chocoblin's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jessicaz's review against another edition
3.0
I thought it was cool - I just was hoping for a new Percy Jackson, which Ash Mistry is not.
lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
I had such hopes for this, because it deals with Indian mythology and archaeology. Sadly (and this might just be because I read an ARC, and this will be corrected in the final version) there are no "If you want to know more..." pointers.
Ash and Lucky are on vacation in India, staying with their Uncle Vikram and Aunt Anita. Vik is an expert on ancient Indian languages and as a result the entire group is invited to the Savage Fortress, a former palace in Varanasi. There Ash sees something that's a little odd... perhaps terrifying... but Lord Savage's offering Vik two million pounds for a translation seems to smooth things over. Of course, that's just the start to a tale of reincarnation, ancient gods and wars, Indian history and adventure.
Ash's learning martial arts to fight helps him at the orphanage; having a demon/rakshasa girl/cobra named Parvati helps him as he tries to rescue his sister and fight Lord Savage and the rest of the baddies. As I said, having a way to learn more about Kali, Vishnu, rakshasas and other aspects of Indian culture and mythology would make all that so much more accessible to readers who know little about this. There are other cultural references, like parkour or being a "red shirt" that might not resonate with middle grade readers and need more explanation.
ARC provided by publisher.
Ash and Lucky are on vacation in India, staying with their Uncle Vikram and Aunt Anita. Vik is an expert on ancient Indian languages and as a result the entire group is invited to the Savage Fortress, a former palace in Varanasi. There Ash sees something that's a little odd... perhaps terrifying... but Lord Savage's offering Vik two million pounds for a translation seems to smooth things over. Of course, that's just the start to a tale of reincarnation, ancient gods and wars, Indian history and adventure.
Ash's learning martial arts to fight helps him at the orphanage; having a demon/rakshasa girl/cobra named Parvati helps him as he tries to rescue his sister and fight Lord Savage and the rest of the baddies. As I said, having a way to learn more about Kali, Vishnu, rakshasas and other aspects of Indian culture and mythology would make all that so much more accessible to readers who know little about this. There are other cultural references, like parkour or being a "red shirt" that might not resonate with middle grade readers and need more explanation.
ARC provided by publisher.
snazel's review against another edition
4.0
I learned a lot about indian folklore while reading this.
Indian folklore is TERRIFYING.
Indian folklore is TERRIFYING.
m3l89's review against another edition
5.0
Brilliant! Sarwat Chadda does for Indian and Hindu myths and legends what Rick Riordan has done for Greek myths and legends.
Has inspired to read non fiction about the Gods and Goddesses mentioned.
I will definitely read the others in the series.
Has inspired to read non fiction about the Gods and Goddesses mentioned.
I will definitely read the others in the series.
abigailbat's review against another edition
3.0
Not my thing, really, but I would eagerly hand this to kids who love the mythology and adventure of Percy Jackson or The Mark of the Thief. There is a ton of action and adventure and plenty of Indian mythology and monsters.
erin28023's review against another edition
5.0
This was an awesome book! If you like Percy Jackson, you will definitely like this book. It is a little darker, but it just makes the plot even better.
librarykristin's review against another edition
3.0
kind of like riordan meets horowitz's darker stuff. needs the right reader (one who isn't prone to nightmares!)
bookbrig's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Fast paced action and good writing. A bit gory near the end, but not awful. My one complaint is the hyper irritating transformation of the main character from chubby to skinny, and the way that's portrayed as him losing his weakness and growing into a fierce hero. Cause fat kids can't be heroes or something? He even says something like "I guess I just had to diet and exercise" to lose weight. Ugh. I just... chubby or fat kids don't need to hear that more than they already do. I don't know why he couldn't just get stronger, and not have to discuss how "easy" it is to lose weight when "you put your mind to it." Weight isn't easy for most people to change. And they shouldn't have to feel ashamed of that, but this message that weight is really simple to control pops up all the time. It's a small part of the overall book, which is partly why it bugged me so much. It would have been VERY easy to leave out completely, and the story wouldn't have been altered.
Anyway. I think kids will enjoy it, I was just annoyed.
Anyway. I think kids will enjoy it, I was just annoyed.
Content Warnings
Minor: Fatphobia