Based on true events in Mali in 2012, Davies’ novel offers villains to hate, protagonists to feel for, and a nuanced glimpse...
Ali and Kadija have nearly opposite views of how to live their faiths and cultures, but as their worlds collide, they are drawn to each other in this ambitious novel narrated by both teens in alternating chapters.
Ali, a native of Mali, is a soldier with the Defenders of Faith when they take over Timbuktu, using AK-47s to control the locals, who resist with marches, cunning, and song. Kadija sings in a musical band and is in line to inherit a position as a Guardian of Timbuktu’s priceless treasure: thousands of ancient manuscripts revered by the local Sufi population. When Ali is stationed on Kadi’s street as a guard, the ideological battle over the soul of Timbuktu becomes personal. Ali attempts to guide Kadi, while Kadi seeks to lure him out from under the influence of Redbeard, the real-life Arab leader of the Defenders. After Ali discovers the secret vault that houses the manuscripts, Kadi must save the manuscripts from destruction by the Defenders. While the chemistry between Ali and Kadi feels somewhat forced, the high-stakes action and believable setting details will likely keep readers tuned in. Their present-tense narrations alternate, interspersed with transcripts from the manuscripts.
Based on true events in Mali in 2012, Davies’ novel offers villains to hate, protagonists to feel for, and a nuanced glimpse into a rich Muslim culture and society. (glossary, afterword) (Historical fiction/thriller. 12-16)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58089-790-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Charlesbridge Teen
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice.
A teenage, not-so-lonely loner endures the wilds of high school in Austin, Texas.
Norris Kaplan, the protagonist of Philippe’s debut novel, is a hypersweaty, uber-snarky black, Haitian, French-Canadian pushing to survive life in his new school. His professor mom’s new tenure-track job transplants Norris mid–school year, and his biting wit and sarcasm are exposed through his cataloging of his new world in a field guide–style burn book. He’s greeted in his new life by an assortment of acquaintances, Liam, who is white and struggling with depression; Maddie, a self-sacrificing white cheerleader with a heart of gold; and Aarti, his Indian-American love interest who offers connection. Norris’ ego, fueled by his insecurities, often gets in the way of meaningful character development. The scenes showcasing his emotional growth are too brief and, despite foreshadowing, the climax falls flat because he still gets incredible personal access to people he’s hurt. A scene where Norris is confronted by his mother for getting drunk and belligerent with a white cop is diluted by his refusal or inability to grasp the severity of the situation and the resultant minor consequences. The humor is spot-on, as is the representation of the black diaspora; the opportunity for broader conversations about other topics is there, however, the uneven buildup of detailed, meaningful exchanges and the glibness of Norris’ voice detract.
Despite some missteps, this will appeal to readers who enjoy a fresh and realistic teen voice. (Fiction. 13-16)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-282411-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
Despite the stale fat-to-curvy pattern, compelling world building with a Southern European, pseudo-Christian feel,...
Adventure drags our heroine all over the map of fantasyland while giving her the opportunity to use her smarts.
Elisa—Princess Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza of Orovalle—has been chosen for Service since the day she was born, when a beam of holy light put a Godstone in her navel. She's a devout reader of holy books and is well-versed in the military strategy text Belleza Guerra, but she has been kept in ignorance of world affairs. With no warning, this fat, self-loathing princess is married off to a distant king and is embroiled in political and spiritual intrigue. War is coming, and perhaps only Elisa's Godstone—and knowledge from the Belleza Guerra—can save them. Elisa uses her untried strategic knowledge to always-good effect. With a character so smart that she doesn't have much to learn, body size is stereotypically substituted for character development. Elisa’s "mountainous" body shrivels away when she spends a month on forced march eating rat, and thus she is a better person. Still, it's wonderfully refreshing to see a heroine using her brain to win a war rather than strapping on a sword and charging into battle.
Despite the stale fat-to-curvy pattern, compelling world building with a Southern European, pseudo-Christian feel, reminiscent of Naomi Kritzer's Fires of the Faithful (2002), keeps this entry fresh. (Fantasy. 12-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-06-202648-4
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
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