Children of the Quicksands by Efua Traore

Publisher blurb: City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village. There’s no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside. Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she’s tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring. Caught in the sinking red quicksand of a forbidden lake, her fantastical journey begins …

There are only a few main characters in this book but I did keep getting lost and so I wish a list of human and non-human (gods) had been included. The ending is a little abrupt and for me, confusing. I didn't understand why the children were suffering on the other side of the lake and also I still don't really know why hundreds of them were taken there over the years. I also should have made more use of the help glossary which is included at the beginning of the book.

Readers aged 10+ with plenty of reading stamina who enjoy stories set in different cultures and stories with elements of magical realism and danger may enjoy this story. 

Curious readers might dig deeper into Nigerian folklore:

• The Myths of the Yoruba: Deities and Legends from Nigeria
• The Ultimate Guide to Yoruba Mythology: Orishas, Legends & Spiritual Traditions
• Mythopedia (background reading for teachers)

The taking of the children from the village might also make you think of the famous poem about the Pied Piper. 

Children of the quicksand was a debut novel for Efua Traore - she won the Times/Chicken House competition which then led to the publication of her book. You can see her other books here. I do enjoy books published by Chicken House. On their page you can read an extract from this book. Here is a review from the journal Africa Access. 

This is a beautiful story with an evocative setting. The reader is drawn to the rich sights, sounds and smells of the remote setting with its mysteries woven into a story dealing with separation, grief and loss. It is Simi’s personal story, yet the history that she uncovers is also deeply powerful and moving: the story of a family dealing with loss in their own individual ways. It is her grandmother, Iyanla, whose secrets we want to uncover and, when we do, it is via a tale steeped in Yoruba folklore and magic. Books for Topics

Here is an alternate cover:

Read the Kirkus review

Bookseller blurb: A richly imagined magical adventure set in West Africa by a prize-winning new voice in children's writing, Children of the Quicksands introduces readers to Yoruba myths and legends while showcasing the wealth of culture, traditions, adventure, joy, pride, and love found in Nigeria. Both modern and fantastical, extraordinary debut talent Efua Traore takes us to the village of a modern day Ajao and the strange parallel world that lies beneath. In a remote Nigerian village, thirteen-year-old Simi is desperate to uncover a family secret. Ajao is nothing like Lagos--no cells phones, no running water or electricity. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside. Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she's tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what? Determined to find out, Simi disobeys her grandmother and goes exploring only to find herself sinking in the red quicksand of a forbidden lake and into the strange parallel world that lies beneath. It must have been a dream...right? Wrong. Something isn't right. Children are disappearing and it's up to Simi to discover the truth.

Ember Shadows and the Fates of Mount Never by Rebecca King

"Sometimes what's on the card surprises us. But that doesn't mean it's not right ... It's not always easy to accept our fate, but it's our duty. Think about all the jobs in the village. 

Everyone plays their part and, together, we're a community."

Do you like this cover?  I am sorry to say I do not especially now that I have read this book and discovered it contains quite a gripping and inventive story. I'm not the demographic for this book so perhaps this cover will appeal to the intended audience of readers aged 10+.

The premise of this book links with the three Fates of Greek mythology. 

• Clotho spun the thread of life from her distaff onto her spindle. 
• Lachesis measured the thread of life allotted to each person with her measuring rod. 
• Atropos was the cutter of the thread of life. She chose the manner of each person's death; and when their time was come, she cut their life-thread with shears.

In this book, spoiler alert, all of these roles, we discover near the end of the book, are held by one woman and a machine but at this point I need to back track a little to the beginning of the book where we read that before the age of twelve each child in this village receives a small card with their destiny. The card, called a Fate Card, spells out their future occupation and one more very shocking thing. The card has a number which equates to the length of the recipient's life. Ember's birthday is in a few days and her card has arrived but it is blank. Ember tries to destroy her card in the hope she might be sent another one but the card is indestructible. Then something even more dreadful happens. Ember's seven year old sister receives her card and it contains the number eight which means young Juniper could die any day. It is only eight months until Juniper turns eight. 

Ember is a problem solver. She knows these cards are connected with the mountain that overshadows their village with the ominous name Mount Never. She sets off to climb the mountain to save her sister and we know, as the reader, she will also solve the mystery of the fate cards. Who sends them and why. The pace of the story heats up when Ember finds a place on the mountain filled with clocks.  One of these has her sister's name. Ember tries to alter the time on the clock hoping to extend her sister's life but instead she breaks the clock and now Ember has just three hours to save her precious sister. Time is ticking! Luckily she does have Hans (he is a clock hand) to help her. 

I read this book in one sitting and I did enjoy the premise of the fate cards but I was hoping for a political thread because early on we learn that these cards are used to maintain order in society (see quote above) and I did wonder about the role of the town mayor. I also hoped the idea of school lessons, which change after the fate cards arrive, would be developed but perhaps that will happen in book two. The bad omens associated with the origami birds that keep following Ember is another story thread I hope Rebecca King will develop. 

I haven't been able to find much information about the author Rebecca King but I'm going to suggest The Phantom Tollbooth may have been one of her favourite books as a child because her book about Ember Shadows contains so many similar elements such as a journey through strange and sometimes dangerous worlds with a quirky companion (in this case one hand from a clock).  Ember Shadows and the fates of Mount Never is book one in a planned series. 

This book will be published in August 2022. Thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance copy.