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A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars
Fourteen-year-old Sante isn’t sure where she comes from, but she has a recurring dream of escaping a shipwreck in a sea chest as a baby with her lifelong companion, golden eagle Priss. In the chest was an African bamboo flute, a drum and a dagger inlaid with diamonds. Sante was found and raised by Mama Rose, leader of a nomadic group of misfits and gypsies. They travel around contemporary southern Europe, living off-grid and performing circus tricks for money. Sante grows up alongside two twins, knife-thrower Cat and snake-charmer Cobra, whom she is in love with. During a performance in Cadiz, Sante recognises two men from her dream. They come after her to retrieve the treasures from the sea chest. Sante finds out that she is an Ashanti princess, whose parents probably perished in the shipwreck. After Cat rescues a beautiful red-haired girl called Scarlett from a gang, Mama Rose’s band are forced to flee the city. But Sante and Cobra stay behind, determined to find out more about her family and where she came from.
320 pages, Paperback
First published September 7, 2017
17 people are currently reading
1129 people want to read
About the author
Yaba Badoe
9 books31 followersYaba Badoe is an award-winning Ghanaian-British documentary film-maker and writer. A graduate of King's College Cambridge, she was a civil servant in Ghana before becoming a general trainee with the BBC. She has taught in Spain and Jamaica and worked as a Visiting Scholar at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana. Her short stories have been published in Critical Quarterly, African Love Stories, an anthology edited by Ama Ata Aidoo, and Daughters of Africa.
Yaba lives in Balham, London with her husband Colin Izod.
Yaba lives in Balham, London with her husband Colin Izod.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
January 3, 2022
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars follows fourteen-year-old Sante who isn't sure where her home is. All she does know stems from a recurring dream of escaping a shipwreck in a sea chest as a baby and meeting her lifelong companion since then, golden eagle Priss. In the chest was an African bamboo flute, a drum and a dagger inlaid with diamonds.
Sante, and the mysterious treasure, were found and raised by Mama Rose, leader of a nomadic group of misfits and gypsies. Together, they traveled around contemporary southern Europe, living off-grid and performing circus tricks for money. Sante grep up contentedly alongside knife-throwers and snake-charmer but,during a performance in Cadiz, Sante recognises two men from her dream. They have come for her treasure but also have secrets about her past to deliver.
This was a diverse and magically transportive story and I was immediately immersed in the whimsical yet thrilling story-line with protagonist, Sante. She was a headstrong in nature and consistently threw herself into danger, yet also had the admirable qualities of a feisty nature and loyalty to those around her. Whilst I did love Sante, it was these surrounding characters that made the story complete for me. This might have centred around a cast of society's misfits, but they definitely were the perfect accompaniment to each other's lives.
What I also found inside these pages was a relevance to the present day. Protests for the equality of black lives and the end of police brutality are currently being held in almost every country, after the murder of George Floyd. As this novel progressed similar themes also became prevalent. The police were termed as 'black boots' and the younger members of this travelling family were constantly advised to fear their presence. The characters largely learnt to rely on their wits to save them, as those with power prove themselves as unworthy of the privilege on more than one occasion.
I had not anticipated these themes to be prevalent and it made for a far more poignant story. I learned a lot about the experience of multiple marginalised and diverse characters, and also experienced a wonderfully, magical story alongside it.
Sante, and the mysterious treasure, were found and raised by Mama Rose, leader of a nomadic group of misfits and gypsies. Together, they traveled around contemporary southern Europe, living off-grid and performing circus tricks for money. Sante grep up contentedly alongside knife-throwers and snake-charmer but,during a performance in Cadiz, Sante recognises two men from her dream. They have come for her treasure but also have secrets about her past to deliver.
This was a diverse and magically transportive story and I was immediately immersed in the whimsical yet thrilling story-line with protagonist, Sante. She was a headstrong in nature and consistently threw herself into danger, yet also had the admirable qualities of a feisty nature and loyalty to those around her. Whilst I did love Sante, it was these surrounding characters that made the story complete for me. This might have centred around a cast of society's misfits, but they definitely were the perfect accompaniment to each other's lives.
What I also found inside these pages was a relevance to the present day. Protests for the equality of black lives and the end of police brutality are currently being held in almost every country, after the murder of George Floyd. As this novel progressed similar themes also became prevalent. The police were termed as 'black boots' and the younger members of this travelling family were constantly advised to fear their presence. The characters largely learnt to rely on their wits to save them, as those with power prove themselves as unworthy of the privilege on more than one occasion.
I had not anticipated these themes to be prevalent and it made for a far more poignant story. I learned a lot about the experience of multiple marginalised and diverse characters, and also experienced a wonderfully, magical story alongside it.
October 10, 2018
I had heard little to nothing about A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars prior to requesting it on NetGalley. I've been trying to expand my reading of literature by authors of cultures foreign to my own and the book's premise spoke to me, so I was more than delighted than we'd been accepted for this novel.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is pitched as a contemporary but I believe magical or animist realism describes it best. The story combines contemporary themes such as people-trafficking, the flow of refugees from Africa to Europe, and the search for identity and belonging with magical elements of African folklore.
If this storyline had a rhythm, it'd be a quiet one. Badoe laid the focus on Sante's past, her discovery of self, and her struggles rather than spinning a fast-paced plot with twists and turns. Character-driven as it was, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars delved into intra- and interpersonal developments. Where the Ghanaian main character was concerned, the storyline involved a lot of dreaming and remembering and interactions with ancestral spirits, which slowed down the pace but gave it a special touch. I love human-animal relationships in literature, so the close bond between Sante and her golden eagle Priss was delightful to me. Badoe brought the – what I believe to be Ghanaian – folklore to life with its images rich in colour, making the spirits of the dead an integral part of the story and the theme of redemption and justice. I was curious how an author of Ghanaian heritage was going to handle questions of race and 'othering'. From Sante's point of view, there seemed to be a wider gap between civilised and travelling folk than dark- and fair-skinned people, but Badoe allowed adult characters to voice political views. Badoe addressed the dehumanisation of refugees and the sinking of their ships at our doorstep in a subtle manner, I thought, and raised the focal point of our lives' worth depending on our skin colour. Though there are, of course, many points of view to be considered with regard to the flow of refugees, the voice of an African refugee girl who survived the sinking of her boat is a powerful and relevant one. Badoe also beautifully illustrated this dehumanisation with the spirits of the dead who had come to raise their voices and make their deaths meaningful.
Although the plot certainly involved the horrors of people-trafficking, I didn't feel like this was the story's core at all. On one hand, this disappointed me because the book is pitched as a contemporary read, and I expected to see a broad scope of this issue; on the other hand, I hadn't bargained for so much magical realism which was a pleasant surprise. I think I would have preferred it, though, if Badoe had zeroed in on one central theme, rather than trying to combine several contemporary issues in one short book.
The exquisite prose further underpinned the book's whimsical atmosphere. I did feel, however, that the storytelling (as well as any romantic content) had a juvenile touch, so I'd place A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars in the younger section of YA. At fourteen, Sante was a young narrator but her voice captured me from the first page nevertheless. Relationships were certainly part of the storyline, yet mostly took place of an emotional level (as in "crushes") rather than a physical one, which was absolutely fine by me. What Badoe did well was depicting the less pretty sides of romantic feelings, such as jealousy and disagreements. It is noteworthy that A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars features an f/f romance (involving a side character), which almost seemed more important than the main character's relationship.
Overall, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars addresses important themes, narrated by an authentic main character and enhanced by African folklore, and excites with a whimsical note and lovely writing. With regard to its themes, I loved how the story communicated through images, for example the spirits, more than through words. However, I feel like the story swayed between several points of focus, capturing neither at the end. Both the dehumanisation of refugees/migrants and people-trafficking are relevant, but I'd have preferred a more in-depth discussion on one topic rather than having several issues addressed briefly, especially since the book was really short.
** I received an eARC of this book from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Quotations may be subject to change in the final copy.**
On a different note: This was my 400th rating on Goodreads, so yay.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is pitched as a contemporary but I believe magical or animist realism describes it best. The story combines contemporary themes such as people-trafficking, the flow of refugees from Africa to Europe, and the search for identity and belonging with magical elements of African folklore.
If this storyline had a rhythm, it'd be a quiet one. Badoe laid the focus on Sante's past, her discovery of self, and her struggles rather than spinning a fast-paced plot with twists and turns. Character-driven as it was, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars delved into intra- and interpersonal developments. Where the Ghanaian main character was concerned, the storyline involved a lot of dreaming and remembering and interactions with ancestral spirits, which slowed down the pace but gave it a special touch. I love human-animal relationships in literature, so the close bond between Sante and her golden eagle Priss was delightful to me. Badoe brought the – what I believe to be Ghanaian – folklore to life with its images rich in colour, making the spirits of the dead an integral part of the story and the theme of redemption and justice. I was curious how an author of Ghanaian heritage was going to handle questions of race and 'othering'. From Sante's point of view, there seemed to be a wider gap between civilised and travelling folk than dark- and fair-skinned people, but Badoe allowed adult characters to voice political views. Badoe addressed the dehumanisation of refugees and the sinking of their ships at our doorstep in a subtle manner, I thought, and raised the focal point of our lives' worth depending on our skin colour. Though there are, of course, many points of view to be considered with regard to the flow of refugees, the voice of an African refugee girl who survived the sinking of her boat is a powerful and relevant one. Badoe also beautifully illustrated this dehumanisation with the spirits of the dead who had come to raise their voices and make their deaths meaningful.
"Strangers pitch up on our shores and we herd them into camps. They come in broken boats and we let them drown."
Although the plot certainly involved the horrors of people-trafficking, I didn't feel like this was the story's core at all. On one hand, this disappointed me because the book is pitched as a contemporary read, and I expected to see a broad scope of this issue; on the other hand, I hadn't bargained for so much magical realism which was a pleasant surprise. I think I would have preferred it, though, if Badoe had zeroed in on one central theme, rather than trying to combine several contemporary issues in one short book.
The exquisite prose further underpinned the book's whimsical atmosphere. I did feel, however, that the storytelling (as well as any romantic content) had a juvenile touch, so I'd place A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars in the younger section of YA. At fourteen, Sante was a young narrator but her voice captured me from the first page nevertheless. Relationships were certainly part of the storyline, yet mostly took place of an emotional level (as in "crushes") rather than a physical one, which was absolutely fine by me. What Badoe did well was depicting the less pretty sides of romantic feelings, such as jealousy and disagreements. It is noteworthy that A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars features an f/f romance (involving a side character), which almost seemed more important than the main character's relationship.
Overall, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars addresses important themes, narrated by an authentic main character and enhanced by African folklore, and excites with a whimsical note and lovely writing. With regard to its themes, I loved how the story communicated through images, for example the spirits, more than through words. However, I feel like the story swayed between several points of focus, capturing neither at the end. Both the dehumanisation of refugees/migrants and people-trafficking are relevant, but I'd have preferred a more in-depth discussion on one topic rather than having several issues addressed briefly, especially since the book was really short.
** I received an eARC of this book from the publishers through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Quotations may be subject to change in the final copy.**
On a different note: This was my 400th rating on Goodreads, so yay.
September 2, 2017
I received a free copy of this book from Head of Zeus/Zephry in exchange for an honest review.
Full video review to come.
Sante Williams is part of a travelling circus family led by Mama Rose who found Sante as a baby, washed ashore in a trunk full of jewels and other strange objects. Now 14 years old, Sante is suddenly about to discover the truth about where she really comes from and avenge the loss she experienced at so young an age.
This book was a wonderful, quirky tale full of love, strength, friendship and magic. The story flowed really well and i really loved Sante as a character and the connection she had to others around her like Priss and Cobra. Also just need to add in here now delicious the cover is for this, absolutely stunning.
This story was just magical, beautiful and evocative but it also touched upon darker things like sex trafficking, especially underage children. It also brushed upon the topic of immigrants and how often people fleeing their own country for a better life are scammed by those who promise to take them to a better place, and they end up dying in the middle of a foreign ocean.
I just think this book and Yaba Badoe was able to blend the seriousness of a lot of the things Sante was facing up against with the beauty and freedom that was the subtle magic she possessed and the type that Cobra and Cat had as well. I really enjoyed it, and I also loved the glimpses into the circus life and the different acts they all performed.
Full video review to come.
Sante Williams is part of a travelling circus family led by Mama Rose who found Sante as a baby, washed ashore in a trunk full of jewels and other strange objects. Now 14 years old, Sante is suddenly about to discover the truth about where she really comes from and avenge the loss she experienced at so young an age.
This book was a wonderful, quirky tale full of love, strength, friendship and magic. The story flowed really well and i really loved Sante as a character and the connection she had to others around her like Priss and Cobra. Also just need to add in here now delicious the cover is for this, absolutely stunning.
This story was just magical, beautiful and evocative but it also touched upon darker things like sex trafficking, especially underage children. It also brushed upon the topic of immigrants and how often people fleeing their own country for a better life are scammed by those who promise to take them to a better place, and they end up dying in the middle of a foreign ocean.
I just think this book and Yaba Badoe was able to blend the seriousness of a lot of the things Sante was facing up against with the beauty and freedom that was the subtle magic she possessed and the type that Cobra and Cat had as well. I really enjoyed it, and I also loved the glimpses into the circus life and the different acts they all performed.
September 10, 2017
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I received an ARC of A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars from Netgalley. I had chosen to read it because the cover was so beautiful and I really loved the blurb, it sounded incredibly promising.
It's #ownvoices for Ghanian representation.
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The writing style is quite unique in this book. It’s very fast-paced, packed with action and dramatic scenes, and the sentences are quite short, thus making it seem as though it were a movie. However, I found the writing style rather confusing at times because it was too jaggered and I got lost easily. For example, I didn’t know what she was referring to when Sante was talking about “his greens” , and only realised after a while that she meant his green eyes.
There are two relationships in this book. The second relationship (which is between two girls), happens out of nowhere, they are immediately together, but they don’t know anything about each other, and they also don’t really care to find out anything. I found this rather confusing. I also thought that the story focussed way too much on the romantic relationships and not on the plotline of Sante finding out more about her family and where she is from.
There were some parts that I found rather problematic. The most jarring was the repetetive use of the slur g*psy . Even though Sante mentions that the word is inappropriate, she uses it to describe her friends, who are Romany. Mama Rose dresses up as a geisha in one scene, complete with the kimono, to do some thinking and this was so weird, especially considering that she’s a white woman. The horse in this story is called Taj Mahal, and I didn’t see why this would be the case considering that none of the characters are from India.
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I enjoyed the premise of A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars but this wasn’t my book.
I received an ARC of A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars from Netgalley. I had chosen to read it because the cover was so beautiful and I really loved the blurb, it sounded incredibly promising.
It's #ownvoices for Ghanian representation.
__
The writing style is quite unique in this book. It’s very fast-paced, packed with action and dramatic scenes, and the sentences are quite short, thus making it seem as though it were a movie. However, I found the writing style rather confusing at times because it was too jaggered and I got lost easily. For example, I didn’t know what she was referring to when Sante was talking about “his greens” , and only realised after a while that she meant his green eyes.
There are two relationships in this book. The second relationship (which is between two girls), happens out of nowhere, they are immediately together, but they don’t know anything about each other, and they also don’t really care to find out anything. I found this rather confusing. I also thought that the story focussed way too much on the romantic relationships and not on the plotline of Sante finding out more about her family and where she is from.
There were some parts that I found rather problematic. The most jarring was the repetetive use of the slur g*psy . Even though Sante mentions that the word is inappropriate, she uses it to describe her friends, who are Romany. Mama Rose dresses up as a geisha in one scene, complete with the kimono, to do some thinking and this was so weird, especially considering that she’s a white woman. The horse in this story is called Taj Mahal, and I didn’t see why this would be the case considering that none of the characters are from India.
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I enjoyed the premise of A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars but this wasn’t my book.
July 2, 2018
Argh, I wanted to completely love this but it just fell flat in some places for me, especially the writing. Of course I was first attracted to this absolutely gorgeous cover, but a story about a baby girl arriving from the ocean with treasures being adopted by a circus group just sounded so exciting and magical, and in places it WAS, but then in others it was so cluttered by writing that felt like bad poetry that it lost the magic somewhere. I'm not a fan of a simile at the best of times (i think it's the voice of an old English teacher of mine who HATED them echoing in my head) but I think they can be used at the right time. This book is drowning in them (yes I'm aware of the irony of that sentence lol)
It was action packed and I thought it may have gone into a very dark area, but it was almost like it skimmed the top of that and away. I also wanted to know more about Sante and more about the world; is this our world? Is magic just more normal, or is this unique? That part felt confused and rushed for me too.
I did like this, and I definitely think this would suit someone with more flowery taste in writing (I'm pretty basic IMO) Three stars!
It was action packed and I thought it may have gone into a very dark area, but it was almost like it skimmed the top of that and away. I also wanted to know more about Sante and more about the world; is this our world? Is magic just more normal, or is this unique? That part felt confused and rushed for me too.
I did like this, and I definitely think this would suit someone with more flowery taste in writing (I'm pretty basic IMO) Three stars!
October 22, 2017
Disclaimer: I received a copy free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fourteen-year-old Sante doesn’t know where she comes from and is haunted by a past she doesn’t remember. The only clue she has is a recurring dream where she is escaping a shipwreck in a chest as a baby, along with her companion, an eagle named Priss. Along with this chest, she was found with treasures – an African bamboo flute, a drum, and a dagger, along with diamonds. Sante was found and raised by Mama Rose and her nomadic family who make a living as circus street performers. During one of their performances, Sante recognises two men from her dream. She wants to find out about her past and where she came from, and they want to retrieve to treasures she was found with. But her past and these men lead her down a dangerous road.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars was a magical and imaginative novel. Yaba Badoe’s writing is very descriptive and creates vivid and rich imagery. Yaba Badoe seamlessly blends magical realism full of Ghanaian mythology and folklore with a contemporary European setting also full of circus elements. The story is well balanced with two different stories running side by side, smoothly fleeting between flashbacks of the shipwreck and Sante discovering her past and connecting to her African roots and family, but also a story featuring Sante tackling a human trafficking group.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars discusses some really important topics such as human trafficking, underage sex work, child exploitation, and the dangers and desperation that comes with being a refugee. I would like to give a warning though - After surviving a shipwreck Sante finds a new family with Mama Rose, a Romani woman and they are street performers doing circus tricks etc, and the g**** slur is used and they faced a lot of discrimination and hatred which wasn’t called out in the text.
I loved the family dynamics that Sante had with both her surrogate family, and her biological family who she connected with through spirits and dreams. Sante’s search for her identity and belonging made A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars a powerful and emotive read.
Also, the artwork is beautiful and the designer definitely deserves high praise. There is also a good side f/f relationship which was a pleasant surprise.
Overall, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a powerful and evocative debut full of rich imagery, and I am excited to see what Yaba Badoe writes next.
Fourteen-year-old Sante doesn’t know where she comes from and is haunted by a past she doesn’t remember. The only clue she has is a recurring dream where she is escaping a shipwreck in a chest as a baby, along with her companion, an eagle named Priss. Along with this chest, she was found with treasures – an African bamboo flute, a drum, and a dagger, along with diamonds. Sante was found and raised by Mama Rose and her nomadic family who make a living as circus street performers. During one of their performances, Sante recognises two men from her dream. She wants to find out about her past and where she came from, and they want to retrieve to treasures she was found with. But her past and these men lead her down a dangerous road.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars was a magical and imaginative novel. Yaba Badoe’s writing is very descriptive and creates vivid and rich imagery. Yaba Badoe seamlessly blends magical realism full of Ghanaian mythology and folklore with a contemporary European setting also full of circus elements. The story is well balanced with two different stories running side by side, smoothly fleeting between flashbacks of the shipwreck and Sante discovering her past and connecting to her African roots and family, but also a story featuring Sante tackling a human trafficking group.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars discusses some really important topics such as human trafficking, underage sex work, child exploitation, and the dangers and desperation that comes with being a refugee. I would like to give a warning though - After surviving a shipwreck Sante finds a new family with Mama Rose, a Romani woman and they are street performers doing circus tricks etc, and the g**** slur is used and they faced a lot of discrimination and hatred which wasn’t called out in the text.
I loved the family dynamics that Sante had with both her surrogate family, and her biological family who she connected with through spirits and dreams. Sante’s search for her identity and belonging made A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars a powerful and emotive read.
Also, the artwork is beautiful and the designer definitely deserves high praise. There is also a good side f/f relationship which was a pleasant surprise.
Overall, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a powerful and evocative debut full of rich imagery, and I am excited to see what Yaba Badoe writes next.
September 12, 2017
2.5 stars
[review to come]
[review to come]
September 6, 2017
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a beautiful book inside and out, I mean have you even seen that cover? Talk about stunning! Luckily the story matches up to it or I'd have been really disappointed. This is the story of fourteen year old Sante, a young girl who was adopted into a travelling family circus after they found her washed up on a beach as a baby in a box full of treasure. Sante knows very little about where she came from apart from having a recurring nightmare about a shipwreck but when her path crosses with someone she remembers from her dream secrets start to unravel and Sante finds herself in danger.
At a time when there is such a huge refugee crisis I think it's incredibly important to have more books like this one, books that touch on some of the horrific things that can refugees suffer, the way they are so desperate to escape their current situation that they will give every last penny they have for the chance of reaching somewhere better and how unscrupulous criminals prey on them and abuse their trust. This book does touch on some darker themes such as people trafficking and also underage sex work but it doesn't go into graphic details and is still suitable for a younger audience. It would be very easy for this kind of story to become too dark and depressing to read but Yaba Badoe has lightened it up & just enough with a touch of magical realism. Her writing is rich and evocative and I was completely drawn into Sante's world.
I think I would have liked the story to be a little longer, just so we could spend more time with Sante and her adopted family and seen more of their life travelling and entertaining tourists for money, they had quite a unique show thanks to the abilities each of the performers brought to the tale and I would have loved to spend more time on that side of things. I also would have liked more time devoted to Scarlett's story but I really enjoyed the way Sante was able to communicate with the ghosts of her birth family and was able to help them get vengeance for the way they died.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars was a fantastic debut from Yaba Badoe and it's definitely left me interested to see what she writes in the future. I'd love to read more in this vein from her in the future, especially bringing into play more of the Ghanian mythology and the magic we saw from Sante here.
Source: Received from Zephyr in exchange for an honest review
At a time when there is such a huge refugee crisis I think it's incredibly important to have more books like this one, books that touch on some of the horrific things that can refugees suffer, the way they are so desperate to escape their current situation that they will give every last penny they have for the chance of reaching somewhere better and how unscrupulous criminals prey on them and abuse their trust. This book does touch on some darker themes such as people trafficking and also underage sex work but it doesn't go into graphic details and is still suitable for a younger audience. It would be very easy for this kind of story to become too dark and depressing to read but Yaba Badoe has lightened it up & just enough with a touch of magical realism. Her writing is rich and evocative and I was completely drawn into Sante's world.
I think I would have liked the story to be a little longer, just so we could spend more time with Sante and her adopted family and seen more of their life travelling and entertaining tourists for money, they had quite a unique show thanks to the abilities each of the performers brought to the tale and I would have loved to spend more time on that side of things. I also would have liked more time devoted to Scarlett's story but I really enjoyed the way Sante was able to communicate with the ghosts of her birth family and was able to help them get vengeance for the way they died.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars was a fantastic debut from Yaba Badoe and it's definitely left me interested to see what she writes in the future. I'd love to read more in this vein from her in the future, especially bringing into play more of the Ghanian mythology and the magic we saw from Sante here.
Source: Received from Zephyr in exchange for an honest review
November 10, 2018
Review originally posted on The Bibliophile Chronicles.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a magical realism novel that follows fourteen year old Sante and her friends as they live off the grid and travel around Europe. Sante has a recurring dream about a shipwreck and longs to know the meaning of her dreams and what really happened to her parents.
I really wanted to love this book, I thought it sounded like a really fascinating book and I loved the blend of real life and magic but in truth it fell a little flat for me. I thought the cover was stunning and the story was a wonderful mix of magic and folklore, but for I couldn’t connect with the characters and the plot felt a little chaotic for me.
Badoe has a really beautiful writing style and this was the part of the book I enjoyed the most. I liked our protagonist Sante well enough and she undergoes a massive amount of character development in the book but I just didn’t fall in love with the story the way I was really hoping to. I liked seeing her relationships with the rest of the circus troupe - how they look after each other and become such a close knit family.
The story highlights a lot of really important issues, focusing on human trafficking, refugees, friendship and family. The plot is pretty quick paced and the world building was interesting. Overall this book is a fascinating debut and I definitely want to read more from this author but was a bit on the disappointing side. If you’re a fan of magical realism or quick paced stories, this one might be just what you’re looking for.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a magical realism novel that follows fourteen year old Sante and her friends as they live off the grid and travel around Europe. Sante has a recurring dream about a shipwreck and longs to know the meaning of her dreams and what really happened to her parents.
I really wanted to love this book, I thought it sounded like a really fascinating book and I loved the blend of real life and magic but in truth it fell a little flat for me. I thought the cover was stunning and the story was a wonderful mix of magic and folklore, but for I couldn’t connect with the characters and the plot felt a little chaotic for me.
Badoe has a really beautiful writing style and this was the part of the book I enjoyed the most. I liked our protagonist Sante well enough and she undergoes a massive amount of character development in the book but I just didn’t fall in love with the story the way I was really hoping to. I liked seeing her relationships with the rest of the circus troupe - how they look after each other and become such a close knit family.
The story highlights a lot of really important issues, focusing on human trafficking, refugees, friendship and family. The plot is pretty quick paced and the world building was interesting. Overall this book is a fascinating debut and I definitely want to read more from this author but was a bit on the disappointing side. If you’re a fan of magical realism or quick paced stories, this one might be just what you’re looking for.
September 3, 2017
It's hard being a writer. In such a competitive industry, you really need a fantastic writing style to stand out from the crowd.
Yaba Badoe has that in spades. The richness of her writing, and the breadth of colourful imagery she uses, is absolutely enchanting, and creates a world in which issues like the migrant crisis exist side by side with magic to create something utterly unique. In short, it's great.
The story follows Sante, a young girl rescued when the ship her family was in sank off the coast of Europe and taken in by Mama Rose, a woman who runs a travelling circus. The circus family exist by staying off the grid, but when they take in a young runaway, Scarlett, they're plunged into a world of smugglers, pimps and abuse- and all the time, Sante's dead family are crying out for justice.
It's a fine balancing act to pull off: though the murder of Sante's family is described right from the start of the book, the proceedings are given a magical touch: she's discovered in a wooden chest filled with gold, and as the book proceeds we learn that she can 'mind-whisper' and talk to her faithful bird Priss. Likewise, the other two children in the story, Cobra and Cat, both have an uncanny affinity with their respective namesakes. The story itself has an almost dreamlike cast to it, as though the circus performers exist outside the regular world- and indeed, the only indication you have that you are in the present day are the mentions of migrants, the policemen and the mobile phones that some of the characters have.
Badoe weaves together her two plot strands nimbly- Scarlett's fate at the hands of the people smugglers and Sante's backstory as the survivor of a ship sunk by smugglers to make money off her family's deaths. Badoe handles the issue with a lightness of touch that belies the sensitive material: Sante's special powers allow her to talk to her parents beyond the grave and understand just what was robbed from her, even as the dead come back to the world of the living and cry out for vengeance. As the plot advances, these two strands come together and build towards a tense finale.
Through it all, though, there's a sense of lightness and wonder that really brings the story to life. Badoe keeps the plot well-paced, and weaves magic and reality together seamlessly to create a really compelling book. Even though it's a YA novel, it's worth giving this one a read.
Yaba Badoe has that in spades. The richness of her writing, and the breadth of colourful imagery she uses, is absolutely enchanting, and creates a world in which issues like the migrant crisis exist side by side with magic to create something utterly unique. In short, it's great.
The story follows Sante, a young girl rescued when the ship her family was in sank off the coast of Europe and taken in by Mama Rose, a woman who runs a travelling circus. The circus family exist by staying off the grid, but when they take in a young runaway, Scarlett, they're plunged into a world of smugglers, pimps and abuse- and all the time, Sante's dead family are crying out for justice.
It's a fine balancing act to pull off: though the murder of Sante's family is described right from the start of the book, the proceedings are given a magical touch: she's discovered in a wooden chest filled with gold, and as the book proceeds we learn that she can 'mind-whisper' and talk to her faithful bird Priss. Likewise, the other two children in the story, Cobra and Cat, both have an uncanny affinity with their respective namesakes. The story itself has an almost dreamlike cast to it, as though the circus performers exist outside the regular world- and indeed, the only indication you have that you are in the present day are the mentions of migrants, the policemen and the mobile phones that some of the characters have.
Badoe weaves together her two plot strands nimbly- Scarlett's fate at the hands of the people smugglers and Sante's backstory as the survivor of a ship sunk by smugglers to make money off her family's deaths. Badoe handles the issue with a lightness of touch that belies the sensitive material: Sante's special powers allow her to talk to her parents beyond the grave and understand just what was robbed from her, even as the dead come back to the world of the living and cry out for vengeance. As the plot advances, these two strands come together and build towards a tense finale.
Through it all, though, there's a sense of lightness and wonder that really brings the story to life. Badoe keeps the plot well-paced, and weaves magic and reality together seamlessly to create a really compelling book. Even though it's a YA novel, it's worth giving this one a read.
October 11, 2018
The book wasn’t truly gripping from the start, however, the story is adventurous with a strong lead character that you like from the start. Once I had stuck with it, it proved to be enchanting with rich description creating vivid mental imagery and an exciting quest for finding the truth.
I think it would benefit from being read in larger chunks in order to help keep pace to the story.
It would be best as a whole class read, reading all the way through before breaking it down and exploring the details. This is because there is a lot of inference and implying of things, looking back at past events and querying what may have happened. For this reason, breaking down and analysing the story too soon would make it difficult for the children to remain engaged and maintain an understanding of the story line.
It offers a wealth of creative activities from building circus tents, travelling homes to ships sailing from Africa. It also would be particularly helpful in exploring cultural and ethnic differences and how people’s views have changed over time. It would need a high level year 6 class to be able to follow and understand some of the topics addressed - the author has potentially tried covering too many topics in one book?
Work around the book
Art – the circus performers live in trucks with fold out backs for beds – children can create their own versions of these. Using Maths to construct shapes that would inside one another and DT to construct their models
A circus tent could be constructed – how can this be supported? Looking into materials and their varying weights and strengths (science)
Literacy – information is passed between characters in the book through ‘looks’ and body language, children can act how these may have been, how could they use this technique in their writing? Adding a sense of mystery
History/culture – Sante was rescued from the Sea after her family were fleeing Africa. Children can explore the history of events that lead to this.
PSHE – Gypsies and roman travellers are referred to throughout – what does this mean? Are these people still living in this way today? Reference is also made to the colour of Sante’s skin, how this is different and therefore the attraction she brings them – exploring the history of this and how it has now changed.
I think it would benefit from being read in larger chunks in order to help keep pace to the story.
It would be best as a whole class read, reading all the way through before breaking it down and exploring the details. This is because there is a lot of inference and implying of things, looking back at past events and querying what may have happened. For this reason, breaking down and analysing the story too soon would make it difficult for the children to remain engaged and maintain an understanding of the story line.
It offers a wealth of creative activities from building circus tents, travelling homes to ships sailing from Africa. It also would be particularly helpful in exploring cultural and ethnic differences and how people’s views have changed over time. It would need a high level year 6 class to be able to follow and understand some of the topics addressed - the author has potentially tried covering too many topics in one book?
Work around the book
Art – the circus performers live in trucks with fold out backs for beds – children can create their own versions of these. Using Maths to construct shapes that would inside one another and DT to construct their models
A circus tent could be constructed – how can this be supported? Looking into materials and their varying weights and strengths (science)
Literacy – information is passed between characters in the book through ‘looks’ and body language, children can act how these may have been, how could they use this technique in their writing? Adding a sense of mystery
History/culture – Sante was rescued from the Sea after her family were fleeing Africa. Children can explore the history of events that lead to this.
PSHE – Gypsies and roman travellers are referred to throughout – what does this mean? Are these people still living in this way today? Reference is also made to the colour of Sante’s skin, how this is different and therefore the attraction she brings them – exploring the history of this and how it has now changed.
August 31, 2017
I finished A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars last night. I think it is a solid 3 star read for a debut novel. It is enjoyable and intriguing at times. This book has magical realism and tells a story about a girl who survived a tragic event and ended up being adopted by a travelling circus where everyone in the circus has some kinds of "power" or "talent". She keeps dreaming about the same dream when she is growing up which makes her questions who she is and where she comes from. With the event being unfolded, she then started to discover her true identity....
First of all, what I like most about the book is Sante, the main heroine. I find the author did a good job in developing her storyline and making her a very likeable character. One of my favourite scenes in the book is the one she has with her parents in her dreams. I also love her interaction with Cobra, there is just something so sweet about their relationship and their affections for each other; and I love the way how the author wrote about them. I want to have a Cobra of my own! Secondly, I do like the author's attempt to tackle various different topics in the book, such as human trafficking and LGBT relationships, which I think is very important nowadays in YA books.
The reasons why I am not rating it higher than 3 stars is because I feel like the story would have really benefit from a more detailed set out of the world building at the beginning of the book. It can be quite confusing at times when reading it for the first time and trying to understand this world and piece all the information together. Also, while I enjoy the author's writing most parts, I do feel that from time to time some of the events which happened in the book were a bit of a rush... one example is the insta love between Cat and Scartlett, I wish there is more explanation as to how "love" works in this world...
Overall, comparing to the synopsis, I feel like the book can do so much more and it has great potential. But given this is the author's debut novel, I will still keep any eye out for her future work!
First of all, what I like most about the book is Sante, the main heroine. I find the author did a good job in developing her storyline and making her a very likeable character. One of my favourite scenes in the book is the one she has with her parents in her dreams. I also love her interaction with Cobra, there is just something so sweet about their relationship and their affections for each other; and I love the way how the author wrote about them. I want to have a Cobra of my own! Secondly, I do like the author's attempt to tackle various different topics in the book, such as human trafficking and LGBT relationships, which I think is very important nowadays in YA books.
The reasons why I am not rating it higher than 3 stars is because I feel like the story would have really benefit from a more detailed set out of the world building at the beginning of the book. It can be quite confusing at times when reading it for the first time and trying to understand this world and piece all the information together. Also, while I enjoy the author's writing most parts, I do feel that from time to time some of the events which happened in the book were a bit of a rush... one example is the insta love between Cat and Scartlett, I wish there is more explanation as to how "love" works in this world...
Overall, comparing to the synopsis, I feel like the book can do so much more and it has great potential. But given this is the author's debut novel, I will still keep any eye out for her future work!
August 31, 2018
2.5/5
Eine spannende Grundidee, deren Umsetzung mich leider nicht 100% überzeugen konnte. Ich kann nicht mit Sicherheit sagen, woran es lag, aber mir fehlte an vielen Stellen die Verbindung zu den Charakteren, sowie ein in sich funktionierendes Setting. So hatte ich zum Beispiel keine Ahnung, in welcher Zeit es spielen sollte, da es sich anfühlte wie eine Erzählung aus der Vergangenheit, aber gleichzeitig gegenwärtige politische Problematiken aufgriff. Die Beziehungen zwischen den Charakteren berührte mich nirgends tiefgehend und einige Umstände erschienen mir schlichtweg unlogisch (damit ist nicht der Magical Realism der Geschichte gemeint, sondern Plot / Aufbau)
Auch den Schreibstil fand ich an manchen Stellen gewöhnungsbedürftig, doch das war mein geringstes Problem.
Ich wollte dieses Buch wirklich lieben, aber es kam leider nicht an meine Erwartungen heran. Dennoch war es ein interessantes Leseerlebnis.
Eine spannende Grundidee, deren Umsetzung mich leider nicht 100% überzeugen konnte. Ich kann nicht mit Sicherheit sagen, woran es lag, aber mir fehlte an vielen Stellen die Verbindung zu den Charakteren, sowie ein in sich funktionierendes Setting. So hatte ich zum Beispiel keine Ahnung, in welcher Zeit es spielen sollte, da es sich anfühlte wie eine Erzählung aus der Vergangenheit, aber gleichzeitig gegenwärtige politische Problematiken aufgriff. Die Beziehungen zwischen den Charakteren berührte mich nirgends tiefgehend und einige Umstände erschienen mir schlichtweg unlogisch (damit ist nicht der Magical Realism der Geschichte gemeint, sondern Plot / Aufbau)
Auch den Schreibstil fand ich an manchen Stellen gewöhnungsbedürftig, doch das war mein geringstes Problem.
Ich wollte dieses Buch wirklich lieben, aber es kam leider nicht an meine Erwartungen heran. Dennoch war es ein interessantes Leseerlebnis.
October 21, 2017
I wanted to like this book, but it was too vague in a lot of things, and would go into a lot of description and build up things that aren't used later in the story or could've been cut to help follow the plot. There was a character that was "central" to the plot but felt like it was there basically as a plot mover, doing things to cause others to react to it.
My summary would be "it could've been a lot better, but it had some appeal in it and it has potential".
PS. I really wanted to like it, it's a gorgeous book, the premise is interesting... it just felt too convoluted and vague at the same time.
My summary would be "it could've been a lot better, but it had some appeal in it and it has potential".
PS. I really wanted to like it, it's a gorgeous book, the premise is interesting... it just felt too convoluted and vague at the same time.
September 9, 2017
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a life-affirming magic-realism adventure story against a backdrop of Ghanaian culture, tackling serious issues of migration and forced prostitution in a realistic yet sensitive manner, neither sugar-coating the issues nor zooming in excessively on the horrors. An impressive achievement: it’s not only younger readers who appreciate being protected without being patronised.
Full review
Two novels featuring supernatural rescues http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post/...
Full review
Two novels featuring supernatural rescues http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post/...
May 4, 2024
I was provided an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. (7 years ago but still counts)
I enjoyed this overall, it was a complex and interesting story. It really pulled me in from the very start but then, it lost me a little bit because it started too many subjects without truly going all the way?
I still really enjoyed this, it was a story like no other and a very fast read and it made me want to read more books by Yaba Badoe.
I enjoyed this overall, it was a complex and interesting story. It really pulled me in from the very start but then, it lost me a little bit because it started too many subjects without truly going all the way?
I still really enjoyed this, it was a story like no other and a very fast read and it made me want to read more books by Yaba Badoe.
August 11, 2018
i'm so so sad by the ending of this book because i really liked this story??? yaba badoe's writing style for this book is so magical & mysterious & i was really invested in sante's story. but the ending just really fell flat for me? i feel like a lot of the storyline just wasn't resolved & the ending was so rushed, it didn't really feel like closure.
September 3, 2019
I loved the wild originality of this story, the edgy characters, the mystical energies and the gloriously unexpected setting. Can't wait to read more by this author
dnf
July 15, 2020I got almost halfway, but decided to DNF since I just wasn't enjoying myself. I wanted to like this book! Refugee issues, racism, magical realism - the basic themes seemed so good. But unfortunately, the narration just didn't draw me in and the plot was just meandering along, and most importantly, I didn't care about the characters although I wanted to. :(
July 21, 2017
“His terror electrifies the restaurant. So much so, that the veil that hides the world from the next and conceals the seen from the unseen is torn asunder.”- Yaba Badoe
What hurts the most about this book is that I had so much hope for it, I was so excited to read it and for while I really did love this book, it wasn’t until around the half way point that I began to genuinely dislike it. I’ll preface now, if this hadn’t been an ARC copy, I would have stopped reading at 71%.
Everything seemed to come crashing down all at once with this book. I began to hate the writing style, the characters began to either annoy me or bore me and I had lost interest in the overall plot after one very ham-handed section that I’ll talk about in a moment. The whole thing felt rushed and for a book that was 151 pages on my kindle I felt like I had been reading it forever.
While I admit that I don’t like this book, there are sections that I did like; the early on plot was very exciting, I loved the African Folklore and magical realism and how it was seamlessly woven into the novel gave the beginning of ‘AJoFaS’ an amazing mysterious and magical atmosphere that I just couldn’t get enough of, so while aspects of the writing style were good for these parts, in the end it was the writing style that ruined this book for me.
I have also read about the problems from people about how Badoe chooses to describe and show the travellers and their lifestyle in this book and while I agree with these opinions, as someone who is not a Romany or someone with a traveller background, I do not believe that it is my place to discuss this issue, so I shall link to a review of someone who is Romany and talks of their experiences with the book
Now let’s get to the chunky part. This book’s writing style. I ended up honestly hating it and I found it very hard to slog through the book because of it, the only way that I can describe it is ‘flowery’ there are far too many metaphors and similes in place of actual descriptions and this gave the book a very detached feeling, and if I must read about a character’s ‘greens’ one more time I’m going to cry. This overall detached feeling meant that through this book I didn’t feel one single connection to any of the characters, and I didn’t think they had any chemistry with one another either, no character seemed to have any depth, even our lead Sante. This left every other characters just feeling like more of a plot point than an actual person and I don’t like that in books personally.
Another problem I had with this writing style was that it had no fluidity to it, there was a part when one character asked a question, and then it wasn’t answered for another four pages? Yet I couldn’t tell you why this was, nothing progressed in those pages, it just felt like stalling with too much tell and not enough show. This was made most clear when it came to the relationship between the four children, you’re told how close Cobra and Sante are, you’re told that Cat and Scarlett are in love, but other than that it feels more like insta-love just because that’s all we see as the reader.
Let’s talk about the end of the book now. What the bloody hell just happened? I get that this is magical realism but that doesn’t mean you just get to through coherency to the wind and begin talking about moths or whatever those last chapters were. What hell was Scarlett? Why could she do what she did? Why does the magical realism near the end feel more like convenient plot hole filler sometimes, such as Sante making decisions based solely on instinct such as, ‘I’m sure this one police officer will be nice and on our side even though every other one has done nothing but hurt us.’ And ‘I just feel like we should take this girl who hinders us usually and hasn’t proven to be trust worthy’ It just feels lazy to me, and then there’s that whole rubbish leading up to the climax of the novel where I’m so frustrated with this book.
So in the end, I have to say that I was disappointed with this book. I had such a blast reading the first half but soon the writing style, lack of character depth and seemly abusive use of the magical realism genre to fix plot holes just became too much for me.
Thank you Head of Zeus and Netgalley, for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
What hurts the most about this book is that I had so much hope for it, I was so excited to read it and for while I really did love this book, it wasn’t until around the half way point that I began to genuinely dislike it. I’ll preface now, if this hadn’t been an ARC copy, I would have stopped reading at 71%.
Everything seemed to come crashing down all at once with this book. I began to hate the writing style, the characters began to either annoy me or bore me and I had lost interest in the overall plot after one very ham-handed section that I’ll talk about in a moment. The whole thing felt rushed and for a book that was 151 pages on my kindle I felt like I had been reading it forever.
While I admit that I don’t like this book, there are sections that I did like; the early on plot was very exciting, I loved the African Folklore and magical realism and how it was seamlessly woven into the novel gave the beginning of ‘AJoFaS’ an amazing mysterious and magical atmosphere that I just couldn’t get enough of, so while aspects of the writing style were good for these parts, in the end it was the writing style that ruined this book for me.
I have also read about the problems from people about how Badoe chooses to describe and show the travellers and their lifestyle in this book and while I agree with these opinions, as someone who is not a Romany or someone with a traveller background, I do not believe that it is my place to discuss this issue, so I shall link to a review of someone who is Romany and talks of their experiences with the book
Now let’s get to the chunky part. This book’s writing style. I ended up honestly hating it and I found it very hard to slog through the book because of it, the only way that I can describe it is ‘flowery’ there are far too many metaphors and similes in place of actual descriptions and this gave the book a very detached feeling, and if I must read about a character’s ‘greens’ one more time I’m going to cry. This overall detached feeling meant that through this book I didn’t feel one single connection to any of the characters, and I didn’t think they had any chemistry with one another either, no character seemed to have any depth, even our lead Sante. This left every other characters just feeling like more of a plot point than an actual person and I don’t like that in books personally.
Another problem I had with this writing style was that it had no fluidity to it, there was a part when one character asked a question, and then it wasn’t answered for another four pages? Yet I couldn’t tell you why this was, nothing progressed in those pages, it just felt like stalling with too much tell and not enough show. This was made most clear when it came to the relationship between the four children, you’re told how close Cobra and Sante are, you’re told that Cat and Scarlett are in love, but other than that it feels more like insta-love just because that’s all we see as the reader.
Let’s talk about the end of the book now. What the bloody hell just happened? I get that this is magical realism but that doesn’t mean you just get to through coherency to the wind and begin talking about moths or whatever those last chapters were. What hell was Scarlett? Why could she do what she did? Why does the magical realism near the end feel more like convenient plot hole filler sometimes, such as Sante making decisions based solely on instinct such as, ‘I’m sure this one police officer will be nice and on our side even though every other one has done nothing but hurt us.’ And ‘I just feel like we should take this girl who hinders us usually and hasn’t proven to be trust worthy’ It just feels lazy to me, and then there’s that whole rubbish leading up to the climax of the novel where I’m so frustrated with this book.
So in the end, I have to say that I was disappointed with this book. I had such a blast reading the first half but soon the writing style, lack of character depth and seemly abusive use of the magical realism genre to fix plot holes just became too much for me.
Thank you Head of Zeus and Netgalley, for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2017
When I searched this book on Goodreads so that I could add it to my 'currently reading' shelf, I noticed that this book had a very low average rating and I just felt so disheartened. But, I started the book and read it til the very ending. The average ratings on Goodreads didn't miss the mark too much.
Fourteen-year-old Sante isn’t sure where she comes from, but she has a recurring dream of escaping a shipwreck in a sea chest as a baby with her lifelong companion, golden eagle Priss. In the chest was an African bamboo flute, a drum and a dagger inlaid with diamonds. Sante was found and raised by Mama Rose, leader of a nomadic group of misfits and gypsies. They travel around contemporary southern Europe, living off-grid and performing circus tricks for money. Sante grows up alongside two twins, knife-thrower Cat and snake-charmer Cobra, whom she is in love with. During a performance in Cadiz, Sante recognises two men from her dream. They come after her to retrieve the treasures from the sea chest. Sante finds out that she is an Ashanti princess, whose parents probably perished in the shipwreck. After Cat rescues a beautiful red-haired girl called Scarlett from a gang, Mama Rose’s band are forced to flee the city. But Sante and Cobra stay behind, determined to find out more about her family and where she came from.
Sante grows up alongside two twins, knife-thrower Cat and snake-charmer Cobra, whom she is in love with. During a performance in Cadiz, Sante recognises two men from her dream. They come after her to retrieve the treasures from the sea chest. Sante finds out that she is an Ashanti princess, whose parents probably perished in the shipwreck. After Cat rescues a beautiful red-haired girl called Scarlett from a gang, Mama Rose’s band are forced to flee the city. But Sante and Cobra stay behind, determined to find out more about her family and where she came from.
The sole reason why I requested this book on NetGalley, what that I wanted to read a book that wasn't set in the U.S, or had an all-white cast of characters. I wanted to read about different cultures so A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars seemed like the perfect read for me.
It's safe to say that this book completely let me down. I couldn't connect with the characters, I couldn't understand what was going on half of the time, and there just didn't seem to be any explaining when things were going on. There was also a problematic scene for me where Mama Rose (the character who looks after our protagonist, Sante) dresses up in a kimono and pretends to be a geisha. She even puts white powder on her face and says to Sante that she dresses up like this when she "needs to reflect and think on the things that are happening". So the cultural appropriation in that instance was completely wrong.
BUT, it's not all negative. Those 2.5 stars have to come from somewhere, right? Well, let's just take a moment to appreciate how beautiful the cover is! It's another reason why I wanted to read this book; the cover just immediately grabbed my attention. I also think that the author doesn't have a bad idea here as far as the story is concerned. Badoe - throughout this book - explores the themes of refugees, human trafficking and politics. But the whole problem with this book is that it's in the genre of magical realism... It just doesn't work alongside the themes of the book. I think if Badoe had gotten rid of the magical element of this book, it would have been so much better, and the dark themes of the book would be more prominent and would have had more impact.
Overall, this book wasn't that good. I loved the exploration that Sante has into her identity and how her dreams connect to that and I loved how Badoe touches on the surface of what it's like to be a refugee. However, the world building just didn't make sense and sometimes the writing style just didn't work for me. I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy it, but I'm glad that I've read it.
Warning: contains triggers for sexual abuse and violence.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Fourteen-year-old Sante isn’t sure where she comes from, but she has a recurring dream of escaping a shipwreck in a sea chest as a baby with her lifelong companion, golden eagle Priss. In the chest was an African bamboo flute, a drum and a dagger inlaid with diamonds. Sante was found and raised by Mama Rose, leader of a nomadic group of misfits and gypsies. They travel around contemporary southern Europe, living off-grid and performing circus tricks for money. Sante grows up alongside two twins, knife-thrower Cat and snake-charmer Cobra, whom she is in love with. During a performance in Cadiz, Sante recognises two men from her dream. They come after her to retrieve the treasures from the sea chest. Sante finds out that she is an Ashanti princess, whose parents probably perished in the shipwreck. After Cat rescues a beautiful red-haired girl called Scarlett from a gang, Mama Rose’s band are forced to flee the city. But Sante and Cobra stay behind, determined to find out more about her family and where she came from.
Sante grows up alongside two twins, knife-thrower Cat and snake-charmer Cobra, whom she is in love with. During a performance in Cadiz, Sante recognises two men from her dream. They come after her to retrieve the treasures from the sea chest. Sante finds out that she is an Ashanti princess, whose parents probably perished in the shipwreck. After Cat rescues a beautiful red-haired girl called Scarlett from a gang, Mama Rose’s band are forced to flee the city. But Sante and Cobra stay behind, determined to find out more about her family and where she came from.
The sole reason why I requested this book on NetGalley, what that I wanted to read a book that wasn't set in the U.S, or had an all-white cast of characters. I wanted to read about different cultures so A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars seemed like the perfect read for me.
It's safe to say that this book completely let me down. I couldn't connect with the characters, I couldn't understand what was going on half of the time, and there just didn't seem to be any explaining when things were going on. There was also a problematic scene for me where Mama Rose (the character who looks after our protagonist, Sante) dresses up in a kimono and pretends to be a geisha. She even puts white powder on her face and says to Sante that she dresses up like this when she "needs to reflect and think on the things that are happening". So the cultural appropriation in that instance was completely wrong.
BUT, it's not all negative. Those 2.5 stars have to come from somewhere, right? Well, let's just take a moment to appreciate how beautiful the cover is! It's another reason why I wanted to read this book; the cover just immediately grabbed my attention. I also think that the author doesn't have a bad idea here as far as the story is concerned. Badoe - throughout this book - explores the themes of refugees, human trafficking and politics. But the whole problem with this book is that it's in the genre of magical realism... It just doesn't work alongside the themes of the book. I think if Badoe had gotten rid of the magical element of this book, it would have been so much better, and the dark themes of the book would be more prominent and would have had more impact.
Overall, this book wasn't that good. I loved the exploration that Sante has into her identity and how her dreams connect to that and I loved how Badoe touches on the surface of what it's like to be a refugee. However, the world building just didn't make sense and sometimes the writing style just didn't work for me. I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy it, but I'm glad that I've read it.
Warning: contains triggers for sexual abuse and violence.
Disclaimer: this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Released 7th September
September 1, 2025
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2017
** I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own**
Ooooh that cover! I chose this for the cover, but definitely enjoyed the read! It's YA magical realism/almost fantasy, so super quirky. I think it would be a good read-alike for people who enjoyed Daughter of the Burning City.
Ooooh that cover! I chose this for the cover, but definitely enjoyed the read! It's YA magical realism/almost fantasy, so super quirky. I think it would be a good read-alike for people who enjoyed Daughter of the Burning City.
September 3, 2018
Review also posted on Samodivas
I received a free copy from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Fourteen-year-old Sante is haunted by a past she doesn’t remember. A recurring dream shows her a shipwreck which Sante, as a baby, survived, hidden in a treasure chest. Raised by Mama Rose, Sante and her nomadic family make a living by performing on the streets of whichever city they happen to be in. During one of their performances, Sante recognizes two men from her dream and goes after them, determined to find out what happened and where she comes from. But the truth is never simple enough and Sante and her family walk into a dangerous web.
For anyone who is easily unsettled, this book deals with topics such as human trafficking and (implied) underage sex work.
Looking at the rest of the reviews, it looks like you either hate this book or you love it. I’m, as usual, in some sort of middle ground where I neither hated, nor loved it. Let’s say I enjoyed it, but with a few strings attached.
It was hard for me to get into this book. The main reason, I believe, is the writing style. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad, but it is unusual and it takes a while for the reader to get used to it. Additionally, I did fall into a bit of a reading slump after last month’s excessive reading, so that too attributed to my rocky start. I didn’t particularly like the writing style, however, the story picks up and it gets easier to read (and, thus, enjoy).
Because of my difficulty of the writing style, it took me a while to grasp the world, despite its modern setting, as well as the characters. I did, in the end, begin to care for Sante and her family, but it took a long time (nearly the whole book). Still, I love family dynamics and the found family trope, so I was really happy to see the characters working together and being supportive despite their differences.
The ‘magical realism’ aspect didn’t register fully with me, I think, which I’ll take as a good thing since it didn’t seem like I was reading a book with any magical elements. Mostly, I thought of it as nothing out of the ordinary. While I didn’t fully understand this part of the plot, it wasn’t out of place for me either. It felt like an essential leg of Sante’s journey.
Overall, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars was a bit of a turbulent read but with a satisfying conclusion. It takes a while to get used to the scenery, which does take away a lot from the experience, but once you begin to make sense of the story, it turns into a profound and emotional journey.
Read
October 29, 2017I'm so sad that this was another DNF for me. I was actually pretty excited to read it because it's a Ghanaican #ownvoices novel and it has African magical realism! And the cover is just stunning.
This was definitely the case of "it's not you, it's me". I really liked how fast the story moved along and how quick you could read through the book. And I truly was interested in the story and the characters at first!
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a novel about Sante who survived a ship wreck when she was just a baby. She was taken in and brought up by Mama Rose, along with the siblings Cal and Cobra. Sante's companion is a bird called Priss who looks over her. They share a connection that allows Sante to command Priss to do things for her and see things through its eyes.
I really liked the magical realism aspect of this novel—the connection between Sante and her bird was fascinating and even the siblings had something magical about them! They could sense trouble and other people's feelings and it just seemed really cool!
Mama Rose and the kids have some kind of circus where they each perform their own acts. The story got exciting when two men watched Sante perform and talked about how they knew her. Sante was eager to find out who they were and possibly get to know more about her past.
However, the story kinda went downhill for me after that. At one point, Sante and Cobra were kidnapped and it was supposed to be thrilling but I just felt bored.
I was about halfway through the book, but I didn't really see the point of the story or where it was going! I skimmed through a couple pages but what I read didn't spark my attention—so I made the decision to call it a day and just DNF it.
Also, the fact that the word "gypsy" was used to describe Mama Rose's cirucs didn't sit right with me because it's actually a slur word.
Overall, I think it was lovely to read about a Ghanaian MC and African magical realism, and the story did get exciting at first—however, the plot and the point of the story weren't quite clear to me. I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me :(
DNF @ 51%.
*Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC via Netgalley. This did not affect my opinion in any way!*
This was definitely the case of "it's not you, it's me". I really liked how fast the story moved along and how quick you could read through the book. And I truly was interested in the story and the characters at first!
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a novel about Sante who survived a ship wreck when she was just a baby. She was taken in and brought up by Mama Rose, along with the siblings Cal and Cobra. Sante's companion is a bird called Priss who looks over her. They share a connection that allows Sante to command Priss to do things for her and see things through its eyes.
I really liked the magical realism aspect of this novel—the connection between Sante and her bird was fascinating and even the siblings had something magical about them! They could sense trouble and other people's feelings and it just seemed really cool!
Mama Rose and the kids have some kind of circus where they each perform their own acts. The story got exciting when two men watched Sante perform and talked about how they knew her. Sante was eager to find out who they were and possibly get to know more about her past.
However, the story kinda went downhill for me after that. At one point, Sante and Cobra were kidnapped and it was supposed to be thrilling but I just felt bored.
I was about halfway through the book, but I didn't really see the point of the story or where it was going! I skimmed through a couple pages but what I read didn't spark my attention—so I made the decision to call it a day and just DNF it.
Also, the fact that the word "gypsy" was used to describe Mama Rose's cirucs didn't sit right with me because it's actually a slur word.
Overall, I think it was lovely to read about a Ghanaian MC and African magical realism, and the story did get exciting at first—however, the plot and the point of the story weren't quite clear to me. I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me :(
DNF @ 51%.
*Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC via Netgalley. This did not affect my opinion in any way!*
October 11, 2023
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars by Yaba Badoe encourages you to turn the page to find out what will happen & invites you to linger on each paragraph to enjoy the poetic language & astonishing imagination of the author. It's full of magic, adventure, & it's quietly, fiercely woke.
Sante, the main character, was from Ghana, travelled the sea with her family when she was just a baby to promise something more. Her parents died, & she later adopted by Mama Rose. She found a family in the circus with Mama Rose, Cat, Cobra, Redwood, Mimi & many more. & life is not as simple for Sante. Sante has a recurring dream about a shipwreck; she longs to know the meaning of her dreams & what happened to her parents. Figuring out who her birth parents are, meeting new people, finding that some people as not as you thought, planning a plan that could kill you, & all that thing.
Badoe has a beautiful writing style, & this was the part of the book I enjoyed the most. I liked our protagonist Sante well enough, & she undergoes a massive amount of character development in the book, but I just didn't fall in love with the story the way I was hoping to. I liked seeing her relationships with the rest of the circus troupe – how they look after each other & become such a close-knit family.
The book touches on matters which manifest the greed & evil within Man, but the power of family is comforting & present on every page. Asantewa, Taj & Priss, three of the essential characters, & the magic surrounding them have probably taken a permanent spot somewhere in my mind. Even though I know they are fictional, I still wish them good fortune for the future. This should be a set book in schools for the richness of its language, the intelligent exploration of current affairs, collection of beautiful characters & compellingly good adventure story.
October 20, 2019
Quite a mature book for primary school readers, but with great examples of metaphor and folklore. An example of a book showing other cultures and living in different ways, takes place mostly in Spain with a travelling circus
October 4, 2017
Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.
Trigger Warning: Derogatory language used for little people.
When I first discovered A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars by Yaba Badoe, I was immediately drawn in to the gorgeous, eye-catching cover. However, having finished the book, I'm really not happy with this book. I'm disappointed in the story, but also appalled by the offensive language.
Sante is part of Mama Rose's travelling circus, going from place to place, showing off their talents to make money, and staying off grid. But Sante wasn't always with Mama Rose. Mama Rose found Sante washed up on the shore of a beach by Mama Rose, in a sea-chest full of treasure. She has a reoccurring dream of the events that led to her getting there: on a ship with her family, another ship barging into theirs, gun fire, and the people on board's desperate attempts to save a child before their ship goes down. Sante is full of questions about what happened, who her family are, who she is. And when two people in the audience of one of their circus shows watch Sante intently, she is certain she recognises one of them from her dream. When Mama Rose and her family move on, Sante decides to stay, along with Cobra, to find speak to this man, and ask her questions. But the people this man works for are more dangerous than Sante could ever imagine, and by staying behind, she may get her answers, but she may not be able to ever leave again.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a story of identity and belonging, of family, and what family means, and of people trafficking. The writing was compelling and beautiful, such wonderful descriptions, and I was gripped to Sante's story as she tried to figure out who she was. But I guess my main problem was I was expecting more. It's a quick read, but the pace felt off to me, and the tension. There are times when Sante is in extreme danger, but I didn't find myself all that worried. Disgusted, appalled, and angry, yes, but not worried. It was too early on in the book to be worried, and when there's so much of a book left to go, it just seems obvious that Sante isn't going to stay stuck or there wouldn't be much of a story. And even when things were terrible, I felt Sante was just too lucky. I don't know if it's very realistic for her to come out mostly unscathed, when others suffered so much.
I was also slightly let down by fantastical elements of the story. Sante can communicate with her golden eagle protector, Priss - she talks to Priss like she would anyone else, and Priss seems to understand. But we're told at the beginning of the book that Priss has told Sante about how she found her in the sea-chest and stayed with her, protecting her, and yet we never see Priss talk to Sante. That is never explained. Sante can read minds, but it's more than that, she can read their feelings, their personality, their history, work out who a person is. Pretty handy right? Well, Sante doesn't really do anything with it. She only uses it occasionally, and only to confirm what she already thought about someone. It's not a gift that has much use, or Sante doesn't use it well enough. And the ghosts... well, they're meant to be terrifying, but they never do anything that bad. Not until the climax. And then, I couldn't really tell you what happened. I don't think it was described that well, and there was no real explanation for what I did understand. "This happens." Ok, but how? And what does doing that do? How did that thing happening mean this is the consequence? I would have liked more detail of the climax, and more explanation behind what was happening.
There was a fair amount of diversity in the book. Sante is Ghanaian, there is an f/f relationship, and there are two Romany traveller characters among their troupe, who are also both little people. But that's something that really annoyed me the whole way through. The group of travellers Sante lives with are Mama Rose, twins Cat and Cobra, Redwood and Bizzie Lizzie, Mimi and... Midget Man. Seriously, Midget Man. I may have let that slide if it was a stage name for their act, even if it is highly inappropriate and offensive, and that circus "freaks" are just so wrong anyway (though he was more than a "freak", he had an acrobatic clown act with Redwood, Bizzie Lizzie and Mimi). But it's not a stage name. That is what everyone calls him. It doesn't actually come right out and state it, but from descriptions of his height, I think it's safe to assume he has a form of Restricted Growth/Dwarfism. It's so offensive and problematic that this little person is dehumanised by not being called by his proper name. He does have one, we find out later in the book - Elvis - though why it's not used we're not told. There's something about people hiding their identities, which, fine, but Elvis wasn't involved in that, so why not use his real name? It is never explained! I just feel if a little person was to read this, yes, they may see themselves in a book, but they would see a character who is like them referred to with a derogatory term. How is that going to feel? I hated it every time I read it. And while we're talking about inappropriate language, there were also two uses of "psycho", which isn't ok either.
Feeling disappointed with a lot of elements of the books is one thing, that's just down to personal tastes I think. But with Elvis being called derogatory term, I'm just really not happy with this book. Despite being beautifully written and being unable to put it down, I can't with good conscience recommend this book.
Thank you to Zephyr via NetGalley for the eProof.
Trigger Warning: Derogatory language used for little people.
When I first discovered A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars by Yaba Badoe, I was immediately drawn in to the gorgeous, eye-catching cover. However, having finished the book, I'm really not happy with this book. I'm disappointed in the story, but also appalled by the offensive language.
Sante is part of Mama Rose's travelling circus, going from place to place, showing off their talents to make money, and staying off grid. But Sante wasn't always with Mama Rose. Mama Rose found Sante washed up on the shore of a beach by Mama Rose, in a sea-chest full of treasure. She has a reoccurring dream of the events that led to her getting there: on a ship with her family, another ship barging into theirs, gun fire, and the people on board's desperate attempts to save a child before their ship goes down. Sante is full of questions about what happened, who her family are, who she is. And when two people in the audience of one of their circus shows watch Sante intently, she is certain she recognises one of them from her dream. When Mama Rose and her family move on, Sante decides to stay, along with Cobra, to find speak to this man, and ask her questions. But the people this man works for are more dangerous than Sante could ever imagine, and by staying behind, she may get her answers, but she may not be able to ever leave again.
A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars is a story of identity and belonging, of family, and what family means, and of people trafficking. The writing was compelling and beautiful, such wonderful descriptions, and I was gripped to Sante's story as she tried to figure out who she was. But I guess my main problem was I was expecting more. It's a quick read, but the pace felt off to me, and the tension. There are times when Sante is in extreme danger, but I didn't find myself all that worried. Disgusted, appalled, and angry, yes, but not worried. It was too early on in the book to be worried, and when there's so much of a book left to go, it just seems obvious that Sante isn't going to stay stuck or there wouldn't be much of a story. And even when things were terrible, I felt Sante was just too lucky. I don't know if it's very realistic for her to come out mostly unscathed, when others suffered so much.
I was also slightly let down by fantastical elements of the story. Sante can communicate with her golden eagle protector, Priss - she talks to Priss like she would anyone else, and Priss seems to understand. But we're told at the beginning of the book that Priss has told Sante about how she found her in the sea-chest and stayed with her, protecting her, and yet we never see Priss talk to Sante. That is never explained. Sante can read minds, but it's more than that, she can read their feelings, their personality, their history, work out who a person is. Pretty handy right? Well, Sante doesn't really do anything with it. She only uses it occasionally, and only to confirm what she already thought about someone. It's not a gift that has much use, or Sante doesn't use it well enough. And the ghosts... well, they're meant to be terrifying, but they never do anything that bad. Not until the climax. And then, I couldn't really tell you what happened. I don't think it was described that well, and there was no real explanation for what I did understand. "This happens." Ok, but how? And what does doing that do? How did that thing happening mean this is the consequence? I would have liked more detail of the climax, and more explanation behind what was happening.
There was a fair amount of diversity in the book. Sante is Ghanaian, there is an f/f relationship, and there are two Romany traveller characters among their troupe, who are also both little people. But that's something that really annoyed me the whole way through. The group of travellers Sante lives with are Mama Rose, twins Cat and Cobra, Redwood and Bizzie Lizzie, Mimi and... Midget Man. Seriously, Midget Man. I may have let that slide if it was a stage name for their act, even if it is highly inappropriate and offensive, and that circus "freaks" are just so wrong anyway (though he was more than a "freak", he had an acrobatic clown act with Redwood, Bizzie Lizzie and Mimi). But it's not a stage name. That is what everyone calls him. It doesn't actually come right out and state it, but from descriptions of his height, I think it's safe to assume he has a form of Restricted Growth/Dwarfism. It's so offensive and problematic that this little person is dehumanised by not being called by his proper name. He does have one, we find out later in the book - Elvis - though why it's not used we're not told. There's something about people hiding their identities, which, fine, but Elvis wasn't involved in that, so why not use his real name? It is never explained! I just feel if a little person was to read this, yes, they may see themselves in a book, but they would see a character who is like them referred to with a derogatory term. How is that going to feel? I hated it every time I read it. And while we're talking about inappropriate language, there were also two uses of "psycho", which isn't ok either.
Feeling disappointed with a lot of elements of the books is one thing, that's just down to personal tastes I think. But with Elvis being called derogatory term, I'm just really not happy with this book. Despite being beautifully written and being unable to put it down, I can't with good conscience recommend this book.
Thank you to Zephyr via NetGalley for the eProof.
Read
March 26, 2018A dazzling book about one brave girl, her two families, and a day of reckoning. Yaba Badoe has a lovely writing style – not so overwrought that it tips into purple prose, but certain turns of phrase took my breath away. Sante is a spirited protagonist, and her voice, peppered with slang, is compelling and distinctive. A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars also includes some of the most loathsome villains I've seen in a long while.
Going into this book, I wasn't quite sure what genre it was, so to help any readers who aren't sure – it's magical realism, set in the Spanish city of Cádiz. Alongside its fantastical elements, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars confronts serious issues like human trafficking, sexual slavery, and the treatment of refugees and migrants, which Badoe handles with a deft hand. A timely read that will stay with you long after you've finished it.
Going into this book, I wasn't quite sure what genre it was, so to help any readers who aren't sure – it's magical realism, set in the Spanish city of Cádiz. Alongside its fantastical elements, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars confronts serious issues like human trafficking, sexual slavery, and the treatment of refugees and migrants, which Badoe handles with a deft hand. A timely read that will stay with you long after you've finished it.
May 17, 2017
4.5 stars
"Sante was a baby when she was washed ashore in a sea-chest laden with treasure. It seems she is the sole survivor of the tragic sinking of a ship carrying migrants and refugees. Her people.
Fourteen years on she's a member of Mama Rose's unique and dazzling circus. But, from their watery grave, the unquiet dead are calling Sante to avenge them:
A bamboo flute. A golden bangle. A ripening mango which must not fall... if Sante is to tell their story and her own."
'Strangers pitch up on our shores and we herd them into camps. They come in broken boats and we let them drown.'
I honestly don't think there is a more important time to read this book than right now. With the political turmoil of Brexit and the resurgence of the far right, people seem to be forgetting that the desperate people trying to make their way into Europe are humans deserving of all the rights that we so take for granted. This book is about people whose only option is to attempt to cross the Mediterranean, who know it might kill them, who know they might fall into the hands of traffickers, but also know that it is the only choice that they have left. Honestly, with many peoples heads turned by the rhetoric plied by politicians, that we must strengthen borders and turn people away from our gates, I hope that people read this book and feel their opinions change.
Sante is one of the younger narrators that I've read recently, only fourteen, but her voice is so authentic that I feel it can be enjoyed by young and old alike. Badoe has a gorgeous way of writing, fluid and magical and, honestly, I didn't even feel the pages passing, it was like a wonderful dream. It's one of those books which is almost surreal, but you never feel the need to question it, it all makes sense in its own strange way. The closest category I've found when trying to explain it is Animist Realism, a genre of African Literature close to the Latin concept of Magical Realism, which is born from animism, a belief that everything on earth, be it rock, animals, weather or thought has its own spiritual essence. It's the perfect genre for Sante's story, allowing her to deal with the death of her parents, her exploration of the little she knows of them, and the ancestral echoes of the treasures that were left alongside her in the sea chest.
'The baby gurgles, entranced by the rough play of water as a wave steadies her boat. She smiles, a jigsaw of stars and fire reflected in her eyes, and she stretches a dimpled hand to touch the moon.'
This book is so gorgeous. It's rich and vibrant, filled with lush descriptions and poetic prose. Where in many books the inclusion of an animal companion can risk infantilising the story, Sante's golden eagle felt more like a guardian spirit, a anthromorphisation of her strength and determination. It was a clever decision to balance the cold hard realities of the book against more whimsical prose. It’s the literary equivalent of casting fragrant rose petals over a rotting corpse, the scent only become more cloying, more horrific in the juxtaposition. The book is never graphic in its horror, it does not linger over the sordid details of what the traffickers do to their captives, but it does show the aftereffects of the trauma, the trembling fear and pain of survivors. It's been a long time since I was so filled with hate for a villain, but 'The Captain', the head of the trafficking ring, is so powerful and vile that it honestly sent a shiver up my spine when he was first introduced.
The half star that I removed is for pacing, there was a bit of a lull at about the 60% mark that I felt was unnecessary and was the first time whilst reading the book that I felt a little bored. I was also a little confused about the use of the word 'gypsy' in text. Multiple times throughout the book Sante describes the word being used as a slur against other members of her circus family and yet once or twice she uses it to describe them herself. There's also a random paragraph where Mama Rose, the head of the circus is described as dressing up in a kimono and white face powder for 'thinking time'…whilst Mama Rose is a white woman. They're small aberrations, but unnecessary ones that could easily be removed from the final product with no change to the plot itself.
Conclusion
'A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars' is a rich, vibrant young adult contemporary with a bright magical sparkle, that deals with incredibly important and relevant issues. It's a short book, only 256 pages, which I'd genuinely love as many people to read as possible, because it's the perfect foil to the dehumanisation of migrants that is horribly common in modern media.
'A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars' is out on the 7th of September, definitely one to be added to your 'to be read'!
Many thanks to Head of Zeus Books for a copy in return for an honest review!
As this is a review of an advanced review copy, quotations may be subject to change in the final copy.
Review originally posted at Moon Magister Reviews.
"Sante was a baby when she was washed ashore in a sea-chest laden with treasure. It seems she is the sole survivor of the tragic sinking of a ship carrying migrants and refugees. Her people.
Fourteen years on she's a member of Mama Rose's unique and dazzling circus. But, from their watery grave, the unquiet dead are calling Sante to avenge them:
A bamboo flute. A golden bangle. A ripening mango which must not fall... if Sante is to tell their story and her own."
'Strangers pitch up on our shores and we herd them into camps. They come in broken boats and we let them drown.'
I honestly don't think there is a more important time to read this book than right now. With the political turmoil of Brexit and the resurgence of the far right, people seem to be forgetting that the desperate people trying to make their way into Europe are humans deserving of all the rights that we so take for granted. This book is about people whose only option is to attempt to cross the Mediterranean, who know it might kill them, who know they might fall into the hands of traffickers, but also know that it is the only choice that they have left. Honestly, with many peoples heads turned by the rhetoric plied by politicians, that we must strengthen borders and turn people away from our gates, I hope that people read this book and feel their opinions change.
Sante is one of the younger narrators that I've read recently, only fourteen, but her voice is so authentic that I feel it can be enjoyed by young and old alike. Badoe has a gorgeous way of writing, fluid and magical and, honestly, I didn't even feel the pages passing, it was like a wonderful dream. It's one of those books which is almost surreal, but you never feel the need to question it, it all makes sense in its own strange way. The closest category I've found when trying to explain it is Animist Realism, a genre of African Literature close to the Latin concept of Magical Realism, which is born from animism, a belief that everything on earth, be it rock, animals, weather or thought has its own spiritual essence. It's the perfect genre for Sante's story, allowing her to deal with the death of her parents, her exploration of the little she knows of them, and the ancestral echoes of the treasures that were left alongside her in the sea chest.
'The baby gurgles, entranced by the rough play of water as a wave steadies her boat. She smiles, a jigsaw of stars and fire reflected in her eyes, and she stretches a dimpled hand to touch the moon.'
This book is so gorgeous. It's rich and vibrant, filled with lush descriptions and poetic prose. Where in many books the inclusion of an animal companion can risk infantilising the story, Sante's golden eagle felt more like a guardian spirit, a anthromorphisation of her strength and determination. It was a clever decision to balance the cold hard realities of the book against more whimsical prose. It’s the literary equivalent of casting fragrant rose petals over a rotting corpse, the scent only become more cloying, more horrific in the juxtaposition. The book is never graphic in its horror, it does not linger over the sordid details of what the traffickers do to their captives, but it does show the aftereffects of the trauma, the trembling fear and pain of survivors. It's been a long time since I was so filled with hate for a villain, but 'The Captain', the head of the trafficking ring, is so powerful and vile that it honestly sent a shiver up my spine when he was first introduced.
The half star that I removed is for pacing, there was a bit of a lull at about the 60% mark that I felt was unnecessary and was the first time whilst reading the book that I felt a little bored. I was also a little confused about the use of the word 'gypsy' in text. Multiple times throughout the book Sante describes the word being used as a slur against other members of her circus family and yet once or twice she uses it to describe them herself. There's also a random paragraph where Mama Rose, the head of the circus is described as dressing up in a kimono and white face powder for 'thinking time'…whilst Mama Rose is a white woman. They're small aberrations, but unnecessary ones that could easily be removed from the final product with no change to the plot itself.
Conclusion
'A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars' is a rich, vibrant young adult contemporary with a bright magical sparkle, that deals with incredibly important and relevant issues. It's a short book, only 256 pages, which I'd genuinely love as many people to read as possible, because it's the perfect foil to the dehumanisation of migrants that is horribly common in modern media.
'A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars' is out on the 7th of September, definitely one to be added to your 'to be read'!
Many thanks to Head of Zeus Books for a copy in return for an honest review!
As this is a review of an advanced review copy, quotations may be subject to change in the final copy.
Review originally posted at Moon Magister Reviews.
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