Furthermore

*4.5 stars.

Furthermore is the tale of Alice - and Oliver - which is told to us by the Narrator, who gives asides and commentary occasionally throughout the story, lending to its charm. The book is utterly enchanting, from the style to the content to the cover (so beautiful) and the illustrations between chapters. I cannot say enough about the writing itself. If you've ever seen me talk about the Shatter Me series, you know how utterly in love I am with Mafi's writing, and this book cements it. She utilizes a different writing style than in her teen books, because this is a different type of story. But she shifts techniques flawlessly. Her gift for using the perfect words, for knowing when to say much and when to say little - and to do so in a fashion that leaves you breathless either way - remains the same, and she uses it to enhance the magical world of Furthermore.

I also cannot say enough about the world-building. I was intrigued by the rules of both Ferenwood and Furthermore, and I would be more than happy to return to this land and learn more about it. Ferenwood was so lush, and it was intriguing despite its apparent “regular world” comparison to Furthermore. And Furthermore. I could live in that world for books and books, and I feel like there would never be an end to my curiosity, because Mafi would elicit more questions even as she answered old ones, and my imagination could never keep up with what she had in store.

Overall, I was completely enamored with every aspect of Furthermore, including the characters. Alice was especially terrific, but I really grew to appreciate Oliver, too. Even though the story was compelling and the book read very quickly, I made it last over a week, because I never wanted it to end. For me, it recalled classics such as The Phantom Tollbooth and the Narnia series. Not due to the content (though it does similarly contain a strange, new world for our protagonists to explore) but simply because it has that old-school children's fantasy/adventure novel feeling about it. I don't know how if that fully conveys what I mean, but that's the only way I can explain it. It isn't only about the adventure. It is equally about the writing and the characters and the world and the journey (underneath which lies a beautiful, beautiful moral). I don't get that feeling with many similar books that are published today, but somehow Mafi pulled it off.

As a side note, almost the entire time I was reading, I could not stop thinking about just how stupendous this book would be as a read-aloud book, either for families or for recurring storytimes in a school, etc. The Narrator's perspective really makes it feel like a story that is being told to you, and that would only be enhanced by it actually being read aloud. Just as a warning, though, there are some slightly older themes, so if your child is too young for the story of Hansel and Gretel, I'd wait a bit.

I recommend this book to children who want to feel older, adults who want to feel young again, and everyone in between who simply enjoys a well-written story.

Disclosure: I did receive an ARC of Furthermore in exchange for an honest review, but I elected not to read it because I wanted to wait until I had the finished product in my hands. And every second of extra waiting was worth it.