Review: The Gnome's Eye - Anna Kerz

Synopsis: In the spring of 1954, Theresa's life changes forever. She and her family emigrate from a refugee camp in Austria to Toronto, Canada. Theresa's friend Martin gives her two gifts for her journey: a package of postcards and a stone he claims will protect her from all things evil, living or dead - a gnome's eye. When she finally arrives in Canada, Theresa is afraid of everything: the other tenants in the rooming house, the rat that lives in the sunroom, learning a new language, speaking in class. But as time goes by, her natural curiosity and her active imagination help her overcome her fears - even in the middle of a hurricane.

Review: An interesting "lifetime" story that, if you are looking for a quick read, would be a good choice. I admit that I was hoping it would have more of a storyline when I first picked it up, but I was not surprised to discover that it was one of those books that just follows the life of the character without anything really happening. If it wasn't for the time period, it would have been nothing more than a feel-good book about how to face one's fears. However, Theresa is a very good narrator and likable character, despite all of her fears and how easily she is angered. I did not like her at first, but she quickly grew on me. And I was not crazy about the writing style at first, but after a time, I found it to be all right, even though it began and ended very abruptly.

The Gnome's Eye will eventually find itself on my shelves.

Overall Rating: JJJ