Readers' rating:
Published May 2005
203 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Publication Information
In the ancient Northumbrian town of Fulwich, there is an old man
whom nobody knows. This man, Thorston by name, has lived a secret
life so that he may stay alive--forever. Call him an alchemist
but his possession of The Book Without Words contains the secret of
immortality. But to make this secret a reality, he must sacrifice
his minion, Odo, a coal-black raven, and Sybil, his
thirteen-year-old servant. Just as Thorton is on the brink of
immortality, Sybil decides she wants to live her own life, and Odo
wants the gold he believes Thorton has made. Who then will live,
and who will die? And who will get the gold?
'Many fans of Avi's 2003 Newbery Award winner Crispin (2002) will
miss the feeling of immersion in a narrative conferred by a single
point of view even as they ponder the sweeping messages about the
transience of life and the evils of avarice.' - Booklist
'This book is filled with engaging, craftily chosen words.' - Publishers Weekly.
This information about The Book Without Words was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Avi acquired his name from his twin sister, Emily, who chose not to call him Edward or Irvin but, for reasons unknown, to call him Avi. As the author says, it doesn't stand for anything, or mean anything, it just is who he is.
Avi is the author of more than sixty books, including Crispin: The Cross of Lead, a Newbery Medal winner, and Crispin: At the Edge of the World. His other acclaimed titles include The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and Nothing But the Truth, both Newbery Honor Books, and most recently The Seer of Shadows. He lives with his family in Colorado.
Name Pronunciation
Avi: ah-vee
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