It's cute. It's quaint. It's even charming.

But I just can't warm up to The Professor's Daughter, a bit of whimsical fluff written by Joann Sfar (best known for The Little Vampire and The Rabbi's Cat) and illustrated by Emmanuel Guibert.

The story is set in Victorian London where, for reasons never explained, an Egyptologist's daughter is out on the town with the reanimated mummy of Imhotep IV. The two are in love, and their romance -- against the wishes of her father, the professor, and his father, the likewise reanimated Imhotep III -- is grist for a number of madcap adventures, chases, amusing murders and courtroom drama.

The story is cute, and the artwork is cute, and I found the whole thing -- with the exception of the scene where Imhotep III tosses Queen Victoria into the Thames -- fairly dull and pointless. A lot of people seem to like it, though, so don't take my word for it. No, really, give it a try if you think it sounds good. In fact, would you like my copy?