Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

by Danielle Sherwood

Jonathan Auxier’s debut book, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, released August 1st by Amulet Books, is an imaginative attempt within the Young Adult (YA) fiction genre. But what appears to be the beginning of an action-and-adventure-filled series starring a persevering and original cast of characters is in reality an imaginative but half-hearted tale foiled by an amateur voice and copycat style.

By his own admission in the book’s acknowledgments, Auxier is a thief like his protagonist Peter Nimble. Snatching “inspiration from countless other worlds, characters, and books,” his crime is readily apparent. Young, blind, orphaned Peter is of the Dickensian trope and his behavior follows accordingly. He is born show more of dubious circumstances and ends up in the “care” of a corrupt guardian. He is forced to commit crime but is possessed with deep moral fiber. He is but an innocent, virtuous child graced with an adventuresome spirit who is, in spite of all handicaps, clever and highly self-sufficient. Peter’s friends, sidekicks, and saviors supplement and assist his adventures in a traditional fairy tale manner, appearing in times of duress and possessed with powers sufficient for the impending challenge. There is Professor Cake, an eerie human caricature of C.S. Lewis’s Aslan in omniscience and puissance; Sir Tode, an enchanted knight serving as Peter’s loyal sidekick and a bumbling cross between the Chesire Cat and Don Quixote; King Incarnadine, Peter’s nemesis and villainous uncle of Princess Pam, wearing clockwork armor that’s borrowed from a villain of Marvel comic Hellboy fame; and the monstrous ape army, serving as Night Guard in Incarnadine’s palace, reminiscent of the Wicked Witches’ flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. Peter’s entrance into the magical realm is similarly burgled from other tales. Like Alice falling down the rabbit hole, the titular Fantastic Eyes transport Peter to the aptly named Troublesome Lake, kicking off our protagonist’s fantastic adventure. The Eyes themselves are a unique narrative device and it is quite pleasurable to discover, along with Peter, their magical powers. Young readers will find some of the more absurd characters, like Sir Tode the cat-horse-man and Simon the beakless raven, amusing and fresh.

All this theft on part of Auxier makes for an imaginative fairy tale and adventure quest “mashup”. However, the delivery and pace of the fiction lacks warmth. There was no joy or wonder in Auxier’s words. While the plot moves along at a nice pace for young readers and is suitable for the action-and-adventure genre, the content lacks depth and the narration is erratic. The beginning of the tale is lush with description of a magical world (simply look at some of the place names: Just Deserts, Troublesome Lake, Kettle Rock, et al) while Peter’s adventures are simply accounted for. The narrator explains and jokes with the reader in some scenes – Vitamin C turns into Vitamin Sea, a nutrient in lemons to prevent scurvy from afflicting pirates and sailors – then hurries the action along in the next by stating simple facts along the lines of, “this happened, then that, and then Peter felt distraught and hopeless.” I paged through Peter’s adventure impatiently, past whale-sized dogfish and raids with banished thieves and perfect palace lives that seem all too perfect, waiting for a delivery that was anything but fantastic or nimble (hee hee).

By the third and final section, the book had shifted dramatically. Gone are the witty remarks and the conspiratorial laughter of the narrator explaining unnecessarily complex adult notions. Instead, grotesque descriptions of battle produce an unjustifiably violent affect. Child readers can handle exposure to cruelty and violence, but the line is tenuous – just look at best-selling authors like William Golding and Suzanne Collins, who wrote books in which children commit violence. Peter Nimble is witty and compelling in a first read because of the narrator’s cloying voice, reminiscent of my favorite childhood author Roald Dahl, and this voice vanishes irrevocably into the thick of battle. Furthermore, Auxier fails to produce either narrative justification or consistency for descriptions of violence in the culminating escape and battle. In one scene, where the raven army is pitted against Night Guard apes for control of the palace, the carnage of the nearly overpowered ravens turns the waters of a flooded hallway deep red. Later, the machinery of King Incarnadine’s armor destroys Peter Nimble’s hand to the point that it must be amputated later and replaced with a fishing hook (Captain Hook, anyone?). These descriptions, together with other chillingly honest moments, give a tale of good toppling evil a revolting twist.

All these weaknesses can be traced back to a single error: Auxier, like many well-intentioned YA authors, writes for his audience and not for his story. He creates a truly fantastic world full of characters infused with attributes loved in other acclaimed fairy tales… only to lose his imaginative spark as the fiction’s dubious hero toils on. By the final section, when our well-meaning hero has the chance to prove his worth as the greatest thief who ever lived (and likely most honorable), the drawn-out action and predictable moral summations excised all former attention and exhilaration. No reader turns the page to be told the action. It’s the author’s job to use language and unique skill to show and share it. Unlike poor Peter Nimble, the reader will not blindly mistake Auxier’s dim and dark HazelPort with the visionary depth and clarity for which imaginary realms like Narnia, Wonderland, Oz, and Neverland, not to mention contemporary creations like Hogwarts and Panem, are acclaimed.

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes should be a celebration of a child’s world triumphing over the dim, dull and illogical rule of adults. Instead, it pays homage to Lord of the Flies. Wide-eyed adventure no more, this tale suits better the Brothers Grimm. show less

Jonathan Auxier’s Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is a whirlwind of imagination and adventure that refuses to sit still for even a moment. Fast-paced and full of surprising turns, this book takes readers on an unpredictable journey through a world seen—or rather, not seen—through the eyes of a blind orphan thief.

One of the most striking aspects of this novel is its world-building. Unlike many fantasy adventures, Auxier’s world isn’t lavishly or visually described, which feels entirely intentional. Since Peter is blind, the narrative builds a sensory-rich world through touch, sound, and intuition rather than grand visual spectacle. This creates a distinct reading experience—immersive, yet grounded in Peter’s unique show more perspective.

The plot itself is wonderfully tangled. Readers are asked to hold on tight as Auxier layers mystery upon mystery, with small details early on later tying together in satisfying and sometimes unexpected ways. This makes the book an advanced middle-grade read—one that rewards careful readers who can keep track of its many threads. The pacing rarely slows, leaving little room to catch your breath, and for some readers, that intensity can be both exhilarating and exhausting.

Humor plays a key role in balancing the chaos. Auxier sprinkles the story with witty asides and clever observations, keeping the tone playful even when the stakes rise. And while Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes may feel like a mashup of classic tales—echoes of Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, and even Don Quijote are hard to miss—it’s open to interpretation whether the book is borrowing too freely from these literary greats or paying tribute to them.

Either way, nothing about this story is predictable. It’s weird, whimsical, and wild—a concoction that some readers will absolutely adore for its daring originality, while others may find it too chaotic to follow. But that’s exactly what makes Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes such a conversation starter: it’s a divisive, imaginative, and truly one-of-a-kind adventure that challenges what a middle-grade fantasy can be.

In short, Auxier’s novel is a test of whether you like your stories neatly ordered—or delightfully, brilliantly unhinged. show less

Fantastic Eyes completely drew me in from the very first page. It’s one of those rare stories that feels both whimsical and heartfelt, with a perfect mix of adventure, humor, and a touch of mystery. The characters are so unique and memorable, and the world-building is wonderfully imaginative without ever feeling overwhelming. What I loved most is how the story balances excitement with deeper themes—it’s fun and swashbuckling, but also touching in ways that linger after you put the book down. I found myself rooting for the main character every step of the way, and the journey kept surprising me.

This book is such a strange little gem in the best possible way. It opens with a blind ten-year-old orphan who also happens to be a master thief, and it only gets wilder from there.

Peter is clever, resourceful, and a little rough around the edges, which makes him easy to root for. The whole story kicks off when he steals a box of magical eyes, and from that moment on, you're swept into a world that feels completely its own.

The Vanished Kingdom is whimsical but never fluffy. Auxier builds a world where every detail feels intentional. There are moments that are funny, weird, dark, and thoughtful, often all at once. Sir Tode, Peter’s part-horse, part-cat, part-human companion, is one of the strangest sidekicks I’ve ever read, and yet show more somehow he works. The bond between him and Peter ends up being one of the most charming parts of the story.

It reads like a fairy tale and a classic adventure rolled into one. The language is rich but accessible, and the pacing keeps things moving without feeling rushed. There are layers here too, with deeper themes about identity, power, and what it means to do the right thing when it costs you something.

Perfect for kids who like a little mischief and magic in their stories, and honestly just as enjoyable for grown-up readers who want to get swept away. I’m excited to see how the rest of this new series unfolds. show less

PETER NIMBLE AND HIS FANTASTIC EYES is a long middle-grade fantasy novel about the world's greatest thief, Peter Nimble. Orphaned and blinded as a baby, Peter grows to the age of ten when circumstances pitch him into the adventure of a lifetime — and as we learn, a lifetime of adventure.

What surprised me about this novel was how dark it is. The plot is consistently darker than the books in the Harry Potter series, even darker than books 5 through 7; I was surprised how casually death, violence, and intentional cruelty were introduced. This novel is also not a good choice for readers who prefer realistic fiction, as the plot depends consistently on readers being willing to suspend disbelief and accept stunning coincidences — but of show more course, these are qualities that befit legendary storytelling.

I have read and admired Auxier's work in the past. There are more book in this series, called The Vanished Kingdom, and I look forward to seeing what else has sprung from Auxier's imaginative mind. show less

I received this book as a part of LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program. I was super excited about it because I’ve read some of Jonathan Auxier’s early chapter books and thought they were fantastic: very imaginative and full of wonderful vocabulary and humour. I was expecting much the same from Peter Nimble, though aimed at slightly older readers, and I wasn’t disappointed.

I did have a difficult start with this one. The premise, which can be read on the back of the book as well as the first chapter, is that blind children make the best thieves due to their extra sensitive hearing, smell, and touch, even claiming that they can smell what’s on the other side of a door including “fine cloth, gold, and peanut brittle.” As show more can be inferred from that intro, Peter’s blindness doesn’t seem to slow him down. It felt very much like the character was falling into the magical disability trope. I was cringing while reading for the first several chapters and was very close to giving up on the book altogether.

And then this line: “The only thing worse than a perilous adventure is a boring one.” Such a simple line but so much feeling contained in it. Auxier’s humour really kept me in, despite my concerns about the disability representation. My favourite parts were often concise little tidbits like that, along with a pun that paid off fully half a chapter after it was presented.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and the magical kingdom and characters contained within it. My 9-year-old has asked to read it, and I look forward to hearing her thoughts on it, although I think we will have to do some extra reading on what life is actually like for people who are blind without mystical thieving powers. show less

As I began this book, the first word that came to my mind was "charming". It is a perfect read-aloud book. The narrator's voice is strong and fun with lots of age-appropriate humour. Although the back of the book says 10+ years, my precocious 8 year old nephew would enjoy it as well.

Poor, blind, Peter is liberated from his miserable life and embarks on a magical, mystical journey full of: problems waiting to be overcome; friends waiting to be made; lessons waiting to be learned and mysteries waiting to be solved. Peter needs a steady companion and who better than Sir Tode? I have to say that Sir Tode was my favorite character in the story. Who could resist a knight who is also a cat/horse/human? He fills a vital role as friend, show more confidant and Peter's eyes.

Don't expect this to be one of those books that helps kids understand and appreciate what it means to live with blindness. It is easy to forget Peter's blindness as he can 'see' almost better with his other senses as sighted people can with their eyes. This includes the ability, for example, to catch things thrown at him by 'sensing' their presence.
Mr Auxier's imagination and originality show through in his telling of the tale. The use of magic eyes was brilliantly incorporated as were the details of the Vanished Kingdom.

Be forewarned that there is a fair amount of violence in the story but (having some experience with 8 - 12 year olds - and boys especially) nothing they won't appreciate; nothing to cause nightmares; and, likely, nothing that comes close to the violence in their favorite video game.

All in all a great first effort by Jonathon Auxier. I'm hopeful we will find more accounts Peter's magical adventures in the future. show less