The Cabinet of Earths (review)

Being in a new city where she doesn't even speak the language turns out to be the least of thirteen-year-old Maya's worries when her father takes a fellowship with the Society of Philosophical Chemistry in Paris. Besides language lessons with her weird aunt, Maya is also concerned about the apparent return of her mother's cancer and the strange attention that her younger brother James is receiving from the director of the Society, a man with mismatched eyes and too many secrets. When Maya investigates further, she learns that she is a descendent of the maker of the Cabinet of Earths, a magical device that the Society is using to keep people young and immortal but at a terrible price. Nesbet plays on both the charm of her Parisian setting and the shadowy eeriness of a city steeped in history to create an alluring sense of place that envelops readers from the first page. Even youngsters with little faith in the viewpoints of adults, however, will find the gullibility of the grownups in Maya's life to be illogical at best, unnerving at worst: it's not credible that no one has noticed that members of the Society simply don't age, nor does the laissez-faire attitude of Maya's parents towards their children's safety truly jibe with their otherwise very parental qualities. Regardless, the mystery behind the magic is well paced and intriguing, while the ethical dilemma that Maya inevitably faces regarding the mortality of her own mother is heartbreaking in its authenticity. Those looking for fantastical journey abroad with no adult supervision and a hint of suspense may very well want to tag along on Maya's adventure in the City of Lights.