Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A Chinese American tween traverses an alternate realm to stop a grim prophecy in this mythology-driven adventure from Chapman (All the Ways Home). In Vancouver, asthmatic 12-year-old Astrid Xu plays the clarinet to help her control her breathing, and she hopes her upcoming solo will encourage her depressed mother, who's taken to bed, to "get better enough to come watch." When she finds an old volume of Chinese mythology, she thinks she might be able to bond with her mother over the tales. But upon encountering a scroll inside and breaking its wax seal, Astrid and younger sister Marilla are transported into Zhen, or mythological China, home to fabled figures they've only read about. There, they learn that Astrid has unwittingly released the demon Chaos, who plans to bring about a realm-ending flood. Agreeing to help defeat Chaos in exchange for obtaining an immortal peach to help their mom, Astrid, along with Marilla and two legendary allies, set off to save Zhen from a dark fate. Interstitials from A Handbook of Ancient Chinese Myth aid in the plot progression of this imaginative middle grade novel about changing familial bonds and finding one's strength. An author's note includes mental health resources. Ages 8--12. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary. (Mar.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5 Up--Chapman's latest book takes readers on a fast-paced adventure starring gods and demigods from Chinese mythology. Astrid Xu is a 12-year-old with long black hair and a lingering confidence problem. She has an upcoming clarinet solo, but she's afraid that her asthma will ruin her performance. Worse yet, she fears that playing poorly will cause her mother to slip further into a depressive fog. Astrid must learn to trust herself and her family after she accidentally opens a cursed scroll and plunges into Zhen, a world where all the Chinese myths from her childhood are real. This title is broad in a scope comparable to epic fantasies like The Chronicles of Narnia, exploring Chinese traditions and mythologies. The world of Zhen has many vibrant corners for Astrid and her sister Marilla to explore. There they find warm and likable mentors who gently guide their understanding of complex issues like codependency and mental illness. Chapman's book strikes a balance between humor, action, and insight as Astrid is shown finding her way from Zhen back to her everyday life. VERDICT Recommended for fans of jam-packed crossover fantasy with elements of adventure and surrealism.--Talea Anderson
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
It's up to one Vancouver, British Columbia, girl to save a realm of Chinese gods and immortals from Chaos. Twelve-year-old Chinese Canadian Astrid Xu has two things on her mind: her upcoming concert (managing her asthma while she plays clarinet adds to her nerves) and her mother's depression (which isn't getting better). When she finds an old book about Chinese mythology, Astrid hopes to use it to connect with her mother and younger sister, Marilla. Unbeknownst to Astrid, the book also contains an ancient scroll that unleashes a demon bent on destroying everything. Astrid and Marilla learn the truth behind the stories their mother shared as they come face to face with the demigod Erlang Shen and Sae, one of the Eight Immortals. Astrid agrees to help them defeat the demon--but in return, she wants a magical peach that she hopes will cure her mother. As Astrid, Marilla, and the immortals race through a world quickly succumbing to Chaos, they must face their fears and their conflicts with one another before they can make a final stand. Chapman mixes an empowering adventure story, in which Astrid uses skills she has already learned in fantastic new ways, with unflinching, age-appropriate depictions of the ways depression can affect a family. Summaries of myths interspersed throughout the narrative add extra context for readers new to Chinese mythology. A mythological romp that also tackles issues of mental health. (Fantasy. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
