Book Review | The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder
Dare to get lost in a modern day Alice in Wonderland vibe, this one will stir your imagination.
The Solitaire Mystery is a joyous tale which invites us on a special adventure with 12 year old Hans Thomas and his Father. We follow their journey from Norway to Greece in the search for Hans’ mother, who years prior had packed up and left, all in the hopes of ‘finding herself’ among the idyllic Cyclades.
Bound for Greece, Hans & his Father set off on their road trip. With Hans’ Father being quite the philosopher, he enlightens his son with intriguing and inspiring teachings as they make their way through Europe. En-route, Hans encounters a dwarf at the Swiss border who gives him a mini magnifying glass. In a baker from the small village called Dorf, he finds the Sticky Bun Book. Paired with the two new gifts, Hans can’t help but steal any quiet moment with the tiny magnifying glass to read the even tinier book; in which a terrific tale of the solitaire unfolds and a pack of playing cards comes to life.
Hold on to your hats (or magic wands) folks; if you love an uplifting and mystical read with a helping of cheesy goodness, then this is for you! Jostein Gaarder takes us on a fantasy adventure, while cleverly weaving in philosophical touches to invite our minds to explore new ways of thinking. The quirky characters mixed in with this creative plot had me eager to find how everything would all pan out, I was not disappointed, – 5/5 stars from me.