March 20
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Recent Arrivals: A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty
Recent Arrivals chronicles the books that have made their way onto the Today, I Read… bookshelf. Here’s the latest arrival: A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty
First line: Madeleine Tully turned fourteen yesterday, but today she did not turn anything.
Initial thoughts: I read the description and was immediately intrigued by the premise of the story (plus it brought to mind ‘The Lake House‘—a movie I secretly love) in that it’s about two people connecting with each other from two impossible places (in this book’s case, rather than across time, it’s across dimensions or worlds).
The first few pages have a nice, easy writing style and made me smile more than once. I’m worried that it might switch from a quaint, balanced sentiment into something overly maudlin, though, because we already get a glimpse into Madeleine’s life and it seems anything but glamorous. Only time will tell.
Depending on my mood after I finish Madapple, I might just have to give this a quick read—but I’m being cautious because I’ve learned this is part of a trilogy which means I’ll either be left hanging or yearning for more without a quick fix. Must prepare my mind for that.
Book description:
Madeleine and her mother have run away from their former life, under mysterious circumstances, and settled in cramped quarters in a rainy corner of Cambridge, England.
Meanwhile, in the Kingdom of Cello, Elliot is searching for his father. He disappeared a year ago, the same night that Elliot’s uncle was found dead on the side of the road. Official word is that a third-level Purple is responsible, but talk around town is that Elliot’s dad may have murdered his brother and run away with the high-school physics teacher. Elliot refuses to believe this, and is determined to find both his dad and the truth.
When Madeleine and Elliot begin to exchange messages across worlds—through an accidental gap that hasn’t appeared in centuries—the large and small events of their lives start to intertwine. Danger Colors are storming across Cello (a second-level Gray will tear you to pieces; a first-level Yellow can blind you), while Madeleine is falling for her new friend Jack. In Cello, they are searching for the tiny Butterfly Child, while Madeleine fears that her mother may be dangerously ill.
Can a corner of white hold a kingdom? Can a stranger from another world help to solve the problems—and unravel the mysteries—in your own? And can Madeleine and Elliot find the missing pieces of themselves before it’s too late?
Book Details: 384 pages; Arthur A. Levine Books (an Imprint of Scholastic); Pub. April 2013