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Overview
"I've seen what the world does to the weak. It'll eat you alive."
Tirio was cast out of the Takunami tribe at a very young age because of his disabled foot. But an American woman named Sara adopted him, and his life has only gotten better since. Now, as his thirteenth birthday approaches, things are nearly perfect. So why is he having visions and hearing voices calling him back to the Amazon?
Luka has spent his whole life preparing for his soche seche tente, a sixth-sense test all Takunami boys must endure just before their thirteenth birthday. His family's future depends on whether or not he passes this perilous test. His mother has dedicated herself to making sure that no aspect of his training is overlooked . . . but fate has a way of disturbing even the most carefully laid plans.
Two young boys. An unforgiving jungle. One shared destiny.
Synopsis
"I've seen what the world does to the weak. It'll eat you alive."
Tirio was cast out of the Takunami tribe at a very young age because of his disabled foot. But an American woman named Sara adopted him, and his life has only gotten better since. Now, as his thirteenth birthday approaches, things are nearly perfect. So why is he having visions and hearing voices calling him back to the Amazon?
Luka has spent his whole life preparing for his soche seche tente, a sixth-sense test all Takunami boys must endure just before their thirteenth birthday. His family's future depends on whether or not he passes this perilous test. His mother has dedicated herself to making sure that no aspect of his training is overlooked . . . but fate has a way of disturbing even the most carefully laid plans.
Two young boys. An unforgiving jungle. One shared destiny.
Teenreads.com (5 star review)
”Refreshing, well put-together, and completely original.”
Editorials
Teenreads.com (5 star review)
”Refreshing, well put-together, and completely original.”(5 star review) -
"Refreshing, well put-together, and completely original."VOYA -
As a handicapped infant, Tirio was cast out of his Takunami tribe by his mother and never knew his father. Fortuitously Sara, an American anthropologist, found the child and adopted him. As his thirteenth birthday approaches, Americanized Tirio begins hearing voices that call him home, back to the Amazon where it is time for him to endure his soche seche teute, the rite of passage for his tribe. Coincidently Tirio and Sara are Amazon-bound for the boy's thirteenth birthday present, providing an opportunity for him to slip away into the jungle for his passage into manhood. As Tirio plans his unofficial trial, in a parallel plot line, Luka, another Takunami boy, trains for his ordeal, exercising his skills and senses to ensure his survival. Alert readers will realize that Luka's voice is Tirio's guide. Even discerning readers, however, may be bewildered to learn that Luka is actually Tirio's father and the parallel events are really in the past. This unsettling and unsatisfying story disappoints on several levels. No hint of magical realism or time shift is ever offered until the jarring ending. A surely unnecessary author's note reveals that the Takunami tribe, its rituals, and language are imaginary, as are many of the plants and animals. The author gives her characters stilted dialogue resembling poor film dubbing. For a more moving and sensitive look at a different culture, recommend Joan Abelove's lovely Go and Come Back (DK Ink, 1998/VOYA October 1998). Reviewer: Jamie S. HansenSchool Library Journal
Gr 4-8
This story unfolds in alternating chapters, written from the viewpoints of two young members of an Amazonian tribe. On their 13th birthdays, Takunami boys must face a rite of passage into manhood, guided through danger by a spiritual connection with their fathers, whose identity remains a secret until after the trial. Though they have lived very different lives, Tirio and Luka are both preparing for this mentally and physically demanding test. Considered weak because of his disabled foot, Tirio was placed on the river in a "corpse canoe" by his mother at age six and rescued and adopted by an American anthropologist. Now almost 13, he feels drawn back to his village and longs to prove himself a Takunami man. Though Luka has been training for the test his entire life, he wrestles with unexpected events that threaten his success. A clever plot device links the characters and their personal struggles together. The setting is strikingly described and provides a vivid backdrop for the action. The language, rituals, and beliefs of the Takunami are well developed, and will have many readers looking for further information about them. Youngsters may feel duped to discover, in an appended author's note, that the tribe is imaginary, "based on an idea, and not a representation of any known Amazonian people." Nevertheless, this is a fast-paced and remarkable adventure story with surprising twists along the way.-Genevieve Gallagher, Buford Middle School, Charlottesville, VA