Review by Kirkus Book Review
Estranged best friends reunite for an adventure with significant stakes. It's been over a year since the young descendants of the founders ofBURN!!! magazine--a short-lived African American literary publication with a powerful legacy--met for cultural activities. Tech whiz Ashley, viral budding rapper David, pet rat--toting Charlie, and Zeus, whose great-great-grandfather is rumored to have left behind a clue to a hidden treasure, were a tightknit friend group. But Zeus' grandfather shut down their exclusive club--and mysteriously disappeared. Now Zeus feels that getting the crew back together, with help from his grandpa's white butler, is the only way to solve this challenging puzzle that reeks of foul play, but their reunion is initially bumpy due to some complicated dynamics. The brisk pace and the kids' impressive savvy make for an original jet-setting adventure informed by Black creativity and trivia; Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem" frames many of the clues. The kids--Zeus is the youngest at 12, and David is the eldest at 14--anchor Banks' debut novel's smart exploration of race, politics, history, and literature. The hidden clues they piece together tell of an American history that's characterized by continual injustice and heartbreak, including in their own families' stories, whether on an Oklahoma plantation, in Chicago meat-processing plants, or in the artificially inflated prices of insulin. A cliffhanger ending that leaves room for a possible sequel arrives as the kids' connections are strengthened, and the dangers rise to a crescendo. Timely, compelling, and thrill-packed. (author's note)(Mystery. 8-13) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
