I chose to read The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio, because I have adored much of Lloyd Alexander's work over the years. It seemed only fitting to read his last work.
Carlo discovers a hidden map of riches in a book purchased from a mysterious merchant at the local market. With the map in hand, Carlo decides to go on a grand adventure in order to locate the treasure. Along the way, he meets many unusual characters, including a servant that doesn't seem to do much work and a mysterious girl.
Carlo Chuchio seems to have all the right ingredients for a fabulous adventure, but it doesn't seem to mix right. The beginning of the story is bogged down in details and takes too long to take off. I doubt many readers would be patient enough to keep reading. I did enjoy the secondary characters much more than Carlo. Carlo seems much to immature and his rash actions don't inspire a fondness in the reader.
I think this story is just "okay," not even close when compared to some of Alexander's classic works. It's too slow getting started, too predictable at others, and at times a chore to read. I'd recommend skipping this one and picking up one of the Prydain books instead. I'm probably being generous in giving this a grade of C.
