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Reviewed by: Heather Maneiro, High School Librarian Title: A Magic Fierce and Bright
Author: Hemant Nayak
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Year: 2024 Good for Grades: 9-12 Genre/Type of Book: Fantasy
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: NA
Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: Cybils YA Speculative Fiction Award Nominee
If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: In a world where all technology was now lost, what if you had the power to bring it back?
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Review:
Abstract and Mini-Review Revisiting a popular theme from the sci-fi and fantasy genre, a near world-ending event (meteor) has resulted in nearly all technology (magic) being lost to the current world inhabitants. Adya is one of the rare few with the ability to reawaken this magic (technology) in the automotive realm. Adya forges ahead in the jungle now revisiting the wars and colonialism of the past using her skills to forge ahead in an attempt to reunite with her sister. I always feel that there is something wrong with me when I don’t love a title with starred reviews and countless accolades. Unfortunately steampunk is just not my jam and I don’t know enough about India to connect to the cultural and historical parts.
Recommendation Justification With a starred Booklist review and lots of historical and cultural parallels to draw using the fantasy lens, definitely a book worth collecting for some libraries especially for representation.
Uses in the Library/Classroom This would primarily be of use as a book for SSR, although parallels to other dystopian and world ending novels could be made. Portions could also be used in discussion of colonialism.
Appropriateness of Artwork The cover will definitely draw in readers.
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