Nicholas Christopher, The Bestiary

The Bestiary

Nicholas Christopher

Dial (Dell), Jun 2007, $25.00

ISBN: 9780385337366

In the Bronx, his mother died when Xeno Atlas was very young and his disciplinarian nomadic father was always grieving at sea. Thus he was raised by his shapeshifting Sicilian grandmother, who told him stories of animal spirits that excited him. At fifteen at boarding school, Xeno learns of the legendary CARAVAN BESTIARY, a medieval tome that described animals not allowed on Noah's Ark; the book vanished without a trace eight centuries ago so that today most scholars doubt it ever existed.

Xeno believes this ancient text that describes extinct or mythological beasts depending one one's perspective exists. Now an adult he begins a quest to find the CARAVAN BESTIARY that describes the pre-flood lost world of griffins, basilisks, Catoblepas, and much more as he journeys to Vietnam, Europe and other places, but Xeno begins to realize his family's secrets that he is uncovering hold the answer he seeks.

The BESTIARY is a terrific coming of age fantasy starring a troubled young man on a quest allegedly to find the missing tome, but in many ways his mission is to find himself. His trek takes him around the world in search of the lost text, but he also learns to love and be loved. Readers will adopt the sympathetic hero as he uncovers his heritage and much more in his most wonderful adventure.

Harriet Klausner