What-the-Dickens

I just finished What-the-Dickens by Gregory Maguire. I have to be honest, I bought this at a used book store and was totally taken in by the cover. I was intrigued by the story, but the cover sold me.

This is the story of a girl named Dinah, her brother Zeke, her toddler sister Rebecca Ruth, and their older cousin Gage. They are in the middle of a horrible storm, and are trying to get through the night without their parents. This is no ordinary storm, it has driven many neighbors to evacuate, but the group is scared to leave.

To pass the time, Gage begins to tell the story of What-the-Dickens. He is a young skibberee, or tooth fairy, that was born alone in a tin can. What-the-Dickens knows nothing of who he is, and seeks to find answers. He comes across many creatures, most notably Pepper, a fellow skibberee who has enough fight to back up her name.

I enjoyed this story, although I can't claim it as one of my favorites. What-the-Dickens is a likeable, but frusturating character. I didn't feel like Dinah, Zeke, or Gage got developed enough. I liked the twisting together of the two plots, but felt like it was strained at times. Overall, a fun read, if you are looking for something different.