How does it compare to audio works by the same author?
Not applicable
Advantages:
Well structured story, beautiful dialogue
Disadvantages:
Not one of his best works .
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
After I read 'Sophies world' I thought nothing could really top it. He really manages to construct a story that has you gripped on every level, but also develops a very complex mystery that he unravels within the pages so that by the end of the book, you know the answers without being told.
This book is very similar. About one 12 year old boy on a journey to find his mother who left him when he was born. Its not one of these heart wrenching tales as the boy (Hans Thomas) doesn't really have qualities which makes him likable. You do want him to complete his journey but it annoyed me how nothing really happened which challenged his journey. There were no obstacles, no challenges to get over. His character has been developed so that he is a logical thinker, who can dissect any situation and come up with an answer - BUT HE'S TWELVE. He had answers to questions and quips that I didn't even think about. He and his father begin their journey to find their missing mother who left them when he was young, but this seemingly innocent and simple journey turns out to be a highly philosophical journey enriched with beatiful dialogue and fascinating history. I felt there was a lack of plot and adventure but it was easily made up. Gaarder repeats his trick from 'Sophies world' and writes a story within a story, however this time it is less obvious. This time Hans Thomas is given a mysterious 'sticky bun book' by an old baker that he must read with a magnifying glass a dwarf gives him at a petrol station. Obscure I know but you overlook that because that part is rather well written.
As Hans Thomas delves deeper into this book and his journey continues across Europe he discovers that everything is tied in to itself. Everything that happens now was written over 200 years ago - something I like to hear in books and it has been done before, but this was a refreshing twist on it. The 52 cards (also the names of the chapters) give us an insight into our world on a philosophical level which is dumbed down for the mass audience. Sort of Philosophy for Dummies, but I'm not complaining. As Hans Thomas completes his tale we really don't care too much about what is happening in the real world, but merely what happens in this sticky bun book. We know how its all connected early on in the story but it takes Hans Thomas a little while longer to fully appreciate it. The dialogue between the father and son is delightful and makes for a beautiful read that I truly recommend. The only disappointing part of the book is the ending is very abrupt. I had to re-read it to find if I have missed something, it was such an anti-climax. So much so I wasn't too bothered about where Hans Thomas and his family would do after this. I found that I COULD put this book down to begin with but then after the half way point I had to read it through.
I recommend reading 'Sophies world' first, but you must read this after!
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