A slow and almost dreamlike exploration of the myriad ways that the past—especially a cataclysmic past—informs the present. Zazoo, almost 14 at the opening, was adopted from Vietnam at the age of two and lives in an old mill by a French canal with the man she calls Grand-Pierre; he’s the lock-keeper. As Grand-Pierre’s memory fades, a mysterious and attractive young man bicycles into Zazoo’s life, asking questions. Soon Zazoo finds herself probing the past that created her Grand-Pierre, M. Klein, the elderly Jewish pharmacist who alone among the villagers shows no love for Grand-Pierre, and herself, orphaned by a landmine in a later war. Mosher’s (The Taxi Navigator, 1996) sense of setting is luminous, and the descriptions of life along the canal evoke Wind in the Willows in their watery beauty. The slow revelation of the many intertwined personal histories is truly elegant, and the several love stories that emerge are almost painfully romantic. Zazoo’s voice is honest and distinct as she tells her story; the secondary characters develop with real three-dimensional complexity as well. This is a story of memory and contemplation, not action, with most of the elements unfolding slowly over the course of a year through dialogue and reminiscence. It is perhaps over-constructed in its piecing together of the various plot elements and its drive to tie them up neatly by the end, but patient readers will find themselves forgiving this and the slow pace in their involvement with the language and the characters’ evolving relationships, particularly the glorious symbiosis achieved by Zazoo and her Grand-Pierre. (Fiction. YA)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2001
ISBN: 0-618-13534-0
Page Count: 255
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
An absorbing story with tantalizing hints of more to come.
After a perilous adventure, a disgraced warrior and a newly minted daraja must face the consequences of their actions in this follow-up to Beasts of Prey (2021).
Ekon and Koffi return, each having experienced life-altering events that have caused them to reevaluate themselves and their futures. Koffi awakes in Thornkeep, a strange land belonging to Fedu, the god of death. After she freed the Shetani of her splendor, Fedu kidnapped Koffi and secreted her away with other darajas he holds captive for their skills at channeling energy from the earth. Realizing he plans to use her as his weapon, Koffi finds allyship with like-minded darajas who wish to escape: She promises to guide them through the treacherous forest, and in return, they will help her learn about her heritage. Ekon has been hiding in the city of Lkossa with Themba, Koffi’s estranged grandmother, since learning shocking truths. He and Themba search for leads as to where Fedu took Koffi, and as they leave Lkossa, they meet a group of spice merchants who agree to let them join their caravan. Ultimately, both Ekon and Koffi will need to rely on their newfound communities to overcome powerful forces. Readers will be entranced as themes of heritage, betrayal, and erasure are brought to life with vivid details in this riveting, fast-paced volume that lives up to its predecessor. All characters are Black.
An absorbing story with tantalizing hints of more to come. (map, list of orders) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: July 26, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-40571-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A strong declaration for supporting, loving, and empowering all Black women everywhere.
Until her mother left them, 16-year-old Nigeria Jones never questioned her father’s revolutionary vision.
As the daughter of famous Black nationalist Kofi Sankofa, it’s up to Nigeria to help raise Freedom, her baby brother, in the Movement, “whose mission is to divest from oppressive systems and create an all-Black utopia.” That means working to maintain the Village House, the home where members who need a place for healing or hearth to welcome them can stay until they get on their feet and spread the message of the Movement elsewhere. It means continuing to build the Movement’s Freedom School, completing research for her father’s books, and filling in any of the gaps left by her mother’s absence until she comes back. Nigeria knows she will come back. It does not mean sneaking off to a Quaker prep school that’s the opposite of everything her father stands for. However, when the misogyny of the Movement chips away at Nigeria’s fealty, that’s exactly where she goes. Her tumultuous personal journey toward emotional and radical self-honesty shapes this superb story of a girl missing her mother and terrified of missing out on a life that she chooses for herself. Readers may feel some themes would have benefitted from deeper exploration; still, the complexities of intracommunity gender marginalization within the Movement are a thoughtful reflection of real multilayered freedom struggles within Black diasporic communities.
A strong declaration for supporting, loving, and empowering all Black women everywhere. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 9, 2023
ISBN: 9780062888846
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
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