Silent

January 15, 2017
Historical fiction and magical realism meld in this haunting story set during World War I. Fifteen-year-old Adi, the green-eyed, brown-skinned, and dark-haired daughter of a British father and an Indian mother, leaves her home in India to escort her twin 10-year-old half brothers to her British grandmother in Europe. She unknowingly ruins the well-laid plans of the sinister shape-shifter Coal...and now he is exacting his revenge. He kidnaps the twins, gives her a watch with four riddles that she must decode to find them, and warns her that she must also remain silent--no talking, no writing--and find them before the watch runs down...or else! As Adi, disguised as a French soldier, tries to solve the riddles around Europe during the chaos and conflicts of the Great War, an interesting variety of people comes together to help or hinder her. Historical details are mostly restricted to Adi's circumstances, and a deep knowledge of World War I is not necessary to enjoy this story. Although some details remain unresolved, it is Coal, with his disturbing habits, dramatic history, and cryptic motivations, who rises to amaze and shock throughout the book, and protagonist Adi fails to match up to him. Although the antagonist overshadows the protagonist, this World War I story is nevertheless a dark and memorable one. (Magical realism/historical fiction. 12 & up)

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February 1, 2017

Gr 7 Up-This engrossing combination of historical fiction and modern fairy tale starts in 1914, when a devil-like figure, Coal, plots to begin a world war in France. Adi, the daughter of a British military officer and an Indian nurse, accidentally foils his plan. In return, Coal kidnaps Adi's twin half brothers, but he leaves her a peculiar pocket watch, which contains four riddles that point to the brothers' whereabouts, and he forbids her from speaking until she locates them. It seems like an impossible rescue mission until George, a kindhearted duke, agrees to help her and whisks her off to his castle, which is filled with an eccentric royal family. Just as they begin to decipher the riddles, war erupts and thrusts them in different directions. Adi disguises herself as a French soldier and tags along with a doctor as he tends to the wounded. It may be difficult for readers to believe that Adi makes it through the entire war without speaking or without anyone discovering that she's a woman. Equally frustrating is the lack of information about Coal's identity and motivations. However, Mellon has created an original plot, and the clever riddles showcase his impressive knowledge of history. Readers will find themselves Googling the locations and events mentioned throughout.

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