The Penalty

Children's Literature

AGERANGE: Ages 10 up.

Soccer and suspense are combined in this intriguing story set in San Juan. Elements of the supernatural and the occult add to the intense drama. Ricardo de Barros is a teenaged professional soccer player who faithfully believes that ancient spirits guide and judge him. When de Barros mysteriously disappears after missing a penalty shot at an important game, the sports community is perplexed. Members of the small community where de Barros grew up, however, suspect that supernatural forces may be responsible. South America's leading sports writer, Paul Faustino, unwillingly becomes involved in uncovering the truth, and the truth consists of greed, corruption, and rituals that stem from South America's history of slavery abuse. Maco is one of the names given to a misused young slave who survives numerous cruelties and grows into a respected man whose strengths and powers are revered centuries later. Faustino is skeptical at first, but it appears that Maco may have played a significant part in the young soccer star's strange disappearance. Mal Peet is a talented author who unravels a captivating tale that brings South American history into the 21st century. Reviewer: Denise Daley

Children's Literature - Jeanna Sciarrotta

A soccer sensation, known as El Brujito, vanishes one day after an upsetting loss in San Juan. No one seems to know where he could have gone or what happened to him, and even more mysteriously, the police do not seem to be looking. Enter Paul Faustino, an accredited sports writer who happens to be in San Juan researching his new book. Without any intention of getting involved in the story, Faustino finds himself literally drugged into the past as he discovers that El Brujito's disappearance is tied to centuries of bitter history, slavery, and corruption. The story is told through both past and present lenses as it gives the reader small glimpses into the past and the story of a young slave who transformed into the Pai, a religious leader and protector of his people. The story, however, does not alternate frequently enough, which adds certain confusion to the plot. There are many elements of The Penalty that readers will enjoy, including the ending where it all somewhat comes together, but it lacks an overall cohesiveness between the two plotlines. Reviewer: Jeanna Sciarrotta

School Library Journal

Gr 10 Up Eighteen-year-old Ricardo Gomes de Barros's extraordinary soccer skills have garnered him fame, but his disappearance after a critical game leads sportswriter Paul Faustino to investigate. When Faustino asks too many questions, he is kidnapped and taken into the rural countryside where Barros grew up; there he learns of the ancestor worship and "Veneration" that the displaced slaves brought with them to the New World. The narrative is divided between Paracleto, a Loma slave of the 1700s who has come to be thought of as a god, and Faustino. Peet uses Paracleto's voice to expound some vital information, but the divided narrative detracts from the modern-day mystery and reduces the cohesiveness of the work as a whole. The lack of background information leaves questions about ancestor worship and other religious traditions among displaced Africans. Similar to Tamora Pierce's "Immortals" quartet (S & S), Peet's god characters appear, provide cryptic insight, and fade back out; however, they are the most interesting characters in the book. The way in which Faustino eventually discovers Barros reduces the mysterious element of the story to a mere side note in the plot, which had previously suffered from a lack of suspense. Between the disjointed narrative and unappealing characters, this novel will have difficulty attracting readers, and should be a strictly supplemental purchase.-Chris Shoemaker, New York Public Library