Sparrows in the Wind

Sparrows in the Wind

Gail Carson Levine

Quill Tree/HarperCollins, October, 2022

352 pages

Grades 6-8

Historical Fiction/Mythology

Cassandra is a favored and obedient daughter of the royal family of ancient Troy. After pleasing the god Apollo when she honors him in an important ceremony, he takes his admiration a step too far and she pulls the brakes on his advances. Apollo is not happy and, though he has already blessed her with the gift of foretelling the future, now piggie-backs the curse that no one will believe her. To complicate matters her evil twin was also given the gift of sight-only without the curse. Both Cassandra and her twin foretell the troubles that the beautiful Helen will bring to their beloved land. Cassandra tries to stop Helen from arriving, thus stopping the bloody and devastating Trojan Wars, while her twin, who people actually listen to, tries to bring about war for his own selfish reasons. Cassandra becomes friends and allies with a minor wind god, who tries to help her stop the madness. As the book continues another character is introduced: Rin, an Amazon warrior princess, who's fate intertwines with Cassandra's as they become strange colleagues and, eventually, friends.

This is the second book about the Trojan War that I have read recently and though for a younger audience and from the perspective of opposite sides, the two titles compliment each other. Although not released until October, I have already read reviews on this title and have been interested in reading it. It is meant for an elementary audience, but because of the violence and advances of Apollo I would recommend it for middle school. Readers will identify with the plight and frustrations of Cassandra and, though not under a curse, understand what is like to not have control over your own circumstances or have grown-ups listen to you. Levine offers many important themes in the book such as feminism, antiwar, beauty outside verse beauty within, and the true meaning of bravery. The two perspectives (Cassandra and Rin) are written distinctly and offer two contrasting, yet compatible, narrations of the proceedings. Thanks to Rick Riordan, there is a wave of mythological novels for today's readers and this title offers a different perspective on a classic tale that will find an audience.