Tiger Moon
Amulet Books, 2008
Fantasy
ISBN:081099481X
464 pages
Awards
Synopsis
Safia, a beautiful woman from the deserts of India, is traded as property by her father to a wealthy but evil merchant. Seeking to free herself from this plight, she befriends one of the palace servants, a eunuch named Lagan. During the nights where the two engage in conversation, Safia weaves a story of a young thief named Farhad. This young man, the unlikeliest of heroes, is called to rescue a princess from the Demon King, and in order to do so, he must go on a quest to find the Bloodstone. Farhad finds strange help along the way, especially when he rescues a white tiger and rides him across the desert to the palace. Eventually, the two stories begin to intertwine, and Lagan realizes that he must make a choice that may jeopardize his own safety.
Critique
Skillfully interlacing Indian mythology with its history and culture, this ornately woven tale shows the beauty and power of India during the twentieth century. Michaelis’s captivating words, blossoming somewhere between poetry and prose reveals the influence of storytelling. Strong themes of redemption, rebirth, forgiveness and personal conviction toward the greater good are delineated powerfully throughout the text, and even though some of the content is for more mature audiences, its handled in a way that makes things like sexuality, evil, and death appear symbolic in the overall journey toward life and growth. I recommend this text to all readers 14+.
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For the Classroom
Even though this text interweaves elements of fantasy with the actual history of India, it’s a great classroom companion for studies on world history, mythology, and culture.
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