Let’s start with someone else’s review:
“The magic of a novel like Tiger Castle lies in the cozy afterglow – this feel-good fairytale is packed with whimsy and humor that reads like the grown-up version of Holes or the Wayside School series.” — USA Today
I do agree that it is a novel with magic.
I’m not sure about the cozy afterglow. I finished and I thought, “Huh?” Is that the same as a cozy afterglow?
Did it make me feel good? Again, not sure. But, to be fair, it didn’t make me feel bad.
Is it a fairytale? Maybe? Kind of?
Whimsy? Yes. And I love whimsy.
Humor? Also yes.
Grown-up? Maybe? But only because it talks about sex.
Its similarity to Holes or Wayside School stops at the author. Sachar has such a unique sentence pattern which works wondrously for kids and middle-grade. I’m not sure how it panned out in this “adult” novel. It didn’t seem to have the delightful complexity of his work for kids.
Sachar’s earlier books are genius. Tiger Castle is a head-scratcher.
My Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
READ IT IF: You want to debate me and my lackluster response. Or if you like really weird stories.
STEER CLEAR IF: You haven’t read anything by Louis Sachar. Start with one of his other books instead. And then read all the rest of his books before you read this one.