The Wall and the Wing

This was probably the worst time possible for me to start reading a new book. I have several papers due in only a week, an orchestra concert and an art show to put on in a matter of days, and a very tight schedule to stick to to get it all done. But last week I was shelving in the children's section and this book caught my eye. I've been able to resist the books already in my room out of familiarity with their presence, but this exotic new book from the strange and distant land of the library was too enticing. I began reading it at work during a long, boring shift promoting the self-checkout machine and then had to finish it on my own time. Now that I've finished, I have to say that the distraction was worth it.

The Wall and the Wing by Laura Ruby is a delightful fantasy about a world where almost everyone can fly, if only a little. Gurl, an orphan at Hope House for the Homeless and Hopeless, can't fly at all, but her life becomes much more interesting, if not less miserable, when she discovers she can become invisible and forms an unlikely friendship with a rare stray cat and a boy named Bug, who even kind of looks like one.

The main characters in this story are utterly believable, just two kids who don't fit in their world trying to get by. And the rest of the cast is so over-the-top it would be ridiculous if it weren't done so masterfully. There's the Professor, with grass growing out of his head and kittens in his pockets, Mrs. Terwiliger, the headmistress of Hope House who loves plastic surgery and plastic monkeys, and Odd John with a zipper on his face--don't ask what's underneath! Even New York City is bigger than life and full of real magic.

The pace is good, and the writing doesn't distract from the story, much. There were two tiny spots near the end where the dialog felt a little forced and preachy, but overall the craftsmanship is so good it just blends into the background. And even though I could see the biggest part of the conclusion as early as chapter 12, there were enough smaller twists and surprises to keep me satisfied.

All in all, it's a read worth your time, though I would wait to start it until after your work is done, because once you pick it up you won't put it down until the flight is over!

-Kim