About Books #76: Furthermore

Have you ever read a painting? Because that’s basically what Furthermore feels like.

The story

Born as blank as canvas in a world brimming with colour and magic, Alice’s pale skin and milk-white hair mark her as an outcast. Because, for the people of Ferenwood, colour and magic are one and the same. And since the disappearance of her beloved father, Alice is more determined than ever to prove herself and her own magical abilities.

To do so she’ll have to travel into the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, with the help of a fiercely annoying boy named Oliver. But nothing in Furthermore is as it seems, and it will take all of Alice’s wits to find her father and return him safely home

The opinion

This is, without a doubt, one of the most colourful books I’ve ever read – in every sense of the world. The idea of a world where magic and colour are intrinsically interlinked was quite new to me… But to add in the fact that they are basically the currency, the measure of worth? The very base concept of this world already had me sold.

However, it’s the actual execution of the story that got me hooked. You see, unlike her Shatter Me-series, Tahereh Mafi is a (somewhat) active participant in the story. That’s to say, she jumps into the story as a narrator and lets you know what exactly is going on – or isn’t going on. She has the best chapter headings, and manages to lighten the mood whenever that proves to be necessary.

And of course – then there’s the main character – or characters. Oliver is at times infuriating, maddening or just plain old annoying. But he does go through the type of character development that made me absolutely root for him. That’s even more so the case, though, for Alice. The amount of ignorance she’s kept in from so many different directions made me mad on her behalf, from time to time. The amount of ignorance she feigned for herself? Well, that just made me want to slap her, from time to time.

All together, though, they’re two 12 to 13-year olds that manage to complement each other perfectly. And that, together with the colourful language, the beautiful narration, and the actually surprising plot? Well, all of it just made me fall more in love with this book with every page I read.

The rating: 4,5/5

In case it wasn’t clear before: I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect kind of magical escapism that I needed just as I read it. And if you’re in the mood for a book that turns up side down every other page, and leaves you happy for it? Well, then Furthermore is just the book for you! (Goodreads)

-Saar