"The Marvelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id” Review

Hello to all of you lovelies! Last week, I had the opportunity to meet Aaron J. Lawler, and author of YA novel "The Marvelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id.” And now I have the opportunity to share my thoughts with all of you wonderful readers.

"The Marvelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id," tells the story of how Fitz, Hollis and Josey solve the murder of Professor Oliver Crowley, Fitz’s mentor and friend. The trio tries to balance their crime-solving as they navigate through mysterious and traumatic events, all while trying to figure out love, death and high-school (obviously the most terrifying of all). However, this could not be accomplished without the help of one of Professor Crowley's inventions. Soon, Fitz discovers he has the ability to bend the field of “Id,” a stream of golden dreams and wishes. And in doing so, Fitz finds himself pulled into a world he never knew existed, let alone, realizing he can manipulate it. But with a little help from his friends Hollis and Josey, Fitz recognizes he can use this “gift” to solve Professor Crowley’s murder and exonerate the town bully, Eddie Thompson, who is being framed for the murder.

Now before I break-down the plot and characters, I want to say that I really enjoyed this book. I found that the crafting of each character was flawless—each one had a unique and specific identity. As well as, being tremendously relatable. I found myself feeling akin to several of the main characters (though at times I found myself feeling extremely anxious on their behalf). However, I like to attribute that intense emotion to the level of connection I found with certain characters within the story. As a reader, when I develop an attachment to a character(s), I become protective, annoyed, and even angry with them at times. This was the case with "The Marvelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id." I so desperately wanted the characters to make different choices, to make the right decisions and to speak their mind. But a good story-teller knows when to let the characters lead and have the story unfold naturally, which I believe Lawler was able to achieve. I enjoyed how the characters drove the plot, instead of the plot pushing forward, and the characters just so happened to be there.

Okay, so that’s as much as I can say without spoiling too much. So, if you haven’t read "The Marvelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id,” yet and don’t want to be spoiled, stop here. Go read and then come back so we can discuss it together.

And now for the good stuff…

Continuing with the idea of the characters driving the plot, I also appreciated the balance of science, fantasy and emotion. In many YA/fantasy novels, the “extra-ordinary” aspects over-shadow the real story, making the characters and other key points secondary. But with "The Marvelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id," I could imagine being friends with these characters—even if Fitz Faraday and his best friend Holluschikie “Hollis,” are from the “wrong-side-of-the-tracks.” The reader can tell that these two boys are good people—definitely rebellious and a bit stubborn, but good nonetheless.

Their bond goes beyond the average high school friendship. For me at least, I pictured Fitz and Hollis relying on one another, that they were each other’s emotional rocks and undoubtedly trusted each other, which is a relationship that resembles more of brotherhood, then just mere friends.

But this story would not be the same without Josey (aka Fitz’s dream girl). Josey is the “new girl,” but she is also a self- proclaimed free-spirit. Her interests span from identifying leaves and calligraphy to Buddhism and Kirlian photography. Not to mention she is also the girl that Fitz stays up thinking about. Josey is also the person that challenges Fitz, pushes him to be better and the girl that has the power to drive Fitz’s 15-year old hormones absolutely crazy—whether that is out of fascination or jealousy.

“She is like a fawn hiding in the wood. The more he chases her, the deeper she goes into the dark forest. And the deeper he goes, the more lost he becomes.”

I also really enjoyed reading about Fitz and his mother’s relationship. Especially, when Fitz dreams about his mother. That scene, had me in tears. It was heart wrenching to see this young boy, become burdened with not only holding his mother’s hand and watching her die, but also with the notion that his mother was scared. In that moment, I wanted to hug Fitz and shield him from this reality.

But personally, I believe Hollis was the character I found most intriguing. He has his own demons—a hard father that would rather spend time with a bottle, than spend time with him and a mother that is no longer in his life. But at the end of the day, if Fitz asked him to, Hollis would risk everything to be there for his friend. I think I enjoyed Hollis’ character so much, because what high-school student wouldn’t want a friend like Hollis. He was also a character I found myself wanted to protect. As I was reading I got the distinct impression that Hollis hid his vulnerability from the outside world. And I’m curious to see Hollis’ story arch in the future.

It’s no surprise that as I reader, I enjoy stories with compelling characters and I found that with "The Marvelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id." I believe one of the worst crimes an author can commit is telling their readers, something they already know. However, while I was reading “The Marvelous Paracosm,” I found myself surprised with the different turns the story took. Yes, there were points where I foresaw the outcome—Fitz and Josey getting together for example. But I could appreciate the route it took. The pacing was spot-on. It didn’t feel rushed or forced, it felt like a natural progression of their friendship, turned relationship.

But I think the biggest surprise for me was at the end when Lector Branham loses all control and Dr. Hagin, Madam Drood and Branham all die. Though I have a feeling this may not be the last time we see them. And might I just say, how much I wanted to punch Madam Drood and Lector Branham in the face throughout the story. However, it was exciting to see where those characters drove the story (even if they were evil).

“Eddie Thompson is innocent!... Eddie Thompson didn’t kill Professor Crowley. He did! Fitz is almost surprised to find himself standing and pointing at Lector Branham.”

Though I ended the novel with some questions, I feel that is was a wonderful example of story-telling. And I would recommend "The Marvelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id," to readers of all ages, especially to those whom enjoy novels that create a new world to discover.

What do you think? Have you read "The Marvelous Paracosm of Fitz Faraday and the Shapers of the Id," yet? If so, what do you think of the story or how the story evolves? Who was your favorite character? Are there any characters you want to see in a sequel? Let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

For now, I say good night and hope that my random ramblings have peeked your inner bookworm.
~BL