Haroun and the Sea of Stories – Salman Rushdie

Rating: 5/5

Lost References:

Desmond reads this book in one of his flash-sideways visions. There are also some plot similarities, which Entertainment Weekly summarizes in this article. They mention, for example, the Black Rock/the Dark Ship (dark ship in jungle) and the Man in Black/Khattam-Shud (shape-shifting evil guy).

Thoughts:

This book has been marketed as a children’s novel, but like the Chronicles of Narnia, it’s one that can be appreciated by almost any age. I admit, I was surprised at how short and how clear this book was… The only Rushdie book I’d read previously was the doorstopper novel Midnight’s Children. But this book, there’s so much to say, I don’t want to say anything. I want you all to read it and appreciate it yourselves.

I also recommend the sequel, Luka and the Fire of Life, an adventure for Haroun’s younger brother. (I was especially happy with its own not-so-subtle media references, such as one to Doctor Who in the time mess.)