The Maharajah's Monkey: A Kit Salter Adventure by Natasha Narayan
| The Maharajah's Monkey: A Kit Salter Adventure by Natasha Narayan | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Ruth Ng
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| Summary: Action and adventure aplenty once again from firecracker Kit. Let yourself get caught up in the mystery...it won't disappoint. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 272 | Date: April 2010 |
| Publisher: Quercus | |
| ISBN: 978-1847245298 | |
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Kit Salter has a nose for adventure. Somehow she always finds trouble, or it finds her, and this latest episode is no exception as she finds herself travelling from the home comforts of Oxford all the way to India, then on to the freezing mountains of Tibet. What has happened to Monsieur Champlon? Has he abandoned poor Aunt Hilda? Why is the mysterious monkey leaving threatening messages for Kit? And what does it all have to do with the Maharajah? Kit and her friends set off on a fantastic journey to investigate.
I really enjoyed Kit's previous adventure, The Mummy Snatcher of Memphis, so I was looking forward to seeing what happened next. Once again this was an exciting, addictive read. The reader must suspend disbelief somewhat at some of the rather unlikely antics that go on, but that's easily done in such a fun, action-packed story. This time we see Kit travelling by boat to India, staying at the Maharajah's palace before undertaking a dangerous expedition to the mountains of Tibet. Natasha Narayan builds a great sense of place, so you feel you are travelling right alongside Kit. I felt a little seasick myself whilst reading of their travels on board the ship, and my tummy rumbled over some of the food descriptions.
The adventure tumbles along at quite a pace. I like that things aren't laid out simply, and that as a reader you're following the twists and turns of the tale just as Kit experiences them. There's a magical side to the story too, with Kit finding a mysterious map that she feels drawn to, compelled to keep it close to her and determined to follow it to the bitter end. There is also the strange mountain hermit who helps Kit, Aunt Hilda, Monsieur Champlon and Kit's friends to navigate the treacherous mountain paths into Tibet, dodging the Baker Brothers, Tibetan guards and avalanches.
Kit herself continues to be very feisty and impulsive which is, sometimes, a little annoying. I felt her friends were a bit superfluous at times, they didn't seem to play such a large part in this story as previously, and really this was about Kit and her own quest. I occasionally wanted to shake her, tell her to stop being so stubborn and ask for help. I suppose that means I felt very involved in the story! Still, I would've liked to see her friends take part a little more, if only to help dilute Kit.
Those of a more sensitive disposition might find some of the later scenes a little disturbing (especially if it's being read as a bedtime story), with murdered donkeys and frost bitten fingers dropping off! However, I expect most children will relish the gory details and enjoy the sense of danger that surrounds Kit wherever she goes. Overall it's certainly an exciting read, and an excellent sequel.
I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag.
Further reading suggestion: You can start reading this series with the first of Kit's adventures or you might also enjoy The Queen Must Die by K A S Quinn.
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Maharajah's Monkey: A Kit Salter Adventure by Natasha Narayan at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy The Maharajah's Monkey: A Kit Salter Adventure by Natasha Narayan at Amazon.com.
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