THE BRONZE KING

by Suzy McKee Charnas ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1985

An intriguing blend of magic and fantasy with problems of urban life, but at times the juxtaposition of these two elements proves incompatible. Fourteen-year-old Valentine leads a routine life with her divorced mother on Manhattan's West Side. But that changes when her favorite statue in Central Park--Jagiello, the Bronze King--vanishes. Paavo, a brilliant itinerant fiddler, convinces Val that Jagiello has been stolen by the kraken, a monster that manifests itself because of New York's insensitivity to the destruction of its beautiful old buildings and markers. Paavo and Val decide to rescue Jagiello from the kraken who lives in the subway guarded by three punks, the Princes of Darkness. They are helped by Joel, a sullen boy who has given up the violin but secretly hopes to learn Paavo's musical technique. A special relationship develops between Val and Paavo, and she finally unlocks the mystery of who he is--a visitor from another plane who is summoned in times of turbulence and who has a link to Val's ancestors. The three do battle with the Princes and the kraken, restoring Jagiello to his pedestal, but Paavo, having utilized his magical energy, dies--at least on this plane. Charnas convincingly dramatizes the central idea that beauty is of utmost importance in life. Her flights into fantasy have a pleasant feel, but her characters are one-dimensional. Val's school environment is superficially drawn, the predictable relationship with her divorced mother offers no new insights, and Charnas feels compelled to inject comments on every issue confronting today's teen, including dieting, smoking, cursing, drugs, child psychiatrists, and working mothers. Val often emerges as Everygirl rather than a unique individual. While this does detract, it doesn't spoil an unusual story that should interest imaginative YA's.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1985

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1985

Categories: FICTION