Nine is an orphan pickpocket determined to escape her life in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures. When she steals a house-shaped ornament from a mysterious woman's purse, she knocks on its tiny door and watches it grow into a huge, higgledy-piggeldy house. Inside she finds a host of magical and brilliantly funny characters, including Flabberghast – a young wizard who’s particularly competitive at hopscotch – and a hideous troll housekeeper who’s emotionally attached to his feather duster. They have been placed under an extraordinary spell, which they are desperate for Nine to break. If she can, maybe they can offer her a new life in return…
When I was very young, my mother had a book from her childhood called The Little Round House. It's an intensely 30s book about a young boy who goes to post a letter, but discovers that the letterbox is actually a house with a lot of funny people inside. I thought of it while reading this one, about a girl who discovers that a strange ornament is actually a house with funny people inside. That's about the only link, though; although this is set in a vaguely Victorian-ish time period, it's much more up to date than the poor thirties set Round House. (still a great story, but wouldn't pass muster nowadays, for fat shaming and black face among other things.)
This is the first in a series, and I'm really pleased to hear it, because I very much want to know what other adventures Nine and her friends will have. We didn't really get to know anyone apart from Nine this time around; hopefully that will be fixed in future outings, because I really want to know about Eric, Dr Spoon and Flabbergast. Even the witch is interesting.
I really enjoyed this fast paced, funny book, and I can't wait to read more.
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