Colour Runner

Art meets magic; genies meet children; a deal is made; a game is played. Deceptively brilliant writing and fleshed out characters make this one of the most intriguing stories I have ever read.

Normally I don't read fantasy, but this book isn't exactly. It's a mixture of thriller, adventure and comedy, with element of fantasy. The protagonist is a teenage girl from Ireland who winds up in a house run by two genies. She agrees to play their game in exchange for a single wish. But the game she plays is of a different caliber to what she's used to. She's tasked with retrieving seven keys which are hidden in seven paintings, all of which have a theme. For example, the graveyard painting has to do with death; the orchestra painting has to do with music etc. There are traps and enemies residing in the paintings, which are like portals. Think of Mario 64.

In fact, it seems that this book is a sort of homage to video games in general, as is evident by the numerous references throughout the story. The main villains, too, are theatrical, and fleshed out. I was actually more interested in them than the hero.