The King in the Window
Encyclopedia
The King in the Window is a children's novel
written by American
author Adam Gopnik
. Published in 2005 by Hyperion Books, the novel is about an American boy named Oliver who lives in Paris
. Oliver stumbles into an ancient battle waged between Window Wraiths and the malicious Master of Mirrors, when the American boy is mistaken for a mystical king.
, after enjoying his piece of Epiphany kingcake and wearing a gold paper crown, Oliver gazes out the window. He is approached by a haunting vision of another boy in the reflection. This mysterious boy is a window wraith
, and he mistakes Oliver for the new king. The window wraith boy calls Oliver to wield his sword and reclaim the kingdom, luring him into a journey of self-discovery
that could save the world.
The window wraiths are a cadre of France's deceased poets and artists, such as Molière
, who claim Oliver as the king who will save them from the evil force dwelling behind the mirror
s of the world capturing the souls of those who stare too long. The element of mirrors in the book is also an ode to Lewis Carrol's Through the Looking-Glass
and there is also a pivotal character who is a descendant of Alice Liddell
.
, Gopnik explained that he was inspired to write the novel when he saw his own son celebrate Epiphany in Paris. It is unlikely to be a merely coincidence that Oliver's father in the book is a journalist working in Paris, since Gopnik himself was a journalist in Paris.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author Adam Gopnik
Adam Gopnik
Adam Gopnik, is an American writer, essayist and commentator. He is best known as a staff writer for The New Yorker—to which he has contributed non-fiction, fiction, memoir and criticism—and as the author of the essay collection Paris to the Moon, an account of five years that Gopnik, his wife...
. Published in 2005 by Hyperion Books, the novel is about an American boy named Oliver who lives in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Oliver stumbles into an ancient battle waged between Window Wraiths and the malicious Master of Mirrors, when the American boy is mistaken for a mystical king.
Plot summary
On the night of EpiphanyEpiphany (Christian)
Epiphany, or Theophany, meaning "vision of God",...
, after enjoying his piece of Epiphany kingcake and wearing a gold paper crown, Oliver gazes out the window. He is approached by a haunting vision of another boy in the reflection. This mysterious boy is a window wraith
Wraith
Wraith is a Scottish dialectical word for "ghost, spirit", see Ghosts in European culture.Wraith or The Wraith may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Wraith: The Oblivion, a role-playing game*The Wraith, a 1986 movie starring Charlie Sheen...
, and he mistakes Oliver for the new king. The window wraith boy calls Oliver to wield his sword and reclaim the kingdom, luring him into a journey of self-discovery
Journey of self-discovery
The term "journey of self-discovery" refers to a travel, pilgrimage, or series of events whereby a person attempts to determine how they feel, personally, about spiritual issues...
that could save the world.
The window wraiths are a cadre of France's deceased poets and artists, such as Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
, who claim Oliver as the king who will save them from the evil force dwelling behind the mirror
Mirror
A mirror is an object that reflects light or sound in a way that preserves much of its original quality prior to its contact with the mirror. Some mirrors also filter out some wavelengths, while preserving other wavelengths in the reflection...
s of the world capturing the souls of those who stare too long. The element of mirrors in the book is also an ode to Lewis Carrol's Through the Looking-Glass
Through the Looking-Glass
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There is a work of literature by Lewis Carroll . It is the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...
and there is also a pivotal character who is a descendant of Alice Liddell
Alice Liddell
Alice Pleasance Liddell , known for most of her adult life by her married name, Alice Hargreaves, inspired the children's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, whose protagonist Alice is said to be named after her.-Biography:...
.
Background
In a 2005 interview with Charlie RoseCharlie Rose
Charles Peete "Charlie" Rose, Jr. is an American television talk show host and journalist. Since 1991 he has hosted Charlie Rose, an interview show distributed nationally by PBS since 1993...
, Gopnik explained that he was inspired to write the novel when he saw his own son celebrate Epiphany in Paris. It is unlikely to be a merely coincidence that Oliver's father in the book is a journalist working in Paris, since Gopnik himself was a journalist in Paris.