Unexpected Book

I just finished a book that turned out to be different than what I expected.

It is Lois Lowry’s newest book, The Windeby Puzzle.

I’ve read a number of Lowry’s books, but not all of them. I just figured out that there are two books of hers that I haven’t read. One is a novel that is part of a series that I have read and the other is nonfiction. I didn’t realize that she had written any nonfiction, though Count the Stars is historical fiction.  I intend to read both of these books now that I am aware of them.

Wineby is a stand alone book and unusual. It is fiction, two stories or two versions of one story depending on how you look at it. It is also nonfiction. The starting point is the actual discovery of a 2,000 year-old body in a peat bog. Lowry’s wondering about the body’s story leads to her two stories. We will never know the real story, but Lowry gives us a couple of interesting possibilities. But, it is more; it is also about storytelling and writing. Worth reading just for that, I think.

For me, there is a lot to like.

If you are going to read one Lowry book, this wouldn’t be my recommendation, but if you are a fan, you’ll want to read it.