An illuminating look at Sikh history.
A sweeping tale about a legendary 18th-century female Sikh warrior who went to war against the Mughal empire.
Now known to generations of Sikhs as Mai Bhago, the young woman born Bhag Bhari is a teen at a crossroads when the novel opens. Growing up in a traditional Sikh family in Jhabal Kalan near Amritsar, Bhag Bhari resists prescribed feminine tasks like cooking and sewing. Rather than dreaming of settling down and raising a family, she yearns to study martial arts like the men in her family—and displays striking talents when she does so. She also yearns to use her skills to protect her people. When her uncle and cousin are sent to war, she both worries about them and longs to be part of the fight. But Bhag Bhari’s parents urge her to focus more on finding a respectable husband and being a good bride. Kharbanda’s novel is at its strongest when it describes Bhag Bhari’s struggle to push back against the often sexist environment around her. While many parts of this legend’s fictionalized story are fascinating, the pacing feels uneven—often quite slow but too rushed when it comes to the main character’s evolving relationship with Nidhan Singh, her husband. Still, readers will likely be drawn to the rich historical details, and Bhag Bhari’s strong Sikh faith and courage shine throughout.
An illuminating look at Sikh history. (author’s note, sources) (Historical fiction. 13-18)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-949528-71-8
Page Count: 316
Publisher: Yali Books
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage.
Adrian, the youngest of the Montague siblings, sails into tumultuous waters in search of answers about himself, the sudden death of his mother, and her mysterious, cracked spyglass.
On the summer solstice less than a year ago, Caroline Montague fell off a cliff in Aberdeen into the sea. When the Scottish hostel where she was staying sends a box of her left-behind belongings to London, Adrian—an anxious, White nobleman on the cusp of joining Parliament—discovers one of his mother’s most treasured possessions, an antique spyglass. She acquired it when she was the sole survivor of a shipwreck many years earlier. His mother always carried that spyglass with her, but on the day of her death, she had left it behind in her room. Although he never knew its full significance, Adrian is haunted by new questions and is certain the spyglass will lead him to the truth. Once again, Lee crafts an absorbing adventure with dangerous stakes, dynamic character growth, sharp social and political commentary, and a storm of emotion. Inseparable from his external search for answers about his mother, Adrian seeks a solution for himself, an end to his struggle with mental illness—a journey handled with hopeful, gentle honesty that validates the experiences of both good and bad days. Characters from the first two books play significant secondary roles, and the resolution ties up their loose ends. Humorous antics provide a well-measured balance with the heavier themes.
An enticing, turbulent, and satisfying final voyage. (Historical fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-291601-3
Page Count: 464
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
This swashbuckling tale anchored by historical details is a treasure.
A saucy, feminist take on “The Little Mermaid.”
This clever mashup includes actual 18th-century women pirates Mary Read and Anne Bonny, not to mention Blackbeard’s son, Tobias, legendary pirate Calico Jack, and a whole host of captains (Ahab! Crunch! Hook!). Woebegone mermaid Mary falls in love with a boy she rescues and becomes human to be with him. Alas, he turns out to be a narcissistic blowhard. After Mary jumps overboard, she’s rescued by pirates and pretends to be a boy in order to join their crew, which includes Tobias. Later, she runs into Calico Jack, her cousin who’s also Above, or in our world. He’s searching for his human father when he meets and is smitten with pugnacious Anne Bonny. At the AARP conference—the Admirable Association of Retired Pirates, that is—Mary, Jack, Anne, and Tobias learn that there’s to be a contest to determine the next Pirate King; whoever brings back the most treasure wins. Tobias knows where Blackbeard’s treasure is hidden. Meanwhile, Mary’s overbearing father, the Sea King, agrees to a bargain—either she becomes Pirate King or he takes her back home to Underwhere. This delightful farce contains seamless twists and gripping action, as well as some somber nods to harsh gender and racial inequalities. Tongue-in-cheek references, accessible writing, and dialogue that readers will connect with all create an immersive reading experience. The leads are white; Tobias is brown-skinned.
This swashbuckling tale anchored by historical details is a treasure. (authors' note) (Historical fantasy. 13-18)Pub Date: Aug. 20, 2024
ISBN: 9780062930101
Page Count: 448
Publisher: HarperTeen
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024
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