School Library Journal Review
Gr 5--7--Centering on a small mountain village in the Philippines at the end of the 19th century, this novel is an unparalleled story of one boy's journey towards manhood and knowledge of the world beyond. Samkad and Little Luki are best friends. They do everything together, from playing tricks on the ancients to rambling through the forests that surround their home. But things are about to change. Samkad has been chosen to become a man, and Luki is jealous. She will never hold a spear or become a warrior because she's a girl. Yet on the eve of the ceremony, things begin to go terribly wrong. Father hastens away in search of a boy Samkad once knew, and returns with news of the lowlanders, "Americans," and war. Everything changes, and before long Samkad and Luki must show what they are truly capable of. In a genre full of coming-of-age stories, Gourlay brings a new and authentic voice to the table with this story about native people living in the Philippine mountains prior to the Philippine-American war. For many readers, it may be an unfamiliar period in history, full of rich traditions and practices. Yet these distinct triumphs and tragedies succeed in heightening readers' empathy for a people devastated by violence and change. VERDICT This title presents a captivating story about the strength of heritage and community. Likely to do well among young readers interested in untold stories of the past.--Rebecca Redinger, Lincoln Park Branch, Chicago Public Library
Publisher's Weekly Review
In 1899, Samkad, part of the Bontoc tribe in the Philippines, is preparing for a rite of passage when a snake attack delays the ceremony. In order for the rite to proceed, he must find a boy, Kinyo, whose soul is tied to his own. Once Kinyo is found, though, new complications arise. Wearing Western-style clothing and speaking fluent English, Kinyo arrives with his aunt and Mister William, a white American. The group shares the news of Kinyo's burnt village and a war fought against American invaders. Touching upon timely subjects, such as cultural assimilation and prejudice, Gourlay (Shine) writes with graphic frankness about the realities of war and violence ("I could feel the soft heat swiftly dissipating, turning the warm, living flesh into cold, unyielding meat... my knees were dripping. Blood"). Steeped in Filipino tradition, this richly historic coming-of-age novel shows readers a rare view of the Philippines on the brink of American colonization. Ages 10--14. (Nov.)
Kirkus Review
On the eve of his coming-of-age ritual, Samkad and his village find themselves on the verge of a changing world.A member of the mountain tribe in 1899 Bontok, Philippines, Samkad is elated that the ancients have deemed it is his time to get the Cut, the ritual to be considered a man and a warrior. A bad omen at a preritual prompts a reading that reveals a provision: Samkad's soul is tied to Kinyo's, the son of a family friend the same age who was given to his aunt outside the village in infancy. Both must return to the village in order to proceed. Samkad's father departs to search for Kinyo while Samkad and his female friend Luki look for other ways to prove his manhood. Father returns with Kinyo, who is now also fluent in English and wears Western-style clothing, accompanied by his aunt and Mr. William, a white American. Complications arise with the appearance of more Americans soliciting help from the village amid sightings of their blood enemy, the Mangili. Samkad and his father must warily navigate who the true enemies are. Writing in Samkad's voice, Gourlay paints an intricate backdrop steeped in mystical and brutal imagery. Carefully built suspense and twists engage readers but occasionally overlook intriguing inner conflicts of characters, in particular the Americanized Kinyo and the tomboyish Luki.A visceral coming-of-age novel examining the impacts of imperialism. (Historical fiction. 10-13) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
On the day Samkad is to be declared a man, his father saves him from a snake's bite. The village elders interpret this as an omen that the ceremony must be delayed until Samkad finds Kinyo, a boy who is bound to his soul. His father reveals that Samkad's dead mother's truest friend had a son named Kinyo, who was sent to live with the lowlanders. The search for Kinyo puts Samkad on a collision course with a new enemy Americans armed with guns for a war from across the sea. Set in the early-twentieth-century Philippines, Gourlay's book vibrantly captures the initial encounter between native peoples and those who would colonize them. The crux of the story lies in Samkad's realization that his father is merely a person with his own fears and foibles. The boy's experiences outside his village are cruel and violent, allowing him to gain empathy for the choices his father made for him. This is a lush, compassionate tale of growing up, taking place in a rarely visited historical setting.--Reinhardt Suarez Copyright 2010 Booklist
