Reviews for Curioddity
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
In his debut novel, graphic-novelist and game-designer Jenkins (Fairy Quest, 2013) delivers the outlandish story of sad-sack Wil Morgan, a low-rent private investigator who spends his days reinforcing the self-fulfilling prophesy that his life is an unending series of hardships. After a chance (or is it?) encounter with the enigmatic Mr. Dinsdale, proprietor of the Curioddity Museum, Wil embarks on a madcap adventure in his pursuit of a stolen artifact, the box of levity (the opposite of gravity) which, once found, leads to the real mystery. The tongue-in-cheek silliness that follows ticks all boxes, including beautiful and deeply quirky love-interest Lucy, and supervillain Marcus James, a corporate megalomaniac bent on world domination. Wil is encouraged in the art of un-looking at his surroundings and is guided by a sentient smartphone called SARA. Fast pacing, clever writing, and total commitment to absurdity make for an entertaining read. Fans of Douglas Adams and John Connolly will appreciate this charming, if somewhat formulaic, romp.--Szwarek, Magan Copyright 2016 Booklist
Publishers Weekly
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Comics writer Jenkins seems a little lost in his debut novel, a contemporary story of hidden magic that too often trips itself up in a chaotic whirl of whimsy. Wil Morgan was a dreamer who loved science and believed in magic until he was 10, when his mother-who shared those traits-died in a horrific accident. As an adult, he's a sad-sack private detective who spends his day in the same routine, going to and from work and barely getting by. When a mysteriously wacky client named Mr. Dinsdale stops by and offers him a job tracking down levity (the opposite of gravity), he discovers streets he'd never heard of, items that defy physics, and an odd thrift shop managed by a gorgeous woman named Lucy who (naturally) falls for Wil in spite of his shyness and lack of social skills. Like that relationship, pretty much every beat of Jenkins's novel is predictable, from slapstick injuries to the twee ending. The book's not bad, but Jenkins offers nothing new. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
