Dane's Reviews > Momo

You cannot, repeat: cannot, go into this book with the expectations of "hard," realist fiction. Then again, if you know anything about Michael Ende (the author of the Never Ending Story), you won't.

Momo is one of those rare books that would do well in a fourth-grade classes, but is also strangely releveant to adults. The story centers around a girl named Momo who took residence in an ancient, abandoned amphitheater in an unnamed town, which is populated by a series of people who do small-town jobs (Bepo Streetsweeper, Nino who owns an inn, Guido Guide who works as a fake - albeit enterataining - tourist guide).

The story starts by painting Momo's life and place in the town, and details the downfall of the place to mysterious, grey men. The book deals heavily in the subject of time, and the squandering of it - and this is the genius of the plot. There is enough fantasy to hold a 10-year-old's attention, but plenty of substance to whet the apetite of an adult.

I can't help but think that this story rings of pre-globalized Europe, and considering that Ende is German, that would make sense. Momo is translated from German, and the diction often shows this, but that doesn't stop the book from being an incredibly enjoyable read.