Kaleidoscope ~ Brian Selznick

I have been putting off writing this review since I finished Kaleidoscope by Brain Selznick because I just think whatever I write will not give this book the justice it deserves.

The Goodreads description of this book is ‘A ship. A garden. A library. A key. In Kaleidoscope, the incomparable Brian Selznick presents the story of two people bound to each other through time and space, memory and dreams. At the center of their relationship is a mystery about the nature of grief and love which will look different to each reader’ and although it gives you an insight into Selznick’s newest release it is quite vague. The vagueness of this description is honestly perfect as I believe that everyone will take something different from reading this book. 

I have lost people who I truly cared about, both familial and platonic, but Selznick’s words portrayed the grief I felt and continue to feel in a way that I never thought possible. This book is perfectly named ‘Kaleidoscope’ portraying these overwhelming emotions we feel in beautiful fragments, colours, and refractions. This book is like nothing I have read before and I think with each future re-read I will gain something different from it. I feel everyone should read this book, especially young people who can find the topics of love and loss so overwhelming. I wish that this book had existed when I was younger. Even though portraying feelings that many don’t want to divulge, Selznick in every story gives hope that in the weird and wondrous way the world works someday, somewhere, somehow you will be reunited with those people you love. Sometimes even in the most unexpected ways. Reading this book in one sitting was such a whirlwind of emotions and although it could be described as a book of short stories each one felt so complete in their own way. Many I could have read full-length novels about. Selznick wrote this book whilst in lockdown separated from his husband and it is honestly a masterpiece, the artwork of course only elevated this read like many of his other works. I believe people of all ages will take something from this book. I gave Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick a 4.5 ⭐️ rating and the only reason it did not get a 5 is because I could have read a thousand more pages of these stories.

M🌸