I have to admit, I have a soft spot for stories about mysterious shops, especially when the shop is much bigger on the inside than it has any right to be. It isn’t exactly a new idea – I can think of at least two books I’ve reviewed here that have a similar premise. But The Nowhere Emporium takes that idea and turns it into a fun middle-grade fantasy adventure.
Daniel Holmes is an orphan who has already had more than his share of difficulties when he encounters Mr. Silver, the strange and mysterious owner of the Emporium. Before long, Daniel becomes Mr. Silver’s apprentice and begins exploring the incredible rooms hidden inside the shop. Unfortunately, things don’t stay wonderful for long. Mr. Silver disappears, a dangerous enemy appears, and Daniel and his friends have to figure out how to save the Emporium before it is destroyed.
And that’s where the fun begins.
The magic in this book is really appealing. The Emporium is filled with wonderful rooms, strange surprises and things that simply shouldn’t be possible. It’s loaded with CTPP (Cool Things Per Page) and I think younger readers are going to have a great time with this part of the story. There’s a real sense of ‘What could possibly be behind that door?’ that makes you want to keep exploring along with Daniel.
I liked Daniel. He’s the sort of young hero that readers can easily get behind. He’s had a difficult life (and of course nearly all middle graders feel they do, too), but he doesn’t simply sit around feeling sorry for himself. When things get bad, he tries to do something about them. That makes him an appealing character for the younger readers this book is aimed at.
My only real complaint is that, as an adult reader, I found some of the story a little too familiar. The orphaned child, mysterious mentor, magical world, evil villain and young hero who discovers unexpected courage are all well-worn fantasy ingredients. None of this makes The Nowhere Emporium a bad book, but I suspect older readers who have spent a lot of time in children’s fantasy may occasionally find themselves thinking, “I’ve seen this before.”
Younger readers probably won’t have that problem—and frankly, they shouldn’t. This is exactly the kind of book that can get a child excited about reading. It has magic, adventure, danger and a wonderfully imaginative setting.
For me, The Nowhere Emporium is a good, enjoyable fantasy rather than something particularly groundbreaking. But sometimes a book doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes it’s enough to take familiar ideas, put them together well, and give readers a place they wish they could visit.
Looking for a good book? The Nowhere Emporium by Ross MacKenzie is a fun, magical adventure that younger readers should really enjoy. Older readers may find some of the story’s ingredients a little familiar, but the imagination and sense of adventure make it worth the trip to the Nowhere Emporium.
I received a digital copy of this book, many years ago, from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
* * * * * *
The Nowhere Emporium
author: Ross MacKenzie
publisher: Kelpies
ISBN: 9781782501251
paperback, 280 pages
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