Review
Reviewed by Melinda from
- Anila’s Journey
- Walker Books
Culture clash…
An engrossing story of finding your place in the world, says Melinda
Although it’s written as a book for young adults, this is definitely a book that people of all ages can enjoy. Set in India in the eighteenth century, Anila’s Journey is filled with lush detail and luminous characters. Careful research and a bright imagination bring the story and setting to life. A trip to India provided Finn with her sensational descriptions, and a massive amount of research allows her to offer the reader stunning – real – details. The paintings mentioned in the book are very real, and so are several of the characters, though the story itself is entirely fictional. Still, the careful little ties to reality allow the story to blossom beautifully.
In the story, Anila, a young woman with an Indian mother and a missing Irish father, is trying to figure out where she fits in the confusion of cultures surrounding her. Indian, Irish and British cultures combine to make up Anila’s world, which is filled with saris, claddagh rings and shops that sell marmalade. What is more, Anila has a fabulous talent, and she is willing to risk breaking a few social rules in order to utilize it. And so begins the adventure.
Enchanting, engrossing and beautifully told, this is a book well worth reading.
