The Firework-Maker's Daughter - Philip Pullman Book Review

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Review Summaries

""A thousand miles ago, in a country east of the jungle and southe of the mountains," widowed Lalchand the fire-worker maker has a daughter, Lila, who wants to follow in his footsteps. She learns how to make some of the simpler fireworks, but her father thinks making it her trade would be a bad idea. Lila's best friend is Chulak, a servant of the king who takes care of his white elephant Hamlet and is the only one who knows Hamlet can talk. Chulak tricks Lalchand into telling him how one truly becomes a firework-maker (you have to go to the Grotto of Razvani the Fire-Fiend, in the heart of Mount Merapi, and exchange 3 Gifts for royal sulphur), and soon Lila is off on her journey. But Chulak learns he didn't give her complete instructions, and he races off with Hamlet, the two of them going AWOL, to save and help her. Meanwhile, Lalchand has taken the blame for the disappearance of the king's prized white elephant and is sentenced to death. When Lila gets back from her mountain trip, the king say he will spare her father's life if he and she can win the fireworks competition against the greatest makers on Earth, the following week. Pullman's book for children is a wondrous and silly delight for grownups as well."
David Loftus, Resident Philip Pullman Scholar

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Overall Review

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 50%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 20%

Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - a powerful magician
Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14)

Main Character
Identity: - Female
Profession/status: - student
Age: - a kid
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - fire/lightning/weather cntrl
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Eccentric: Yes - emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant

Setting
Terrain - Jungle - Mountains
Earth setting: - 20th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript

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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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