Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Children's Book: Dance of the Banished

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Children's Book: Dance of the Banished

    School Library Journal Reviews
    February 1, 2015


    Dance of the Banished

    review by Lisa Nowlain

    REVIEWS; Grades 9 and Up; Vol. 61 No. 2


    SKRYPUCH, Marsha Forchuk. Dance of the Banished. 234p. Pajama Pr. Feb.
    2015. pap. $15.95. ISBN 9781927485651.

    Gr 8 Up--Skrypuch continues to tell the stories of young refugees--as in
    The Hunger (2002), Nobody's Child (2003, both Dundrun), and Daughter
    of War (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2008)--in her latest historical novel.

    Set between 1913 and 1917, it features two Alevi Kurd teenagers in
    Anatolia as World War I breaks out and Turkey begins the Armenian
    Genocide. Ali emigrates before the war begins and gives his
    girlfriend, Zeynep, a journal to write in for when they meet again.
    While in Canada, he is locked up in an internment camp because of his
    nationality, though he does not identify as Turkish. Meanwhile, Zeynep
    is witness to the genocide of her neighbors and is called to help. The
    author sheds light on an often overlooked piece of history.
    Unfortunately, she leans too heavily on clunky literary mechanisms:
    the diary format preys on the integrity of the story and some
    characters seem forced (though they bring up interesting historical
    contexts, such as the Cree teenager who attempts to free Ali). The
    characters are unyieldingly virtuous, and their rhetorical questions
    at times are wearing--there is no variance in writing style between the
    diary authors. However, the setting is fascinating, the research is
    thorough, and the story is made all the more interesting due to
    current events in the region. The author's note is full of source
    notes and historical details, though it lacks a bibliography. In a
    world that continues to be violent, readers may find solace in the
    novel's joyful ending. VERDICTDance of the Banished is absolutely
    school assignment worthy, and a good book for teens who enjoy
    historical fiction.--Lisa Nowlain, Darien Library, CT

Working...
X