Conch Bearer, The

Rating:
Summary: THE READER IS A STAR
Review: Few who saw the Broadway revival of Cabaret with Alan Cumming can forget his exquisite, touching performance. For this he won a Tony, plus the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. Deservedly so. He continues to work his wiles in an impeccable reading of this India based adventure.

The popular author of several short story collections and winner of the American Book Award, Chitra Benerjee Divakaruni has crafted an enthralling fantasy which begins in a dirt poor shack in Kolkata (Calcutta), India. Anand is a mere 12 years of age but he has been given an enormous responsibility - his task is to return a conch shell that posses mystical powers to its home in the Himalayas, which is many hundreds of miles away.

Accompanying Anand on this challenging trek are young Nisha and a rather mysterious man called Abadhyatta. As one would expect in a fantasy the trio faces numerous otherworldly obstacles. Yet this tale is so rare, so exotic that it compels attention.

- Gail Cooke

Rating:
Summary: Far Beyond "Eragon"
Review: Many of the formulas of a classic fantasy story are present in "The Conch Bearer," by Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni. A young boy discovers he is meant to follow a supernatural destiny. On his troubled journey to meet his fate, he is joined by a wise old mentor and a spunky sidekick. Plagued by his enemy the entire way, they finally engage in a climactic showdown.
However, this story is refreshingly different from most fantasies for children and young adults in its setting, characters and conflict resolutions.

Prolific readers may recognize that these same fantasy plot devices are also used in the bestselling book "Eragon," by Christopher Paolini. While "Eragon" was an enjoyable read, I think that "The Conch Bearer" accomplishes all the same goals, and does so much more...in about 200 fewer pages, no less...

Instead of a young hero whose destiny lies in war and battle, "The Conch Bearer" gives us a compassionate and caring hero who is destined to join the Brotherhood of Healers, a group which is devoted to living in peace. Anand takes the first step of his journey when he shows kindness to a mysterious stranger.

In a further break with tired tradition, the fantasy draws on Indian culture, landscape and the features of everyday life to provide a multicultural perspective. The little details which the author includes will intrigue and delight readers used to adventures based on Northern European and British folklore and history.

The best feature of this book is the glimpses that readers receive into the hero's inner life during his complicated journey. We see Anand grow and mature throughout the book, and it's his moments of inner conflict that provide the most suspense for readers. The reader is really able to engage and empathize with the characters in this adventure.

However, "The Conch Bearer" isn't all warm fuzzies - there are still enough moments of scariness and suspense to satisfy the most demanding readers of adventure tales.

In my opinion, it's interesting to compare this story with "Eragon" to demonstrate what is innovative in storytelling today and what's played out. The best fantasy stories are those which lead the reader on an adventure that is both familiar and completely new.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent for young readers
Review: The Conch Bearer demonstrates very effectively through it's 12-year old hero Anand, the demons and conflicts that most people face in real life when they are learning to trust their instincts, believe in themselves, reach out for assistance and look for the answers within. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni also demonstrates through the young heroine Nisha (who is critical to Anand's eventual success) that not only are women just as smart, resourceful and capable but that no one achieves success solely through their own efforts. Anand eventually realizes these facts and accords Nisha the trust, love, and gratitude she is due as a loyal friend who would selflessly give her life to ensure his success. My family thoroughly enjoyed this very satisfying and magical book. I also liked that Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni demonstrated the spiritual, mental and physical effects of poverty in a very accessible way bringing to mind the way Charles Dickens handled the themes of poverty in his books. Children younger than 10 years old would most probably not be able to grasp the more subtle underlying themes of spiritual and character development on their own.