A story laced with the twists and turns of British humor, The Good, The Bat, and The Ugly is the latest book written by Paul Magrs. Jason’s father was a famous puppeteer in his day, but now he is a washed up old grouch. When he implies Jason to take up the family business of puppets, everything goes mad. Soon everything is in a mess when his father is dragged off to jail, and Jason’s older half-brother Barry gets involved. On top of that, Jason’s father’s old puppet is calling to him from the attic, and mysterious puppet murders start happening all over town. The web becomes even more tangled when the devil himself gets involved. It’s a story of insanity, betrayal, ‘fancying’, hell, and most of all, puppets.
The book was good, but somewhat weird. I didn’t find it to be as wildly hilarious as it was made out to be. I believe that the whole situation of the book is what is supposed to be funny. Although it is told in an enchanting first person, the book dips in and out of utter madness. I tend to be more attached to the protagonist when they tell the story. Therefore, it is harder to enjoy the calamity that Jason goes through. I also find the circumstances of him falling in love with a grown woman sort of weird, and maybe it’s supposed to be that way. Although, by far, my favorite sequence is the ‘mamazon.com’, epilogue which features different characters of the book making comments. Overall, the book is enjoyable and holds your attention from start to finish, but it is not the most mainstream. Those looking for an offbeat British read are sure to find what they are looking for in The Good, The Bat, and the Ugly.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 7
Reviewer Age: 12
Reviewer City, State and Country: Greencastle, PA USA
