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beefgameplays's review against another edition
3.5
I've never read a protagonist like Tristan, and it was an absolute delight. He is so compelling and I feel for him so deeply. Unfortunately, it feels like he's the only thing in this story besides the plotline that truly got developed. The world-building could have been much stronger, and some of the side characters were given nothing to stand on. Ayanna in particular is remarkably flat for how important she is supposed to be, but I am willing to look past it since this book is the first in a series. And the plot rally was brilliant with a twist I should have seen coming, and I'm excited for what the next books will bring.
mikenyby's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
yes. Yes. YES. Absolutely everything in this book is MAGIC. Folklore, history, and superstition meld together to create Tristan Strong. When Tristan is sent away to toughen up after two devastating losses, he sucks it up and prepares himself for a summer on his grandparent's farm. But when he accidentally damages a bottle tree--a superstitious tree filled with the spirits of evilbringers--he accidentally punches a hole in the sky of Alke, a realm where folklore characters are Gods, secret societies run rampant, and stories have a power unlike anything else.
Mbalia illuminates and raises African and African American folktales to a whole new level, bringing characters such as John Henry, Brer Rabbit, Ananse, and High John the Conqueror to light. Each country in this newfound realm finds its power in stories, and the most powerful of all gods seems to be Ananse. The problem? Ananse disappeared just when Tristan fell through the sky, and now there's been a year-long war between the residents and the Maafa, a being so fearsome that nobody says its name, that nobody shares its stories anymore. Ananse might be able to help with that. He also might be able to help with the hole in the sky. And yet he's nowhere to be found.
Enter Tristan, who's having the shock of his lifetime. He never wanted to be a superhero, and after he lost his first boxing match, he really doesn't think he can do much. But duty calls, and it is kinda unintentionally his fault that this realm has turned so sour so quickly. He must battle fetterlings (living iron beings in the shape of chains and handcuffs...hmm...what could THAT be a reference to?), team up with John Henry, and cope with the grief of his best friend all the while trying to save this realm.
I so enjoyed the tone of this book, too. Mbalia could have easily constructed a much more serious character, one who is moodily torn between his emotions and his duties. But Tristan is an absolute riot. He's in 7th grade, and has been (much to his dismay) paired up with Gum Baby, who has deemed him as his sidekick. Ensue lots of snarky comments, dibsing copyright on new words for himself, and quite a bit of anger at the fact that adults always act like they know what's best. Has there ever been a more realistic teenager? I feel like most of the middle grade/YA books I read feature a fairly mature and sullen character who must be taken out of their shell. But Tristan was a breath of fresh air. He was utterly delightful.
Even the underlying themes of this story filled me with such happiness. Beyond even the importance of folktale characters being GODS, beyond the reconciliation of learning how to grieve and grieve constructively, we see just how powerful stories are, and this book is a testament to that. Tristan has control over not only stories, but his own narrative. And stories are power. So powerful that Ananse was trying to figure out the mysteries of a story box, a container that holds all stories of a land. But without Ananse, one of the greatest story-tellers, hope seems to be lost. But it is stories that can be used as weapons. It is the reason why the Maafa is so angry that nobody talks of it anymore. They are currency in this world. And it's not just "stories". The folktales we tell have worlds that are beyond ours. What we call ourselves, how we construct a narrative for ourselves. What this story must do for those who have never seen such representation. I can only imagine.
So, what can I say? Move over, Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. There's a new boy in town.
Review cross-listed here!
Mbalia illuminates and raises African and African American folktales to a whole new level, bringing characters such as John Henry, Brer Rabbit, Ananse, and High John the Conqueror to light. Each country in this newfound realm finds its power in stories, and the most powerful of all gods seems to be Ananse. The problem? Ananse disappeared just when Tristan fell through the sky, and now there's been a year-long war between the residents and the Maafa, a being so fearsome that nobody says its name, that nobody shares its stories anymore. Ananse might be able to help with that. He also might be able to help with the hole in the sky. And yet he's nowhere to be found.
Enter Tristan, who's having the shock of his lifetime. He never wanted to be a superhero, and after he lost his first boxing match, he really doesn't think he can do much. But duty calls, and it is kinda unintentionally his fault that this realm has turned so sour so quickly. He must battle fetterlings (living iron beings in the shape of chains and handcuffs...hmm...what could THAT be a reference to?), team up with John Henry, and cope with the grief of his best friend all the while trying to save this realm.
I so enjoyed the tone of this book, too. Mbalia could have easily constructed a much more serious character, one who is moodily torn between his emotions and his duties. But Tristan is an absolute riot. He's in 7th grade, and has been (much to his dismay) paired up with Gum Baby, who has deemed him as his sidekick. Ensue lots of snarky comments, dibsing copyright on new words for himself, and quite a bit of anger at the fact that adults always act like they know what's best. Has there ever been a more realistic teenager? I feel like most of the middle grade/YA books I read feature a fairly mature and sullen character who must be taken out of their shell. But Tristan was a breath of fresh air. He was utterly delightful.
Even the underlying themes of this story filled me with such happiness. Beyond even the importance of folktale characters being GODS, beyond the reconciliation of learning how to grieve and grieve constructively, we see just how powerful stories are, and this book is a testament to that. Tristan has control over not only stories, but his own narrative. And stories are power. So powerful that Ananse was trying to figure out the mysteries of a story box, a container that holds all stories of a land. But without Ananse, one of the greatest story-tellers, hope seems to be lost. But it is stories that can be used as weapons. It is the reason why the Maafa is so angry that nobody talks of it anymore. They are currency in this world. And it's not just "stories". The folktales we tell have worlds that are beyond ours. What we call ourselves, how we construct a narrative for ourselves. What this story must do for those who have never seen such representation. I can only imagine.
So, what can I say? Move over, Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. There's a new boy in town.
Review cross-listed here!
twowheelsaway's review against another edition
5.0
I liked this a lot. Awesome world-building, good characters, and a great twist. I want all of the ‘Rick Riordan Presents’ to be this good.
moon_reader's review against another edition
2.0
Honestly, I love the idea of this book and loved the action parts, but I couldn't really get into the groove of it. Most of it just went out another ear. I don't know if I will be continuing this series. I, however, do love all the folklore; a few I've heard of and others I'm fascinated with it for the first time.
alexbthelibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
This book is amazing! I loved every second of it. It beautifully talks about grief and loss and how that can eat us up on the inside. It talks about how sometimes family pressures you to do things that you aren't ready for and how to deal with facing their disappointment. This book talks about black American gods such as John Henry, Brer Rabbit, Anansi, and so many more!
Tristan is a wonderful character! He is a well rounded and thought out character. He struggles with not only the loss of his best friend Eddie, but also the disappointment he feels from his father and grandfather after losing at boxing. Boxing is a big part of the "Strong family". His grandfather and father were both amazing boxers and he feels the pressure coming from both of them.
I loved learning and relearning the stories of John Henry, Brer Rabbit, and all the others! The way the stories were told and how Tristan fit into this world was well done. The world of MidPass was also well constructed and the details were written vividly.
I think my only complaint is that the female characters weren't as well developed. The two that were involved the author literally said they were the same person. I would have liked to see more diversity in those two characters. I'm hoping the next book in the series delves more into their characters as I would like to see their character growth as well.
I highly recommend this book. It discusses important topics in a well written and interesting way.
Tristan is a wonderful character! He is a well rounded and thought out character. He struggles with not only the loss of his best friend Eddie, but also the disappointment he feels from his father and grandfather after losing at boxing. Boxing is a big part of the "Strong family". His grandfather and father were both amazing boxers and he feels the pressure coming from both of them.
I loved learning and relearning the stories of John Henry, Brer Rabbit, and all the others! The way the stories were told and how Tristan fit into this world was well done. The world of MidPass was also well constructed and the details were written vividly.
I think my only complaint is that the female characters weren't as well developed. The two that were involved the author literally said they were the same person. I would have liked to see more diversity in those two characters. I'm hoping the next book in the series delves more into their characters as I would like to see their character growth as well.
I highly recommend this book. It discusses important topics in a well written and interesting way.
is_nacho's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.75
indihannajones0224's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jholloed's review against another edition
5.0
Page 381/382
Can't live your life with grief whispering in your ear, pulling you this way in that. But you can't shove it in a drawer deep inside yourself, neither. Nah, you got to sit grief down and talk to it. Listen to it. Come to terms with it. Pain is the body's way of saying is healing, so you got to let it heal.
...
The point is you should grieve your friend. But remember to live your life as it is now, and not how it would have been. Never forget, but accept.
Can't live your life with grief whispering in your ear, pulling you this way in that. But you can't shove it in a drawer deep inside yourself, neither. Nah, you got to sit grief down and talk to it. Listen to it. Come to terms with it. Pain is the body's way of saying is healing, so you got to let it heal.
...
The point is you should grieve your friend. But remember to live your life as it is now, and not how it would have been. Never forget, but accept.