The Cabinet of Earths

( 1 )

All Available Formats + Editions

——

$9.99

NOOK Book

——

$9.99

The Cabinet of Earths (eBook) Pub. Date: 1/3/2012 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
$7.76

$12.31

Hardcover

$7.76

$12.31

The Cabinet of Earths Pub. Date: 1/3/2012 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Customers Who Bought This Also Bought

Advertising

Overview

On their first day in Paris, Maya and her little brother, James, find themselves caught up in some very old magic. Houses with bronze salamanders for door handles, statues that look too much like Maya’s own worried face, a man wearing sunglasses to hide his radiant purple eyes . . . nothing is what it seems. And what does all that magic want from Maya?

With the help of a friendly boy named Valko, Maya discovers surprises hidden in her family tree—grandmothers who walked in magic, a cousin so unremarkable she’s actually hard to see, and a terrible family habit of betraying one’s brother. And now the shimmering glass Cabinet of Earths, at the heart of all these secrets, has chosen Maya to be its new Keeper.

As she untangles the ties between the Salamander House, the purple-eyed man, and the Cabinet of Earths, Maya realizes that her own brother may be in terrible danger. To save him, Maya must take on the magical underworld of Paris . . . before it is too late.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Nesbet’s auspicious debut novel plunges readers into the story of 13-year-old Maya and her five-year-old brother, James, who are descendants of two feuding families with expertise in science and magic. After the siblings’ chemist father receives a fellowship, Maya and her family move from Cali-fornia to Paris, where she quickly becomes enmeshed in a mystery involving the disappearance of local children in decades past; “anbar,” an alchemical substance with rejuvenating powers; and the strange and beautiful Cabinet of Earths that seems to call out to her. With her mother’s health in decline, James the target of evil forces, and distant relatives coming out of the woodwork, Maya decides to answer the call of the cabinet, despite the dangers, to try to set things right. Blending elements of magic, science, and even horror with evocative prose and a confident narrative voice, Nesbet immerses readers in her contemporary Parisian setting. At its heart, this is a story about change, as Maya struggles to accept unwelcome developments while growing aware of the sinister extent to which some will go in the name of self-preservation. Ages 10–up. (Jan.)

VOYA

"It was his own grandmother who fed Henri-Pierre to the Cabinet of Earths, long ago when he was only four." With this opening line, Anne Nesbet's fantasy novel instantly hooks readers and keeps them engaged throughout the entire story. Although the novel opens up with poor Henri's tale, thirteen-year-old Maya and her five-year-old brother James take center stage when they move to Paris and discover the Cabinet of Earths and its sinister secrets. Henri's ancestors found a way to merge science and magic, which they used to achieve immortality, but at a terrible cost. Maya has enough on her plate, dealing with homesickness, jealousy, and her mother's cancer, but the Cabinet of Earths chooses her as its next keeper. Maya must decide between saving her mother's life and doing what she knows is right. Nesbet has written a unique, interesting fantasy with just enough suspense to keep readers turning the pages long into the night. The language is descriptive and lively; the Cabinet of Earths and the mysterious Henri-Pierre's house leap off the pages. Fantasy readers of all ages, especially middle school students, will enjoy this story. Reviewer: Jen McIntosh

More Reviews (3) Fewer Reviews

Children's Literature

When Maya and her little brother James move to Paris with their parents, they have no idea what adventures await them and what interesting people they will meet. First, there is Cousin Louise who seems strangely invisible. There is the beautiful and friendly, purple-eyed man they meet on the Paris streets, and then there is the old man who is the keeper of a mysterious cabinet filled with little jars of earth which Maya finds fascinating. Soon Maya is invited to a party hosted by a group of people which her new friend, Valko, calls the ?Beautiful People.' It is at this party that Maya and Valko begin to unravel a long history of secrets, including the blending of a family of magicians and a family of scientists who create a secret world of immortality. Tension arises when Maya discovers her brother has been kidnapped by the beautiful, purple-eyed man. Searching for her brother leads Maya through the underground tunnels of Paris where she learns the truth about herself, her family and the cabinet of earths. Author Nesbet skillfully weaves a fantastical tale of intriguing characters, plot twists, family secrets and the beautiful, mysterious city of Paris. The storytelling is at times old-fashioned and gothic in quality, but the pace is fast and readers will stick with the main character, Maya, as she searches for answers in magic and science. Reviewer: Jody Little

School Library Journal

Gr 4–8—Twelve-year-old Maya Davidson; her five-year-old brother, James; and their parents have moved to Paris from California while her father works on a research fellowship. Maya's mother, who is recovering from cancer treatment, has always dreamed of living there, so Maya tries to be positive in spite of feeling extremely out of place. As the siblings begin to explore the city, Maya sees a salamander-shaped doorknob that seems to move, meets a strange man with dark glasses, and is introduced to an almost-invisible cousin named Louise. With the help of her new friend Valko, she begins to learn about her family's secret past and their role as caretakers of the mysterious Cabinet of Earths and its magical glass jars. When James disappears, Maya has to use what she has learned and the mysteries that surround her to save her brother, escape her family's dark legacy, and try to find a new beginning. Maya's story opens slowly and then unfolds more and more rapidly as readers join Maya, Louise, and Valko in combining the clues they gather into an understanding of what the Cabinet of Earths is and its power of time. Maya is a fully realized character, well aware of her social awkwardness compared to her charismatic younger brother, and readers will be rooting for her to find her strengths and save the day. This unique fantasy will catch its audience's attention and leave them thinking about time, families, and immortality.—Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI

Kirkus Reviews

Paris. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Les Invalides. Then there's that sinister cult addicted to immortality. Prompted by her father's job offer and to ultimately fulfill the wish of her mother, 13-year-old Maya and her family uproot their lives in California for an across-the-pond move to Paris. Though she has her objections, Maya can hardly voice them to her mother, a delicate cancer survivor. So, despite her brewing frustrations, she is dutifully accommodating, all while acting as the unpaid babysitter for her ebullient younger brother, James, to smooth the transition. However, Maya and James soon discover a hypnotically alluring cabinet, peculiar branches in their family tree and an underground society with a morbid recipe for staying eternally young. Though it's easy to generalize this as a coming-of-age tale, Nesbet more specifically pinpoints this as the story of a young girl coming to terms with mortality while realizing that finding her intrinsic worth makes her content and also inspires her appreciation of those around her. The underground society (to which Maya and her brother are more closely tied than she could have ever imagined) morphs from simply a strange affair to an intriguing mystery to downright chills. While touches of the ever-popular fantasy theme of vampirism are definitely there, they are appropriately held at bay. A charmingly creepy European vacation for fans of chillers and thrillers. (Suspense. 12-15)

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780061963131
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date: 1/3/2012
Pages: 260
Sales rank: 130,686
Age range: 10 years
Product dimensions: 5.80 (w) x 8.40 (h) x 1.20 (d)

Meet the Author

Anne Nesbet teaches Russian literature and the history of film at the University of California at Berkeley. She lives near San Francisco with her husband, several daughters, and one irrepressible dog. The Cabinet of Earths is her first novel.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5

( 1 )

Rating Distribution

5 Star

(1)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines

Tell the world what you think of this product.

Add Recommendations

Your Name: Create a Pen Name or Leave Anonymously

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

- HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
- Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
- Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
- Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
- Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
- Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
- Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

- By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
- Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
- See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.

LenaG

Posted February 13, 2012

FABULOUS!

Deliciously strange.

The Paris Maya moves to is new to her...and more than just a little out-of-the-ordinary. At turns creepy, fun, tender, and deeply thought-provoking, this story is filled with descriptions you want to read two or three times before continuing on. To be savored, not rushed through. An engrossing story for middle graders (and older too!).

Looking forward to sequel!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble