Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World by Eva Moon

Book Description

Becoming real was only the start. Pinocchio got his wish, but finds there’s more to being human than having the right kind of body. In the wake of WWI, his struggle to fit into a human world leads to a deadly fight with a fascist officer and flight from the only home he’s ever known. On his perilous journey, he finds a motley crew of allies, love, and an unexpected enemy who knows a secret about Pinocchio’s own magical origins that could help her enslave humanity.

Review

Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World by Eva Moon is a sweeping historical fantasy that expands the tale of Pinocchio.

If you’ve ever read The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883) by Carlo Collodi, you may have wondered what happens to the puppet-turned-boy the day after his happy ending. After all, he’s learned he must be honest, obedient, selfless, and brave, which sets him up for a lifetime of good fortune.

Right?

Well… maybe not. Especially if one finds themselves a young man at the start of World War I.

A Winning Combo

Not only is Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World a thrilling, well-told tale, it’s also this year’s winner of Washington State’s regional contest of the Indie Author Project. If the award sounds familiar, it may be because my book, Oil and Dust, won it last year!

Winning the award has put my books in a lot of libraries, and I know it will do the same for Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World. 

The novel is clever, heartwarming, and full of twists that will keep you flipping pages. I adored the voice Moon gave Pinocchio, and that he, (like all of us) has a lot to learn about what it means to be human.

This novel is a coming of age story. And an adventure novel. It’s a thriller, and a historical fantasy.

It is great fun, and a somber reminder that change only comes about if we’re willing to fight for it. The story is a mashup of so many things, and it works.

I loved this book, and I love that the second book to win the award was another fantasy.

If you enjoy fast-paced historical fantasy full of heart, you won’t regret giving Pinocchio’s Guide to the End of the World a try.

Content Warning

Amputation, Classism, Death, Fetishism, Imprisonment, Poverty, Starvation, Violence, War, Wounds

The header photo is a composite image. Base image by Conscious Design on Unsplash