The Pearl Hunter by Miya T. Beck

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Pearl Hunter by Miya T. Beck Fiona Hartley-Kroeger Beck, Miya T. The Pearl Hunter. Balzer + Bray, 2023 [320p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780063238190 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780063238213 $9.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 4-7 Kai and her twin sister Kishi come from a family tradition of pearl divers, female breadwinners who take pride in their strength and independence despite their low [End Page 148] social status. When a bakekujira (ghost whale) snatches Kishi away mid-dive, Kai is determined to save her sister before Kishi’s soul enters the afterlife, even if that means accepting the aid of the Dragon King, bargaining with the sea goddess Benzaiten, escaping a warlord, and (somehow) getting the fox queen Dakini’s magical pearl. An unpleasant episode with bandits yields a new friend (and maybe more) in the kind, horse-savvy boy Ren, and Kai begins to explore who she is without her twin even as she fights to get her back. While the uneven pacing sometimes makes for a choppy narrative, the elegant prose is descriptive, and the fictional world, inspired by eleventh-century Japan, is rich with Japanese myths and legends. There’s broad fantasy appeal here, but the book will especially find an audience with fans of Erin Entrada Kelly and Grace Lin. The text is supported by a note on historical and folkloric sources and a thoughtful glossary. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois