Seven Stitches

March 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-Meryem Zarfati, 16, is the granddaughter of a Turkish American Jew living in Portland, Oregon, in the 2050s. Struggling with her mother's disappearance after The Big One-an 8.9 magnitude earthquake-she continues to search for her and refuses to give up hope. The biracial teen meets the mysterious time-traveling Serakh. In the midst of frustration and uncertainty, and with Serakh's help, Meryem is able to save Izabel, a girl living in captivity in 16th-century Istanbul. She also discovers the truth about her lost mother. The 2050s setting is entertaining and insightful. Social media is outdated; due to global warming, February has become the new March; in the restaurants and cafes, the MyMenu tablet features "pixel-perfect images of butterscotch custard, cinnamon rolls, and apple pie;" and there's finally peace in the Middle East. This elegantly written narrative will capture and delight readers. However, in the interest of historical accuracy, the exact era in which the novel is set and the specific details of that historical period needs more documentation in the author's note. Also, Meryem's character development as a young woman with a strong desire to push the limits for other young women in ancient history is admirable. However, Izabel, a Turkish character, is represented as incapable of saving herself without the magical help of others, even though she's initially described as competent. VERDICT A strong addition to diverse speculative fiction.-Taraneh Matloob Haghanikar, University of Northern Iowa

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