The Remarkable Inventions of Walter Mortinson

Written by Quinn Sosna-Spear

Narrated by Graham Halstead

In this sweeping and inventive debut novel that's perfect for fans of Roald Dahl, Neil Gaiman, and Tim Burton, a prodigal inventor flees his home to find his destiny. In the humdrum town of Moormouth, Walter Mortinson's unusual inventions cause nothing but trouble. After one of his contraptions throws the town into chaos, Walter's mother demands he cut the nonsense and join the family mortuary business. Far off on Flaster Isle, famed inventor Horace Flasterborn plans to take Walter under his wing, just as he did Walter's genius father decades ago. When a letter arrives by unusual means offering Walter an apprenticeship, it isn't long before Walter decides to flee Moormouth to meet his destiny. Walter runs away in the family hearse along with Cordelia, the moody girl next door with one eye and plenty of secrets. Together they journey through a strange landscape of fish-people, giantess miners, and hypnotized honeybees in an adventure that will not only reveal the truth about Walter's past, but direct his future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781980044345

Quinn Sosna-Spear

Quinn Sosna-Spear was named a California Young Playwright at seventeen and went on to study at the University of Southern California. She has since written books, films, and comics. Her novels are inspired by her childhood and the untimely death of her own mother. Quinn hopes to share with all readers—particularly those struggling with loss—the humor, poignancy, and adventure in such things…as dreary and impossible as they may seem.

Reviews for The Remarkable Inventions of Walter Mortinson

[jrlibrary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a highly unusual book full of entertaining and wild imaginings unlike anything I've read before. Some reviewers have compared the writing to that of Roald Dahl or Lemony Snicket but I don't see the similarity strong enough to agree except to say that the author does have a fresh energetic style. I'm not a fan of stories that are told in flashbacks, and in multiple places, the reader is given necessary backstory in that manner, but I managed to persevere and finish the story. I found it a bit disjointed and difficult to read at times. There's fleeting world creation as Walter travels through various places on his way to meet Flasterborn so you have to really work when you're reading it and you can't read very much at one time because it's exhausting. If you like wild imagination in your tales you will find something to enjoy in this fun yet very sad story. It would definitely not be a good suggestion for a weak reader because as I mentioned, there's a lot packed into the pages. What I did love however, was Walter and how he was unconsciously competent at inventing. I suspect this is a book that will stay with me for a long time. It's also one that I could see myself rereading and getting more out of it the second and third time.