I finally read this Kate DiCamillo classic. I admit I vaguely knew the story since I had the graphic novel adaptation of the movie but we all know movie’s take artistic liberties so I was interested to see what changed and what stayed the same.

While I found the narrator addressing the readers a bit Lemony Snicket-like with telling them about the ridiculousness of love, hope and asking readers to look up words like perfidy (Deceitfulness/untrustworthiness), I also found it endearing because DiCamillio wrote this for a friend’s son in mind. It makes it perfect to read outloud for kids.

As such it was a breezy read of a classic adventure story of the adorable little Despereaux who defies mouse convention to fall in love with a princess. There’s a dastardly rat whose crooked heart is desperate for light and a sad serving girl who wants to be a princess.

I enjoyed the point DiCamillo made about everyone holding darkness and light in their hearts, and that even though love is ridiculous, it is also one of the most powerful things. Plus it has some dark undercurrents that will surely give kids chills like the labrinythian dungeon maze and the rats calling for mouse blood. Not to mention the evil Botticelli whose name is omnious in itself.

Also the illustrations by Timothy Basil Ering are very vivid with the ugly rats contrasting with the adorable little mice. Seriously, Despereaux is the cutest thing ever.

Theonly thing different from the movie was Roscuro’s origin and ending, as well as this whole magical vegetable person subplot in the movie that is a bit weird now that I think about it.

Overall, an exciting quest that kids would surely enjoy.