Just before his terminally ill mother is about to die, twelve-year-old Nicolaus runs out of her hospital room. He takes the elevator and presses a strange red button. Time stands still and the elevator takes him to a mysterious train station beneath the hospital. The trains that run there can travel through time. Can Nicolaus go to the past to save his mother?

In this captivating, magical-realistic story, it is mainly the language itself that keeps capturing your attention. That language is poetic, contemplative and versatile.

For example, prose sentences alternate with pieces of text that look more like verses. As Nicolaus talks, he regularly pauses to think about a detail. He observes, thinks, repeats and reformulates: “A big pan of meatballs, a pan of spaghetti.” You never know in advance which detail his mind's eye will linger on. It causes the story to alternately slow down and speed up: a stylistic reflection of the theme of time.

By giving the language itself such a prominent role, the Swedish Conny Palmkvist does something that is rarely seen in children's books: a commendable show of confidence in the possibilities of young readers.

From www.nieuwsblad.be

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