The Cabinet of Earths (Maya and Valko, #1)by Anne Nesbet

Thirteen-year-old Maya, in Paris with her family for a year, lands in the middle of the mysterious La Societe's quest for immortality when the magical Cabinet of Earths chooses her as its next Keeper, promising to restore her mother's health. Includes historical notes. (goodreads.com)

Two things first - one book related and the other not really related:Book related: Only just now, as I was getting the goodreads link for this book did I notice THAT THIS ISN'T A STAND ALONE NOVEL! Gah! I was so happy and content when I finished it thinking how awesome it was to read a great book and just have it be one book, but NO!  And I was so mad to see that this is yet ANOTHER series, but then I clicked on the series title link and saw that the next book is called Box of Gargoyles and the title of the next book was enough to make me want to read it. I AM SO TORN, PEOPLE!Not really book related: So I thought I had bronchitis. Turns out I just have a really nasty chest cold virus and I am miserable. Totally and completely miserable. I have about 4 books going (including the book I have showing on the sidebar as Currently Reading), and because I am so miserable and suffering from these epic coughing fits, I just can't focus enough on one book to really get into it. I was able to finish this book though because it captured my attention through the fits and the watery eyes and it was the closest book to my bedside while I was up coughing all night. Which is the only reason I completed a book before the one I have listed as Currently Reading. Not that you care about this, but I do. I hate when I read a book out of the order I say I am reading books. I have issues. Whatever. Moving along...The Cabinet of Earths is a fantastic Middle Grade debut novel! Coming off the heels of my having watched Hugo last weekend, I was in the right mindset to embark on another magical adventure in Paris. The mystery of the Salamander house, the cousin so unremarkable she's almost invisble and the two mysterious Henri de Fourcroys were just such a delicious delight that tickled my imagination pink!I will admit that I was rather creeped out by the story at times. It was dark and scary - in a very middle grade way - and made for some exciting reading. The way the cabinet draws you in, the way the earth in those bottles scurries away to find the human it came from... the exceptionally creepy beautiful cousin-uncle Henri and his blue-purple eyes! Oh the cousin-uncle! He was frightening and evil!One of the things I loved most about this book, was the fact that Maya's day-to-day life was described. It was something so simple but it added so much to the story in my opinion. Just the little details of what street she took, or the French lessons with Cousin Louise at the cafe, made the book much more special to me because I felt like I was living the story right along with Maya. There was just something about the detail in the story that added to the enchantment in total.This story does follow the "oblivious parents" model though. At least the parents weren't complete idiots, and they weren't completely written out of the story. Maya's mother, a recent cancer survivor, had a side-role in that Maya's worry over the return of her mother's illness prompts many of her decisions throughout the story. There's even a touching scene in which Maya confronts her mother about her suspicions that she's keeping a new illness secret.The Cabinet of Earths deals with the subject of immortality in a different way than I have normally read about. Those who have obtained it become cold and harsh. It made me think about whether or not I would choose immortality if I had the chance. I don't think I would. I'm too annoyed with the world as it is now, I don't think I could live forever and watch humanity get so stupid and self-involved that they kill themselves off. I'm too crotchety to want to live forever with stupid people on this planet. ;) If immortality came with perfect health the entire time though... I don't know. I still think my aggravation with most of the people on this planet would deter me from living forever.  If I can't have the power to cull the stupid from the face of the earth, why do it? heh(Take note: stay on my good side, in case I one day rule the world. If you want to live, you need to be on my list of "People That I Can Stand", otherwise - culled!)And semi-unrelated once more - I have never really wanted to visit Paris, though after having watched Funny Face, Hugo and read The Cabinet of Earths and, um, one other novel recently set in Paris (that I can't think of), I now want to visit. Who wants to come with me? Maya & Valko

1. The Cabinet of Earths
2. Box of Gargoyles - 2013