Review Detail

What I loved:
The Kingdom Beyond series returns with a novel centered around Pinki, who hails from a long line of rakkhosh resisters. Though her ancestors have fought long and hard against their snakey oppressors, Pinki has more pressing matters, such as watching her cousins, figuring out how to control her fire breathing, and staying at the top of her class. The continued theme of being hilarious is found in this book as much as its predecessors, making it a sure-fire win with the middle-grade audience.

What Left Me Wanting More:
The excellent character layering that the author puts into this series makes it well worth the read. The author's notes are a must-read for this series as she draws from Bengali folklore and epics and history and science. Not reading that first may leave you scratching your head if you're not familiar with them.

Final Verdict:
This story skillfully weaves fantasy and history, and folklore in a hilarious way. A lesson is found in these pages about using your voice to speak for those who can't, never forgetting your culture. Sharing who you are and where you come from makes our world better cause are not all the same.