Wow. This is such a unique, engaging book. It hadn't even been on my radar, but a patron asked me if I could check it in for her and started telling me about it, and as I glanced through it I knew I wanted to read it immediately. At least a third of the book is full-page illustrations, which is the really unique thing about it, and which allows you to read huge chunks at once and finish the whole thing fairly quickly despite its size. I love the atmosphere of it, too--Paris, 1931, magicians and clock-makers and the beginning of the film industry. A really lovely book.