"There are enough problems here without having to worry about flesh-eating vines."
In Nadia Aguiar's The Lost Island of Tamarind, we explore a fantastical land of strange creatures, glowing sea shells, and sinister mysteries. Thirteen-year-old Maya Nelson has lived her whole life aboard the Pamela Jane, her family's sailboat, along with her parents, her brother, and her baby sister. For a while, it was great fun, but now Maya longs for a life on land. When her parents are washed overboard in a storm, Maya and her siblings must take control of the Pamela Jane and steer her to shore in search of help. They find themselves on Tamarind, an island that is not on any map and is populated by thousands of mystical creatures. With the help of a one-eared hunter named Helix, the Nelsons must tear the island apart to find their parents, but the most difficult task might just be getting out alive.
As a kid, I was always a sucker for a good fantasy story. If there were dragons, monsters, eerie glowing mushrooms, and toxic flowers, I probably read it and I probably liked it. The Lost Island of Tamarind is one of those books, but it far exceeds those requirements. Sure, there are no dragons or toxic flowers--instead, we have baby- and predator-eating vines, real flying fish, and a terrifying woman who rides about on a jaguar and kidnaps children. The towns, from the tree house village in the jungle to the bustling city of Port Town, are extremely unique, rich with detail, and populated with so many realistic characters it blows my mind. Everybody has a backstory--even the monkeys.
The writing style used in Tamarind fits the story beautifully. It is geared toward younger(ish) readers, but it is clear and incredibly detailed. Dialogue flows smoothly, no matter the dialect, and foreshadowing is well hidden. The mystery of where the children are and where their parents have gone is unraveled slowly, one little bit at a time, and every piece is tangled together with another. You may find that the things that seemed important at first are worthless, while the insignificant "subplots" are actually clues vital to the characters' survival. This is done well, which makes for some pleasant surprises and startling plot twists.
There is action in this book, but it is not the usual kind of action. Characters tromp through forests, break out of inescapable prisons, and struggle to escape a village reminiscent of Odysseus's lotus-eaters. Thus, the battles are primarily of a more social nature, but there are plenty of times when talking their way out of a situation is simply impossible. Barrel rides, pirate battles, and kidnappings force the Nelson children through a thousand stressful situations, pushing aside their misunderstandings to form strong, trusting relationships.
Tamarind's characters are well-rounded and well-developed. Maya is stubborn, wary, and isolated in the way only a thirteen-year-old can be. Simon is curious and impossibly practical. Helix is mysterious, the Evondra is surprisingly sympathetic, and Seagrape the parrot is a wonderful character in all respects. They all start out fairly flat, but over the course of the story they show an impressive array of facets that shape out their personalities. Nearly everyone is sympathetic, even the villains, but not necessarily in a good way--rather, readers may find that the characters embody different pieces of themselves, whether the trait is flattering or not. In short, each character is individual and realistic.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a story about kids who go on adventures and overcome incredible dangers. It's a tale of friendship and trust, but mainly it is a story about choices. Adults and young teens alike will find themselves engrossed in The Lost Island of Tamarind, a trait that fully deserves five stars out of five. Parents, this might be a good one to crack open with your kids.
The writing style used in Tamarind fits the story beautifully. It is geared toward younger(ish) readers, but it is clear and incredibly detailed. Dialogue flows smoothly, no matter the dialect, and foreshadowing is well hidden. The mystery of where the children are and where their parents have gone is unraveled slowly, one little bit at a time, and every piece is tangled together with another. You may find that the things that seemed important at first are worthless, while the insignificant "subplots" are actually clues vital to the characters' survival. This is done well, which makes for some pleasant surprises and startling plot twists.
There is action in this book, but it is not the usual kind of action. Characters tromp through forests, break out of inescapable prisons, and struggle to escape a village reminiscent of Odysseus's lotus-eaters. Thus, the battles are primarily of a more social nature, but there are plenty of times when talking their way out of a situation is simply impossible. Barrel rides, pirate battles, and kidnappings force the Nelson children through a thousand stressful situations, pushing aside their misunderstandings to form strong, trusting relationships.
Tamarind's characters are well-rounded and well-developed. Maya is stubborn, wary, and isolated in the way only a thirteen-year-old can be. Simon is curious and impossibly practical. Helix is mysterious, the Evondra is surprisingly sympathetic, and Seagrape the parrot is a wonderful character in all respects. They all start out fairly flat, but over the course of the story they show an impressive array of facets that shape out their personalities. Nearly everyone is sympathetic, even the villains, but not necessarily in a good way--rather, readers may find that the characters embody different pieces of themselves, whether the trait is flattering or not. In short, each character is individual and realistic.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a story about kids who go on adventures and overcome incredible dangers. It's a tale of friendship and trust, but mainly it is a story about choices. Adults and young teens alike will find themselves engrossed in The Lost Island of Tamarind, a trait that fully deserves five stars out of five. Parents, this might be a good one to crack open with your kids.
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