One Potato Review

Two orphans set off wandering St. Petersburg in search of their mothers whom they can scarcely remember – one recalls living in the womb, with an attic and a tiny staircase, and a lettuce patch out back, the other believes he was delivered by a dog. Some of the peculiarities of this book probably derive from the translation, some from the fact of its conception in a completely different neck of the world (Sweden), with different storytelling traditions, and scarier bugaboos – and then some are just probably peculiar. But welcome, in a culture that can occasionally use a brisk draft. Maybe this is not the sort of fable that you or your children refer back to for a unified world view, but it’s a fascinating detour. And memorable. With snorting, sparking trolleys, a cheerful tugboat, free pierogis, and a sudden, happy ending that seems every bit as illusory as the start.