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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Definitely worth the hype! The author has convincingly and creatively integrated Indian mythological elements to build this magical world full of adventures. The friendship and family bonding is well done. The best part of the book is the central character, Aru. Her voice is brilliantly written and with humour that's sure to entertain the reader. One of the best MG Fantasies out there.
Strong tweenage female leads and a cast of interesting characters from Indian Mythology are just some of the great features of this novel. The Palace of Illusions is one of my favorite characters. Very dreamscape. I can’t wait to explore more legends and stories through Aru’s adventures.
Aru Shah and the End of Time is the first book in the Pandava Quartet. It is a middle grade fantasy novel based on Hindu mythology. Our main character is Aru Shah, who discovers that she is one of the five Pandava brothers reincarnated after she sets a demon free unwittingly.
I'd been wanting to read this series ever since it was announced that it would be based on Hindu mythology. The book does not disappoint. Aru Shah is very imaginative and she lives in a museum. Mini was a great character and Boo was also well written. The word building was great with a lot of humor and references to other movies and TV shows. The nod to mythology was interesting and I think there was a lot of diversity in it.
Aru and her friends go on quests in this book and they were very fun to read. I also loved the friendship between Aru and Mini. Their bond was portrayed beautifully throughout the book. I thought I wouldn't enjoy this book as much as I did and that was a pleasant surprise. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series. The younger audience will really appreciate this.
I'd been wanting to read this series ever since it was announced that it would be based on Hindu mythology. The book does not disappoint. Aru Shah is very imaginative and she lives in a museum. Mini was a great character and Boo was also well written. The word building was great with a lot of humor and references to other movies and TV shows. The nod to mythology was interesting and I think there was a lot of diversity in it.
Aru and her friends go on quests in this book and they were very fun to read. I also loved the friendship between Aru and Mini. Their bond was portrayed beautifully throughout the book. I thought I wouldn't enjoy this book as much as I did and that was a pleasant surprise. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in this series. The younger audience will really appreciate this.
I'm sure kids will have an absolute blast with this book, but it didn't speak to me as an adult at all.
It's super-similar to the Percy Jackson books, but as I know nothing at all about Hindu mythology it just seemed like a wildly imaginative kids story to me. I couldn't discern the mythology from the made-up plot and so it was all just rather silly and strange for me.
I had a similar problem with the Magnus Chase book, so I should probably stick to Greek mythology when it comes to middle-grade books.
It's super-similar to the Percy Jackson books, but as I know nothing at all about Hindu mythology it just seemed like a wildly imaginative kids story to me. I couldn't discern the mythology from the made-up plot and so it was all just rather silly and strange for me.
I had a similar problem with the Magnus Chase book, so I should probably stick to Greek mythology when it comes to middle-grade books.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read the first of the Percy Jackson books last year and immediately fell in love with the modernization of the Greek myths, so naturally when I heard Rick had chosen selected authors to write their own traditions in similar style, I was on board. I think its great that he acknowledged there would be better authors than himself to write these stories and I am so excited to read all of the forthcoming books (Aru Shah and The End of Time, Storm Runner, and Dragon Pearl are the ones for this year).
I think Aru is a perfect main character for the age group these books are aimed for (middle grade). When Rick introduces the book, he writes: "Aru Shah is hanging out in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, where her mom works. Autumn break has started, and Aru is pretty sure it's going to be a boring day. Yikes. She is SO wrong." and boy is he right. Aru is totally unprepared for everything in her young life, she lies to make herself seem cooler to kids at school and in general she is just your average kid, only not at all. She discovers that she is a Pandava descended from the likes of gods! I love how real Aru is throughout the entire book though, she cries when stuff gets hard and isn't afraid to admit she doesn't really have it all going on.
Aru's Pandava sister has allergies and while on the surface seems more prepared than Aru, isn't at all. This book deals with the issues we have all been through or seen others deal with in school: the bullies, trying to fit in, and being a little different than the others around us.
In addition to the really quality main characters, the way Hinduism is presented is absolutely amazing. I have degrees in Religious Studies (during which I taught Introduction to Religion and Religious Studies) so this was not the first time I have done reading concerning the Hindu religion. But I LOVED the way Roshani writes the gods into their roles in this book. Its just the right amount of explaining (and the glossary of Gods was HILARIOUS) and witty humor. I think its even better that this book is aimed at middle grade readers because they can use Aru as a way to understand a culture they might otherwise never be exposed to, or perhaps Aru shows them a new and fun way to look at the stories and characters they grew up with.
I can't wait for the next books in this series and the books from the rest of the Rick Riordan imprint.
I think Aru is a perfect main character for the age group these books are aimed for (middle grade). When Rick introduces the book, he writes: "Aru Shah is hanging out in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, where her mom works. Autumn break has started, and Aru is pretty sure it's going to be a boring day. Yikes. She is SO wrong." and boy is he right. Aru is totally unprepared for everything in her young life, she lies to make herself seem cooler to kids at school and in general she is just your average kid, only not at all. She discovers that she is a Pandava descended from the likes of gods! I love how real Aru is throughout the entire book though, she cries when stuff gets hard and isn't afraid to admit she doesn't really have it all going on.
Aru's Pandava sister has allergies and while on the surface seems more prepared than Aru, isn't at all. This book deals with the issues we have all been through or seen others deal with in school: the bullies, trying to fit in, and being a little different than the others around us.
In addition to the really quality main characters, the way Hinduism is presented is absolutely amazing. I have degrees in Religious Studies (during which I taught Introduction to Religion and Religious Studies) so this was not the first time I have done reading concerning the Hindu religion. But I LOVED the way Roshani writes the gods into their roles in this book. Its just the right amount of explaining (and the glossary of Gods was HILARIOUS) and witty humor. I think its even better that this book is aimed at middle grade readers because they can use Aru as a way to understand a culture they might otherwise never be exposed to, or perhaps Aru shows them a new and fun way to look at the stories and characters they grew up with.
I can't wait for the next books in this series and the books from the rest of the Rick Riordan imprint.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated