The Marvels by Brian Selznick

★★★★★

"But there are other stories waiting to be told, and they will be lost one day, too.  Whatever the case, it's all beneath your feet, right now."

After reading Selznick's two previous books, The Invention of Hugo Cabret and Wonderstruck last year, I was all set to read this the week it came out.  But, of course, my life got busy and then I had to wait awhile since the holds list was pretty long at the library.  So worth the wait and so glad I got a chance to read this!!

Like the previous novels, the is a story told through both words and pictures.  In Hugo, illustrations (and series of illustrations) were spread throughout the text.  In Wonderstruck, there were larger chunks of illustrations and text.  In this book, the sections are mostly seperate.  Over the first half of the story is told exclusively through illustrations followed by the remainder with mostly text expect for one larger section of pictures and the ending.  I wasn't too sure how this was going to work, but the Selznick is able to add in enough writing in the pictures for readers to understand what was going on in the story.

I loved everything about this book - the magical story, the wonderful illustrations, and the unique method of storytelling.  I won't give much away because this book is meant to be enjoyed as the story unravels page by page and picture by pictures.  An enchanting story that spans five generations that is as unique as it is powerful.