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The King in the Window by Adam Gopnik
Award-winning adult author Adam Gopnik's first children's book, an adventure set in modern day Paris starring an American boy who finds himself at the center of a war between window and mirror spirits, is an mixed bag of fantasy, technology and history that doesn't quite hang together as a whole. One January evening, eleven-year-old Oliver receives a vision in his bedroom window of a young boy in 17th century dress. This apparition informs him that he is the new King in the Window, a hero elected by kind window wraiths to assist them in their centuries-long war with the soul-stealing evil mirror spirits. Soon, Oliver finds himself in The Way, or the parallel universe on the other side of mirrors. Here, he engages in battle with the diabolical Master of Mirrors, chats with Nostradamus, and helps rescue an elderly Alice in Wonderland. In addition, there is a subplot concerning a super computer atop the Eiffel Tower! , an examination of 17th century French court life, and an on-going discussion of quantum physics. Whew! Gopnik's promising premise quickly sinks under the weight of top-heavy symbolism, arcane literary references, and a seemingly endless supply of quirky characters. As a result, the narrative loses its thread, and ultimately, it's target middle grade audience, who will be unable to tie together the divergent strands of this convoluted tale. In sum, less would have been much more. --Jennifer Hubert
Hardcover
First published October 1, 2005
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About the author
Adam Gopnik
113 books461 followersAdam Gopnik is an American writer and essayist, renowned for his extensive contributions to The New Yorker, where he has been a staff writer since 1986. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Montreal, he earned a BA in art history from McGill University and pursued graduate work at the NYU Institute of Fine Arts. Gopnik began his career as the magazine’s art critic before becoming its Paris correspondent in 1995. His dispatches from France were later collected in Paris to the Moon (2000), a bestseller that marked his emergence as a major voice in literary nonfiction.
He is the author of numerous books exploring topics from parenting and urban life to liberalism and food culture, including Through the Children's Gate, The Table Comes First, Angels and Ages, A Thousand Small Sanities, and The Real Work. Gopnik’s children’s fiction includes The King in the Window and The Steps Across the Water. He also delivered the 50th Massey Lectures in 2011, which became the basis for Winter: Five Windows on the Season.
Since 2015, Gopnik has expanded into musical theatre, writing lyrics and libretti for works such as The Most Beautiful Room in New York and the oratorio Sentences. He is a frequent media commentator, with appearances on BBC Radio 4 and Charlie Rose, and has received several National Magazine Awards and a George Polk Award. Gopnik lives in New York with his wife and their two children. He remains an influential cultural commentator known for his wit, insight, and elegant prose.
He is the author of numerous books exploring topics from parenting and urban life to liberalism and food culture, including Through the Children's Gate, The Table Comes First, Angels and Ages, A Thousand Small Sanities, and The Real Work. Gopnik’s children’s fiction includes The King in the Window and The Steps Across the Water. He also delivered the 50th Massey Lectures in 2011, which became the basis for Winter: Five Windows on the Season.
Since 2015, Gopnik has expanded into musical theatre, writing lyrics and libretti for works such as The Most Beautiful Room in New York and the oratorio Sentences. He is a frequent media commentator, with appearances on BBC Radio 4 and Charlie Rose, and has received several National Magazine Awards and a George Polk Award. Gopnik lives in New York with his wife and their two children. He remains an influential cultural commentator known for his wit, insight, and elegant prose.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
November 22, 2015
This was a mediocre book from the start, but the last chapter was really awful. So much of the book was just trite, and for something that tries to make a big deal about metaphor and simile and rhetoric, the writing was shockingly bad. It was also consistently condescending, explaining all kinds of French phrases and places as though the reader were some kind of schoolkid on a trip with really annoying parents who cannot bear to miss a "teachable moment".
March 31, 2017
Oliver Parker is a 12-yr-old American boy living in Paris (his father is an overseas journalist). Oliver’s life is rather drab: his father works all the time, he doesn’t have a lot of friends, he finds French school difficult, etc. One night, after a celebration of the Epiphany, Oliver dons a paper crown and glances into a window when he sees the image of a young boy inside the window that is not a reflection of himself. Oliver begins communicating with this boy who calls Oliver the “King in the Window.” Oliver assumes the mantle of King in the Window and learns more about those beings that live inside windows (window wraiths) who are waiting for the King in the Window to lead them in victory against the Master of Mirrors. The book follows Oliver’s journey into kinghood and in his quest to defeat the Master of Mirrors before he takes over the world. This children’s novel has some cleverness in it, especially in its framing of images in windows vs images in mirrors and the kinds of worlds that live within them. There’s also an interesting connection to Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland. But overall, I found the book rather blah. Part of it is a personal: I found Gopnik’s inclusion of many French landmarks and places to be pretentious and caused me to sigh often. I get it, Gopnik, you love France and you wrote this while in France. But the larger reason is I don’t know who this book is targeted at. If for adults, it’s not clever enough. If it’s for teens, it’s too boring for a generation raised on Harry Potter. But it’s too complex for younger than teens. If you’re looking for a YA modern fairy tale, I’d recommend Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories (which I re-read this year), which is a far better young adult fairy tale that even adults would enjoy.
September 19, 2009
If there was ever a children's book that could be described as pretentious, this might be it. I also did not finish this book. I could no longer put myself through the next, "Oh, wow, this is ridiculous," moment. It has a very exciting, imaginative premise, and it caught my attention immediately in the book-store. After taking it home, I was disappointed. While the writing was pretty good (great details, lots of historical facts, fun, great characters--uh, mostly), and the plot was interesting (although slow moving and not particularly fluid), I could not enjoy it at all by the time I reached a certain point. If the author would have just stuck to a story instead of interjecting and explaining things, as if the reader was living under a rock or had the IQ of a five year old, it might have been a bit more bearable. I gave up on it and haven't picked it up since. Maybe some day.
October 14, 2015
This book is so poorly written and edited that I wanted to throw it across the room in disgust at least 5 times. At one point the author describes a group of characters and less than one page later describes them again, but mixes up the descriptions of them. Gopnik has seemingly not met or spoken to a child in a long time because he writes these characters like they are from the 70s not current day adolescents. He is repetitious, verbose for no reason and can't clearly articulate his very convoluted theories on quantum physics. I would have given it one star but felt obligated to add a second because the core premise is good. Such a disappointment.
January 4, 2020
Book club member recommendation, cute fun book, not very surprising, but definitely a good book for preteens that like fantasy novels.
September 20, 2013
When I was ten, my mother came home with a pretty, gold-wrapped novel that I actually thought was for her at first. She handed it to me, and said she found it *somewhere* (where? I don't know. Still haven't seen it in a book store.) Then she just left me there on the floor with it while she went off to go do some adult stuff, or whatever it is that adults do. Drink champagne and talk about politics? Hell if I know.
That was the first time I fell in love.
It wasn't one of the characters I fell in love with. (Okay, lies - I did fall for Gil Hornshaw a little.) It was all of them. It was Oliver and Neige and Charlie and Mrs. Pearson and the Man in the Iron Mask and François and Molière and Richelieu and Gil and Tyrone and everyone. EVERYONE. The King in the Window marks the fourth book I ever read that made me sad when it was over because I loved all the characters too much, and didn't want them to go. (The first three? The Tale of Desperaux, My Dog Ate It and Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, respectively.) I was hooked. For a while, they popped up in my doodles and my conversations and I think I even mentioned them in a school assignment, once. Know how I was able to get away with that?
Well, this is a smart book. That's really the best way to describe it. It teaches you things. Maybe they're simplified, or maybe they're not a hundred percent accurate, but they're there. I went into it not quite understanding the concept of irony, and came out with an idea of how some people see quantum physics. So when the phrase "irony and metaphor in the rhetoric of Molière" popped up in my badass grade 5 gifted class homework, you could have called the teacher "slightly surprised." That would, of course, be an understatement, but you see where I'm coming from.
On the topic of the actual storyline, my biggest issue with the whole book is the way it cuts around without much in the way of transition. Mind you, that's me being nitpicky, and it's a pretty harmless complaint. I remember being thoroughly shocked not because of but because it felt like there wasn't quite enough leading up to it. Same goes for the whole smuggling-clams-on-public-transport thing and WOW I just realized how weird that sounds without context.
On the other hand, the book does a great job of taking a completely incomprehensible, acid-trippy idea and making it not only readable, not just comprehensible, but enjoyable. With all the bizarre shit that goes on, it would have been awful easy for Gopnik to slip up and make it Shayna Gladstone levels of cheesy. That never happens. Instead, it's funny, and it does a great job of tying back to its roots in .
So if you're ever looking for a playful joyride that simultaneously makes you smarter ("Irony is sarcasm plus time") and kills IQ points ("Ollie, sooner or later, everything comes back to the Beatles"), maybe consider checking this one out. You'll never find it, of course, but at least now you'll have a reason to loiter in the kids' section at Chapters.
That was the first time I fell in love.
It wasn't one of the characters I fell in love with. (Okay, lies - I did fall for Gil Hornshaw a little.) It was all of them. It was Oliver and Neige and Charlie and Mrs. Pearson and the Man in the Iron Mask and François and Molière and Richelieu and Gil and Tyrone and everyone. EVERYONE. The King in the Window marks the fourth book I ever read that made me sad when it was over because I loved all the characters too much, and didn't want them to go. (The first three? The Tale of Desperaux, My Dog Ate It and Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, respectively.) I was hooked. For a while, they popped up in my doodles and my conversations and I think I even mentioned them in a school assignment, once. Know how I was able to get away with that?
Well, this is a smart book. That's really the best way to describe it. It teaches you things. Maybe they're simplified, or maybe they're not a hundred percent accurate, but they're there. I went into it not quite understanding the concept of irony, and came out with an idea of how some people see quantum physics. So when the phrase "irony and metaphor in the rhetoric of Molière" popped up in my badass grade 5 gifted class homework, you could have called the teacher "slightly surprised." That would, of course, be an understatement, but you see where I'm coming from.
On the topic of the actual storyline, my biggest issue with the whole book is the way it cuts around without much in the way of transition. Mind you, that's me being nitpicky, and it's a pretty harmless complaint. I remember being thoroughly shocked not because of but because it felt like there wasn't quite enough leading up to it. Same goes for the whole smuggling-clams-on-public-transport thing and WOW I just realized how weird that sounds without context.
On the other hand, the book does a great job of taking a completely incomprehensible, acid-trippy idea and making it not only readable, not just comprehensible, but enjoyable. With all the bizarre shit that goes on, it would have been awful easy for Gopnik to slip up and make it Shayna Gladstone levels of cheesy. That never happens. Instead, it's funny, and it does a great job of tying back to its roots in .
So if you're ever looking for a playful joyride that simultaneously makes you smarter ("Irony is sarcasm plus time") and kills IQ points ("Ollie, sooner or later, everything comes back to the Beatles"), maybe consider checking this one out. You'll never find it, of course, but at least now you'll have a reason to loiter in the kids' section at Chapters.
June 19, 2015
Ok, I first read this book a long time ago, when I was in MG, and I loved it so much I ordered a used copy from Amazon after searching the used bookstores in Singapore and coming up with nothing. So I'm more than a little biased about this book.
The King in the Window is about Oliver Parker, an American boy who has been living in Paris almost his whole life. He's not particularly extraordinary, nor is he exceptionally evil. He's perfectly normal. One day, however, he puts on a paper crown, and quite forgetting it was there, declares himself the King of the Window. As it happens, there is a King of the Window, and Oliver is not only the new king, he has to lead the Window Wraiths to defeat the Master of the Mirrors.
In a way, Oliver reminds me of Bastian from The Neverending Story. Neither of them are particularly extraordinary, and for Oliver, this is quite ruthlessly emphasised. Bastian became a hero quite by chance, Oliver was made into a hero as part of someone else's plan. Oliver, isn't particularly eloquent (thought he slowly learns, a little), nor is he exceptionally quick witted or cunning (that would be Mrs. Pearson and Neige). He is, however, a lot less irritating than Bastian, and I was rooting for this not-quite-outsider the whole time.
Apart from Oliver and the window wraiths, there are a whole host of supporting characters. Neige, the French girl who lives in Oliver's apartment; Mrs Pearson, a Brit with an acerbic wit; Charlie, Oliver's American friend who has very particular ideas of how adventures are about to go and a lot more that I haven't touched upon yet. I loved how they all interacted, and I thought the fact that they all had something to teach Charlie was interesting.
I suppose if I have a little dissatisfaction, it would be about how the author generalises about France and America. But to be honest, most of the time, I thought all the detail the author gave helped me imagine the Paris of that book. The stereotypes of nationalities did give me (not the younger me, though) pause every now and then, but I suppose it was done in the interest of not dwelling too much on details that don't really matter.
Overall, this book lived up to my memories of it. I really enjoyed it, and the hardcover version I ordered is beautiful! I'm glad that I ordered it, and I have no regrets.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
The King in the Window is about Oliver Parker, an American boy who has been living in Paris almost his whole life. He's not particularly extraordinary, nor is he exceptionally evil. He's perfectly normal. One day, however, he puts on a paper crown, and quite forgetting it was there, declares himself the King of the Window. As it happens, there is a King of the Window, and Oliver is not only the new king, he has to lead the Window Wraiths to defeat the Master of the Mirrors.
In a way, Oliver reminds me of Bastian from The Neverending Story. Neither of them are particularly extraordinary, and for Oliver, this is quite ruthlessly emphasised. Bastian became a hero quite by chance, Oliver was made into a hero as part of someone else's plan. Oliver, isn't particularly eloquent (thought he slowly learns, a little), nor is he exceptionally quick witted or cunning (that would be Mrs. Pearson and Neige). He is, however, a lot less irritating than Bastian, and I was rooting for this not-quite-outsider the whole time.
Apart from Oliver and the window wraiths, there are a whole host of supporting characters. Neige, the French girl who lives in Oliver's apartment; Mrs Pearson, a Brit with an acerbic wit; Charlie, Oliver's American friend who has very particular ideas of how adventures are about to go and a lot more that I haven't touched upon yet. I loved how they all interacted, and I thought the fact that they all had something to teach Charlie was interesting.
I suppose if I have a little dissatisfaction, it would be about how the author generalises about France and America. But to be honest, most of the time, I thought all the detail the author gave helped me imagine the Paris of that book. The stereotypes of nationalities did give me (not the younger me, though) pause every now and then, but I suppose it was done in the interest of not dwelling too much on details that don't really matter.
Overall, this book lived up to my memories of it. I really enjoyed it, and the hardcover version I ordered is beautiful! I'm glad that I ordered it, and I have no regrets.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
September 6, 2016
This YA/middle-grade reader, fantasy/science fiction book has an intriguing premise, but it didn't quite work for me.
The main character, Oliver, is sympathetic, though sometimes exasperating in his self-pity, at least at the beginning of the book. He's an American child living in a nice apartment IN PARIS, with cool, loving parents. (Well, until the whole soul-stealing thing with his dad). And he spends most of his days moping because he doesn't like school. His friend Charlie is great fun; he gives what was beginning to be a rather plodding story a real boost. And the setting of Paris in the wintertime is one of the best things about this rather strange and convoluted story that tries to be both fantasy and science fiction and doesn't quite work as either. The magic system is inconsistent, the plot has holes you could drive an army of window wraiths through, the quantum computer technology is silly, and some key events just don't make any sense. I wanted to love this book, but I have to say it disappointed me, although the writing itself is very good.
Despite all that, after a few days I went back and added a star to my rating, because I found that I was still thinking about this book. The ones that are just bad, or inconsequential, tend to disappear from my thoughts after a day. Something about this one resonates with me, though, flaws notwithstanding.
The main character, Oliver, is sympathetic, though sometimes exasperating in his self-pity, at least at the beginning of the book. He's an American child living in a nice apartment IN PARIS, with cool, loving parents. (Well, until the whole soul-stealing thing with his dad). And he spends most of his days moping because he doesn't like school. His friend Charlie is great fun; he gives what was beginning to be a rather plodding story a real boost. And the setting of Paris in the wintertime is one of the best things about this rather strange and convoluted story that tries to be both fantasy and science fiction and doesn't quite work as either. The magic system is inconsistent, the plot has holes you could drive an army of window wraiths through, the quantum computer technology is silly, and some key events just don't make any sense. I wanted to love this book, but I have to say it disappointed me, although the writing itself is very good.
Despite all that, after a few days I went back and added a star to my rating, because I found that I was still thinking about this book. The ones that are just bad, or inconsequential, tend to disappear from my thoughts after a day. Something about this one resonates with me, though, flaws notwithstanding.
July 15, 2009
I cannot say enough good things about this book. This book serendipitously found me at the library, and I'm glad it did. Though it was classified as a children's book, I don't really think that it is. It has a great story - including lots of action, lots of thought provoking comments, and interesting concepts (like multiverses!).
Oliver is an American-born 12-year-old living in Paris. After an eventful Ephiphany where he gets a golden key and a paper crown, he gets mistaken for the new King of the Window. All of a sudden, a lonely boy is put into the midst of a fight for not only this universe, but all the thousands of others that also exist. He must learn how to be kingly, lead others and how to think. He is assisted by a motley crew of window wraiths (all real people from the Grand Siecle, like Racine), Mrs Pearson who is one of the witty, and his best friend Charlie from the US.
This book is a great mix of fantasy and reality. It also contains some rather funny observations on the difference between the French and the Americans. Favorite sentence: "I'm not an idiot. I'm just American."
Oliver is an American-born 12-year-old living in Paris. After an eventful Ephiphany where he gets a golden key and a paper crown, he gets mistaken for the new King of the Window. All of a sudden, a lonely boy is put into the midst of a fight for not only this universe, but all the thousands of others that also exist. He must learn how to be kingly, lead others and how to think. He is assisted by a motley crew of window wraiths (all real people from the Grand Siecle, like Racine), Mrs Pearson who is one of the witty, and his best friend Charlie from the US.
This book is a great mix of fantasy and reality. It also contains some rather funny observations on the difference between the French and the Americans. Favorite sentence: "I'm not an idiot. I'm just American."
January 18, 2015
One word can describe this book. Meh.
It took me nearly six months to even read this, the majority of that time period was spent avoiding it. Why? Mostly because it just couldn't seem to hold my attention for very long. It would be gripping and exciting for a while, and then I would find I didn't care... and the pattern just went on and on (which is shocking because that rarely happens to me). While Gopnik does get creativity marks for his ideas (some of them were really brilliant and unique), I just found it really hard for me to connect to the story (which is why it took so long for me to actually pick it up again and read). Not to mention I didn't care very much for any of the characters. In fact I only liked Mrs. Pearson, Charlie, and some of the other window wraiths (don't ask me their names because I can't remember it's been so long).
I wanted to like this book, but it was just wasn't for me. :(
It took me nearly six months to even read this, the majority of that time period was spent avoiding it. Why? Mostly because it just couldn't seem to hold my attention for very long. It would be gripping and exciting for a while, and then I would find I didn't care... and the pattern just went on and on (which is shocking because that rarely happens to me). While Gopnik does get creativity marks for his ideas (some of them were really brilliant and unique), I just found it really hard for me to connect to the story (which is why it took so long for me to actually pick it up again and read). Not to mention I didn't care very much for any of the characters. In fact I only liked Mrs. Pearson, Charlie, and some of the other window wraiths (don't ask me their names because I can't remember it's been so long).
I wanted to like this book, but it was just wasn't for me. :(
March 12, 2010
Gopnik, a first-rate writer, should stick to what he does best: funny, intelligent, pseudo-philosophical observations on French culture. In the best parts of this book, he does just that. But witty sidebars do not a fairy tale make, and unfortunately Gopnik doesn't really know how to tell one.
August 20, 2009
so far, this is really good!
May 20, 2025
I wanted to like this so bad, and at the beginning I loved it. Spirits stuck in windows waging a war against other spirits stuck in mirrors? Sign me up! But the story became way too convoluted and mixed up in quantum physics and multiple dimensions, making it impossible to stay invested.
June 18, 2010
Very intelligent fast-paced book. So many ideas and themes are brought into the story to make it more rich and detailed for the reader. Sometimes, the author can jump ahead of himself and make assumptions without connecting the dots. For instance, early in the book Oliver went to the Louve and found a glass sword which resulted lots of meyhem! Then Oliver thinks to himself, no wonder his teacher told him to stay away from the Louve. Well, she actually said to stay away from tthe King's Sword and NOT the Louve. So the author seems to bring about conclusions without letting the reader in on it. The last 1/3 of the book has some heavy concepts like multiple universes which can be difficult to wrap your head around as well as reflections of the world and the twisting of time/space in relation to your reality, etc.
Overall, think this was a very smart book with many great lines and observations about human behavior. Mrs. Pearson was a delight. Charlie's character was a little boring and shallow (of course, he's American, and they bash Americans throughout the book). I enjoyed Oliver's thought process that you followed along with. I did also think the ending was a little too quick. The character relationships seemed to be tied up, but the big conflict at the end in Paris and how they returned the sword to the Louve was never fully explained. So not everything was wrapped up to satisfaction.
Overall, I thought the book had incredible depth, was very engaging, and brought in lots of elements that you would not otherwise think related to create a fun and adventurous story! You do have to pay very close attention though, or you will get lost n the plot. In the end though, I really enjoyed the read and the way it challenged me while reading. This was an ending you could never guess! I loved that you could never guess what would happen next. Very enjoyable.
Overall, think this was a very smart book with many great lines and observations about human behavior. Mrs. Pearson was a delight. Charlie's character was a little boring and shallow (of course, he's American, and they bash Americans throughout the book). I enjoyed Oliver's thought process that you followed along with. I did also think the ending was a little too quick. The character relationships seemed to be tied up, but the big conflict at the end in Paris and how they returned the sword to the Louve was never fully explained. So not everything was wrapped up to satisfaction.
Overall, I thought the book had incredible depth, was very engaging, and brought in lots of elements that you would not otherwise think related to create a fun and adventurous story! You do have to pay very close attention though, or you will get lost n the plot. In the end though, I really enjoyed the read and the way it challenged me while reading. This was an ending you could never guess! I loved that you could never guess what would happen next. Very enjoyable.
August 2, 2011
Cross Harry Potter with Alice through the Looking Glass. Add a touch of The Little Prince, and season carefully with hints of multiverse physics to balance the wonders of rhetoric and metaphor. When you’re done you might have something close to Adam Gopnik’s children’s novel, The King in the Window. And if you’re wondering if kids could ever understand the concept of rhetoric (or multiverses), try this simple explanation from an early chapter: “It dressed up ordinary things in fancy paper, then let you unwrap them in your mind, like presents.”
Oliver Parker is a twelve-year-old American boy living in Paris. Contrasts between America and France are very convincingly portrayed through Oliver’s eyes and through comments from his parents and teachers. Life is hard. School is serious. And language arts, taught in a foreign language, give heavy devoirs (homework). But that’s not Oliver’s only problem. There’s the fact that his father, once loving and deeply involved in his life, now seems to grow ever more distant. There’s the row he had with a girl called Neige downstairs. There’s the American friend who’s too far away to be any help, but thanks to computers and wi-fi hotspots is near enough to talk to. And there’s the strange character who looks out from a window when Oliver incautiously, and childishly, persists in wearing a paper crown after Epiphany celebrations.
This novel has all the charm and intriguing word-play of Alice, the solid world-building and modern-day outlook of Harry Potter, the foreign mystique of the Little Prince, and a wonderful combination of imagination, allegory and science. Exciting, innocent, esoterically clever and solidly down-to-earth, the result is a book that draws adults in just as surely as children, leaving the reader just slightly the wiser, pleasantly confused, and with a whole new wonderful outlook on windows and mirrors.
Disclosure: A friend’s grandson recommended this book and I loved it!
Oliver Parker is a twelve-year-old American boy living in Paris. Contrasts between America and France are very convincingly portrayed through Oliver’s eyes and through comments from his parents and teachers. Life is hard. School is serious. And language arts, taught in a foreign language, give heavy devoirs (homework). But that’s not Oliver’s only problem. There’s the fact that his father, once loving and deeply involved in his life, now seems to grow ever more distant. There’s the row he had with a girl called Neige downstairs. There’s the American friend who’s too far away to be any help, but thanks to computers and wi-fi hotspots is near enough to talk to. And there’s the strange character who looks out from a window when Oliver incautiously, and childishly, persists in wearing a paper crown after Epiphany celebrations.
This novel has all the charm and intriguing word-play of Alice, the solid world-building and modern-day outlook of Harry Potter, the foreign mystique of the Little Prince, and a wonderful combination of imagination, allegory and science. Exciting, innocent, esoterically clever and solidly down-to-earth, the result is a book that draws adults in just as surely as children, leaving the reader just slightly the wiser, pleasantly confused, and with a whole new wonderful outlook on windows and mirrors.
Disclosure: A friend’s grandson recommended this book and I loved it!
September 6, 2009
A thread that connects this delightful fantasy/adventure tale of a twelve-year-old American boy in Paris to other recent reading of mine is its skeptical attitude toward all the media that distracts modern children. The book's hero, Oliver, is aided in his quest to save the world from the soul-stealers, by his friend Charlie. He visits from New York carrying a 'gizmo cupboard'--an assortment of electronic devices that Oliver's parents, and French culture, discourage. They're 'addictive.'
When Charlie wonders how Oliver manages without the cell phones, GameBoys, iPods and DVD players, Oliver shrugs. 'I read,' he says.
The idea that literacy can be more than a necessary tool for success in the modern world, that reading books offers an opportunity for deep, reflective thinking not found elsewhere, is one I keep running across. In books about the brain, in 'Fahrenheit 451,' in a lecture by Maryanne Wolf, warning flags are waved. We need to find the space for children to slow down and engage in an active and reciprocal conversation with the thoughts of others. The hyper-stimulation, isolation and passive nature of electronica are not the most helpful venue.
It is fitting that Gopnik has the soul-stealers' plan for world domination based on enslaving human consciousness through the internet. To defeat them, Oliver, the unlikely King of Window Wraiths, must think.
Other nice connections to the geography of Paris, as well as 'Alice in Wonderland.'
When Charlie wonders how Oliver manages without the cell phones, GameBoys, iPods and DVD players, Oliver shrugs. 'I read,' he says.
The idea that literacy can be more than a necessary tool for success in the modern world, that reading books offers an opportunity for deep, reflective thinking not found elsewhere, is one I keep running across. In books about the brain, in 'Fahrenheit 451,' in a lecture by Maryanne Wolf, warning flags are waved. We need to find the space for children to slow down and engage in an active and reciprocal conversation with the thoughts of others. The hyper-stimulation, isolation and passive nature of electronica are not the most helpful venue.
It is fitting that Gopnik has the soul-stealers' plan for world domination based on enslaving human consciousness through the internet. To defeat them, Oliver, the unlikely King of Window Wraiths, must think.
Other nice connections to the geography of Paris, as well as 'Alice in Wonderland.'
January 26, 2014
The King in the Window is an amazing book. It's been really long since I've read a Children's fantasy as good as this!
Oliver Parker is a lonely ten year old boy in gray and cold Paris. Through his young eyes, the stark contrasts between life in Paris and life in the States. Moreover, his mother is unhappy and his dad is too caught up in his work to be a dad. Olly was kind of wise beyond his years as he was able to observe these things very well, and his naivety only painted the picture more clearly.
I realized the audience bracket for this book is quite young, but it came off as somewhat mature for me. Historical references, physics, rhetorics and metaphors are simply a few of the topics explored. Although these concepts were explained as simply as possible, I imagine some kids would have a hard time relating to Oliver. Also, the writing style was also very classical, sort of like Lewis Caroll's style. Adam Gopnik portrayed Oliver as a technologically distant boy, but he defeats the enemy through his reading skills. I totally adore that concept.
The story in its entirety was very delightful and charming. Fast paced and playful, Im sure readers of all ages will enjoy this. Shoutout for the wonderful book cover (which I rarely find these days) and the beautiful illustrations.
Oliver Parker is a lonely ten year old boy in gray and cold Paris. Through his young eyes, the stark contrasts between life in Paris and life in the States. Moreover, his mother is unhappy and his dad is too caught up in his work to be a dad. Olly was kind of wise beyond his years as he was able to observe these things very well, and his naivety only painted the picture more clearly.
I realized the audience bracket for this book is quite young, but it came off as somewhat mature for me. Historical references, physics, rhetorics and metaphors are simply a few of the topics explored. Although these concepts were explained as simply as possible, I imagine some kids would have a hard time relating to Oliver. Also, the writing style was also very classical, sort of like Lewis Caroll's style. Adam Gopnik portrayed Oliver as a technologically distant boy, but he defeats the enemy through his reading skills. I totally adore that concept.
The story in its entirety was very delightful and charming. Fast paced and playful, Im sure readers of all ages will enjoy this. Shoutout for the wonderful book cover (which I rarely find these days) and the beautiful illustrations.
October 9, 2010
Oliver, a young and lonely american in paris, is sloggin through a dreary winter and a rigorous school. His father is very busy and his mother thinks he's still three years old. His only friend, Neige, had a disagreement with him and they haven't spoken for months.
Then, on the night of Epiphany, he puts on a paper crown, stands in the window and tell himself, ironically, that he is king of the window. This is the end of normal life, and the beginning of an adventure that will, in one short week, span more than the universe, include lost souls, window wraiths, an old lady with disdain for most people, particularly Americans, feather swords, bubble wands, and the Eiffel tower--all in ways you never could imagine.
this book, although it has very simple explanations throughout, as if one were explaining meanings to a child, is also very thought-provoking and requires some serious intellectual ability. and it has some serious action! replete with a high-speed chase across the multiverse, snow in Paris, and an almost quantum computer, this is not a book of fluff and nonsense. at least, not in the way one might think. This takes a strong reader armed with a high level of credulity, and a sense of wonder.
Then, on the night of Epiphany, he puts on a paper crown, stands in the window and tell himself, ironically, that he is king of the window. This is the end of normal life, and the beginning of an adventure that will, in one short week, span more than the universe, include lost souls, window wraiths, an old lady with disdain for most people, particularly Americans, feather swords, bubble wands, and the Eiffel tower--all in ways you never could imagine.
this book, although it has very simple explanations throughout, as if one were explaining meanings to a child, is also very thought-provoking and requires some serious intellectual ability. and it has some serious action! replete with a high-speed chase across the multiverse, snow in Paris, and an almost quantum computer, this is not a book of fluff and nonsense. at least, not in the way one might think. This takes a strong reader armed with a high level of credulity, and a sense of wonder.
July 29, 2013
Of all of the children's books I read this summer, this was probably the best. I loved the plot and the sudden, occasional, really insightful thoughts. And the writing style was really nice, though the random (though few) inconsistencies bugged me a bit. And it's just so original. I don't think I've read such an original fantasy novel in years. My only problems: Oliver's lucky guesses as the solution to problems (Deus-ex-machina-esque, although this was more at the beginning) and the easy way Mrs. Pearson and Charlie just completely believe his story. What almost bothered me was that there seemed to me to be very little development to the characters, except for Oliver. The other characters were well-developed and under-developed at the same time, especially Neige. It was weird. In any other book, I would've called her two-dimensional, but it was more like the author's lack of description described her well enough that she didn't really have to be further developed. We already knew her really well because everybody knows a sort of Neige. Hopefully that made sense. Anyway, gorgeous book. I really really loved this, even if it was a kid's book.
December 23, 2009
I think I'd describe this as mindboggling AND superb. I found Adam Gopnik's The King in the Window a fascinating read.
The book starts out normally enough- a young boy, Oliver, and his family, living in Paris. However, when he puts on a crown that came courtesy of a cake from a bakery, he sees a reflection in the window that looks like him...but isn't him. And so begins a insane and thrilling and quirky journey.
I read this a while ago but from what I recall, Gopnik blends fantasy and adventure and technology and so much more, into a wonderful book. There are so many elements going on in this book, and I really loved how Gopnik invokes characters from classic stories (not going to spoiler-ify this though, so I'll keep mum) into his plot. There is a alternate universe(-ish) reminiscent of China Mieville's Un Lun Dun, and the concepts that Gopnik introduced made me really think. It's definitely a journey of self-discovery for Oliver- oh, and along the way, he saves the world!
Overall, an good, imaginative book.
The book starts out normally enough- a young boy, Oliver, and his family, living in Paris. However, when he puts on a crown that came courtesy of a cake from a bakery, he sees a reflection in the window that looks like him...but isn't him. And so begins a insane and thrilling and quirky journey.
I read this a while ago but from what I recall, Gopnik blends fantasy and adventure and technology and so much more, into a wonderful book. There are so many elements going on in this book, and I really loved how Gopnik invokes characters from classic stories (not going to spoiler-ify this though, so I'll keep mum) into his plot. There is a alternate universe(-ish) reminiscent of China Mieville's Un Lun Dun, and the concepts that Gopnik introduced made me really think. It's definitely a journey of self-discovery for Oliver- oh, and along the way, he saves the world!
Overall, an good, imaginative book.
July 30, 2011
This is a quick paced fantasy, in which a young American boy, living in Paris with his parents (his dad is working as a journalist), finds himself crowned a king in an alternate universe where he is the only one who can save the world from the One with None. He is joined by his tech-y American friend, Charlie, and his ofttimes snooty neighbor friend, Neige. They join forces with the window wraiths and shadows to once and for all defeat the Master of Mirrors, who has vowed to rule the multiverses by stealing all the souls of men. The book is listed under a children's book genre, but it has some rather lofty concepts (at times I needed to re-read sections to grab hold of the seeming backwardness of it all) and is an intelligent, interesting adult read! My girls needed some explanation, but really grabbed on to the characters and sympathised with them well (probably even more so with the window wraiths!). We have thoroughly enjoyed this whimsical fantasy and enjoyed delving into the deeper meanings that can be easily drawn out of this surreal story. Great book!
January 29, 2016
I found this book without a jacket at a thrift store for a quarter, so I didn't know anything about it going in. I knew it was a youth novel, but I didn't know that it had interesting pieces of French history, commentary on rhetoric, and a magical war between realms of mirror and glass. It was poetic and original and held my attention. I don't regret reading it. I would love to see a visual interpretation of it, like a film or a longer picture book, because it sounds dynamic and lovely.
That being said, the fantasy was a bit TOO fantastical, which isn't something I often say. I'm sure plot holes exist everywhere because the concepts of the various realms and how they interacted were just so complicated; I barely understood what was happening and just buckled in to see where it took us. I also think teaching children that there are various forms of lies we should utilize maybe isn't the greatest idea.
That being said, the fantasy was a bit TOO fantastical, which isn't something I often say. I'm sure plot holes exist everywhere because the concepts of the various realms and how they interacted were just so complicated; I barely understood what was happening and just buckled in to see where it took us. I also think teaching children that there are various forms of lies we should utilize maybe isn't the greatest idea.
September 12, 2016
Adam Gopnik's "The King in the Window" depicts the adventures of young Oliver. Oliver's family has just finished celebrating Epiphany in France and Oliver pretends to be the king and wears a paper crown. Bored to death, Oliver stares out his window and is frightened to see a reflection of another boy in the window. To his surprise, this puzzling boy happened to be a window wraith who accidentally mistakes Oliver for being king. From there Oliver explores the world of France in an attempt to save all of the window wraiths and defeat the Master of the Mirrors. The Master of the Mirrors supposedly steals peoples' souls when they stare too long into mirrors. Oliver gets himself into quite the predicaments along the way, but his sheer will to save these creatures allows him to save the wraiths and ultimately leave the Master of the Mirrors in ashes. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.
June 16, 2013
Because his family lives in Paris, on Epiphany, Oliver gets to wear the golden paper crown, because he found the key (a rather odd key, at that). Though he is old enough to have noticed that his mother always ensures that. And when he sees his reflection, he says, aloud, that he is the King in the Window.
He didn't know what he was getting into. But the people looking for a new King in the Window think why not? They haven't had much luck in getting a good one, and Oliver was no worse than another random selection.
A story ensues. It involves mirrors, crystals, windows, wraiths, the wittiest woman Oliver's father knows, queens, shadow pictures, in-line skating, the One with None (None what? Well, that would be a spoiler.), rhetoric, French history, the inventor of mayonnaise, a neighbor named Neige, and perfect mirrors.
He didn't know what he was getting into. But the people looking for a new King in the Window think why not? They haven't had much luck in getting a good one, and Oliver was no worse than another random selection.
A story ensues. It involves mirrors, crystals, windows, wraiths, the wittiest woman Oliver's father knows, queens, shadow pictures, in-line skating, the One with None (None what? Well, that would be a spoiler.), rhetoric, French history, the inventor of mayonnaise, a neighbor named Neige, and perfect mirrors.
September 12, 2011
Wow! This book was simply amazing and enrapturing! I never knew this book would be this awesome - I'm glad I decided to buy it (it was only $1 at Half Price Books ~ :D) ! This is such a well thought out story, and has a lot of deep thinking and...wow. My mind is kind of reeling from what was going on, and at some points it was hard to follow because Oliver seemed like such a smart/witty/intellectual boy! Wow. Haha, it was a really interesting read, and I really really really enjoyed it.
Even though there are some plot holes, whatever. I love this (:
Although I do must say that the text can be quite confusing & the vocabulary FAR exceeds 10 year old vocabulary. I'd say this is more of an older teen/adult read, for I doubt a young kid would understand this book at all.
Even though there are some plot holes, whatever. I love this (:
Although I do must say that the text can be quite confusing & the vocabulary FAR exceeds 10 year old vocabulary. I'd say this is more of an older teen/adult read, for I doubt a young kid would understand this book at all.
April 6, 2011
The wonderful part about this book is the feel of Paris and the presence of the past in the present. Racine, Molière, and Richelieu (still adjusting his mayonnaise) are here, and Versailles is really a portal to a different world. The plot is fine, but what I remember is Paris, the dinner with Mrs. Pearson, the clochards, and all the windows.
I think the first half of the book was more satisfying and that it loses itself a bit when the American startup guy enters the story. Maybe New York authors just can’t write convincing Silicon Valley stereotypes. But that is a nit on a fun story with a nice bit of depth. My son didn’t see anything wrong with it. For me, catching myself reflected in the café window isn’t quite the same anymore.
I think the first half of the book was more satisfying and that it loses itself a bit when the American startup guy enters the story. Maybe New York authors just can’t write convincing Silicon Valley stereotypes. But that is a nit on a fun story with a nice bit of depth. My son didn’t see anything wrong with it. For me, catching myself reflected in the café window isn’t quite the same anymore.
March 22, 2012
The King in the Window was an excellent book. What I liked about the book, was that it had a good plot. The plot was actually very confusing, but that is why I liked it. The plot kept me thinking, which was ironic because the main character Oliver, also had to do a lot of in depth thinking. If I were to compare the plot to another book's plot, I would compare it to "Rendezvous with Rama". "Rendezvous with Rama," also has a very confusing plot because it takes place in the future. Both of the books plot helped me learn new things in the area of science. I would recommend "The King in the Window," to anyone over the age of 12, because you do have to have patience and a passion for reading challenging books.
July 24, 2012
The King in the Window is a story much like Alice Through the Looking Glass, but it explores the darker things on the other side of the mirror. Oliver Parker, a young American boy living in Paris, finds himself mistakenly crowned King in the Window. He learns that it is the King's duty to protect window wraiths and the souls of the world by defeating the King of Mirrors, the One With None.
This book was pretty well written and very fast paced. Almost too fast paced, I had to go back several times thinking that I had missed something. I didn't like that the story took place in Paris. Despite all of its historical charms, I dont really like Paris, so this made the story less interesting to me.
This book was pretty well written and very fast paced. Almost too fast paced, I had to go back several times thinking that I had missed something. I didn't like that the story took place in Paris. Despite all of its historical charms, I dont really like Paris, so this made the story less interesting to me.
September 15, 2015
This was a fanciful tale of a boy who accidentally becomes the "King in the Window" and must lead an army of philosophical (think Racine, Moliere, etc) window wraiths against the evil mirror soul-suckers and his arc-nemesis, the Master of Mirrors.
It was a nice little coming-of-age story that got a bit complicated in it's dealings with mirrors and duality and the multiverse, but I enjoyed how Oliver had to grow up and think and learn to be a good King and defeat the evil Master. The long standing play with irony and metaphor was fun to see pop up ever now and then. And Oliver's friend Charlie provided a good amount of comic relief.
The story has the spirit of the Chronicles of Narnia, without the length and not quite as deep. Philosophical, but not spiritual. I enjoyed reading it.
It was a nice little coming-of-age story that got a bit complicated in it's dealings with mirrors and duality and the multiverse, but I enjoyed how Oliver had to grow up and think and learn to be a good King and defeat the evil Master. The long standing play with irony and metaphor was fun to see pop up ever now and then. And Oliver's friend Charlie provided a good amount of comic relief.
The story has the spirit of the Chronicles of Narnia, without the length and not quite as deep. Philosophical, but not spiritual. I enjoyed reading it.
March 13, 2017
This was a unique reading experience. The book is mysterious, funny, confusing, adventurous, slow-moving, historical, far-fetched, mundane, futuristic, droll, frightening, silly, and infinitely more things all rolled into one. Ultimately, I liked it. It didn't capture my interest right away, but there is something very *French* about much of the dialogue and the pacing, which I think kept me going through the slower parts and coming back after walking away for a respite. I particularly liked Mrs. Pearson. Children's literature could use more steely-spined, fashionable old ladies, I think.
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