Tiger Moon

Michaelis, Antonia Tiger Moon
Amulet see Abrams, Harry 2008 448p 18.95 978-0-8109-9481-2 hs

This is a tale worthy of the great Scheherazade. This book, set in early twentieth century India and steeped in the colorful world of Indian history and mythology, tells the story of Safia, a doomed young woman who must be saved from certain death. It catches the interest and engages the imagination of its readers, leading them into a lushly described world that is both real and imaginary. This is a tale worthy of the great Scheherazade. This book, set in early twentieth century India and steeped in the colorful world of Indian history and mythology, tells the story of Safia, a doomed young woman who must be saved from certain death. It catches the interest and engages the imagination of its readers, leading them into a lushly described world that is both real and imaginary. Safia, a young Hindu woman has been sold into marriage to Ahmed, a wealthy Muslim merchant by her impoverished father. Dragged off to the merchant's distant home, Safia becomes his eighth wife. Only the illness of Ahmed delays their wedding night and Safia's certain death because she is no longer a virgin. Befriended by the palace eunuch Lalit, she begins to tell him an account of the poor thief Farhad who had been commanded by the great God Vishnu to save a princess from marriage to a demon lord. Accompanied by a magical white tiger, Farhad steals a precious bloodstone to bribe the demon lord's chief servant and rescue the princess. As the adventure progresses, Farhad is reborn into a higher incarnation of Vishnu and steps up the ladder of life. Safia's story entrances her listener. He begins to look for a way to emulate Farhad and find a means to save her from her preordained fate.
Lushly written, this engaging fantasy is not a simple retelling of a fairy tale but a sprightly written and exciting adventure in which nothing truly is as it seems. It combines the conflict between destiny and free choice; and it offers suspenseful action in a well-paced plot and with engaging characters. The story is rich and interesting, the locations are beautifully rendered, and the characters are very three-dimensional. They come from different places in society and have different points of view but seamlessly join together to help each other. The author mixes adventure, a magical background, and a little romance into this very well-done book.
S.Ogintz