A book with four chapters that can be read in any order. Now there’s a novel idea
Never the kind of author to sit on his award-wninning laurels, Marcus Sedgwick’s latest novel pushes the boundaries of young adult publishing to thought-provoking new limits. The four chapters (they’re stories in their own right) in this book can be read in any order which means effectively that there are twenty-four different ways to read this one book. The possibilities, although not endless, certainly offer copious variety.
The stories are written to inspire and provoke the reader, daring to raise philosophical questions while still entertaining us. Running throughout is a common theme – the spiral – which provides connection and fascination. Ambitious and intelligent, The Ghosts of Heaven is the sort of book that demands to be read and discussed, and just like the order of the chapters, the interpretations of the text will shift and realign with each reading. For parents serious about sharing the realms of modern young adult fiction at its finest, this could be an intriguing place to start. Indigo, age: 13+
