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Now that the whole Harry Potter phenomenon has come to its final chapter (as has the popular Series of Unfortunate Events), parents everywhere are looking for The Next Big Thing—something that will keep their kids from forgetting about books and immersing themselves in whatever video game the kids happen to be playing these days (or, worse yet, taking to the streets and shooting at my house with those annoying plastic BBs).
And, in that case, Pseudonymous Bosch’s secret book about a very important secret probably won’t stay a secret for long.
The Name of This Book is Secret combines the magic of J. K. Rowling’s Potter books with the wit of Lemony Snicket’s Series (only with a more positive outlook). It tells the mystical, adventure-filled story of two 11-year-old kids, whose names definitely aren’t Cassandra and Max-Ernest (but the author calls them that—because their real names are a secret). Cassandra is a plain and practical girl who’s always predicting disaster, and Max-Ernest is an aspiring comedian who isn’t all that funny. The two peculiar kids join together to solve the mystery of a dead magician and his long-lost brother. When they try to look for more clues, though, they attract the attention of the mysterious Dr. L. and the beautiful Ms. Mauvais, who might be looking for the same answers that Cassandra and Max-Ernest are—though they seem to be looking for all the wrong reasons.
The Name of This Book is Secret is an entertaining read for all ages of readers. The main characters are eccentric and interesting (though they could have been developed just a little bit better), and their story moves along at a fast pace. Bosch has a playful, conversational style that makes it a quick and captivating read—and even Bosch himself (or herself—but, just for simplicity’s sake, let’s say “he”) is an interesting character. As the story’s narrator, he hints at the fact that he may somehow be involved—or at least he knows things that he’s not supposed to know. In fact, he knows a very important secret—and since he’s a lousy secret-keeper, he passes the story on to his readers. And along with the story, he throws in all kinds of interesting (and amusing) asides—from magic tricks to science experiments, and even a brief explanation of Art Nouveau.
As the book comes to a close, it’s quite clear that the story doesn’t end here. Actually, it’s just the beginning of the story for Cassandra and Max-Ernest. And while some questions are answered in the end, others aren’t—and the abrupt and rather baffling conclusion seems to pose a whole bunch of new questions. But, when it’s all said and done, that makes the story even more intriguing—and I’m already looking forward to the second installment in this quirky new kids’ series.
Will this book take the planet by storm—and make its author an anonymous ka-zillionaire? Probably not. But is it worth reading anyway? Definitely.
