The Hotel Under the Sand

Emma is a strong girl character, focused on the sorts of things that all children love to read about - adventure. Joining her are a cast of characters and caricatures, whose interactions are fun (if a bit predictable). The hotel that rises from the sand and it's time distorting history are pure fantasy, and the later guests layer that on even deeper.

While the message was strong, the story wasn't as solid. The ending comes quickly, the resolution mostly in the background. Perhaps this was because she was considering a sequel, or perhaps it was an artifact of how the book was written.

This book was written for Kage Baker's niece and delivered to her, a chapter a week. In an interview, the author revealed that her niece had undergone some personal tragedies, and this book was written to help her get through that. This same interview said that the proceeds from the book would go to this girl's college fund.

So great characters and setting, a decent story, and fast-paced fun. Well worth 4 stars!

The entire author's interview is at http://blog.shelfari.com/my_weblog/2009/08/a-conversation-with-kage-baker-about-the-hotel-under-the-sand.html