The Marvels by Brian Selznick Book Review

The Marvels blends a love for theater, storytelling, and wonder to create a story about storytelling that is beautifully illustrated and makes for an experience of literature that I have not enjoyed as much as I did in a long while.

Brian Selznick is undoubtedly one of the most unique storytellers that ever existed, and the Marvels is no exception. He blends great black and white, hand-drawn illustrations and expertly-written prose to develop a rich and engrossing literary story. For a story about stories, The Marvels' most ingenious moments were those that felt like a tribute to stories. There's an engrossing plot at play here, which has a massive twist at the end which at first shocked and disappointed me. But as I thought about it more and more, I classified it as probably one of the best plot twists of all time. It changes everything you know about the book and the aftermath is even more enthralling. The book also promotes theater and the art of plays in a way that I haven't seen the likes of in any sort of medium. Brian Selznick creates a story that is truly a work of art, that is rich, layered, and are the rare stories that are about storytelling. As for flaws, there aren't many. Perhaps there are too many pictures that tell the story, but in the end the prose feels like it takes the same amount of the story as the pictures do even if the two thirds of the length of the book are the pictures. Overall, The Marvels is unquestionably a work of art. It promotes storytelling in a rich, layered way with an engrossing plot with the likes of which I have never seen before. It truly is one of a kind experience and is my favorite Brian Selznick book to date. Score: 9.5 out of 10.