A quick review in the light of my - once again - reliving (as opposed to rereading) my middle school library books. A little like a novella in a novel series saga.
'Molly Moon's Incredible Book of Hypnotism' - a fun and entertaining adventure story about a child hypnotist. Reminiscent of Roald Dahl (I keep coming back to him, don't I?), I clearly remember the writing being enjoyable, humourous and full of heart.
The characters are funny and distinctive, if somewhat cartoonish, but in an endearing way. Molly Moon is a plain little girl living in a nasty old orphanage who, when stumbling across a book about hypnotism in a library, believably takes her one chance to have some control in her life and chase her dreams. It's selfish and bound to lead her to inevitable danger, but given her age and circumstances it was fun to read about her having merry adventures.
'Molly Moon' is playful, colourful and inventive, like a children's book should be. With its subject/plot point being what it is, there are dodgy morals and suggestions about how it's okay to manipulate and brainwash as many people as you want, as long as you have good intentions. Scarily I overlooked this as a kid. Though the best reason I can come up with to defend 'Molly Moon' as an adult is that it doesn't take itself too seriously.
But the silliness and contrivances do reach all new heights in the sequels ('Hypnotic Time-Travelling adventure'? There's being creative and then there's being convoluted and random). There should be a limit to suspension of disbelief even in kids' stories. And looking at the blurbs of the latest books in the series, Molly Moon herself seems to have been "morphing" into a Mary Sue; without her old-fashioned, sympathetic orphan charm.
Still, the first 'Molly Moon' is gripping and exciting for a story all about hypnosis. To repeat, it is not to be taken seriously. That's what it told me as a child.
It is not to be taken seriously.
It is not to be...
To be...
Final Score... 5... 4... 3... 2... 4/
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