Monday Book Recs--William Alexander's Goblin Secrets

Monday Book Recs--William Alexander's Goblin Secrets

This isn’t your typical middle grade fantasy set in medieval never-never land or in a loosely imagined Faerie. Alexander’s world building is subtly done. There are elements of the traditional fantasy, goblins and an evil stepmother, a missing brother who has to be saved, a troupe of theater players who save the day. But Alexander uses them all in such different ways that I kept being surprised, all in a pleasant way.

In addition to that, there are the stranger elements to the book that make it something special and worthy of adult readers. This isn’t a fantasy, after all, or at least it isn’t just a fantasy. The power that Graba has over her “grandchildren” is sinister and intriguing. At first, you think she’s just a grandmother, but then she’s a bit of Baba Yaga and maybe Darth Vader, as well.

I liked the naming conventions, a pleasure for someone who loves language. I loved the inside view of the theater troupe from someone who knows the world well. I loved talking about what is real and what isn’t and why we need pretend.