On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darknessby Andrew Peterson | Book Review

It took a while to get going, but man did I love this book. I think the reason it may take readers a bit to get into it is it's greatest strength - it is different than most books. It has awesome secrets and cool bad guys and a fun story world, but it's also goofy. If you feel like you're not "getting" this book yet, just keep reading. I was richly rewarded for it. That said, I enjoyed this book a lot and found it humorous and quaint, but man once things started really going down I was so hooked! The other thing I LOVED about this book was the poetic prose. The silly stuff is all mixed in with beautiful epic writing you might find in a poem, but it was not purple prose that ever pulled me out of the story, just the opposite. When grand things in the story were being described or spoken of the language became higher, and when it was normal everyday stuff the humor will have you and your kids loving it. I've read in some reviews that the sense of humor didn't work for them in this book, but it worked for me and I think my kids will love it too. The way this book ended had me enjoying every word. The way the environment and how the characters felt in it and the unfolding of bigger things in the world... no spoilers here. By the end of the book I had fallen in love with it. I can't wait to read it again with the new knowledge of the story world I have. I bet I'll pick up on all kinds of fun little stuff. This is a bit strange, but I think the other reason I really connected with this book is because I have a lot in common with the author and the things he likes. I recently read his somewhat autobiographical book on being a creator called "Adorning the Dark" and it was like reading about me in many ways. So yeah, when authors write a story they would love - in this case it worked well for me. I loved this story and the things in it I could pick up on like the author's love for books and fantastical tales and diction that flows off the tongue in a way that brings beauty to the ears. Lastly, although some of the action felt a lot darker and a bit abrupt from how the book felt at first, it was great and added a lot to the story as you could feel the character's world get scarier and the stakes much higher. I really enjoyed this read.