The Collectors

By: Jacqueline West

Narrated by: Ramon de Ocampo

Even the smallest wish can be dangerous. That’s why the Collectors are always keeping watch.

The Collectors sweeps listeners into a hidden world where wishes are stolen and dreams have a price. Fast-paced, witty, and riveting, this contemporary fantasy adventure has magic woven through every page.

It's the first book in a two-book series from Jacqueline West, the New York Times–bestselling author of The Books of Elsewhere series. For fans of Serafina and the Black Cloak, The Isle of the Lost, and The Secret Keepers.

Van has always been an outsider. Most people don’t notice him. But he notices them. And he notices the small trinkets they drop, or lose, or throw away—that’s why his collection is full of treasures. Then one day, Van notices a girl stealing pennies from a fountain, and everything changes. He follows the girl, Pebble, and uncovers an underground world full of wishes and the people who collect them. Apparently not all wishes are good and even good wishes often have unintended consequences—and the Collectors have made it their duty to protect us. But they aren't the only ones who have their eyes on the world’s wishes—and they may not be the good guys, after all.

Jacqueline West, author of the New York Times–bestselling Books of Elsewhere series, draws readers into a story about friendship, magic, and the gray area between good and evil. The Collectors is for fans of Cassie Beasley’s Circus Mirandus and Jonathan Auxier’s The Night Gardener.

Awesome Book!

This has got to be one of the most creative and interesting children’s books I have listened to and/or read in a long time. I was thoroughly entranced to the magical essence of the plot while listening, wanting to find out what was going to happen next. It also reminds me a little bit like the book “The Thief Lord”. It was well narrated, too. Highly recommended!

The story

This audio was clear and easy to follow. The nareration was not my favorite but i loved the story.

Did not enjoy

So I went back and forth between the book and the audiobook. Ugh. I was just so annoyed with the narrator and his performance of the book. It’s totally a, “It wasn’t him, it was me,” situation. The story is MUCH better when you read it.

... Will Collect Dust on my Shelf

And so goes my streak of picking books to listen to. Oh Audio goddesses, what have I done to deserve so many unsatisfying listens?!

I’m snowballed when I listen to samples, read samples, read book descriptions, and reviews and get blindsided by something less than stellar.

The first chapter was wonderful. The second chapter was still hooking the reader with mystery and poetic writing, including the foreknowledge that perhaps his disability will play a role. And I love to read books that seem to be promising to be different from the main genre.
The characters were okay, but didn’t grab me as the story progressed. Or regressed.
The complexity was unique but it just falls short of expectations.
I really liked how it makes you think - for a wish to come true, you never know what will be sacrificed. Older audiences will have a quick flashback if The Monkey’s Paw for reference, but this book was written for the elementary crowd. My favorite was the squirrel. What does that tell you?
Younger readers may expect less than I did. But I don’t plan to share this with my granddaughters. I liked Granted by John David Anderson was undeniably a better book.