I do believe in fairies
A delightful story about a boy, shunned from his own kingdom
and expelled to earth just as the darkness of World War Two is beginning to
unfurl. Rich in mystery and history, The Book of Pearl follows the life of
Joshua Pearl as he experiences the harshness of this human life and draws on
the wisdoms of his own ethereal way of being to bring meaning to his time trapped
on earth.This human life
On his arrival in Paris, Joshua is
taken in by a grieving couple who embrace him as their own son. They adopt him
into the family business, the little confectionery shop, Maison Pearl.
The years pass and slowly Joshua builds a new life on earth.
All the while he continues to search for a way to return home and be reunited
with his sweet fairy love Olia, who he believes was left behind when he was
thrown to earth.
They must have tokens of proof
Sensing the presence of Olia around him, Joshua Pearl, or Ilian
as he is known in his own land, spends his later years travelling the world seeking
out treasures and keepsakes. The valuable commodities Ilian collects are
magical fragments mistakenly left behind by those who have been able to
traverse the two worlds. Using these as tokens of proof of another life, Ilian
hopes they will one day provide a way for himself and Olia to be together.
There is a third voice in the story, another boy who
accidentally crosses the paths of both Ilian and Olia and becomes the unwitting
go-between of the two lovers. This character (the voice of our narrator, we
eventually learn) grows up to become an author and researcher. Charged with
writing the story of the fragments, will he be the key to unveiling the tokens
of proof so that Ilian and Olia may one day be reunited?
Highly suitable for younger readers and enjoyable for any age
group.
The Book of Pearl is written by French author Timothee de Fombelle
and translated by English language specialist Sarah Ardizonne. De Fombelle is also the author of the highly acclaimed Vango series. Read more about the author
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