Recently Read: Skulduggery Pleasant

I've been meaning to read this for a while, and found myself pleasantly surprised. In the wake of Harry Potter, the realm of young adult fantasy has expanded rapidly, but lately it seems my selections are adequate but not entrancing. Enter Skulduggery Pleasant. Written by a screenwriter of horror films, this book features a walking, talking skeleton (the title character) that can throw fireballs and wisecracks and his soon-to-be sidekick, a self-possessed twelve-year-old girl.

I was a bit apprehensive, seeing as I dislike horror movies, but the premise seemed too cool to pass up. The plot is fairly standard (adventure! hidden worlds! a battle to save the world!) and does indeed work like your average movie, but the book is worth reading if only for the banter between Skulduggery and Stephanie, the girl. I liked Stephanie. She was realistically written -- no melodrama, no amazing superpowers that appear just in time to save the day -- just a tough, independent kid exploring the world and discovering herself along the way. And Skulduggery is hardly a saint or a hero, but I found myself liking him just as much for his shortcomings. He is a scoundrel acting as a dectective in a snappy suit and I like scoundrels. Especially when they wear snappy suits. (What can I say? I'm a sucker for pinstripes.)

I'd like to see a movie version of this, but I suppose I'll have to settle for the audiobook. Check it out-- it's a quick but enjoyable read with a slightly dark sense of humor.

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....and she's cliiimbing a staaaiirwayyyy to heaaaavennnnn.....

:) just checking how it works.

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