Saturday, August 21, 2010

In My Mailbox (17)


Tiger Moon
by Antonia Michaelis

How does a story of India begin? Does it begin with the three great rivers—the Ganges, the Yamuna, the unseen Sarasvati pouring her dreaming waters down from the snowy mountains to the hot, dry plain?

This bewitching story within a story, set in magical India, explores the power of narrative to change the course of lives. Raka, the doomed young bride of a violent merchant, weaves a tale of rescue so vivid, it might just come true. She tells a servant boy the story of Farhad, a thief and unlikely hero, who must retrieve a famous jewel in order to save a kidnapped princess from a demon king. Farhad’s unforgettable companion on the journey is a wisecracking white tiger with an unnatural fear of water. It is their unusual and funny friendship, and the final sacrifice that they must make, that is the heart of this grand, beautiful novel about summoning the hero within.
After the Basajaun debacle, I was not willing to leave anything up to chance. I'm so tired of spending money on books that I hate, based on glowing reviews online. So I went to a local children's bookstore and told the clerk I was looking for something that was well written. Her recommendations were My Name Is Memory (which I've already read and reviewed), Ship Breaker, Sovay, Birthmarked, and Tiger Moon. A number of those books were on my wishlist already, but I'd never heard of Tiger Moon. So why did I pick it? It was the cheapest. But you know what? So far, it's pretty good. I've been transported to turn-of-the-century India... and I love it.


What was in your "mailbox" this week?



In My Mailbox was started by Kristi of The Story Siren.

1 comment:

  1. It sounds good. I never heard of it before, but it does sounds interesting. I don't think I read a story that took place in India!

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