LoveReading4Kids Says
July 2023 Book of the Month
Set in an alternate colonial India, the tale of young foundling Minou Moonshine is one of friendship, faith, rebellion and the fight for justice. It is packed with incident, escapes and near misses, and stories, lots of stories.
Found as a baby alone in a boat on the monsoon-flooded river, Minou has grown up with the feisty Dima, but when the old lady is killed, Minou joins the Green Orchids, a band of rebels determined to overthrow the cruel, corrupt General who rules the realm. In the course of her adventure, Minou is kidnapped and installed as a double for the general’s daughter; escapes from an airship; and drives a life-size mechanical elephant.
She also discovers some extraordinary information about her own history. Setting, characters and storyline sparkle like the precious black diamond stolen from the statue of the city’s goddess and mark out this action-packed adventure as fresh and original.
Reviewed by Andrea ReeceAndrea Reece has spent almost her entire working life in children’s books, first as publisher, latterly as consultant, project manager and critic.
More reviews by Andrea Reece About The Destiny of Minou Moonshine
The story of a queendom set in an alternate colonial India, blending Frances Hardinge with Kipling's Kim. A debut rich in fantasy, friendship and faith, and an original steampunk adventure that sparkles with storytelling magic. 'A land that loses its stories loses its way.'
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The Destiny of Minou Moonshine Synopsis
The story of a queendom set in an alternate colonial India, blending Frances Hardinge with Kipling's Kim. A debut rich in fantasy, friendship and faith, and an original steampunk adventure that sparkles with storytelling magic. 'A land that loses its stories loses its way.'
The beautiful queendom of Moonlally has fallen under a tyrant's rule. Their queen is dead, worship of their goddess, the Dark Lady, is forbidden, and the precious black diamond that protects the city - a rare fragment of fallen star - has gone missing.
When fierce orphan girl Minou Moonshine's life is unexpectedly shattered, she joins the ragtag band of rebels, the Green Orchids, who are plotting to overthrow the General. Armed with a secret and a map, Minou sets off with her friends and a mechanical elephant, through the lush jungles of Indica, in search of the Dark Lady, a diamond and her destiny.
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781804545485 |
| Publication date: |
9th May 2024 |
| Author: |
Gita Ralleigh |
| Publisher: |
Zephyr an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
274 pages |
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Gita Ralleigh Press Reviews
'Masterful, a wonderfully original fantasy adventure that feels like a timeless classic. A brilliant new voice in the world of children's fiction.' - Anthony McGowan, winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal for Lark
'Gita Ralleigh builds a vivid world bursting with jeopardy in this beautifully lyrical debut. So many unexpected twists to love, including the mechanicals. Minou is a great hero - kind-hearted, brave, and full of fire.' - Jasbinder Bilan, Costa prize-winning author of Aasha and the Spirit Bird
'An awesome alt-India middle grade book, with adventure and emotional twists, tied together with friendships and the family we find, and an incredible heroine in Minou, who fights for freedom and Queendom!' - Roopa Farooki, author of A Double Detectives Medical Mystery: The Cure for a Crime
'A rich and thrilling adventure.' - Sophie Anderson, author of The Thief Who Sang Storms
'Magical, multi-sensory storytelling...that will enchant readers, rest in memories and spark imaginations.' - Sita Brahmachari, Yoto-Carnegie shortlisted author of When Shadows Fall
'High adventure and a lavish, sensory world of mystery, magic and mechanical marvels. With an indomitable hero in Minou Moonshine, this is an inspiring, delightful read - young readers are in for a ripping ride.' - Finbar Hawkins, author of Witch
'With forbidden goddesses, a lost queen and a mechanical elephant, this is a gently unfolding, rich narrative full of fantasy and wonder, which champions the power of girls and women to manage their own destinies.' - The Bookseller, One to Watch
About Gita Ralleigh
Gita Ralleigh grew up reading fantasy adventures that took her to faraway lands. The closest she came was on family holidays to India, where old palaces, ice-capped mountains, monkeys and elephants were part of everyday life. After a career as a medical doctor, she studied for an MA in Creative Writing and published short stories and two poetry books.
The Destiny of Minou Moonshine is her debut children's novel. She lives in London with her two children, and teaches creative writing to undergraduates at Imperial College.
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