Twelve-year-old Hugo, orphan, clock keeper, and thief, has been keeping the clocks running in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity.
But when his world suddenly interlocks with a mysterious toyseller and his goddaughter, an eccentric, bookish girl, Hugo’s undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy.
A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo’s dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.
I’ve been eyeing this book for a few months now, and I was beyond excited to finally have it in my hands because of the gorgeous format it’s told through.
Here are a few of the many intricate and beautiful illustrations that captured me:
“It’s so beautiful,” said Isabelle. “It looks like the whole city is made out of stars.”
“Sometimes I come up here at night, even when I’m not fixing the clocks, just to look at the city. I like to imagine that the world is one big machine. You know, machines never have any extra parts. They have the exact number and type of parts they need. So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too.”
I also really liked the fact that this book included stills from various films:
I know what I’ll be watching over the next few days…
Lastly, I want to mention that I was really satisfied with that ending because:
- Hugo found his happiness.
- He’s among family.
- No unnecessary romance.
- Everyone got their happily ever after (or as close to it as you can get).
So I truly cannot wait to pick up more from Brian Selznick and see what’s next in store.
4/5 stars
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