June 28, 2004
Set on a French canal, this novel stars a Vietnamese-born girl who excavates secrets from when the Nazis invaded France. "Readers will be swept away by the evocative images and emotive scenes in this story, offering a mix of bitter and sweet," wrote PW
in a starred review. Ages 13-up. (June)
Note:
Additional reviews of children's books can be found in the Children's Religion section (p. 48).
Starred review from December 3, 2001
The quiet banks of a French canal, where this book is set, perfectly matches the reflective quality of Mosher's (The Taxi Navigator) resonant prose. With exquisite tenderness, the author explores the revelations of a Vietnamese-born girl raised by her adoptive grandfather, Grand-Pierre. A chance meeting with a mysterious Parisian boy sets 13-year-old Zazoo on a course to excavate secrets from the "Awful time," when Nazis invaded France. The horrors over a half-century ago echo the disturbing changes Zazoo now experiences, like the chronic ache in her chest and Grand-Pierre's failing health. Metaphors from nature—the deceptively calm river, a "sad
gray cat" from long ago and an ancient owl—symbolize connections between past and present and emphasize the dull pain of longing still lingering with Grand-Pierre and other villagers. Despite the novel's somber undertones, there is a promise of rebirth as love, compassion and forgiveness help heal old wounds. The author's intelligent yet accessible wordplay on French vocabulary also leavens the narrative. Readers will be swept away by the evocative images and emotive scenes in this story, offering a mix of bitter and sweet. Ages 12-up.