The Joker in the Pack

I finished reading Jostein Gaarder's "The Solitaire Mystery" today. I had read it before, but decided to re-read it as I could only vaguely remember that I had enjoyed it first time around.

It is a lovely story, suitable for a young adult reader, just awakening to the wonders of the world and the eternal philosophical questions, and equally suited to an adult, whether jaded by force of habit and oblivious to the wonder of the world, or one who is a bit of a joker. 

12 year old Hans Thomas and his Dad embark on a quest from Norway to Greece in search of Hans Thomas' mother, who left them some 8 years earlier "to find herself". His Dad is a whimsical man, liking his philosophy and his booze. He has a quirky hobby of collecting the joker from packs of playing cards. He defines a joker as someone who "experiences life as a crazy adventure...every single day", who experiences "life as a fairytale, every single day".  Like a joker in a pack of cards, he feels that he doesn't quite belong anywhere, doesn't quite fit with the rest of the world, and is therefore able to sit outside the world, observe, and comment upon its doings. 

During their journey, Hans Thomas meets a midget and a baker, who put him on the path to learning the great secret of the mysterious island, where a pack of cards sprung to life from the imagination of a ship-wrecked sailor. 

The book contains elements of mystery and fairytale, and seamlessly weaves philosophical questions into the mix. Essentially the author is calling upon all of us to wake up to the magic and mystery of our very existence; forget about seeking mystery and thrills in the unknown of the supernatural and outer space, and awaken to the thrill and beauty of life itself. 

The beautiful imagery and captivating ideas of this grown up fairytale allow the author and his protagonists to challenge the reader's perception of coincidence and destiny, about who we are and where we come from, in such a way that complex philosophical ideas appear simple, and within our grasp. 

Trust me when I say the philosophical musings are part of the fun, and after finishing this book you will look around at the world with fresh eyes and a new delight, hoping that you, too, are a joker in the pack of cards.