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shreyashah096's review against another edition
lighthearted
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
endemictoearth's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I think this might have worked a bit better as a graphic novel, it was so heavy on visual description, but overall it was still an engaging and propulsive story with good anxiety representation.
showell's review
4.0
I was not expecting the humor. Or the main character’s crippling anxiety. A fun action packed fantasy with a mostly happy ending.
oxiegen's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
5.0
Kiki is a 12-year-old girl who struggles with anxiety. She is able to find some reprieve in sketching a richly imaginative world based on stories from Indian mythology. Adventure and chaos ensue when her imaginary world collides with the real one. In the end, Kiki discovers that she’s much more powerful than she thinks she is. This is a perfect middle-grade novel filled with action, friendship, and self-discovery.
Sangu Mandanna always does such a wonderful job with writing found family; I’ll never stop recommending her!
fancifulreader's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
alongreader's review
4.0
This is one of those reviews that's hard to write. Not because I didn't enjoy it - I really did! - but because I'm pretty sure this is just going to be an incoherant ramble about the BRILLIANT and the FUN and the HEART BREAK and the MUST READ!
In fact, in case I forget later, here is my very favourite quote; I've already put it on Twitter, but I think it's worth highlighting again.
Suki was the last one to go. With her hand on my doorknob, she stopped and looked back at me.
'Try to remember, ok?'
'Remember what?'
'Little girls can beat big bad wolves. We have teeth, too.'
What a fantastic message to give to young readers! Suki gets a couple of lines like that and they fall so beautifully. If this book had nothing else going for it, I'd still love it just for those words.
But it has plenty of other things going for it; a fabulous main character (PARENTS NOTE, she suffers with anxiety and children may have questions or want to discuss it after reading) a brilliant setting, a background in myths that are neither GrecoRoman nor British, amazing descriptions, really clever twists and turns...really, this book has so much going for it. It's one of a few due out this year featuring the basic idea 'someone draws things that come to life' and if they're all this amazing, we're in for a fantastic treat.
I loved the way Kiki uses everything she's learned from everyone to fight her battles. I love how simple and clever her final solution is. I love - though I don't know why, other than the lovely image - the way she keeps referring to the city as her 'golden kingdom'. And I really hope there's more to read in this world. I'll be eagerly waiting to see what else Kiki and her friends are going to get up to. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to brush up on my Indian myths...
In fact, in case I forget later, here is my very favourite quote; I've already put it on Twitter, but I think it's worth highlighting again.
Suki was the last one to go. With her hand on my doorknob, she stopped and looked back at me.
'Try to remember, ok?'
'Remember what?'
'Little girls can beat big bad wolves. We have teeth, too.'
What a fantastic message to give to young readers! Suki gets a couple of lines like that and they fall so beautifully. If this book had nothing else going for it, I'd still love it just for those words.
But it has plenty of other things going for it; a fabulous main character (PARENTS NOTE, she suffers with anxiety and children may have questions or want to discuss it after reading) a brilliant setting, a background in myths that are neither GrecoRoman nor British, amazing descriptions, really clever twists and turns...really, this book has so much going for it. It's one of a few due out this year featuring the basic idea 'someone draws things that come to life' and if they're all this amazing, we're in for a fantastic treat.
I loved the way Kiki uses everything she's learned from everyone to fight her battles. I love how simple and clever her final solution is. I love - though I don't know why, other than the lovely image - the way she keeps referring to the city as her 'golden kingdom'. And I really hope there's more to read in this world. I'll be eagerly waiting to see what else Kiki and her friends are going to get up to. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to brush up on my Indian myths...
tiffani_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hedgielib's review
4.0
A main character who is trying to deal with her anxiety on her own -- and to not tell her mother how bad it is. I appreciated the frustration and authenticity of Kiki's voice as she dealt with the challenges of her head and the world she has created.
mrs_bookdragon's review
5.0
WHAT AN ADVENTURE! I connected with Kiki so strongly in her worrier personality and the struggle she faced with wanting to be brave, but not knowing how to. This was a great story of found family, friendship, and finding your inner warrior-but also about being yourself. I loved the messages in this book! I also LOVED the twist at the end.
I listened to the audio and the narrator was phenomenal.
I listened to the audio and the narrator was phenomenal.
fallingletters's review
3.0
Review originally published 15 January 2023 at Falling Letters.
- Clear differentiation that Kiki draws inspiration from Indian folklore, not Hindu religion (pg 15)
Kiki creatively combines two worlds (pg 16)
- Haha grilled cheese (pg 18)
-- ?! wish I had noted down an exact quote here…
- Good pacing; keeps you intrigued even before the first hint of action
- Enjoyed the ‘twist’ regarding a certain friendly character – saw it coming about a hundred pages early, this isn’t something super common in the MG spec fic I read
- Appreciate even more the exploration of mental health. While it’s becoming more common to explore mental illnesses in middle grade, it’s not so common to do so in a MG spec fic novel (at least, in one where the spec fic elements aren’t essentially allegorical). A valuable representation of what it’s like to have anxiety/OCD, when you haven’t yet found the words to describe that that’s what your experiencing.
- Clear differentiation that Kiki draws inspiration from Indian folklore, not Hindu religion (pg 15)
Kiki creatively combines two worlds (pg 16)
- Haha grilled cheese (pg 18)
-- ?! wish I had noted down an exact quote here…
- Good pacing; keeps you intrigued even before the first hint of action
- Enjoyed the ‘twist’ regarding a certain friendly character – saw it coming about a hundred pages early, this isn’t something super common in the MG spec fic I read
- Appreciate even more the exploration of mental health. While it’s becoming more common to explore mental illnesses in middle grade, it’s not so common to do so in a MG spec fic novel (at least, in one where the spec fic elements aren’t essentially allegorical). A valuable representation of what it’s like to have anxiety/OCD, when you haven’t yet found the words to describe that that’s what your experiencing.