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A review by dragontomes2000
Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar J. Perry
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms was absolutely so much fun. Jamar J. Perry delivered a very heart felt and personal middle grade debut. At the heart of this story it is all about family, whether that be by blood or found. Cameron Battle at the start has lost both his parents and lives with his Grandma. Him and his best friend Zion bring Aliyah into their circle and from there the big story takes form.
Cameron is a main character I want to root for. At such a young age he has overcome so much but their is still a part of him that is not completely whole. So in this story it is really about Cameron trying to come to terms with a past that is haunting him, so that he may make the most of his present and future. Along the way though he has friends like Zion and Aliyah to guide him. I also love how much this is inspired by African myths and folklore, especially Nigeria. You can feel the authenticity of it all in the way Jamar J. Perry writes.
I would say where this book stumbles, at least for me, is in the back half of this book. The beginning, up until I would say to the last like 70ish pages, is really great. The setup is strong, the plot is clear, and the characters have a central focus. Then I feel like the ending is just a tad rushed and choppy. The ending could have used a couple more pages just to breathe, but other then that this book is solid.
I am super happy I found this book and added it to my radar. As with my last read, The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna, I see so much great potential in Jamar J. Perry. I am so looking forward to the rest of this series, which I believe is going to be a duology.
Cameron is a main character I want to root for. At such a young age he has overcome so much but their is still a part of him that is not completely whole. So in this story it is really about Cameron trying to come to terms with a past that is haunting him, so that he may make the most of his present and future. Along the way though he has friends like Zion and Aliyah to guide him. I also love how much this is inspired by African myths and folklore, especially Nigeria. You can feel the authenticity of it all in the way Jamar J. Perry writes.
I would say where this book stumbles, at least for me, is in the back half of this book. The beginning, up until I would say to the last like 70ish pages, is really great. The setup is strong, the plot is clear, and the characters have a central focus. Then I feel like the ending is just a tad rushed and choppy. The ending could have used a couple more pages just to breathe, but other then that this book is solid.
I am super happy I found this book and added it to my radar. As with my last read, The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna, I see so much great potential in Jamar J. Perry. I am so looking forward to the rest of this series, which I believe is going to be a duology.