The Alchemist’s Portrait. Simon Rose. Vancouver, BC: Tradewind Books, 2003. 126 pp, pbk., $9.95. ISBN 1-896580-29-7. Subject Heading: Magic-Juvenile fiction. Grades 4-6 / Ages 9-11. Review by Gillian Richardson. *** /4

excerpt:

Matthew felt as if someone had dropped an ice cube down his back. Forcing himself to turn around, he came face to face with a young boy with vivid blue eyes, whose shoulder length hair tumbled over his lace collar.

Matthew was paralysed with fear.

"Don't come any closer," he choked. "Where am I?"

"But, surely you know?" said the boy, puzzled.

"Who are you?" demanded Matthew, dreading the answer.

"I am Peter Glimmer, Matthew," declared the boy. "I am a prisoner in my own portrait."

With a sweep of his arm, the painting of the harbour, the window shutters and the surrounding walls rippled, as if they were liquid. The colours mingled, swirling together briefly before returning to their original state.

That's no painting of ships in a harbour. The entire room is a painting, Matthew thought. I'm inside the portrait of Peter Glimmer!

Matthew is positive the boy in the 17th century Dutch painting spoke to him. How could that be? But he soon finds himself pulled into the painting by a desperate Peter Glimmer, placed under a spell by his evil uncle, an alchemist. Peter's story is fantastic. His uncle is trying to recover a missing formula for magic paint. If used for a self portrait, it will grant the artist immortality. Peter seeks Matthew's help so he can be free to stop his uncle's dire plans for the world.

     The complex plot involves time travel through the magic portal of the picture frame, a villain who has managed to live through three centuries, and a wild chase in and out of a shifting time stream that could leave Matthew stranded in another era. He races through historical settings from Amsterdam in 1666, when the portrait was first painted, to Paris during the French Revolution, the American Civil War, to St. Petersburg at the time of the Russian Revolution. The evil uncle stays one step ahead of him, hiding the precious spell book that Peter needs to escape his entrapment.

     In this fast paced enactment of the classical theme of good vs. evil, the settings are vivid in detail. The characters are believable and diverse, with Matthew and Peter finding a common bond in their ages. Matthew overcomes his own incredulity, determined to help Peter while working to convince his friends and a museum worker that a crisis exists. The dialogue is realistic and generous and works well to show characters and advance the plot through 17 chapters with cliff hanger endings. The fantasy is well sustained as tension builds, with the reader rooting for Matthew as he struggles through the maze of time. An exciting, action packed climax sees Matthew take on the evil uncle in a dramatic shoot out with finger tip flame throwers. The fantasy is convincing enough for the reader to accept that history has been changed in the course of the story until the last line when we are brought back to reality with a jolt.

     Strong readers will enjoy this fantastic journey. For a similar plot situation, read Within a Painted Past by Hazel Hutchins.

Recommended.

Living in BC, Gillian Richardson is a former teacher librarian and a published writer of children's fiction and nonfiction.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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