Starred review from November 2, 2020
In this spectacular follow-up to Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, Mbalia offers a hard-hitting exploration of personal and cultural trauma twined with a well-paced adventure. A month after his return from Alke, Tristan Strong is still learning to embrace his new role as an Anansesem, a storyteller in possession of a Story Box—specifically, a smartphone—that contains the trickster god Anansi. When the malevolent Shamble Man attacks the Strong farm and kidnaps his grandmother, Tristan returns to Alke, which is still rebuilding following the adventures of his last visit—and under attack by the corrupting influence of the Shamble Man, who accurately blames Tristan for the devastation. To save his grandmother and Alke’s inhabitants, Tristan must face his greatest failures head-on. Mbalia again skillfully weaves mythological and folktale threads, along the way expanding his world’s reach, deconstructing Tristan’s role as hero, and examining the communal role of storytelling. Alternately humorous and heartbreaking, this installment sees Tristan entering a dramatic new chapter of his saga that will leave readers eager for more. Ages 8–12. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary.