7/10 ( )

The story in this book is not as good as the first one, not the plot, but the telling of the story is confusing. However, kudos again for the graphic work that helps tell the story! ( )

And in this adventure, Mirka learns the importance of family, even if you don't feel like it's your family, and that things are not always what they seem. After a magical fish is accidentally awakened from a long slumber by Mirka and her sister Layele, Mirka learns that her stepmother Fruma has a past that seems not so different from Mirka's own--and maybe even more strange. Chaos erupts as Mirka attempts to free her sister from the fish's malevolent grasp, and the family tries to find calm in their spiritual tradition. What I love about these stories is that Judaism is shown as the foundation for life, but not all actions are informed or dictated by religion, and spiritual connection can provide hope and comfort in times of stress. It is the kind of approach to the conversation that makes me feel like I could find that hope and comfort myself, but I know there is much more to Jewish faith than just that, things I don't think I could accept. However, I admire the portrayal of people of faith who still have crazy adventures that have nothing to do with their religion. I also wonder if we will ever meet Mirka's father, if there are more of these in the future! ( )

I've been a fan of this series (and of Barry Deutsch's cartoons) ever since it started. Fantasy orthodox Jewish heroin turns out to be a great combination. I wish this series got more exposure.
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Love this whole series. Mirka is a horrible brat at the beginning of the story--worse than in the first two books, I feel--and it made it hard to see her in a sympathetic light at first. But the lesson/moral of this story is so well-done and so beautiful, I really loved how it all came back around at the end. And I think the book's message about kindness and justice and how those two concepts need to interact is an important one to remember.

There is a scene that has non-consensual hair-cutting, and it feels uncomfortably graphic in comparison to the rest of the book. There's plenty of danger in the story, but personally that was the bit that disturbed me the most. ( )