Jupiter Williams by S.I. Martin

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Title: Jupiter Williams
Author: S.I. Martin
Number of Pages: 218 pages
My Rating: 5/5

Fourteen-year-old Jupiter is a rather spoiled rich boy at the African Academy in Clapham, England in 1800, ignorant of the reality outside his comfortable bubble. But then his younger brother get kidnapped by slavers and everything changes.

I really enjoyed this a lot. The writing is great and didn't have that typical YA feel to it at all, and Jupiter is a great (if not very likable) character. In many ways it's a typical "riches to rags" sort of adventure story, but it's made unique by the fact that the hero and most of the other main characters are black (while still being historically accurate; the African Academy really did exist).

I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

Mooch from BookMooch.

Comments

[puritybrown.livejournal.com]

I really liked the fact that Jupiter was unlikeable! It seemed such a bold choice, combined with Martin making it obvious that Jupiter's perspective was not always reliable.