The Cardturner

It seemed like a tough premise, at best, to write a book about bridge for teens. I mean, bridge?

The Cardturner
by Louis Sachar
Doubleday
ISBN:
Audience: 12 years and up

I should by now just trust Louis Sachar. The man did, after all, manage to write a sort of fairy-tale like story about family mythologies and a desert work camp that is not only an award-winner, but also beloved by kids. This is not an easy feat. Still, I was skeptical about this book because apparently, I am just difficult. I have now been properly schooled on the mad skills and serious writing chops of Sachar and am also thankful that I made no bets about this, or I’d be doing something pretty embarrassing right about now.

The book, narrated by the cardturner himself, starts by introducing his grasping parents, who push him relentlessly in the direction of his rich old uncle. These people are really never sympathetic characters here, to be honest. Next up, we meet the uncle, who requests Alton’s services as a cardturner so that he can continue to play bridge, despite having lost his sight. A golden opportunity, think his parents, and off he is sent. He begins to get drawn in, though, by the mysteries of the family history, by the characters around the table, and by the intricacies of the card game, which are well- and simply-described in marked sections that readers can skip if they wish.

He starts to meet the other people in his uncle’s life and get to know them, too, and gradually learns about the tragedy of his uncle’s past, and feel closer to the girl who his parents see as their rival for the family money. Out of the blue, mid-book, things take a left turn. I hate to get all coy on you, but I really don’t want to give it away… Let’s just say there’s some channeling and supernatural stuff involved that is generally an eye-roller for me, but here, you are already so deeply invested in the outcome of the final game and so solidly behind the characters involved that as a reader, I wasn’t even shaken by it, and remained riveted. Cardturner? Try surprising page turner.
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Also available as an ebook.