ISBN: 0061173908
Pub. Date: May 2007
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
I saw this book online and its cover attracted me in the first place. I went on to read the blurb, and liked what I read. The next thing I knew, I went to the bookstore and asked for the book. It wasn't placed on the shelf yet, but the staff was kind enough to check for me and anyway, I was glad to have the book.
First, I wish to clarify that this isn't your normal fiction novel. I mean, it is a fiction but it is an inspirational novel wrapped with a fantasy theme. I have to respect and admire the author for coming up with the clever plots as I was hooked right from the beginning to the ending. I started reading this book on Sunday and have finished it last evening. I don't recall finishing reading a book at this record time, hehe. But anyway, enough of my ramblings and on to the review.
This is a story about a man who is trapped in his past lives. He is pessimistic and thinks himself as a failure. His wife has gone missing for 40 days, and no one knows what has happened until he heard from the news that they had found his wife. She was involved in an accident and is in intensive care. He rushes to the hospital, glad she is alive but she is seriously hurt. She gives him an envelope, telling him to visit an abandoned amusement park to experience the things that happened to her.
Puzzled and hoping to search for some answers, he enters the amusement park and is shocked to find the park magically comes to life. He is then greeted by a groundskeeper named Henry, and he invited him into the park and made him sign a contract which stated he will agree to give up all his defense mechanisms and face the truth.
From there, the narrator begins his adventure as Henry introduces him to the park employees and through these people - a hypnotist, an elephant trainer, a fortune teller, a lion tamer, a strong man etc, he is to overcome all obstacles thrown by them and through these, he begins to learn about the meaning of life and love, to be a stronger person with open mindedness and finally, discovering what happened to Mary and what holds inside her mysterious envelope.