Customer Reviews

The Wall and the Wing

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is such a delight that it actually provided relief from all the only-sort-of-good books I've read recently. The very recognizeable but slightly fantastic view of NY is wonderful, the characters a surprise and a joy, and the story so good that I didn't want to finish the book, because I didn't want it to be over.

The WALL AND THE WING by Laura Ruby --- also the author of the Edgar-nominated LILY'S GHOSTS --- is an original fantasy filled with colorful characters who inhabit a futuristic New York City. In this world, everyone wants to be a "wing," a person who can fly. Gurl, an orphan at the Hope House for the Homeless and Hopeless, is a leadfoot, not a wing.

One evening, while Gurl is out rummaging for food behind a restaurant, she discovers that she can make herself invisible. This talent to become a "wall" is very rare and highly prized in this future world. When her matron, Mrs. Terwiliger, discovers that Gurl can become invisible, she forces her into a life of crime. At first she blackmails the girl into stealing clothing and perfume, and later asks her to hack into computers.

Gurl befriends another orphan nicknamed Bug while she's chasing her cat down the hallway of the orphanage. The boy is named Bug because of his resemblance to a real bug. He and Gurl have something in common --- neither of them knew who they were before they came to Hope House. Bug has some special talents, like being able to pick locks, but he doesn't know why he has these special skills or how he learned them. Bug is Gurl's only friend at Hope House and she helps him discover his talent for flying. Neither of them like living at the orphanage and they want to leave as soon as possible to find out where they belong in the world.

Gurl and Bug decide to run away from the orphanage together. His skill as a flyer and her skill to become invisible complement each other. Together they face a huge cast of characters such as gangsters, giant alligators, human-sized rats, and a zipper-faced monster. Their adventure leads them to discover who they really are and where they belong.

THE WALL AND THE WING is one of the most original stories I have read in a long time. The fast pacing and plot twists will keep you turning pages.

--- Reviewed by Renee Kirchner (renee.kirchner@usa.net)

In a vast and sparkling city that looks a great deal like New York, nearly everyone can fly--except Gurl, an orphan stuck in Hope House for the Homeless and Helpless. But Gurl soon finds she has another talent--she can become invisible. Soon she finds herself mixed up with the oddest group of friends and enemies, a belligerant boy named Bug with a penchant for punching things, a cat named Noodle who likes to blowdry her fur, a very eccentric professor with grass for hair, an orphanage matron with a serious addiction to plastic surgery, and a gangster who would like nothing more than to have a girl who can disappear.

This is one of the most inventive books I've ever read, and one of the funniest. You'll find yourself delighted and enchanted the whole time, and when you're done you'll want to go back to the first page and start all over again.

This book was fun, quick paced, and intelligently written. I loved it! However, as a teacher I would be apprehensive about introducing my students to it, if they are not a "mature audience." Although the reading level is about fourth grade (+/-), it is packed with figuritive language and satirical elements that make it fun for the adult reader. The problem is, that for young readers, it really depends on what they have already been exposed to and what they can handle. They may all but miss the scene where the orphans break into a plastic surgeon's office and look through the computer. Bug, a savy male orphan, notes the list of high profile patients stating, "I knew those were fake!" Other mature siuations might include the moment when Sweetcheeks Grabowski (a high level, pretty boy type of gangster) remembers back on his family, noting that his faither smelled of stale beer. Hilarious, high level, but only for kids that already have this level of life experience.

Laura Ruby's middle grade novel combines elements from older, traditional mysteries (an orphanage, poor children finding riches) and as well as modern children's fantasies (e.g. The Thief Lord). I liked that the protagonists were a boy and a girl in an adventure that took them each through their own journey.

A story full of imagination! Beautiful and complete characters and crazy facts all with a purpose. Monkeys, cats, professors, criminals, magic hands, leadfoots, WINGS and WALLS. The magnificent details and atmosphere of a city like New York in a strange future, makes you feel that the city itself is the protagonist of the story... Comparing this book with Harry Potter on the cover is useless marketing that such a great book does not deserve.
(sorry for my english I'm not a native speaker)
antonis, author of children's books, greece

This is a really fast-moving bit of fantasy about a girl who can disappear and a boy who can fly. Together, they zip through a proto-New York. Trees move and mice are as big as humans in this wacky world. But the best part is that a rare and most refined cat is the hero.

This novel was great fun. It features an intricate, sometimes riveting, storyline and a host of hilarious characters and situations. At times, it had me literally laughing out loud. From start to finish, Laura Ruby manages to keep the reader engaged, entertained and thinking.

The story is set in an alternate world, in which most human beings can fly. Most people are lousy at flying, a few are expert enough to do so as professional athletes, and a small number cannot fly at all. Those who cannot fly are often ridiculed as "leadfeet." Birds are the most sought-after pets, and cats are disdained, due to their appetites for birds. Against this backdrop live two hapless children in a Dickensian orphanage, Hope House for the Homeless and Hopeless. Upon entering this strange New York institution, children lose their memories of their previous lives and receive new first names but no last names. The matron, an iron-fisted freak named Mrs. Terwiliger, can't seem to come up with a decent name for any child. Hence, children walk around Hope House being called by bizarre appellations like "Chicken" and "Ruckus."

One night, a hapless twelve-year-old "leadfoot" named Gurl (apparently Mrs. Terwiliger never won any spelling bees), raised at Hope House since infancy, makes two life-changing discoveries. One is a special power: she can turn invisible. The other discovery is a stray cat who decides to keep her company and to be her pet. Gurl tries to keep both discoveries a secret, but when Mrs. Terwiliger learns of Gurl's power of invisibility, she decides to exploit it for her own selfish, illegal ends. Complicating matters, a boy who calls himself Bug tries to claim the pet cat for himself. Bug also falls victim to Mrs. Terwiliger's twisted machinations, for he somehow possesses an expert criminal's knowledge of lock-picking, breaking and entering, and disabling electronic alarm systems. Both children are drawn into a scary but exciting quest that leads them into a seedier side of New York City and brings them face-to-face with some rather quirky antagonists.

Ruby does an excellent job of arousing her readers' imaginations. Many of the story's seemingly minor, even trivial, details are important, so one who reads this novel should be prepared to exercise his or her memory. The author interwove some urban legends into the plot, which added to the fun. Some story elements seemed a little bizarre, such as the scene involving the dancing pretzel salesmen at the park and the untranslated French dialogue at the movie theater. However, those elements didn't detract much from this successful tale. Overall, I would recommend this novel to children aged 9-14 and to their parents.

This delightful novel is set in a world where people can fly. I think that is a great, original premise for a book. For originality alone, I don't think Ruby's novel can be tied. The characters Gurl and Bug are interesting and sympathetic. They get into great adventures that draw the reader in and make it hard to stop reading. The scenes are very well described, and I especially love the part with the characters in Central Park at night. The entire story is full of wonderful little gems like two orphaned children running around a magical city alone at night, super intelligent cats, a fairy godfather, etc. The story is great and I highly recommend it.

The reason it's 4 stars instead of 5 is that I felt the writing was a little convoluted and sometimes certain lines, phrases, or dialogue made me cringe. I think most children would be fine with that, but more mature readers may find it a bit over the top. It's still worth reading, though.

This book is just plain fun. It's got: a strange old man with grass where his hair should be, orphans in a dreadful and hopeless orphanage, human-sized rats, the Richest Man in the World, flying people and people who can become invisible. All thrown into a wonderful, magical city. And did I mention the cats? Lots of cats and one very special cat. Cats who save the day.

This book really is great fun. But caught up in that fun are characters that you really care about...and some that you really, really dislike!

Get it. Read it. Have some fun.