A Pack Of Lies

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

A mysterious clerk in an antiques shop tells elaborate stories about his wares--each tale/chapter written in a different literary style. In this ``writing equivalent of sleight of hand,'' PW said, ``McCaughrean pulls off each meta-fictional compexity with finesse and humor.'' Ages 12-up. (Sept.)

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-In British author Geraldine McCaughrean's 1988 Carnegie Medal-winning novel, Ailsa Povey finds MCC Berkshire annoying the librarian one day and brings him home where, to her surprise, her widowed mother puts him to work in their failing antique store. He refuses payment, taking room and board instead. All he seems to want is a quiet place to read, and plenty of books. Other than saying he's from "Reading," MCC never talks about himself, but is eloquent in telling the story of each piece he sells. He uses a different literary style, technique, or genre for each item: romance, comedy, tragedy, adventure. Customers are intrigued and pay the outrageous prices MCC sets for the items. Ailsa is convinced that everything out of this mysterious man's mouth is a lie. Who is he and where did he come from? Narrator Andrew Sachs uses a number of accents as MCC, ranging from Chinese to Irish to American, to make this complex and sophisticated story come alive. This multifaceted piece deserves a place in every library.-Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.