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A review by atsundarsingh
Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
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
4.0
There is a lot to love about this book. One of the things that I most enjoyed about this as an adult reader, is that despite being middle grade fiction, this is a story that approaches a few difficult topics in really tender ways. That makes it good for reading with someone younger, good for a younger reader to read by themselves, and also fun for an adult reader.
I happen to be reading this while, living in Malaysia, for a few months for work, and that only made it better. For an international audience, my hope is that this will introduce some of them to the myths and legends of Malaysia, as well as its environment. The characters eat, talk, dress Malaysian. Alkaf is true to the origins of the story, but could hardly be accused of alienating readers, who are not familiar with Malaysia, as she explains almost every inserted word in the novel; for that reason, the inclusion of Malay language, phrases, and sayings was honestly unimpeachable.
I really liked the development of the main character Hamra and the antagonist (the weretiger). They change so much over the course of the novel and in different but parallel ways. I think that makes it a little bit more of an interesting novel for children to see themselves in, since they have not one but two leading options, in addition to the main character's best friend Ilyas. The book has a good lesson for younger leaders about the destructive power of anger, and even includes a little bit of historical marking by commenting on the alienation so many children felt during Covid 19 lockdowns. I would highly encourage others to read this book.
I happen to be reading this while, living in Malaysia, for a few months for work, and that only made it better. For an international audience, my hope is that this will introduce some of them to the myths and legends of Malaysia, as well as its environment. The characters eat, talk, dress Malaysian. Alkaf is true to the origins of the story, but could hardly be accused of alienating readers, who are not familiar with Malaysia, as she explains almost every inserted word in the novel; for that reason, the inclusion of Malay language, phrases, and sayings was honestly unimpeachable.
I really liked the development of the main character Hamra and the antagonist (the weretiger). They change so much over the course of the novel and in different but parallel ways. I think that makes it a little bit more of an interesting novel for children to see themselves in, since they have not one but two leading options, in addition to the main character's best friend Ilyas. The book has a good lesson for younger leaders about the destructive power of anger, and even includes a little bit of historical marking by commenting on the alienation so many children felt during Covid 19 lockdowns. I would highly encourage others to read this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia and Pandemic/Epidemic