And Put Away Childish Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky

​I didn’t get into Adrian Tchaikovsky’s writing immediately. It was nothing like love at first read. It took several false starts. But then it got rolling, and now I absolutely adore it.
This book is just the latest shiny example of the whimsical charm, originality and sheer fun that the author is skilled at producing all in a very neat, very readable 200 or so page package.
While he usually veers on the science fiction side of things, this is more of a…fairy tale for adults. Still firmly a work of speculative fiction but a different one. This time, it’s a book about books. Or more like the book about the power of books, cleverly blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
And so, when a D list actor and children show presenter goes on one of those genealogy TV shows to boost his popularity, he gets a wildly unexpected reaction to his reveal of being a scion and inheritor of a beloved kids’ books series estate. The books are a typical post-war Narnia-style fare, but the inspiration behind them is anything but.
Soon, there’s all sorts of shenanigans and intrigue. The stories may have been fictionalized but the dangers are very real. And thus, you, the readers, get to have a fun and exciting adventure, through the wardrobe and back.
Okay, to be fair, the wardrobe (and Narnia business in general) is a heavy borrow, and, frankly, too dominant here, including the cover, which might have been more attractive. I mean, the wardrobe in the book is way more attractive than the black slab gracing the cover and chapter separations. But other than that, this was a great, greatly entertaining read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.