{"id":93177,"date":"2019-04-24T14:56:24","date_gmt":"2019-04-24T03:56:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/?p=93177"},"modified":"2019-04-24T16:00:32","modified_gmt":"2019-04-24T05:00:32","slug":"review-malamander-thomas-taylor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.booktopia.com.au\/blog\/2019\/04\/24\/review-malamander-thomas-taylor\/","title":{"rendered":"REVIEW: Malamander by Thomas Taylor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\n\nThis is just<\/em> the kind of fun-filled adventure I\u2019ve been craving lately!\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\nThomas Taylor really delivered with his new book Malamander<\/em><\/a> – this is a rich, creative, and engaging story that was really, really<\/em> hard to put down.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story follows Herbert Lemon, a young boy who is the Lost-and-Founder at the Grand Nautilus Hotel. Herbie is used to returning lost things to their rightful owners – shoes, suitcases, money – but one night a strange young girl turns up at his window claiming she is lost\u2026 and needs to be found!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“But the adventure is that way. Not back in the hotel!”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Violet Parma was left at the hotel as a baby twelve years prior. She is adamant that she is lost (that her parents did NOT abandon her) and she enlists Herbie\u2019s lost-and-found \u2018detective\u2019 skills to reunite her with her parents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Malamander\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I think my favourite character in this story is the town itself – Eerie-on-Sea. I really want to go there! This is a strange little town which, during the warm seasons, is frequented by tourists due to the sun-filled days one can have on the beach. But things certainly change when the temperature cools and the mist rolls in. Eerie-on-Sea becomes a haunted, dark, wet, and scary place to live – plagued by skin-crawling legends about sea-monsters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Violet, in this fog, anything could be standing ten paces away right now, and we wouldn’t know.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Herbie and Violet set out with a simple mission: to solve the mystery of Mr and Mrs Parma. Of course, it\u2019s never as simple as that! Their mission is hijacked by Sebastian Eels, a man determined to hunt down the Malamander, Eerie-on-Sea’s legendary sea-monster. Violet and Herbie don\u2019t believe in the legend (most people don\u2019t) until they discover that Violet\u2019s parents went missing while searching for the Malamander. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can\u2019t tell you how much I loved this story. Herbie is an utter delight – he is sassy, brave, and had me chuckling on more than one occasion. Violet is bold, adventurous and optimistic. They make a great pair! Not to mention the rest of the animated cast – Captain K, Erwin, and Mr Mollusc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This book had definite Lemony Snicket vibes, with its chilling setting and endearing parent-less protagonists. I am itching for this book to get out in the world as I am absolutely positive it is going to be a massive hit with children and adults alike!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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