Isles of the Gods (Amie Kaufman, A&U Children’s)

With Isles of the Gods, Amie Kaufman once again reminds us why she is one of the best young adult authors writing today. Her first solo YA after numerous collaborations, this is Kafuman at her best. In this swashbuckling, gangster-ridden, magical quest adventure, Selly wants nothing more than to captain a ship in her father’s merchant fleet. But when a chance run-in with a mysterious boy leads to an unwelcome change of plans, Selly finds herself swept up in something much bigger than she could ever imagine. War is brewing, and Selly and her new allies must decide what they are willing to sacrifice to prevent it. Kaufman’s status as a master worldbuilder is on full display here, as she seamlessly pairs horse-drawn carts with cars, and gangsters with pirates, in a world where gods once fought alongside mortals and all magic requires a sacrifice. Fans will rejoice in Kafuman’s particular brand of snark and humour, and will surely delight in the inevitable (but oh-so-welcome) heartbreak. But one of the true standouts of this novel is Kaufman’s overt challenging of traditional hero tropes. Her heroes question whether they are heroing correctly; in stories, they note, heroes are usually full of purpose, whereas they are simply dirty, scared, angry, tired and worried. Told from Kaufman’s trademark multi-point of view, Isles of the Gods is a true joy to read.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Hannah Gardiner has been a bookseller since the pre-Titlepage era. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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Category: Reviews