Abstract
Reviewed by: The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M. T. Anderson Wesley Jacques Anderson, M. T. The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge; illus. by Eugene Yelchin. Candlewick, 2018 [544p] ISBN 978-0-7636-9822-5 $24.99 Reviewed from galleys R Gr. 5-8 Historian Brangwain Spurge has been mockingly known as "Weedy" since he was a young elf, and he desperately hopes to become a hero instead of the squeamish and fearful laughingstock his peers see him as. To this end he travels to the center of the goblin kingdom in order to resolve the generations-long hostilities between the two peoples with a mysterious gift with which he's been entrusted. His goblin host, Werfel, an archivist, is as welcoming as possible, understanding the stakes and genuinely wanting this visit to go well for the future of his people as well as his own personal safety. Surreal full-spread illustrative sequences pulled from Spurge's mind's eye and letters between the elf monarch and the pompous aristocrat who selected Spurge for this mission clue readers in that the secret gift is, unbeknownst to Spurge, actually a bomb and this peace mission is actually a terrorist plot. Still, Spurge and Werfel's ill-fated attempt at intercultural diplomacy—where elves are haughty and oblivious and goblins are proud of their culturally brutish ways, but neither does a convincing job of hiding their mutual resentments—is sharply funny, and it's enhanced by the bookish and bumbling duo's eventually finding common ground in obscure books and accidental heroism. An epilogue hints that the two remain close friends in a less hostile world, and the detailed illustrations, rich world building, and epistolary elements make for a worthwhile reread. Copyright © 2018 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.