#jesse vilinsky

My Reactions & Emotions

The Absolute Star of the Show: The narrator completely made this book for me. Without her incredible performance, I probably would have DNF’d (Did Not Finish) and dropped it entirely. Jesse Vilinsky gave each and every character a distinct, fascinating voice that propelled the story forward, even during moments when I was feeling highly disconnected from the content. I am definitely going to seek out other audiobooks she has narrated!

A Cycle of Connection and Disconnect: My emotional attachment to the story fluctuated constantly. For the majority of the book, I would get these wonderful glimpses of the relationship forming between Gustav and Fernie, only for something silly to happen that would instantly snap me out of the zone.

Creative and Whimsical Concepts: I found the overall concept of the house incredibly interesting, especially the library filled with all the ideas that have never occurred. Some elements, like the funny poses of the statues, felt a bit too silly for my personal taste, though I understand that is due to this being a children's book.

Satisfying, Complete Conclusion: I really liked the ending of this installment. It sets up a clear path for a second book, yet it successfully avoids a frustrating cliffhanger or an ambiguous ending, which I deeply appreciated.

What I Would Have Preferred

 More Character Depth, Less Silliness: I would have loved to have a bit more relationship focus and genuine drama mixed in, rather than the high volume of childish silliness. Fernie’s dad was a pretty funny character, and I genuinely like the foundation of the bond that is forming between Fernie and Gustav, making me wish the narrative leaned into that dynamic a bit more heavily.