The story: The Iremongers run the dust heaps of Filching, keeping to themselves and becoming as cracked as the odd items they scavenge. Each one has a birth object that guides their destiny, but which also hides a grim secret. Now Clod Iremonger must decide whether to live up to his abilities as a Listener, or whether to fall in love with a freckle-faced outsider named Lucy Pennant. Because doing that would change everything. Not that everything is that great anyway.
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; violence PG; sexual content PG; Nudity G; substance abuse PG; magic and the occult PG; adult themes PG; overall rating PG.
Liz's comments: This is, without question, the weirdest YA book I've ever read, like a combination of Dickens' "Our Mutual Friend" and "A Series of Unfortunate Events". The friend who recommended it thought its weirdness was charming, but I mostly found if off-putting, and I doubt there's more than one in a thousand middle school readers who would get past the first or second chapter. I'm actually really pleased that I just borrowed it, rather than spending taxpayer money on it!
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