershire cheese rolling race!!
THIS BOOK IS JUST SO MUCH FUN OKAY. But it’s also surprisingly dark and twisty and sad at times. The main characters live in abject poverty and the main character is bullied constantly by the people who don’t like her because of Ma, and Spin struggles with standing up for herself and making friends while loving her family. The relationship between Spin and her dad was great, and I really loved their scenes. I also found the utter chaos and hijinks of the novel such a fun journey!
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes gothic, twisty fairytales with dark humour! A very original, dark urban fantasy.
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
I read this in one day. I couldn’t put it down. Like, I’m kinda stunned by how much Wishhobbler took me by surprise. It was just so original and whacky and wild and fun and bizarre and gothic and utterly weird. I loved it.
The story follows young Spin - short for Spinworthie Turec mal Arthreign - who lives in a rat infested tenement room with her family: her siblings Sausage-Supper, Sias, Shambass and Surrey, and Ma, the Wishhobbler. (Da, Spin notes, is not the most creative in naming them, but tries his best.) Ma, for her part, wrecks everything because she’s a magical creature who was injured years ago and was taken in by Spin’s dad - Sir Fistache Mal Arthreign, Knight of the Implicate Order - who has vowed to take care of her despite her constantly going through the walls of every home they attempt to make. And the neighbour’s. And the shops’. She’s also not the most motherly of magical creatures.
She nudged it open with her snout and threw me out into the cold morning air. ‘Wake wake.’
Sadly, we live on the fourth floor.
I had no idea what Wishhobbler was going to be about because I totally forgot the blurb and was just going off the sheer vibes of the cover. And this is a book where vibes are everything BECAUSE OH MY GOSH IT IS SO GOOD. There’s also a whole bunch of amazing art inside of it. Like pages and pages of Edward Gorey-type art that absolutely blew my mind. They’re super gothic, macabre and surreal, and just really well done.
I really loved the prose and language style and atmosphere. It was truly original. Like brilliantly so. I’m very impressed. O’Dowd’s book fits right in with A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Gashlycrumb Tinies and Howl’s Moving Castle.
And then there’s the television sets.
OH THE TELEVISION SETS. Well, they race them you see. They race the televisions.
The spectators roared and cheered as the televisions rolled down the hill. The Snapjazzer Cake hadn’t been pushed hard enough and its tiny wheels quickly came to a halt just a few feet from the starting line. The Walrus quickly took the lead. The Bathtub was in difficulties almost immediately […] The Polar Bear sailed gracefully into a headstone and moved no more.
THEY. RACE. TELEVISIONS. (No, of course they don’t watch them, don’t be silly.)
It reminded me of the Gloucestershire cheese rolling race!!
THIS BOOK IS JUST SO MUCH FUN OKAY. But it’s also surprisingly dark and twisty and sad at times. The main characters live in abject poverty and the main character is bullied constantly by the people who don’t like her because of Ma, and Spin struggles with standing up for herself and making friends while loving her family. The relationship between Spin and her dad was great, and I really loved their scenes. I also found the utter chaos and hijinks of the novel such a fun journey!
I highly recommend this to anyone who likes gothic, twisty fairytales with dark humour! A very original, dark urban fantasy.
Thank you to the author for a review copy.
☆ Book Reviews | Bluesky | Twitter | Threads ☆
April 1, 2023
This book has some of my favourite tropes: a strong female lead character who’s an outsider desperate to belong; a difficult mother-daughter relationship; and a dark family secret that will shatter her world. Add to that a monster and a fast moving adventure and you have the perfect combination. There’s a strong steampunk and urban fantasy vibe to this with perfectly realised, three dimensional characters and settings that will have you laughing and screaming at the same time. Think Terry Pratchett meets Holly Black. The book deals with family issues and bullying in a head-on inspirational way. Teenage Spin thinks she’s been worn down by her abusive mother and the bullies who surround her. She feels defined by the labels they put on her. But an expertly crafted character arc sees her find the strength to defy a truly terrifying destiny and create her own identity. And I haven’t mentioned the illustrations. This isn’t just a beautifully written book; it’s beautifully crafted in every way. I was given an advance review copy of Wishhobbler in return for an honest review, but I’ll soon be buying the paperback edition because I HAVE to have the author’s stunning pen and ink illustrations. There’s over 50 of them and they’re worth the price of the book alone. This book has everything and more.
April 6, 2023
This was a totally different read for me, but the book blurb was too intriguing to pass.
Really really enjoyed it, so much so that I’ll probably read it again.
I can honestly say I will read more books by Mr O’Dowd.
Really really enjoyed it, so much so that I’ll probably read it again.
I can honestly say I will read more books by Mr O’Dowd.
October 23, 2023
A little push is fine if you only want to go a little way.
“‘Da, wait a minute,’ I said suddenly. ‘Remember how you’re always saying you want me to go to school just in case I turn out to be clever? Well, I’ve just had an idea.’”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
This book was very unique! It was comical, dark, and whimsical, all at once. This is typically not a book I would gravitate toward, but the illustrations throughout the book, as well as the very original concept, hooked me and I gave it a shot.
I thought Spin was a very cool character and she was my favorite throughout the story. Second to that was Sias. I thought the idea of taking something ordinary, like a television set, and creating a purpose for it that is way outside of its intended use was clever. I enjoyed that I was surprised at every turn, nothing about this story was predictable.
I will say that I found myself a bit confused throughout a good chunk of it in the middle and some of the dialogue was a little difficult to follow, simply because Ma, the Wishhobbler the story is named for, speaks in an irregular manner. This makes sense in the scope of the story, but it still made it a little challenging for me at times.
That said, if you’re in the mood for a very original story with eccentric characters and a tremendously whimsical world and plot, you might enjoy this! There was so much creativity woven into this journey and I loved the way it came together in the end.
“‘Da, wait a minute,’ I said suddenly. ‘Remember how you’re always saying you want me to go to school just in case I turn out to be clever? Well, I’ve just had an idea.’”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
This book was very unique! It was comical, dark, and whimsical, all at once. This is typically not a book I would gravitate toward, but the illustrations throughout the book, as well as the very original concept, hooked me and I gave it a shot.
I thought Spin was a very cool character and she was my favorite throughout the story. Second to that was Sias. I thought the idea of taking something ordinary, like a television set, and creating a purpose for it that is way outside of its intended use was clever. I enjoyed that I was surprised at every turn, nothing about this story was predictable.
I will say that I found myself a bit confused throughout a good chunk of it in the middle and some of the dialogue was a little difficult to follow, simply because Ma, the Wishhobbler the story is named for, speaks in an irregular manner. This makes sense in the scope of the story, but it still made it a little challenging for me at times.
That said, if you’re in the mood for a very original story with eccentric characters and a tremendously whimsical world and plot, you might enjoy this! There was so much creativity woven into this journey and I loved the way it came together in the end.
April 3, 2023
This book is dark,humorous and beautifully illustrated(worth purchasing for this fact alone)The story and characters are all totally bizarre but Francis brings them all together in a way you would think was impossible.The most fitting analogy I can use is Wishhobbler is like the kate Bush of literature...without category but utterly brilliant.
January 30, 2024
I didn’t expect to blast through Wishhobbler in a single day, but from the first page I was hooked. It’s weird, darkly funny and a little sinister. It certainly put me in mind of some of the books my eldest has been bringing home from school, and it has some really fantastic stylised illustrations throughout to match!
I honestly loved this book. Right from the off, the prose/writing style is a little odd, but instantly captivating. The plot is absurdist, funny, dark and has some excellent twists and turns. I honestly think this belongs among the ranks of the best dark children’s fiction, and it carries a message of solidarity for those who have suffered from bullying. It’s all handled very sensitively and sympathetically.
The characters all have super ridiculous names, and they fit right into their higgledy-piggledy world. The whole cast is brilliant, from the sympathetic Spin to the noble Fistache and the downright horrid wishhobbler, Ma. They go from calamity to calamity, incurring the wrath of the impoverished townsfolk who just want to race their televisions in peace. The character arcs are full of twists, turns and heart-wrenching moments, and it’s mostly told from Spin’s perspective as she deals with the horrendous bullying and shame piled on her on account of Ma. Ma herself is a thoroughly horrid monster, and an absolute force of nature. She makes for a great primary antagonist. Sometimes it could be a bit difficult to follow what she was saying, as her speech is extremely broken. I honestly loved all the characters in this book. And I have to take a minute to applaud the story’s masterful use of foreshadowing—getting further into that would bring us into spoiler territory, which I won’t do here, but it suffices to say there were so many moments where the twists hit like a truck and they were all so well earned.
There are many great scenes in Wishhobbler. it’s hard to pin down my exact favourite, but the main television race was really something. I love the inventiveness of it, and how it felt so well-incorporated in the culture of the little slice of the world we’re privy to. The humour was excellent, too. The pacing is outstanding. It’s not a particularly short book, but I started and finished it in a single day, which is unusual for me.
I’m delighted to say Wishhobbler is one of my new favourites, and it comes highly recommended. Bravo!
I honestly loved this book. Right from the off, the prose/writing style is a little odd, but instantly captivating. The plot is absurdist, funny, dark and has some excellent twists and turns. I honestly think this belongs among the ranks of the best dark children’s fiction, and it carries a message of solidarity for those who have suffered from bullying. It’s all handled very sensitively and sympathetically.
The characters all have super ridiculous names, and they fit right into their higgledy-piggledy world. The whole cast is brilliant, from the sympathetic Spin to the noble Fistache and the downright horrid wishhobbler, Ma. They go from calamity to calamity, incurring the wrath of the impoverished townsfolk who just want to race their televisions in peace. The character arcs are full of twists, turns and heart-wrenching moments, and it’s mostly told from Spin’s perspective as she deals with the horrendous bullying and shame piled on her on account of Ma. Ma herself is a thoroughly horrid monster, and an absolute force of nature. She makes for a great primary antagonist. Sometimes it could be a bit difficult to follow what she was saying, as her speech is extremely broken. I honestly loved all the characters in this book. And I have to take a minute to applaud the story’s masterful use of foreshadowing—getting further into that would bring us into spoiler territory, which I won’t do here, but it suffices to say there were so many moments where the twists hit like a truck and they were all so well earned.
There are many great scenes in Wishhobbler. it’s hard to pin down my exact favourite, but the main television race was really something. I love the inventiveness of it, and how it felt so well-incorporated in the culture of the little slice of the world we’re privy to. The humour was excellent, too. The pacing is outstanding. It’s not a particularly short book, but I started and finished it in a single day, which is unusual for me.
I’m delighted to say Wishhobbler is one of my new favourites, and it comes highly recommended. Bravo!
December 17, 2025
This was such a peculiar book! I probably would have liked it more 10 years ago, but it was still fun to read!
December 15, 2023
4.5 stars. Wishhobbler is fantastical story by Francis O’Dowd that is set in an alternate world where a young girl named Spin, her siblings, and her father live with Ma, a monstrous creature who keeps them on the edge of a constant state of terror. But the monstrous wishhobbler isn’t their only problem; others rear up during the course of the story, including a strong fear of getting evicted from their flat, worries about her father losing his job, Spin getting bullied, and the constancy of poverty itself, since they live on the edge of subsistence levels.
But there is a bright light that brings the townsfolk together, including them. The only relief they have to pull them out of their “work until you die” existence is the excitement and thrill of racing televisions. Everyone who can afford to take part in the sport is a Racer, and Spin works for a TV repairman to earn a bit of money to help feed her family.
But Ma disrupts not only their family, but the whole town, when she decides she wants to join the big race coming up. After that, Spin and her family find never-ending trouble because of Ma’s ferocious temper and destruction. They have to see if there’s a way out of their predicament that won’t involve them losing their home, their way of life, and perhaps even harm their family itself.
The running commentary about this strange world creates a narrative that is part dark fairy tale, part fever dream, and part hero’s journey. There’s also a lot of humor in the narrative, and despite all the problems they face, Spin is a likable character who grows throughout the story. It’s a madcap adventure, although sometimes slightly puzzling because of the invention of an odd way of speaking for Ma and the uniqueness of the world, but it’s an interesting read that really picks up steam as the story progresses. The story is also paired with frequent color and black-and-white illustrations created by the author, and I would recommend this for a YA audience, as well as readers who enjoy YA books, odd stories, and indie graphic novels. (Review published at Scribes*MICRO*Fiction magazine.)
But there is a bright light that brings the townsfolk together, including them. The only relief they have to pull them out of their “work until you die” existence is the excitement and thrill of racing televisions. Everyone who can afford to take part in the sport is a Racer, and Spin works for a TV repairman to earn a bit of money to help feed her family.
But Ma disrupts not only their family, but the whole town, when she decides she wants to join the big race coming up. After that, Spin and her family find never-ending trouble because of Ma’s ferocious temper and destruction. They have to see if there’s a way out of their predicament that won’t involve them losing their home, their way of life, and perhaps even harm their family itself.
The running commentary about this strange world creates a narrative that is part dark fairy tale, part fever dream, and part hero’s journey. There’s also a lot of humor in the narrative, and despite all the problems they face, Spin is a likable character who grows throughout the story. It’s a madcap adventure, although sometimes slightly puzzling because of the invention of an odd way of speaking for Ma and the uniqueness of the world, but it’s an interesting read that really picks up steam as the story progresses. The story is also paired with frequent color and black-and-white illustrations created by the author, and I would recommend this for a YA audience, as well as readers who enjoy YA books, odd stories, and indie graphic novels. (Review published at Scribes*MICRO*Fiction magazine.)
October 24, 2023
3/3.5 stars
This book was unlike anything I’ve ever read before, a unique/bizarre story with eccentric characters set in a fantastical world where racing televisions and strange, creatures called Wishhobblers exist.
Whilst not a book I would’ve usually chosen, I’m a sucker for a book illustration, and this one has loads!
I did really like main character Spin, I found her to be quite relatable and was routing for her throughout. The story was a good concept, both dark and whimsical in places, and there’s a nice twist at the end which I wasn’t expecting. However i did find it a little confusing in places and the dialogue was a little hard to follow at times (everytime the Wishhobbler spoke). I found myself having to read over the same lines multiple times sometimes.
That being said, i did i did overall enjoy it, especially the illustrations. So If you’re looking for something a little different, with wonderful illustrations added into the mix, then this could be the book for you.
This book was unlike anything I’ve ever read before, a unique/bizarre story with eccentric characters set in a fantastical world where racing televisions and strange, creatures called Wishhobblers exist.
Whilst not a book I would’ve usually chosen, I’m a sucker for a book illustration, and this one has loads!
I did really like main character Spin, I found her to be quite relatable and was routing for her throughout. The story was a good concept, both dark and whimsical in places, and there’s a nice twist at the end which I wasn’t expecting. However i did find it a little confusing in places and the dialogue was a little hard to follow at times (everytime the Wishhobbler spoke). I found myself having to read over the same lines multiple times sometimes.
That being said, i did i did overall enjoy it, especially the illustrations. So If you’re looking for something a little different, with wonderful illustrations added into the mix, then this could be the book for you.
November 28, 2023
I cannot say that this has been a favourite book to read, I found it in a way childish yet not because it is quite dark at times. However I could not grasp the idea of racing televisions and the fun in having a TV that just showed snowstorms. But I could empathise with the life of poor Spin the daughter of the Knight and the wishhobbler they called Ma, who wrought havoc on the slums they lived in and because of whom Spin was bullied and beaten black and blue by the kids in her school. The fact that the family was poor and different to their neighbours made them pick on her, and though she tried to fit in, she did not know how to stand up to the bullies. The language used was also a big problem for me as I was not sure whether this was on purpose or not, however the illustrations were quite good and the book is very heavily illustrated by the author himself.
November 12, 2023
Loved the squib - but just couldn't get into the story. Although I rather liked Spin, I had trouble getting a grip on the world-building and with other character's motivations (esp. Da) and dialogue (esp. Ma). I enjoy a certain level of nonsensicalness, but this was just a wee bit too much. A bit too disjointed and frenetic for me to sustain my interest. Gave up at about 35%. I am pleased to see other readers enjoyed it more.
March 25, 2023
An amazing, thrill ride through the Songwynd with Spin and her rag-tag family. Pa, the ancient hero, Ma, the titular wishhobbler and the denizens of this world. A fantastic read from the mind of a fantastic writer.
I received an advance review copy of this book in return for an honest review.
I received an advance review copy of this book in return for an honest review.
March 30, 2023
I received an advance review copy of this book in return for an honest review. I loved it! It's a very interesting fantasy story following the story of Spin and her... peculiar family, living in the Songwynds, where they have a very strange notion of what TVs are for. Humorous and thoroughly enjoyable!
April 13, 2024
Wishhobbler by Francis O'Dowd is one of the most bizarre, inventive and fun books I have read in a very long time. It is the definition of transportive reading, once I started I was completely captivated by the world the author had created and the wonderfully strange characters he filled it with.
Spinworthy, or Spin for short lives with her father, siblings and rather unusual "Ma" in the slums of Songwynds where they struggle to eke out a living. The fact that Ma is a Wishhobbler, a flea infested monster with a penchant for guzzling jugs of custard and a dream of participating in the local television racing derby gives you just a small idea of just how strange this story gets.
The book may be strange but my word is it full of heart. It is impossible not to feel for Spin as she struggles not just with her monstrous Ma but with the bullies that torment her on a daily basis. It is not all doom and gloom for Spin however, her adoptive father , Sir Fistache Mal Arthreign, a former Knight, is a man who will do anything to take care of his family , and there are some moments where his interactions with Spin had me on the verge of tears.
I also have to mention the imaginative illustrations that are liberally scattered through the book , they do so much to bring the characters to life and fit wonderfully with the unique writing style that might take some getting used to at first, but stick with it, it's worth it.
It's hard to summarise this book without giving too much away, but all I can say is that it's unlike anything else I've read recently and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author soon.
Spinworthy, or Spin for short lives with her father, siblings and rather unusual "Ma" in the slums of Songwynds where they struggle to eke out a living. The fact that Ma is a Wishhobbler, a flea infested monster with a penchant for guzzling jugs of custard and a dream of participating in the local television racing derby gives you just a small idea of just how strange this story gets.
The book may be strange but my word is it full of heart. It is impossible not to feel for Spin as she struggles not just with her monstrous Ma but with the bullies that torment her on a daily basis. It is not all doom and gloom for Spin however, her adoptive father , Sir Fistache Mal Arthreign, a former Knight, is a man who will do anything to take care of his family , and there are some moments where his interactions with Spin had me on the verge of tears.
I also have to mention the imaginative illustrations that are liberally scattered through the book , they do so much to bring the characters to life and fit wonderfully with the unique writing style that might take some getting used to at first, but stick with it, it's worth it.
It's hard to summarise this book without giving too much away, but all I can say is that it's unlike anything else I've read recently and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author soon.
November 19, 2023
Outstanding book, thoroughly enjoyed it
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews