Laughter, Tigers, and Teddy Bears - Oh My!

A Review of Jon Berkeley's novel The Palace of Laughter.

When I picked this book up on a whim for .50 cents at a used book store, I had no idea that it would be one of the most heartwarming stories I've ever read.

Diving into The Palace of Laughter, I was a little bit apprehensive because it is so unlike the books I usually read. However, once I grew accustomed to the author's writing style, I found myself immersed in a beautiful world populated with wonderful, comedic characters.

The boy who is the star of the show, Miles Wednesday, is an orphan with no clue who his family is. He lives in an old barrel, with only an orange teddy bear for company. When a strange circus rolls into town and a talking tiger visits him in the dead of night, his life begins to change. He befriends a young angel who'd been kidnapped and forced to act as a "circus freak" for the Circus Oscuro, and together they embark on a harrowing journey to not only find their missing friends, but also to find the family they'd never had before.

Written in a style that I found to be somewhat reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events (but in a much lighter tone), Jon Berkeley's debut novel captured my heart in a way that I was honestly not expecting. It was at times deeply moving, and at others so funny that I either had a genuine smile on my face, or found myself laughing along with the characters.

Moreover, apart from having captivating heroes, this book also has interesting villains (that at times serve as the comedic relief in the story). All of these characters live in a world that is not so different from our own, and it is also incredibly rich and well developed.

This novel is a part of the Julie Andrews Collection, which "encompasses books for young readers of all ages that nurture the imagination and celebrate a sense of wonder" (www.julieandrewscollection.com). I completely agree that this book does all of those things, and it's a read that I would not only recommend to my friends in my age group (twenties), but that I would also recommend for younger readers. It's the first book in a series called "The Wednesday Tales", and I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for the rest of the series!

The Palace of Laughter by Jon Berkeley - 5 out of 5 stars