Two Times a Traitor

August 1, 2017

Gr 5-8-Twelve-year-old Lazare Barenger, also known as Laz, is on vacation in Halifax with his family. After a not-so-uncommon fight with his father, Laz runs off to explore an old fortress and is knocked out and transported through space and time to a little-known piece of North American history: the 1745 Siege of Louisbourg. He is found by English colonists, branded a French spy, and forced to atone for his treason and earn back his confiscated medal-responsible for his time travel-by spying on the French. While on his mission, he befriends many in the enemy French camp and, though roughly a mere three months pass, almost forgets to make his way back to present day. With a plot that concerns itself more with the authenticity of the siege than developing a captivating narrative for middle grade readers, the pacing takes a hit. Laz's backstory is spotty and slapdash. Peppered with various microagressions and unconvincing teen texting abbreviations and acronyms ("learn to shut yr mouth"), this is likely to leave many readers disappointed. VERDICT Outside its unique historical setting, there is nothing that sets this book apart. An additional purchase only.-Brittany Drehobl, Eisenhower Public Library District, IL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2017
After fighting with his controlling dad while the family tours the Citadel in Halifax, Laz runs off--and then somehow slips through time to 1745.It's not an easy place to be. He appears in the midst of the New Englanders' preparations to attack the French fort at Louisbourg, on Cape Breton Island. The English colonists believe that the white American boy is French--somewhat true since his grandmother is French-Canadian, and he speaks the language fluently. Convinced that the St. Christopher medal that a New Englander captain took from him might be the key to time travel and, at least initially, desperate to return to his own time, Laz agrees to spy on the French at Louisbourg to get it back. There, a French pirate takes him under his wing, giving him the fatherly relationship that Laz has longed for. As he adjusts to the time, it's only his treasured little sister that he finds himself missing, but eventually that's enough to motivate him to seek home. The past is accurately and engagingly depicted, and Laz's reactions to the harsh conditions, especially bad food and filth, are totally believable. If this effort were longer it could be fully immersive, but often the narrative seems slightly jumpy, lacking connective tissue. Still, time travel is a thrilling concept, and the tale overflows with compelling action, more than making up for minor flaws. (Fantasy. 11-16)

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