This was a great read with a wonderful cast of characters, a compelling plot, and I read it in 24 hours. Although there are a lot of parallels to the Pinocchio story, it was still a very unique tale with its own deeper message. I have to say that my favorite part about this story is the author's descriptions. There were moments where I got so lost in the description that I had to stop and go back and re-read the description again. It was so rich, vivid and absolutely inspiring. Just thinking of some of the descriptions gives me chills now. I loved this book, and plan on checking out more of Mr. Estes' work because if they are anything like the beauty of Strings, then it will be time and money well spent! ( )

Full Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

My Thoughts: A Pinocchio retelling? Sign me up! Those were the only thoughts running through my head when I read the description for Strings. With as many fairytale retellings that are out there and I’ve managed to read, this is my first for Pinocchio and I’ll admit, it’s set the bar pretty darn high for anyone else that ventures into the same territory.

Pia was pretty admirable main character. There was an entire section in the middle of the book where she drove me nuts, but nobody is perfect. I just kept thinking, “you are being both stupid and selfish at this point!” Her selfishness was pissing me off, until I stopped reading and really thought about it. Then I realized I could relate and I did not like that realization. When it comes to your parents, everyone is selfish at some point and you end up taking that love for granted. I guess I shouldn’t say everyone because I’m sure someone will argue they are the exception, but I have definitely been selfish where my parents are concerned (I like to think I’ve grown out that by now). Having said all of that, with the way her life is structured and the way she’s treated I can’t believe she gave her trust away so easily. I wasn’t sure whether I should be in awe or annoyed.

I loved Marco from the minute he showed up in Strings. I’m not completely sure why I loved him so much, but I trusted him more that Pia did and that made me wonder if I was even more of an idiot than she was. I can’t tell you where I landed on that decision because it would probably be a spoiler. The other characters in String were surprisingly well-developed. I say surprisingly because a few them weren’t mentioned very often, but you still got that sense that you “knew” them. There was one character in particular that I had an issue with, Sofia. At one point Pia says she feels bad for her. Logically I understood where she was coming from and compassion is a wonderful thing, but no matter your situation or “lot in life” you do still have a choice. It’ll never be easy to make what seems like “the right choice,” but you’re still responsible for your choice to make “the wrong choice.”

The story itself was so intriguing. I couldn’t put it down. I never could’ve imagined a Pinocchio retelling. Part of that is because I’ve never read one, but the story of Pinocchio is just so specific that I couldn’t imagine someone coming up with something creative enough to hold my attention. Well, David Estes did. Strings held my attention without a problem and I definitely had my goofy reading smile popping up more than once.

Strings was such an enjoyable read. I know I have at least 4-5 more David Estes books on my tablet, so I’ll have to move those up higher on my TBR list. If you like sci-fi stories, I would recommend Strings. If you like fairy tale retellings, I would highly recommend Strings.

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