The Ugly Teapot by Fred Holmes. Fred Holmes, 2016. Ebook. 205 pages.
*I received a copy of The Ugly Teapot courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Tomorrow, January 13th, I will be featuring an interview with the author of The Ugly Teapot, Fred Holmes, so be sure to come back and have a look!
The Ugly Teapot is a heartfelt, touching story that features an imaginative, exciting world. The author, Fred Holmes, has an in-depth background in directing and screenwriting, making this his first foray in novel writing, and I think his talents transferred over to paper remarkably well. I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book, as the summary provided is intriguing and informative, but also cleverly vague regarding details. If, like me, you are a fan of many Arabian Nights stories or Disney's Aladdin, then you are probably familiar with the idea of a genie (or from one of many other sources, of course), and this particular notion greatly intrigued me.
The Ugly Teapot is paced extremely well. There is an abundance of action and magic packed within these pages, but it never once felt as though it was rushed or moving too slowly. It is certainly fast-paced, but not in a negative way that is hard to follow. There weren't any dense information dumps, there were no parts that dragged on too long, and I never felt confused by too many plot elements. The entire story carried a delightfully whimsical atmosphere that helped the story breeze along, which led up to an incredible ending that I really enjoyed.
Hannah is a wonderful main character. She is outgoing, strong, and extremely relatable. Her resilience in the fact of struggle was refreshing to read, and her character's development was written in a consistent manner. She's just one of those characters that are easy to love and root for throughout the entire story.
This book also takes us into a variety of locations and cultures, and Holmes wrote these excursions in an informative and welcoming manner. Every description was vibrant and realistic, and I enjoyed being a part of Hannah's journey. I was actually quite thrilled to realize that this book would be taking its readers on a larger adventure into different areas of the world, as it gave the book an even more well-rounded feel.
One aspect of this book that I particularly enjoyed were the strong familial themes. There are all too many books available about dysfunctional families or unhealthy father/daughter scenarios, so it was really refreshing to see such a strong, loving relationship between Hannah and her father. While this book may not be for everyone due to the middle grade/young adult audience it is intended for, I encourage everyone to give it a shot! If you're like me, there are no age restrictions on books.
Overall, I am giving The Ugly Teapot four stars!
And don't forget, an interview with author Fred Holmes will be live tomorrow!
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