The book without words essay

The novel, The Book without Words is a two hundred and three page science fiction written by Avi. Avi is a famous author of over fifty books with different genres and purposes. He won two Newberry Honors and many other awards for his fantastic works. He lives in Denver with his family. His words of encouragement to young writers are write how you feel and believe.

This book was published by Hyperion Books for Children in 2005. The setting of The Book without Words is on a cold winter night in the town of Fulworth in the year 1046. Most of the story’s specific setting was in Mr. Thortson apartment. At the very beginning of the plot, on page two, the readers already acknowledge that the book is science fiction; since the main character Mr.

Thortson is introduced by trying to discover a secret that will change the future. He is trying to invent the ability for people to live forever. The three main characters that Avi creates is Mr. Thortson, Sybil and Odo the raven. Mr. Thortson was a dirty old man with baggy eyes and a long narrow deeply lined nose.

He had green eyes, messy hair and a toothless mouth. His green eyes indicate his ability to perform magic giving the readers that the plot is magic based. His personality is one of stiffness and aloofness.

He lived alone his entire life. Six months ago he took in Sybil as a maid to help him run the apartment. He kept her very separate and made a conscious effort to keep his distance from her. Sybil was an utterly poor thirteen year old orphan who Mr. Thorston acquired for a cheap price from a little pitiable slum. She was big boned and skinny with long tangled brown hair. Sybil was a very capable, motivated young girl, despite the fact she was uneducated.

Odo is a black raven who Mr. Thortson used his magic power to change him from his original existence of being a goat to a raven. Since Odo lived with Mr, Thortson for many years, Odo himself was able to perform a very minimal amount of magic. The basic plot summary is Sybil and Odo trying to figure out Mr.

Thortson’d secret on how to live forever. They experienced many different difficulties through this process. Many different people who claimed they came to help reveal the hidden secret, really came to get their hands on any accessible gold. Sybil and Odo don’t reach their attempted goal of creating gold, but reach the oal of life.

From this experience they learn that the true value of life is not “ gold” but happiness and begin to create a new life for themselves. This novel is considered science fiction since the characters in the story try to change the world by creating gold that makes you live forever . Science is the rules of the running universe. Living forever is an impossible change to the world. If I was Sybil, and would have left Fulworth that very moment she realized life is not about money but about happiness. As she wished, I would have traveled to an island in Italy and created a new life for myself.