What if there were a world where the British Empire still ruled the globe, and the enslavement of humans was still practiced out in the open? That’s the 21st-century London of Tyger’s protagonist, Adam Alhambra, a Muslim kid of Middle Eastern descent who is just trying to keep his head down and help his parents’ small business as a courier. That is, until he discovers something in a rubbish heap that was never meant to be there: an immortal creature known as the Tyger, who is in desperate need of Adam’s help.
For fans of fantasy, the worldbuilding in this middle grade novel is intensely good, from the magical lore to the social class systems; for example, while openly practiced enslavement can be thoughtlessly utilized in alternate-universe spec fic, Said approaches the subject with depth and morality. Adam, Tyger, and Zadie are phenomenally rich characters, the plot is thrilling, and the philosophical questions raised by the story are emotionally impactful. It’s easy to understand why this book was so highly praised when it was originally released in the U.K., and it should absolutely make its way onto any fantasy fan’s reading list.
Thank you so much to Penguin Workshop and Penguin Young Readers for sending us a copy of this one!
The Baby Bookworm 