A review by chenoadallen
Serafina and the Twisted Staff (the Serafina Series Book 2) by Robert Beatty
2.0
These are fun adventures for middle grade readers, but I have serious issues with them. The characters are stereotypes and caricatures, especially for characters who aren’t white middle class. The author might live in Asheville, but he clearly isn’t from these parts because he writes about mountain people as though his only reference is books about Appalachia from 1975. He introduces one Cherokee character who immediately becomes the wise guide here to help save the white girl. If you’re going to write about this era, write about it truthfully. Race is almost never mentioned, but that’s not a good thing - we should be past this colorblind nonsense by now.
There’s a reason people not born in Appalachia shouldn’t write about Appalachia, and this book is a great example. Appalachians and mountain folk are “others” in this book.
Also now that I know the author is an “entrepreneur,” I better understand why he kisses George Vanderbilt’s ass so much in his depiction of GV.
There’s a reason people not born in Appalachia shouldn’t write about Appalachia, and this book is a great example. Appalachians and mountain folk are “others” in this book.
Also now that I know the author is an “entrepreneur,” I better understand why he kisses George Vanderbilt’s ass so much in his depiction of GV.