Danger By Moonlight

by Jamila Gavin

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Paperback

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

Jamila Gavin was born in Mussoorie, India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, to an Indian father and an English mother. Jamila has written many books with multicultural themes for children and young adults. She won the Whitbread Children’s Book Award in 2000 and was runner-up for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Her work has been adapted for stage and television. Jamila Gavin lives in England.

Reviews

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book just like i did the first time i read it. It was a quick read but i had forgotten how sad it got at the end. It was a fun quick read and i'll definitely read it again someday.

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Danger by Moonlight by Jamila Gavin is a good book which keeps the reader engaged throughout. Just a glimpse at the contents page suggests what is in store for the main character Filippo as he sets off on his journey to rescue the father he has never met. Chapters titled ‘False Hope’, ‘The Ransom’, ‘Terror in the Desert’ and ‘Treachery’ are just a few examples.

Although set in the 17th century the scenario of an absentee father and the need to find role models will resonate with what is a growing number of children. The book is also rich with adjectives and vivid descriptions bringing the story to life. The detail in which the jewel, the stranger from the east and Agra are described in particular draws the reader in. The perilous journey and the fear of being alone ensures that the book cannot be put down and the reader is forced into Filipo’s shoes by also not knowing what treacherous relationships have been formed and whom can be trusted.

The historical and geographical context of the book makes it a useful aid to add colour to those teaching about the Mogul empire or places which are very much in the news today such as Syria, Afghanistan and India.

The reader is however rushed through the middle chapters and it becomes obvious that this book is an adaptation of a much more detailed book. It also is not clear why Signor Khan had to keep his secret from Filipo (you will have to read it to find out what this secret is) or why Filipo comes across as so emotionally more attached to his father than his elder brother Carlo when, unlike his brother, he has never met him and his father doesn’t even know he exists. I was also left underwhelmed by the final chapter and felt that more could have been done to link the facts outlined in the postscript to the story.

All in all a good but not great book of trust and betrayal.

[Fameeda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jamila Gavin is a really good, serious-minded author who can easily stand alongside many of the best adult novelists.
Danger by Moonlight is, on the face of it, a gripping adventure story that takes our hero, Felipe from Venice to Afghanistan by way of Syria, the Persian Empire and India in search of his father who has been kidnapped by an Afghan warlord.
But under this lies a solid backbone of research that will give the reader ( particularly the younger reader ) a history lesson on India,the Shah Jehan and the building of the Taj Mahal.
The story is told in the first person, and unusually in the present tense which gives the narrative a real immediacy that helps it to romp along.
This book is a good read and would be useful for history lessons. Music and drama can be linked through cultural aspects too.

[Suzan Amin Khoja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a nice read. I read it 2 months back but I must say that the writing style is still in my heart. The book was written so nicely and carved so beautifully. The story was also nice but I felt like something was lacking. The story was a little stretched and the description was very limited. I loved the idea and the uniqueness and the writing a lot. I didn't enjoy the book a lot, to be honest, and a few parts felt lacking. The description of the ancient Mughal era and the richness of India was shown so nicely. Overall, this book was a nice read with a great writing style and beautifully researched book on Mughal Era.

[Tamsin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A great, short book for learning more about India, the Taj Mahal and the background story of Shah Jahan.

However, I found this tale glazed over some important aspects of the journey Filippo undertook to find his father. Also, I didn't like the way it was written in the first person and in present tense, not used to reading that style. Apart from that, there is a lot to gain from this book with regards to culture and geography.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

By far the quickest read ever. More of a 3.5 than a 4

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short tale which is pretty forgettable, a mon th after reading this you would be struggling to remember anything about it.

[Amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

such a nice little read !! absolutely tragic but really beautiful

[Felgona Adhiambo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetic tale detailing the tragic trail of events caused by human greed and deception.

[Laura Dowsett · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read! This is a fast paced story chronicling the journey of a boy named Fillipo who, accompanied by a suspicious stranger, must travel from Venice to Hindustan in order to rescue his long lost Father. Full of descriptive language and dialogue, this book is thoroughly enjoyable. My only criticism is that it ocassionaly seems as though sections of the story are slightly rushed and could be further elaborated. As such, it is no suprise to me that Jamila Gavin re-wrote this story in more detail and aimed at an older age group (this book is called 'Blood Stone' and I am looking forward to reading it!)

Just as a note, I think this would be a good book to read in conjunction with learning about the Taj Mahal (this link will become clear when reading, but I don't want to give anything away).

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a short story with complex themes. Sometimes felt the story was somewhat rushing to finish. Nice elaborate language which created good imagery.