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A review by mariahistryingtoread
The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste
3.0
It was certainly a Choice to reveal to the reader in chapter 2 that Corinne's mother was a Jumbie though definitely not a Good one - the fact that it was in chapter 2 is why I didn't bother with a spoiler warning. You literally will know by like page 5 or 6, if that.
(I'm guessing. I listened to this on audiobook so I don't have page numbers.)
It would have been one thing if Corinne found out at this point, but she doesn't. I didn't understand why the author would tell the reader this major revelation instead of allowing us to find out alongside Corinne later in the book. It would have cemented the larger theme about coexistence better to have us get lured into anti-Jumbie sentiment similar to the rest of the island only to have us be forced to reconsider the prejudice when confronted with main character Corinne's heritage. It would have served as an immersive parallel to Connie's journey towards acceptance of her heritage. It also would have just been a fun twist to save for later.
Other than that it was a fairly straightforward middle grade urban fantasy story. After years of being inundated with Western European and Americanized interpretations of fairy tales, I appreciate on principle alone seeing stories based on folktales from other cultures get the opportunity to flourish.
It’s too underdeveloped in regards to the supporting characters. Connie doesn’t actually do all that much to fight back against her aunt. The Jumbies don’t have any personalities so you don’t get any kind of deeper insight into their perspective; a lot of it is told instead of shown. The worldbuilding outside of the magical system isn’t well fleshed out. Also, I think it might be a little too understated in tone for some kids - it’s definitely one of those books that prioritizes the style of writing over substance.
Still, I had a decent time. I was always invested in the goings on. I was endeared enough to Connie to care about where she ended up. I’ll lose no sleep recommending it.
(I'm guessing. I listened to this on audiobook so I don't have page numbers.)
It would have been one thing if Corinne found out at this point, but she doesn't. I didn't understand why the author would tell the reader this major revelation instead of allowing us to find out alongside Corinne later in the book. It would have cemented the larger theme about coexistence better to have us get lured into anti-Jumbie sentiment similar to the rest of the island only to have us be forced to reconsider the prejudice when confronted with main character Corinne's heritage. It would have served as an immersive parallel to Connie's journey towards acceptance of her heritage. It also would have just been a fun twist to save for later.
Other than that it was a fairly straightforward middle grade urban fantasy story. After years of being inundated with Western European and Americanized interpretations of fairy tales, I appreciate on principle alone seeing stories based on folktales from other cultures get the opportunity to flourish.
It’s too underdeveloped in regards to the supporting characters. Connie doesn’t actually do all that much to fight back against her aunt. The Jumbies don’t have any personalities so you don’t get any kind of deeper insight into their perspective; a lot of it is told instead of shown. The worldbuilding outside of the magical system isn’t well fleshed out. Also, I think it might be a little too understated in tone for some kids - it’s definitely one of those books that prioritizes the style of writing over substance.
Still, I had a decent time. I was always invested in the goings on. I was endeared enough to Connie to care about where she ended up. I’ll lose no sleep recommending it.