Title: Egg & Spoon
Author: Gregory Maguire
Published by: Candlewick Press
Publication date: 9th September 2014
Pages: 475
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales, Adventure
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
From the best selling author of Wicked, Gregory Maguire spins a fantastical tale set in Tsarist Russia that had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I’m a big fan of musical theater and at times this book read like it was meant to be on a Broadway stage.
Egg & Spoon follows the story of two young girls- one who lives in squalor with her ailing mother and another who goes to school in London and has her meals delivered to her on a silver platter. They end up accidentally switching places, which causes a whirlwind of events to occur, including the loss of a Fabergé egg and the gain of the Firebird’s magical egg in its place, a sea of Matryoshka dolls, and soldiers made of dragon teeth.
I fell head over heels in love with all of the characters, but by far my favorite was Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga is a part of Russian folklore- a witch who lives inside a house with its own personality and flair, perched on top of two chicken legs. She’s eccentric, sarcastic and totally nutty. Her imprisoned cat, Meowster, is also quite a fun and equally amusing character.
This book will make you feel like a child again. It will compel you to use your imagination and you can’t help but feel delighted as the young characters take on the twists and turns of their quest to save the country.
You’ll find yourself thinking about how you live your life, whether you’re wasting time or love or commodities. It’s hard to miss the undertones of understanding want and need, but for young readers that’s probably a big plus.
I would recommend this book to people of all ages and especially to those who love to step back into their child selves and feel awestruck and in wonder of the world again.
The Rogue Storyteller 