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Maya and Valko #1
The Cabinet of Earths
The Cabinet of Earths , Anne Nesbet’s debut novel for tweens, blends fantasy, science, and horror into an irresistible story in the vein of the classic His Dark Materials series.
Twelve-year-old Maya is miserable when she has to move from California to Paris. Not speaking French at a school full of snobby French girls is bad enough, but Maya believes there is something sinister going on in her new city. A purple-eyed man follows Maya and her younger brother, James. Statues seem to have Maya’s face. And an eerie cabinet filled with mysterious colored bottles calls to her.
When James becomes the target of dark forces, Maya decides she must answer the call of the Cabinet of Earths, despite the danger.
Twelve-year-old Maya is miserable when she has to move from California to Paris. Not speaking French at a school full of snobby French girls is bad enough, but Maya believes there is something sinister going on in her new city. A purple-eyed man follows Maya and her younger brother, James. Statues seem to have Maya’s face. And an eerie cabinet filled with mysterious colored bottles calls to her.
When James becomes the target of dark forces, Maya decides she must answer the call of the Cabinet of Earths, despite the danger.
266 pages, Hardcover
First published January 3, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
June 19, 2019
The Bone Clocks for kids! Actually I think this came out first, but there's a similar angle about immortality and a secret society that seems to be a little tooo interested in kids with magical potential.
It's a pretty tightly focused story. I thought the Parisian angle could've been played up more for texture, but the little uses of French were fun and there are some good jokes about bad pronunciation ("...the Awful Tower?"). I didn't find the lead characters especially likable, but they weren't the worst. There's a twisted version of this book that would have been really interesting, where the kids get more invested in the evil magic at work. Instead we get kind of a standard adventure story, vanquishing the bad guys to protect the family. Not bad at all, just not surprising.
Two strikes against it for me is that it turns out really early on to to be sick lit (the mom seems to be a cancer survivor and there's always a threat that she might get sick again). Second, I almost never like the cliche of family-based magic. Honestly, it's great that people have family traditions and can embrace their heritage. But the idea that you're only special because of who you're descended from is just way too old school conservative for my tastes.
Anyway I think this sounds more negative than I meant to. Overall it was pretty fun.
It's a pretty tightly focused story. I thought the Parisian angle could've been played up more for texture, but the little uses of French were fun and there are some good jokes about bad pronunciation ("...the Awful Tower?"). I didn't find the lead characters especially likable, but they weren't the worst. There's a twisted version of this book that would have been really interesting, where the kids get more invested in the evil magic at work. Instead we get kind of a standard adventure story, vanquishing the bad guys to protect the family. Not bad at all, just not surprising.
Two strikes against it for me is that it turns out really early on to to be sick lit (the mom seems to be a cancer survivor and there's always a threat that she might get sick again). Second, I almost never like the cliche of family-based magic. Honestly, it's great that people have family traditions and can embrace their heritage. But the idea that you're only special because of who you're descended from is just way too old school conservative for my tastes.
Anyway I think this sounds more negative than I meant to. Overall it was pretty fun.
November 30, 2011
I really wanted to like this book, and it has some cool stuff in -- a family cursed to betray each other, a cabinet that stores the mortality of chosen people, rendering them immortal, and a keep of great secrets who has rebelled. For those virtues, and to reward a first time author generally, three stars.
But I can't give it more than that, because the book is kind of boring and really slow.
First of all, stuff happening is not a plot. A plot is a character who has a problem, and takes action to solve that problem. You can't have your protagonist make a meaningful resolution to solve her problem for the first time on page 150 of a 250 page book -- everything before that moment is just set up, and that's three times too much set up. Boring.
Second, telling a tale about people in Paris can make a story a setting-driven tale for grownups. See, e.g., the first sequence of The Da Vinci Code, which is full of details of the Louvre and Paris. But Paris is not a magical land for kids, so lingering on its details, in a kids' book, is boring.
Third, when you're telling a story, you need stakes. The stakes are what is at risk in the plan of action of your main character. So having a sick mother is a fairly good stakes, but only if your protagonist actually is driven by her mother's sickness to formulate a plan and take action. Otherwise, a sick mother in a story is boring.
The net result: for over half this book, the protagonist just wanders from scene to scene, taking French lessons, baking cookies, and going to dances, as the backstory slowly reveals itself. That doesn't make the book terrible, but it really undercuts some great ideas by freighting them down with slow, boring story.
But I can't give it more than that, because the book is kind of boring and really slow.
First of all, stuff happening is not a plot. A plot is a character who has a problem, and takes action to solve that problem. You can't have your protagonist make a meaningful resolution to solve her problem for the first time on page 150 of a 250 page book -- everything before that moment is just set up, and that's three times too much set up. Boring.
Second, telling a tale about people in Paris can make a story a setting-driven tale for grownups. See, e.g., the first sequence of The Da Vinci Code, which is full of details of the Louvre and Paris. But Paris is not a magical land for kids, so lingering on its details, in a kids' book, is boring.
Third, when you're telling a story, you need stakes. The stakes are what is at risk in the plan of action of your main character. So having a sick mother is a fairly good stakes, but only if your protagonist actually is driven by her mother's sickness to formulate a plan and take action. Otherwise, a sick mother in a story is boring.
The net result: for over half this book, the protagonist just wanders from scene to scene, taking French lessons, baking cookies, and going to dances, as the backstory slowly reveals itself. That doesn't make the book terrible, but it really undercuts some great ideas by freighting them down with slow, boring story.
May 28, 2018
a most enjoyable read.
January 23, 2012
Okay. I have now re-read this. It holds up pretty well. It is more like a 3.5. It is maybe not the most original thing thematically (Immortality Immorality being fairly well-covered ground), but it is still imaginative and entertaining.
Maya is a kickass big sister, and Valko is an awesome sidekick. Cousin Louise, oh my god, Cousin Louise. I like her more every time I re-read this. Maya's parents are somewhat oblivious, as parents in these sorts of stories often are, but Cousin Louise and (to a lesser extent) Cousin Henri-Pierre make up for it. (Henri-Pierre may not be a cousin exactly, I can't remember and I don't feel like drawing up a genealogical chart just now.)
This book has a lot of things I like. Magic! Science! Paris, in all its nefarious historical glory! Including a real house with salamanders around the door, and an onomastic hat tip to the house's designer. Visiting the Louvre and seeing this painting. Being in a strange place, and having to get along in a strange language, and moving around so much you feel like you don't belong anywhere, and start forgetting how to speak your native language. (I also enjoyed the mention of the John Muir house, though it wasn't very relevant to the story.)
Sometimes it's funny how your fiction reading and your non-fiction reading dovetail unexpectedly. I had been doing a ton of reading about occupied Paris during World War II, and the fear and the worry and the trying to survive worked very well with this, especially since World War II matters to this story.
This could make a great movie, with the right screenwriter and director. I hope someone picks it up. I usually mean that in a somewhat derogatory way but here I mean it in a positive sense. So many scenes would be visually great, not just awesome action/things blowing up scenes, which is how I usually mean it.
There are times when Maya and Valko seem a little too wise and self-aware. The at the end was maybe a little too convenient ... but I liked this books. If you are an adult who likes middle grade books, give it a try.
Also, note that a sequel is forthcoming: Box of Gargoyles.
Maya is a kickass big sister, and Valko is an awesome sidekick. Cousin Louise, oh my god, Cousin Louise. I like her more every time I re-read this. Maya's parents are somewhat oblivious, as parents in these sorts of stories often are, but Cousin Louise and (to a lesser extent) Cousin Henri-Pierre make up for it. (Henri-Pierre may not be a cousin exactly, I can't remember and I don't feel like drawing up a genealogical chart just now.)
This book has a lot of things I like. Magic! Science! Paris, in all its nefarious historical glory! Including a real house with salamanders around the door, and an onomastic hat tip to the house's designer. Visiting the Louvre and seeing this painting. Being in a strange place, and having to get along in a strange language, and moving around so much you feel like you don't belong anywhere, and start forgetting how to speak your native language. (I also enjoyed the mention of the John Muir house, though it wasn't very relevant to the story.)
Sometimes it's funny how your fiction reading and your non-fiction reading dovetail unexpectedly. I had been doing a ton of reading about occupied Paris during World War II, and the fear and the worry and the trying to survive worked very well with this, especially since World War II matters to this story.
This could make a great movie, with the right screenwriter and director. I hope someone picks it up. I usually mean that in a somewhat derogatory way but here I mean it in a positive sense. So many scenes would be visually great, not just awesome action/things blowing up scenes, which is how I usually mean it.
There are times when Maya and Valko seem a little too wise and self-aware. The at the end was maybe a little too convenient ... but I liked this books. If you are an adult who likes middle grade books, give it a try.
Also, note that a sequel is forthcoming: Box of Gargoyles.
October 6, 2020
I really dislike the current 'cartoonish' bookcover. It makes "The Cabinet of Earths" look like fluffy juvenile market stuff, which it's not.
I say this because Nesbet's story is nuanced, with subtle tensions and issues. It isn't a variation of Goose Bumps, or even an adventure like the Percy Jackson series. This is a sorta-creepy Steampunk-ish mystery book for people who like well written stories!
:::POSSIBLY SOME SPOILERS:::
Backstory begins the book. We are introduced to the Cabinet itself and the Lavirottes and Fourcroys, the families at the heart of this book. And right from the beginning there is betrayal and death, and for us, the reader, the tantalizing mystery of what 'the earths' are.
From the WWII era, we are whisked into a steampunkish present where an American family has moved to Paris. The father, a scientist, has been offered a position with a Society which he believes has scientific focus like his own. But which, in fact, is a front for a foundation with it's feet in promoting magics that lead to long, long life.
This long life, and the vigor which can also be purchased, becomes of interest to our 13 year-old heroine, Maya, because her mother has been fighting cancer. And so the idea that Maya can save her beloved mother is very attractive. The question is, what is the price?
:::END Possibly Spoilers:::
I really liked this book. It's a stand-alone (okay, I'm hoping for a series) and it is so well written. One of those books where the narrative 'holds together' beautifully.
I found the characters well drawn and interesting. The tension was palpable and the mystery unfolded in logical steps.
If you liked "Cabinet of Wonders" by Marie Rutkoski or "The Kneebone Boy" by Ellen Potter, check this one out.
Pam T~
mom/#kidlit blogger
I say this because Nesbet's story is nuanced, with subtle tensions and issues. It isn't a variation of Goose Bumps, or even an adventure like the Percy Jackson series. This is a sorta-creepy Steampunk-ish mystery book for people who like well written stories!
:::POSSIBLY SOME SPOILERS:::
Backstory begins the book. We are introduced to the Cabinet itself and the Lavirottes and Fourcroys, the families at the heart of this book. And right from the beginning there is betrayal and death, and for us, the reader, the tantalizing mystery of what 'the earths' are.
From the WWII era, we are whisked into a steampunkish present where an American family has moved to Paris. The father, a scientist, has been offered a position with a Society which he believes has scientific focus like his own. But which, in fact, is a front for a foundation with it's feet in promoting magics that lead to long, long life.
This long life, and the vigor which can also be purchased, becomes of interest to our 13 year-old heroine, Maya, because her mother has been fighting cancer. And so the idea that Maya can save her beloved mother is very attractive. The question is, what is the price?
:::END Possibly Spoilers:::
I really liked this book. It's a stand-alone (okay, I'm hoping for a series) and it is so well written. One of those books where the narrative 'holds together' beautifully.
I found the characters well drawn and interesting. The tension was palpable and the mystery unfolded in logical steps.
If you liked "Cabinet of Wonders" by Marie Rutkoski or "The Kneebone Boy" by Ellen Potter, check this one out.
Pam T~
mom/#kidlit blogger
July 20, 2014
You know how occasionally it happens that you’re only into the second or third sentence of a novel by a new author and you know, immediately, that you’re in the hands of an assured, distinctive voice? (Sorry about the mixed metaphor!) Well, that’s what happened to me with A Cabinet of Earths.
Maya’s father lands a job in Paris and the whole family go to live there for a year. Paris itself is a character in the novel: it's portrayed beautifully through both detail and impressionistically Throughout, the writing is delicious, lyrical, multilayered.
The novel does have some weaknesses. Why does Maya’s father, after the first part of the novel, just fade into the background? It seems especially odd because the ‘company’ that employs him consists of major players in the novel; we never find out how the events affect him or his job. Related to this, I was also a little disappointed in the use of the old ‘parents can’t handle the truth when it’s real magic’ trope here, because the parents do seem initially so open and interesting, and because I personally find this particular trope a rather boring one.
Additionally, it didn’t quite feel plausible to me that it would take Maya so long to twig to what was really going on; most readers will be way ahead of her in figuring it out. This means that the zany unpredictableness the novel opens with gradually fades somewhat as the writer flings out obvious clues that are not picked up by the protagonists.
So why the 5 rating? It’s that distinctive, confident, voice, the lyrical writing, the vivid characters and the ideas that sing. They'll do it for me every time.
Maya’s father lands a job in Paris and the whole family go to live there for a year. Paris itself is a character in the novel: it's portrayed beautifully through both detail and impressionistically Throughout, the writing is delicious, lyrical, multilayered.
The novel does have some weaknesses. Why does Maya’s father, after the first part of the novel, just fade into the background? It seems especially odd because the ‘company’ that employs him consists of major players in the novel; we never find out how the events affect him or his job. Related to this, I was also a little disappointed in the use of the old ‘parents can’t handle the truth when it’s real magic’ trope here, because the parents do seem initially so open and interesting, and because I personally find this particular trope a rather boring one.
Additionally, it didn’t quite feel plausible to me that it would take Maya so long to twig to what was really going on; most readers will be way ahead of her in figuring it out. This means that the zany unpredictableness the novel opens with gradually fades somewhat as the writer flings out obvious clues that are not picked up by the protagonists.
So why the 5 rating? It’s that distinctive, confident, voice, the lyrical writing, the vivid characters and the ideas that sing. They'll do it for me every time.
January 29, 2012
What a fun, interesting twist on the idea of immortality and the marriage between magic and science. Maya is the bookish, normal daughter in the Davidson family; her mother is recovering from cancer, her father is a scientist and her younger brother, James, is one of those naturally charming, gregarious kids everyone loves. The family moves to Paris for a year while her father works with the Society of Philosophical Chemistry, and she's thrown into a school where she must speak French and is an outsider - although she does make one friend, a Bulgarian named Valko, who lived in America for four years and speaks English.
Maya spends time with her cousin, Louise, a very faint, forgettable, grey woman who as a child survived a church collapse in Italy and through Louise meets another cousin, Henri-Pierre, who lives a very secluded life making opera sets and watching over a rather odd looking cabinet. There's another cousin, another Henri, who is young and dashing and yet somehow a little creepy. The three Fourcroys are descended from the original Fourcroy, a scientist, and his wife, a Lavirotte, a witch. Maya appears to take after the Lavirotte side, which will have consequences for her family...
There are touches of Lewis' Magician's Nephew, Tuck Everlasting and more modern "weird things happen to ordinary people" books, but the blend is new and fresh.
ARC provided by publisher.
Maya spends time with her cousin, Louise, a very faint, forgettable, grey woman who as a child survived a church collapse in Italy and through Louise meets another cousin, Henri-Pierre, who lives a very secluded life making opera sets and watching over a rather odd looking cabinet. There's another cousin, another Henri, who is young and dashing and yet somehow a little creepy. The three Fourcroys are descended from the original Fourcroy, a scientist, and his wife, a Lavirotte, a witch. Maya appears to take after the Lavirotte side, which will have consequences for her family...
There are touches of Lewis' Magician's Nephew, Tuck Everlasting and more modern "weird things happen to ordinary people" books, but the blend is new and fresh.
ARC provided by publisher.
June 7, 2023
A fun magical adventure, full of mystery and tension. Some parts felt a little slow, but interesting magic and memorable characters made it an enjoyable read.
January 23, 2012
I was thoroughly enchanted by the story of Maya Davidson and her family. When the story opens, the Davidsons have just moved to Paris, to take advantage of a fellowship Maya's dad has been offered by the intriguingly mysterious "Society of Philosophical Chemistry." But as the story unfolds, we learn something deeper seems to have summoned the Davidson family there, including complicated ancestral ties, a tangled history of bad luck and betrayals, and a beautiful, magical cabinet. This story has plenty of imaginative wizardry and whimsy: a strange camera that measures children's charisma, a hidden stash of oddly shimmering photographs, a nearly invisible long-lost cousin, and bottles that contain grains of people's mortality and stop time (with dire consequences). There are plenty of realistic details to ground the story as well, including Maya's concern about her mother's health (she is in remission from cancer), Maya's homesickness, and a refreshingly normal dose of jealousy toward her charming and extroverted little brother, James. Anne Nesbet is a very gifted writer and I can't wait for her next book (A Box of Gargoyles come out in 2013).
January 19, 2012
I love fantasies and I read so many of them that it's always surprising and exciting to find a really original vision like this one. For one thing the magic is French and it's set in Paris, which is a refreshing change from the English magic trope. For another, the "earths" themselves and how they work represent such a interesting reworking of a classic theme. Then there are the themes of the delicious anbar and the colorless cousins. AND the book is beautifully, whimsically, even deliciously written. Just wonderful! I read this in the waiting room while my poor husband was having arm surgery and it was like having a friend in the room to entertain me and keep me company.
October 14, 2012
The Cabinet Of Earths, Anne Nesbet’s debut middle grade novel examines larger ideas. What would you sacrifice to live forever? What would you give for your sick mom to get better? These are the questions Maya Davidson, 12 year old protagonist of The Cabinet Of Earths grapples with.
Read the rest of my review here
Read the rest of my review here
December 10, 2018
From the initial premise I was intrigued by The Cabinet of Earths. It felt freshly different than a lot of the other children's and young adult lit coming out these days. The premise is fun and interesting…Maya is a 13 year-old girl who moves with her family to Paris when her father is asked to take a new job. She feels isolated, awkward and nervous. Her mother has cancer and although she tries to put on a good face, Maya is very worried about her mother. Maya's younger brother James is magnetically amiable and quickly fits into their new life. This makes Maya feel all the more isolated and gives us a good jumping off point for a somewhat standard coming-of-age tale.
Instead of following a traditional mundane path, the story takes all sorts of twists and turns. Maya catches glimpses of strange things happening around her. She slowly begins to piece things together and realizes that the world around her isn't what it appears to be.
The initial chapter of the book introduces the magical device from which the book derives its title. The "Cabinet of Earths" is quite literally a cabinet full of Earth. It has a shimmery glass front and is filled with jars and jars of Earth. The initial chapter borders on the gruesome side as we learn just what that Earth is all about…it hearkens back to the ancient adage "dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return." In a strange melding of magic and science, certain people have discovered how to remove the "Earth" from a person and thus grant them immortality. The Cabinet is the holder of these Earths.
As Maya stumbles on more and more aspects of the mystery we find more and more disturbing revelations. The author does a fabulous job of weaving together a very intricate story. There are times when things felt a bit muddled and I hoped for a little more clarity, but at the same time I felt like my own confusion mirrored Maya's unsettling situation and so came across as a sort of metafictional element.
The book is often slow paced which is both a boon and a detriment. Because of the twists and turns in the plot, it's helpful to have the pace slow enough to give you a chance to try and unravel the knots. At the same time, the slow pace can border on boring at times when you want to speed along and try to figure out what happens next. It's a tricky balancing act. For me it worked most of the time. Once you get a hold on the plot line, it is very compelling and interesting and made me want to rush on. The interweaving of the Cabinet, Maya's family and the family controlling the Cabinet were very fun and interesting.
I especially loved the characters and the setting. I felt that both were well handled and a lot of fun. I've never been to Paris and I have no idea how accurate this book does at representing the roads and buildings (though the acknowledgements did point out some research). Personally I found the Parisian setting very vivid and fun such that even though I didn't have a good point of reference for the places indicated, I quickly felt accustomed to the location.
The characters were especially fun. Maya is a well rounded and interesting character full of nervous curiosity and a growing sense of self amid the hesitation and self-doubt of growing up. Her brother James was a little more one-dimensional as far as characters go but his personality and mannerisms made him a lot of fun. Maya's friend Valko was intriguing and mysterious and while I thought he was well done, I kind of wanted a little more from him. I really loved her "invisible" Cousin Louise…not so much for her characteristics (which were invisibly average) but for the way aspects of the plot pivoted on her existence. All of the plot threads that wound around Louise were fascinating to me.
As should be apparent, I really enjoyed this book. I have three small hesitations about giving this a hearty recommendation to everyone. The first two I mentioned above: 1) The plot is a little complex and twisted and easy to get lost at times. 2) The pacing of the story is a bit slow and (when combined with the twisting plot) could be off-putting. Both of those hurdles could be easily overcome and I look forward to reading Nesbet's next book to see her style improve and become even more engaging. She has great creativity and style that with a little tuning could likely become a "can't put it down" sort of book.
My third bit of hesitance in giving this a full recommendation is that the book gets a little gruesome at times. The cartoony cover art will make it appealing to younger crowds. It is set as a "middle-grader" book and that's probably appropriate…but sensitive readers may squirm at some of the imagery (we're talking about taking the Earth from people to make them immortal). There are some historical segments that deal with the witchcraft around creating the Cabinet. While these scenes could be something kids might see in a "Scooby Doo" style cartoon sometime, it's a testament to Nesbet's writing that they actually come off as quite vivid and just a bit scary…certainly more so than Scooby Doo. As such, I'd be a little wary about which kids I recommend read this book. I'm sure my 12 year old would be fine and my 10 year old would probably be alright too. But I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger (they'd probably get lost in the plot anyway…but that would be after they read the first chapter, which is quite creepy).
Overall this was a very fun read. There were a few slow patches but the plot was compelling enough to not only help me push through but make me want to read even faster. The characters and settings were vibrant and alive. The plot felt fresh and new and was just a lot of fun.
****
3 out of 5 stars
Instead of following a traditional mundane path, the story takes all sorts of twists and turns. Maya catches glimpses of strange things happening around her. She slowly begins to piece things together and realizes that the world around her isn't what it appears to be.
The initial chapter of the book introduces the magical device from which the book derives its title. The "Cabinet of Earths" is quite literally a cabinet full of Earth. It has a shimmery glass front and is filled with jars and jars of Earth. The initial chapter borders on the gruesome side as we learn just what that Earth is all about…it hearkens back to the ancient adage "dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return." In a strange melding of magic and science, certain people have discovered how to remove the "Earth" from a person and thus grant them immortality. The Cabinet is the holder of these Earths.
As Maya stumbles on more and more aspects of the mystery we find more and more disturbing revelations. The author does a fabulous job of weaving together a very intricate story. There are times when things felt a bit muddled and I hoped for a little more clarity, but at the same time I felt like my own confusion mirrored Maya's unsettling situation and so came across as a sort of metafictional element.
The book is often slow paced which is both a boon and a detriment. Because of the twists and turns in the plot, it's helpful to have the pace slow enough to give you a chance to try and unravel the knots. At the same time, the slow pace can border on boring at times when you want to speed along and try to figure out what happens next. It's a tricky balancing act. For me it worked most of the time. Once you get a hold on the plot line, it is very compelling and interesting and made me want to rush on. The interweaving of the Cabinet, Maya's family and the family controlling the Cabinet were very fun and interesting.
I especially loved the characters and the setting. I felt that both were well handled and a lot of fun. I've never been to Paris and I have no idea how accurate this book does at representing the roads and buildings (though the acknowledgements did point out some research). Personally I found the Parisian setting very vivid and fun such that even though I didn't have a good point of reference for the places indicated, I quickly felt accustomed to the location.
The characters were especially fun. Maya is a well rounded and interesting character full of nervous curiosity and a growing sense of self amid the hesitation and self-doubt of growing up. Her brother James was a little more one-dimensional as far as characters go but his personality and mannerisms made him a lot of fun. Maya's friend Valko was intriguing and mysterious and while I thought he was well done, I kind of wanted a little more from him. I really loved her "invisible" Cousin Louise…not so much for her characteristics (which were invisibly average) but for the way aspects of the plot pivoted on her existence. All of the plot threads that wound around Louise were fascinating to me.
As should be apparent, I really enjoyed this book. I have three small hesitations about giving this a hearty recommendation to everyone. The first two I mentioned above: 1) The plot is a little complex and twisted and easy to get lost at times. 2) The pacing of the story is a bit slow and (when combined with the twisting plot) could be off-putting. Both of those hurdles could be easily overcome and I look forward to reading Nesbet's next book to see her style improve and become even more engaging. She has great creativity and style that with a little tuning could likely become a "can't put it down" sort of book.
My third bit of hesitance in giving this a full recommendation is that the book gets a little gruesome at times. The cartoony cover art will make it appealing to younger crowds. It is set as a "middle-grader" book and that's probably appropriate…but sensitive readers may squirm at some of the imagery (we're talking about taking the Earth from people to make them immortal). There are some historical segments that deal with the witchcraft around creating the Cabinet. While these scenes could be something kids might see in a "Scooby Doo" style cartoon sometime, it's a testament to Nesbet's writing that they actually come off as quite vivid and just a bit scary…certainly more so than Scooby Doo. As such, I'd be a little wary about which kids I recommend read this book. I'm sure my 12 year old would be fine and my 10 year old would probably be alright too. But I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger (they'd probably get lost in the plot anyway…but that would be after they read the first chapter, which is quite creepy).
Overall this was a very fun read. There were a few slow patches but the plot was compelling enough to not only help me push through but make me want to read even faster. The characters and settings were vibrant and alive. The plot felt fresh and new and was just a lot of fun.
****
3 out of 5 stars
May 14, 2012
Originally posted at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
The Cabinet of Earths by Anne Nesbet is one of those books that begs to be read. Just look at the cover. It is one of those fantasies that surprises in how grounded in reality it is. There are no journeys to other magical places to fight evil. There is plenty of evil to fight right here.
This book is mostly a book about fear. Fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear of letting go of the comfortable. It's themes are perfect for a middle grade novel and Maya's character displays them well. She is a character easy to relate to as she is completely average in every way. Maya longs for her mother to be permanently well, to go back home to where things are familiar, to not have to be such a good sport all the time. The temptations she faces to stray for what is right are realistic without dulling the fast actin of the story. It is love for her brother that propels her actions in the end and as I always love a good sibling story this made be particularly happy. (On a personal note the dynamic between Maya and James reminded me much of the dynamic between my own children so I was particularly concerned for their outcome. My son has the same sort of effect on people as James, and I've seen in my daughter's trying to reconcile always being in her younger brother's shadow the feelings Maya displays in the book. But she loves him ferociously and would go to any lengths to defend him. And he thinks there is no greater person on the planet.) I was quite happy to see how well Maya and James's relationship demonstrated how complicated and devoted sibling relationships can be merely by showing their interactions.
I really enjoyed how the author was dealing with some complex concepts of trust and betrayal, mortality and immortality, inner beauty and outer beauty, science and magic and managed to make it all work on exactly the right level for this story. She never condescends and she only gives as many details as needed to tell the story in this book.
My only one small complaint was that I feel like I still didn't know Valko well by the end of the book. He is Maya's best friend (possibly more?) but their relationship isn't nearly fleshed out as well as the sibling relationship. That may be corrected in the sequel, Box of Gargoyles, due out in 2013.
I was actually quite surprised to discover there would be a sequel as this reads as a stand alone story. Surprised, but very happy indeed.
The Cabinet of Earths by Anne Nesbet is one of those books that begs to be read. Just look at the cover. It is one of those fantasies that surprises in how grounded in reality it is. There are no journeys to other magical places to fight evil. There is plenty of evil to fight right here.
This book is mostly a book about fear. Fear of change, fear of the unknown, fear of letting go of the comfortable. It's themes are perfect for a middle grade novel and Maya's character displays them well. She is a character easy to relate to as she is completely average in every way. Maya longs for her mother to be permanently well, to go back home to where things are familiar, to not have to be such a good sport all the time. The temptations she faces to stray for what is right are realistic without dulling the fast actin of the story. It is love for her brother that propels her actions in the end and as I always love a good sibling story this made be particularly happy. (On a personal note the dynamic between Maya and James reminded me much of the dynamic between my own children so I was particularly concerned for their outcome. My son has the same sort of effect on people as James, and I've seen in my daughter's trying to reconcile always being in her younger brother's shadow the feelings Maya displays in the book. But she loves him ferociously and would go to any lengths to defend him. And he thinks there is no greater person on the planet.) I was quite happy to see how well Maya and James's relationship demonstrated how complicated and devoted sibling relationships can be merely by showing their interactions.
I really enjoyed how the author was dealing with some complex concepts of trust and betrayal, mortality and immortality, inner beauty and outer beauty, science and magic and managed to make it all work on exactly the right level for this story. She never condescends and she only gives as many details as needed to tell the story in this book.
My only one small complaint was that I feel like I still didn't know Valko well by the end of the book. He is Maya's best friend (possibly more?) but their relationship isn't nearly fleshed out as well as the sibling relationship. That may be corrected in the sequel, Box of Gargoyles, due out in 2013.
I was actually quite surprised to discover there would be a sequel as this reads as a stand alone story. Surprised, but very happy indeed.
September 1, 2013
2.5 - 3 stars
Atmospheric; pretty much exactly what it says it is. Other than Maya, most of the other characters are lightly drawn, but while it is not a showy story, a comforting read or comedic, I enjoyed it and would gladly recommend it.
Valko - the new friend and ally. James - the baby brother and so charismatic. Maya herself is a lovely girl and a fantastic character. She fears losing her beloved mother, in remission from cancer. She is the less noticeable child, less charming than her adorable younger brother and she is well aware of the fact. She is given the opportunity to be powerful, pretty and influential - everything that she does not appear to be - and given the chace to save her mother. The only catch? Her brother has to go.
Again, wonderful atmosphere and reflections on time, mortality and life. I was not aware it was a series, but as it is (as so very many are nowadays) I look forward to the sequel A Box of Gargoyles!
Atmospheric; pretty much exactly what it says it is. Other than Maya, most of the other characters are lightly drawn, but while it is not a showy story, a comforting read or comedic, I enjoyed it and would gladly recommend it.
Because some people are like that: They live in more worlds than one.
They may have dogs and friends and a wonderful, ordinary life in some wonderful, ordinary town far away - and yet in Paris they can find themselves walking in magic.
Valko - the new friend and ally. James - the baby brother and so charismatic. Maya herself is a lovely girl and a fantastic character. She fears losing her beloved mother, in remission from cancer. She is the less noticeable child, less charming than her adorable younger brother and she is well aware of the fact. She is given the opportunity to be powerful, pretty and influential - everything that she does not appear to be - and given the chace to save her mother. The only catch? Her brother has to go.
Again, wonderful atmosphere and reflections on time, mortality and life. I was not aware it was a series, but as it is (as so very many are nowadays) I look forward to the sequel A Box of Gargoyles!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2014
Maya is a regular girl who got thrown inside a complex relationship between magic and science. I mean it when I wrote "thrown" because that's what I saw. She had to figure things out for herself while dealing with family issues as well.
So the story starts with Maya and her family moving into their new apartment in Paris from their old life in the US. She immediately started noticing odd things that no one else seemed to see. Soon she discovers an underground society that preys on children because of their life force basically. The one thing that made those children alive, radiant and happy. Everything that also describes Maya's own brother. The society believes that magic and science on their own are nothing but combined together could do magnificent things. Which is mostly true but also extremely wrong and dangerous.
In an attempt to save her brother, Maya goes to great length, including embracing some magic she didn't fully understand yet.
Although I found the premise compelling,and the setting (Paris) awesome, I didn't fully enjoy the story. Something was missing and I still can't put my finger on it. I feel like most of the time Maya reacted to events instead of taking charge. I also didn't like that she was mostly on her own fixing things. She had a sidekick but he was more of a part time sidekick and remained skeptical to the magic to the end.
So the story starts with Maya and her family moving into their new apartment in Paris from their old life in the US. She immediately started noticing odd things that no one else seemed to see. Soon she discovers an underground society that preys on children because of their life force basically. The one thing that made those children alive, radiant and happy. Everything that also describes Maya's own brother. The society believes that magic and science on their own are nothing but combined together could do magnificent things. Which is mostly true but also extremely wrong and dangerous.
In an attempt to save her brother, Maya goes to great length, including embracing some magic she didn't fully understand yet.
Although I found the premise compelling,and the setting (Paris) awesome, I didn't fully enjoy the story. Something was missing and I still can't put my finger on it. I feel like most of the time Maya reacted to events instead of taking charge. I also didn't like that she was mostly on her own fixing things. She had a sidekick but he was more of a part time sidekick and remained skeptical to the magic to the end.
December 30, 2017
4.5 Stars. I randomly bought this book in a thrift store a few months back and I felt like doing a bit of light reading this afternoon, so I finally picked up and gave it a try. I thought I'd read 2-3 chapters, perhaps 4 if it was really good.
I devoured it.
The intrigue is based on a very interesting concept, the concept of alchemy (the fusion of magic and science), with an interesting intake on immortality. It's cleverly written and woven together, although I felt by the middle of the book the heroine should have had a better grasp of what was going on than she did, considering all the clues she'd been given. But then again, I believe the book is aimed at a much younger audience than I am, so that probably accounts for it. Still, it offers pretty interesting reflection on life for a book aimed at children - very deftly and in terms I feel children can understand. I would totally recommend it for 8-14 yrs old.
I devoured it.
The intrigue is based on a very interesting concept, the concept of alchemy (the fusion of magic and science), with an interesting intake on immortality. It's cleverly written and woven together, although I felt by the middle of the book the heroine should have had a better grasp of what was going on than she did, considering all the clues she'd been given. But then again, I believe the book is aimed at a much younger audience than I am, so that probably accounts for it. Still, it offers pretty interesting reflection on life for a book aimed at children - very deftly and in terms I feel children can understand. I would totally recommend it for 8-14 yrs old.
August 16, 2022
Rounded up. Could've been even better. Comparing it to Pullman's works does both series a disservice, though. What they have in common is that both have rather original worlds and systems of magic, and both have mysterious 'uncles.' This is easier to appreciate, quicker to read, but also has less nuance, less appeal to adults.
Not really all that 'horror' but sensitive children under age 12 might be a bit bothered. And some of the world-building is creative enough that some inexperienced readers might have trouble following along and figuring things out with Maya.
I want Volko to have a bigger role in the next book. And I want all authors to stop using the Mom has Cancer trope to traumatize the kids. I am sufficiently enamored of this that I have already started to read the second book.
Not really all that 'horror' but sensitive children under age 12 might be a bit bothered. And some of the world-building is creative enough that some inexperienced readers might have trouble following along and figuring things out with Maya.
I want Volko to have a bigger role in the next book. And I want all authors to stop using the Mom has Cancer trope to traumatize the kids. I am sufficiently enamored of this that I have already started to read the second book.
July 24, 2016
My Thoughts: I thought this one had a fun and kind of unique, quirky plot. It was a bit aggravating to begin with - I kind of despise the whole discover strange things a tiny, confusing piece at a time plot. Anyway, it felt different than many of the middle grade fantasies I've read. That being said, I was not very intrigued and found it hard to keep reading. No particular reason I can pinpoint, just wasn't that thrilled. Guess there's no reason for me to pick up the sequels.
Full review at One Librarian's Book Reviews.
Full review at One Librarian's Book Reviews.
January 23, 2012
Charming story. Loved Maya, and especially loved the cabinet of earths.
October 10, 2015
Enchanting! I really liked this book! Don't let the cover fool you, it's fun for adults to read too! I was very impressed with the author. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series! :)
April 30, 2019
I didn't realize, when I read it, that A Box of Gargoyles was the sequel to this book. So, I read them out of order, but I don't think it really mattered. In this book, an American girl named Maya moves to Paris for a year with her parents and her adorable little brother James, meets her best friend (a Bulgarian boy named Valko), and finds herself in the middle of a magical plot that has involved several generations of her family. Among the relatives she is surprised to meet in Paris are a distant cousin who is partly invisible and once survived having a church fall on her, a beautiful uncle-cousin named Henri who has violet eyes and peddles a mysterious, addictive substance called anbar, and an eccentric, elderly uncle-cousin named Henri-Pierre who has a cabinet full of bottled earths that calls out to Maya (the cabinet I mean), urging her to become its next keeper.
Something sinister is afoot in Maya's Paris. It has something to do with a group of beautiful kids at her school, led by the Dauphin (or, as Maya calls him, the Dolphin), whose parents look way younger than they are. It has something to do with a witch who, during World War II, gave up on life after one of her sons betrayed the other to the Nazis. It has something to do with a fountain commemorating a series of vanished children who, it turns out, didn't really vanish - not entirely, anyhow. Someone is sucking the charm and liveliness out of Paris' children, and someone is creating a race of immortals, and meantime, Maya is worried that her mother's cancer may have come back. It's a lot for a teenage girl to handle, but when pushed in just the right way, Maya exhibits a steely strength that surprises her as much as the reader.
There is a lot to love about this book. Maya, her parents, James, Valko, and other characters are crisply drawn and subtly developed. Maya's spirit goes right to your heart. The atmosphere teems with magic, mystery, a sense of danger, and a presentiment of horror that mesh well with the scenery of Paris. Pieces of art and architecture play a role in creating a fascinating scenic world. And almost invisibly, like Cousin Louise, author Nesbet establishes a compelling and original style that conveys striking impressions and complex emotions in a truly original, yet seemingly effortless way.
Also by this California-based author and educator are the novels The Wrinkled Crown, Cloud and Wallfish, and The Orphan Band of Springdale, all of which look interesting to me. This was her first novel.
Something sinister is afoot in Maya's Paris. It has something to do with a group of beautiful kids at her school, led by the Dauphin (or, as Maya calls him, the Dolphin), whose parents look way younger than they are. It has something to do with a witch who, during World War II, gave up on life after one of her sons betrayed the other to the Nazis. It has something to do with a fountain commemorating a series of vanished children who, it turns out, didn't really vanish - not entirely, anyhow. Someone is sucking the charm and liveliness out of Paris' children, and someone is creating a race of immortals, and meantime, Maya is worried that her mother's cancer may have come back. It's a lot for a teenage girl to handle, but when pushed in just the right way, Maya exhibits a steely strength that surprises her as much as the reader.
There is a lot to love about this book. Maya, her parents, James, Valko, and other characters are crisply drawn and subtly developed. Maya's spirit goes right to your heart. The atmosphere teems with magic, mystery, a sense of danger, and a presentiment of horror that mesh well with the scenery of Paris. Pieces of art and architecture play a role in creating a fascinating scenic world. And almost invisibly, like Cousin Louise, author Nesbet establishes a compelling and original style that conveys striking impressions and complex emotions in a truly original, yet seemingly effortless way.
Also by this California-based author and educator are the novels The Wrinkled Crown, Cloud and Wallfish, and The Orphan Band of Springdale, all of which look interesting to me. This was her first novel.
December 29, 2017
Often when I read stories that are realistic with a touch of fantasy in them, the form of magic used is overly described. It's as if the author doesn't understand the magic themselves and therefore makes the description so complicated that maybe the reader will just assume it's wonderful and amazing. It's the same thing that happens in poorly written young adult dystopian series; if the government and society described is confusing, maybe the reader will spend all their time trying to figure that out that they won't notice how horrible the plot is and how overly dramatic the characters in the love triangle are. This extremely complicated description just makes it more difficult for me to follow the plot and makes me dislike the story. However, it also means that when I find a story that describes its form of magic well, I'm impressed. When The Cabinet of Earths started out, there was a lot of description of the magic in the prologue that made me a little worried about the story I was beginning to read. But the story discusses magic being mixed with science and this is the way that the magic was approached: concretely and in a way that the later descriptions and events in which it was involved made sense. The book was easy to predict and there was no character that I loved but for this genre of realistic fantasy, this book nailed the setting and background and that was enough for me.
January 12, 2020
I... liked it? I think.
I finished the book last night and had to sleep on my thoughts and I'm still not sure???
Okay, so there were things I really enjoyed. I liked most of the characters and their progression through the story. I liked Maya and her internal struggle because it felt very real while still having a fantastical plot. Her reactions felt authentic.
I liked the moral struggle with mortality and the ethics of certain practices. It could start an interesting conversation about what that entails and who suffers and benefits from it.
There was even a twist at one point that I kind of saw coming but still found interesting!
So... why did I find myself zoning out and skipping large parts of text? I don't know! I liked many things about this book, but I think the prose itself is what killed me and I don't know why. Though, upon examination, if I am zoning out I am certain the intended middle grade audience may also do the same. So, I will give this book 3 stars because I did like it, but I feel like I only read about 75% of it somehow.
I finished the book last night and had to sleep on my thoughts and I'm still not sure???
Okay, so there were things I really enjoyed. I liked most of the characters and their progression through the story. I liked Maya and her internal struggle because it felt very real while still having a fantastical plot. Her reactions felt authentic.
I liked the moral struggle with mortality and the ethics of certain practices. It could start an interesting conversation about what that entails and who suffers and benefits from it.
There was even a twist at one point that I kind of saw coming but still found interesting!
So... why did I find myself zoning out and skipping large parts of text? I don't know! I liked many things about this book, but I think the prose itself is what killed me and I don't know why. Though, upon examination, if I am zoning out I am certain the intended middle grade audience may also do the same. So, I will give this book 3 stars because I did like it, but I feel like I only read about 75% of it somehow.
September 7, 2022
At the library bookstore a few weeks ago I came across a book that looked interesting. When I brought it home, I saw that it was the sequel to this one. Then I had to get a copy of this one to read first. I was hopeful of enjoying this book very much, because it does involve some of the magic of Paris. But alchemy is not really my thing and I did not care for the man with the purple eyes -- he made me very nervous. And I wasn't completely comfortable with or sold on the idea of "earths" - the tidbits of mortality that live within each person, which, if extracted, can result in immortality. I read someone else's comment on the book which felt that this book didn't really have a plot, just a lot of events one right after the other. I think that is a bit harsh, but I was left wondering what the purpose of the Valko character was -- I guess just to give Maya a friend, since he doesn't seem to be initiated into the magical history of Maya and her family. This was not a bad book, but it was not as compelling or as interesting as I had been hoping.
March 6, 2024
I started reading this outloud with my son, but he really didn't like this book. He complained about it every day, and even though we made it over 70% through, I finally gave in and told him he could be done and finished it on my own (I hate not finishing books). I didn't mind it, and he wouldn't give me any reason why he hated it so much other than it was 'boring.' There were some inconsistencies that bothered me, like did the father ever actually go to work for the Society that brought them to Paris? And if so, what was he actually doing there? Would he have eventually known about anbar? I also felt like the overall tone was too young for the reading level/subject matter. Or maybe it was just too young for both my son and myself in general and would be better for upper elementary/young middle school?
April 10, 2019
I tried multiple times to read this book, the first time over three years ago, and although I've just made it farther than ever before (about 1/4), it's just not for me. The writing style tries too hard to be whimsical, and just ends up messy. The characters and the Paris setting also smack of "trying too hard", though they do have good bones for a middle-grade fantasy story. This book will be much beloved by certain readers, but unfortunately it did not work for me.
September 20, 2018
A delightful story for tweens, the first in a new series, set in Paris about an American girl trying to get along in a new environment. I read this for the Reading Harder challenge (1st in a series for middle schoolers item) but this book had actually been on my list to read for a while, knowing the author. I quite like the way she writes (it is very like the way she speaks) and her imagination is incredible. I highly recommend it.
January 1, 2019
I really enjoyed many of the ideas in this novel. The characters are enjoyable and believable. Love the whole idea surrounding the cabinet. With all this, this novel does have some minor problems. The start is a bit slow and the plot is not as cohesive as it could be. These are relatively minor things that will be solved as the series continues. It is a very good opening novel to a series.
May 8, 2022
The weirdest thing about rereading books you read when you were a lot younger is realizing how little of the plot you remember compared to how many arbitrary details have stuck with you for years. Basically, this was a lot less confusing than I thought it would be, probably because all I was remembering was a collection of vibes and vague character descriptions.
2022 popsugar reading challenge: A book that features two languages
2022 popsugar reading challenge: A book that features two languages
November 23, 2024
Wow. Just, wow. The voice in this book is outstanding. The writing style is very engaging. The speculative elements are so imaginative. The plotting clipped along. The characters were each memorable and endearing (or loathsome, as the case may be.) While this is a contemporary with fantasy elements, note that it skews to creepy. So well done. So perfect for middle grade. A wonderful read for grown-ups, too. So epic in scale yet human in execution. Highly underrated. A great find! Thanks, CP!
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