By Ben Gusterson
Illustrations by Kristina Kister and Mandala artwork by Ben Gusterson
4RBooks: 4/6, grades 5-8
Amazon rating: 4.5/5, grade level 4-7
Good Reads: 3.76/5
Common Sense Media: 3/5, age 9+
368 pages
Synopsis:
The Nine is a world-famous mall run by Zander’s grandmother, Zina Winebee. It is 19 stories tall and full of shops, restaurants, game areas, and has a Ferris Wheel on the top of the 19th floor. It has been in the family for years, but Zander hasn’t visited for over 6 years. He is going to stay with his grandmother at the mall (she has a home on the ninth floor) while his parents are doing research on volcanoes.
Zander spends his first few days touring the mall and meets Natasha. She is an entertainer who performs on 2-3 different swings that are hanging from ceilings in the mall. They are the same age and become fast friends. Zander realizes quickly that things are not right at the mall, someone is trying to hurt and sabotage the place.
He learns the legend of Darkbloom, an evil spirit that once haunted the mall and may be returning. There are riddles throughout the store and legend says if you solve the riddles you will find the location to the hidden plate, a sandstone object with a mandala on it that controls Darkbloom.
Zander and Natasha set out to decipher the codes and find the plate to save the mall, while trying to stay away from trouble, and stay alive.
Parental Guidance: medium
The mall is suffering from a variety of random violent acts. A woman is attacked, the power lines are damaged, a gondola on the Ferris wheel is sabotaged and falls off injuring a couple of people, the boiler room is sabotaged, and a fire starts in the kitchen.
The mall is being victimized by an evil spirit working through people working there.
Everyone is on edge because of a legend that the mall will be destroyed on its 75th anniversary.
Mr. Herpolsheimer “reads” playing cards to foretell the future.
Zander and Natasha are followed while searching for the plate. Natasha is briefly held captive by Sergei and Ludmilla. Zander gets dizzy and almost falls off the ledge.
Recommendation:
One of the first sets of books I reviewed for this blog was the Winterhouse series by Mr. Gusterson, a three-book set. This book has similar themes, similar strengths, and similar concerns.
It’s long and detailed so I would recommend this to advanced elementary readers and middle school readers only, even though the main characters have just completed fifth grade. Zander and Natasha are unique and interesting characters who develop a solid friendship and help each other through difficult times. Zander learns to overcome his fears, and instead of hiding what he and Natasha are, and have been, doing, he is open and honest with his grandmother, before and/or after the fact.
The mall is an interesting locale with a complex history. The illustrations are excellent, and the concept of mandalas would make for a fascinating art extension. Though the location of the mall is fictional, the names of people and places present as something in Russia or former Russian territories. The characters are racially diverse and most of the positions of power in the mall are run by women.
The answer to the secret room is hidden in nine seemingly nonsensical poems written on walls, one on each floor. Children who like puzzles will enjoy trying to decode the clues in the poems.
The biggest concern I have about the book is the supernatural content. There is an evil spirit named Darkbloom that has been brought back and is controlling people’s thoughts and actions, inciting violence, and destruction. The plate supposedly can be used to control Darkbloom with certain incantations. As such I wouldn’t recommend this as an independent read for Christian children unless there was parent guidance and discussion.
Teachers make the best decision for your class and your neighborhood before including this in your library for independent reading. It would probably be okay as a classroom read, again with teacher guidance and discussions.
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