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The Vanishing Act [Paperback]

Mette Jakobsen (Author)
3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
Price: £5.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Book Description

Publication Date: 30 Aug 2012

This is a story about a snow-covered island you won't find on any map.

It's the story of a girl, Minou. A year ago, her mother walked out into the rain and never came back.

It's about a magician and a priest and a dog called No Name. It's about a father's endless hunt for the truth.

It's about a dead boy who listens, and Minou's search for her mother's voice.

It's a story of how even the most isolated places have their own secrets.

It's a story you will never forget.

Frequently Bought Together

The Vanishing Act + The Night Circus + Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Price For All Three: £14.88

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Product details

  • Paperback: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Vintage (30 Aug 2012)
  • Language: Unknown
  • ISBN-10: 0099572478
  • ISBN-13: 978-0099572473
  • Product Dimensions: 12.9 x 1.6 x 19.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 104,408 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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› Visit Amazon's Mette Jakobsen Page
Mette Jakobsen
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Product Description

Review

"The best stories change you. The Vanishing Act is that kind of tale" (Erin Morgenstern, author of The Night Circus )

"A strange poetic and ghostly story... There are echoes of C.S. Lewis's The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe but otherwise there is a rare freshness to her storytelling. She relies on using sophisticated but sparse language to create a magical world and story about the grown-up themes of love, loss and - intriguingly - philosophy that can be read and enjoyed by both grown-ups and young adults. And not a vampire in sight" (Daily Mail )

"Works just as well as a one-dimensional story as it does a thought provoking fable as the beautifully written, haunting set pieces testify" (Ani Johnson Bookbag )

"It is abundant in terms of atmosphere and the beautiful innocence of childhood" (PA Review - South Wales Argus )

"A perfectly poised, fable-like tale of loss, written with delightful whimsy, deep empathy and a beguiling sense of innocence" (Graeme Base )

Book Description

Shortlisted for the 2012 Commonwealth Book Prize The Vanishing Act is a truly magical and spellbinding debut - a story of loss, life, and discovering the meaning of love
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Customer Reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
7 reviews
3.7 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and sad 28 Sep 2012
By Eitsirk
Format:Paperback
This is a beautiful book. Its about a little girl on a tiny island and the people around her, their lives and how they all deal with the loss of someone special. Its is sad without being depressing, its magical but without being unbelieveble. The characters are well rounded and utterly believable. Make sure you have a few hours spare before you start reading becuase it demandto be read in one go, its the kind of book you get wrapped up in and feel sad when it finishes.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars like reading a dream 18 Oct 2012
By Sammy Spink-Bottle
Format:Paperback
I loved this book. I felt like I was reading a fairy tale dream, beautifuly stark. Very easy to relate to.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars Well written, but virtually nothing else 14 Dec 2012
By Crazy Jamie
Format:Hardcover
It is relatively rare that my own view differs drastically from general public opinion, but I am thoroughly aware that this is one of those situations. The Vanishing Act has received rave reviews, and it is worth clarifying that I understand entirely why that is. I just disagree with the general consensus.

The Vanishing Act has received those rave reviews because it is short, charming book that stands out both for the strength of its prose and its originality. And it is true to say that it is, fundamentally, written very well.

However, for me there was one utterly fundamental problem with this book, and that is that for all of the fantastic writing, there isn't actually any plot. It's a book about a girl focusing on the disappearance of her mother, but in fact what happens is that the girl considers her mother's disappearance and assesses it, with more than a few references to basic philosophy and with the help of several one dimensional characters. But that is all. There is little in the way of character development once all the characters have been introduced, and even less in the way of plot progression. The one aspect of the plot that could be considered a twist is blindingly obvious (or at least it was to me) long before it is revealed, but without any sort of advancement in the rest of the plot it was difficult to care about that twist anyway.

I could talk more about other positives and negatives about the book, one negative being that the author has a disorientating habit of jumping into flashbacks without any sort of warning, and the clear positive being that, at times, it is very enjoyable to read. But the lack of a plot in the book is a killer blow for me.

It is a real shame, because the potential in this book is clear. But without answering any of the questions that the book poses, it's difficult for me to consider that as a novel there is much overarching merit to be awarded here. It may well be that the book would be a useful educational tool for school children to assess, but as a book in its own right it left me feeling distinctly underwhelmed.
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