Review of The Frights of Fiji

[Amaka Ike]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Frights of Fiji" by Sunayna Prasad.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Frights of Fiji by Sunayna Prasad is the first book of a fascinating series filled with actions and magical missions. The novel lights the fire of imagination and engages the curiosity of the reader.

This book tells the story of Alyssa and her four friends, Hailey (her cousin), Destiny, Madison, and Jasmine. She is twelve years old and had lost her parents five years ago in a car crash at the age of five. Alyssa stays with her uncle, Bruce, who is Hailey's father. Alyssa started noticing strange things like dark raindrops falling from the sky and write-ups on the kitchen window. And the message reads, "Your life will never be the same again, Alyssa McCarthy, as magic will interfere." She also found a strange note in her bed from an anonymous sender. She told her nanny, Mrs. Hutchinson, but she didn't believe in magic, so she turned her away. Alyssa later found out that she was being haunted by Duchamp, a wizard known as Master Beau, but did not know why. Days later, she was under a spell and taken by Duchamp to Fiji Island. Later on, her friends were also kidnapped and brought to Fiji Island by Master Beau. What does Master Beau want? Did the girls ever get out, and what does the future hold for them? Find out by reading this book.

This book is written from a third-person point of view; the storytelling technique is highly engaging. The main character, Alyssa, remained sweet, charming, and selfless. She never gives up, is determined, and is always in control. Destiny is a bully whose bravery helped a great deal in their bid to survive. The character development is impressive, and every character existed and felt authentic in the story. The dialogue flow was witty, simple, and understanding. The author also featured some creatures with a unique way of communication peculiar to them.

I have a minor criticism about this book. The absence of illustrations leaves the reader with difficulties that demand keen concentration and imagination to understand the author's narration. And it takes a person who watches magical and scary movies to paint mental pictures. For example, when Master Beau was going to Fiji Island with Alyssa, I didn't understand the author's description of it. It reads: "A blue atmosphere revealed itself, erasing the smoky portal. Here it came—the Fiji Islands. The portal even shrank. Alyssa turned to the front; no way would she want to keep watching the swirl decrease in size as Alyssa gazed out the window and eyed the cyan-colored Pacific Ocean, which splashed waves onto the whitish-beige beach. Palm trees stood tall, shadowing parts of the shore." Would children find that easy to understand?

I highly recommend this book to children within the age range of 9-14 years. I found no typographical errors in this 109-page book. This book deserves a rating of 3 out of 4 stars because of the issue I mentioned earlier. Children would find it confusing and complex to navigate the plot and storyline due to the lack of illustrations. Aside from that qualm, children would enjoy the story, especially those that love magical movies/stories.

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The Frights of Fiji
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