Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch

An enjoyable, if fanciful, novel about a boy and his time at sea. The writing is excellent and the characters are colourful (although a bit too numerous to get too attached to). It's an adventure story with a lull in the middle. The lull is actually very clever because it gives the narrator space to comment on the faster paced plot beforehand and therefore elevates this novel beyond a forgettable page turner. An unusual book which I enjoyed.