Here are some shorter musings on recent MG fantasy reads.
Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
This book is fun. It is a book full of adventure, an obvious bad guy, some more complicated morally gray area characters, and a strong, brave heroine. It is also a book about friendships, community, and fighting for what is right. All things that usually work for me really well. While I enjoyed this, I did feel it was a little overlong and there were certain plot points at the end I didn't love. However, there were things I thought were done really well, such as Anya's Jewish faith and the idea that power needs to be challenged. In the end it was a middle of the road read for me, but it is one I will certainly be recommending to dragon and fantasy adventure lovers I know!
R is for Rebel by J. Anderson Coats
This is tough because I usually really like Coats's books. I had such a hard time with this one though on so many levels. It's difficult to get into because the world-building is being explained via plot. Due it being a MG book, that comes off a little stilted and cobbled together. I didn't feel the characters were very well developed, and other than the main character, I honestly didn't know which girl was which most of the time. Then there are the thematic elements. I feel like Coats was trying to say some deep and much needed things about Imperialism. The forced schooling and cultural changes the girls were forced to endure is highly reminiscent of what went on here in America with the indigenous population. As a result, the book left me highly uncomfortable. Is it straight up cultural appropriation? I hesitate to call it that as she definitely set the book outside our own historical experience. However, it skirts close enough to the line for me to endorse it.
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
This is a truly excellent novel-both fun and well written. It deals with some difficult themes and experiences, while also maintaining a perfect MG tone. It's clear why it is included in Riordan's new imprint. Dare I say it is better crafted than most of Riordan's own work though? The characters are strong and well drawn. There is humor, high stakes, and a lot of adventure. I really enjoyed the way it used both African and American folklore. I can tell this is going to be one of those series I recommend constantly to kids with great success.
Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya PasternackThis book is fun. It is a book full of adventure, an obvious bad guy, some more complicated morally gray area characters, and a strong, brave heroine. It is also a book about friendships, community, and fighting for what is right. All things that usually work for me really well. While I enjoyed this, I did feel it was a little overlong and there were certain plot points at the end I didn't love. However, there were things I thought were done really well, such as Anya's Jewish faith and the idea that power needs to be challenged. In the end it was a middle of the road read for me, but it is one I will certainly be recommending to dragon and fantasy adventure lovers I know!
R is for Rebel by J. Anderson CoatsThis is tough because I usually really like Coats's books. I had such a hard time with this one though on so many levels. It's difficult to get into because the world-building is being explained via plot. Due it being a MG book, that comes off a little stilted and cobbled together. I didn't feel the characters were very well developed, and other than the main character, I honestly didn't know which girl was which most of the time. Then there are the thematic elements. I feel like Coats was trying to say some deep and much needed things about Imperialism. The forced schooling and cultural changes the girls were forced to endure is highly reminiscent of what went on here in America with the indigenous population. As a result, the book left me highly uncomfortable. Is it straight up cultural appropriation? I hesitate to call it that as she definitely set the book outside our own historical experience. However, it skirts close enough to the line for me to endorse it.
Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame MbaliaThis is a truly excellent novel-both fun and well written. It deals with some difficult themes and experiences, while also maintaining a perfect MG tone. It's clear why it is included in Riordan's new imprint. Dare I say it is better crafted than most of Riordan's own work though? The characters are strong and well drawn. There is humor, high stakes, and a lot of adventure. I really enjoyed the way it used both African and American folklore. I can tell this is going to be one of those series I recommend constantly to kids with great success.
Comments
It all started when I had the misfortune of misplacing the digital wallet containing my substantial cryptocurrency holdings - a staggering 103,000 bitcoins. I had amassed this sizable fortune over the years through strategic investments and careful trading, but in a moment of carelessness, the private keys to my digital wallet had vanished. Panic set in as I grappled with the gravity of my situation - those bitcoins, worth millions at the time, were effectively lost to the ether, inaccessible and seemingly unrecoverable. Just when I had resigned myself to the devastating financial blow, a chance encounter with a self-proclaimed "digital wizard" Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech presented a glimmer of hope. This enigmatic individual, who operated in the shadowy corners of the crypto underworld, claimed to possess the arcane knowledge and skills necessary to retrieve my lost digital wealth. Intrigued and desperate, I put my skepticism aside and entrusted this mysterious wizard with the task. What followed was a wild, suspenseful journey into the depths of blockchain technology and cryptography, as the wizard navigated complex algorithms, exploited vulnerabilities, and pieced together the puzzle of my missing private keys. After days of intense effort, Wizard Hilton Cyber Tech emerged triumphant, having successfully recovered the entirety of my 103,000 bitcoin stash. The sheer relief and elation I felt in that moment was indescribable, as I regained access to my small digital fortune and was able to secure my financial future. This harrowing experience taught me the invaluable lesson of never taking the security of my cryptocurrency holdings for granted, and the importance of always maintaining the utmost diligence when it comes to protecting one's digital wealth. Email: wizardhiltoncybertech ( @ ) gmail (. ) com
OR
support ( @ ) wizardhiltoncybertech (.) com
WhatsApp number +18737715701
Thanks.