Review of A Captive in Algiers
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Susan Ledezma
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Review of A Captive in Algiers
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Captive in Algiers" by AJ Lewis.]
Set in 1788, Captive in Algiers by AJ Lewis tells the story of a adolescent boy named Ettore. Ettore is an orphan who strives to secure a future by earning money as a tour guide. However, Ettore's ambitions lead him to be greedy. Ettore will find himself and his friends in peril due to his actions. He will be forced to seek ways to adapt and discover what he is willing to do to keep himself and his friends safe.
The book tells an incredible story about survival and perseverance. In the book, we see Ettore question what he is prepared to do to survive. We also see Ettore question his morals and debate what he believes in. AJ Lewis executes a spectacular job of portraying complex topics, such as the lines between good and evil and religion, which helps to develop Ettore as a character.
One of my favorite parts about the book was the character development. I immensely enjoyed seeing Ettore grow as a character realistically. As the story progresses, Ettore reflects on himself and his negative qualities and learns to improve. He acknowledged his faults and overcame them. Witnessing his growth made the book enjoyable and gave me a reason to root for him and sympathize with his struggles.
In addition, AJ Lewis did an astounding job of world-building. The setting was easy to visualize while also being simple to understand. Throughout the story, it is effortless to be able to immerse yourself in the world as if you were alongside Ettore yourself.
However, there is some room for improvement. The book starts slow, which makes it hard to get into. While the book does eventually pick up, getting through the first two chapters was burdensome. Another fault was that there were instances in which the dialogue between characters was awkward and unnatural. At times the conversation seemed forced. The book also tended to spoil itself. The foreshadowing was heavy and would reveal what was going to happen in a way that would get rid of the suspense. This would make the book predictable and impacted the experience.
Altogether, the book was brilliantly composed and with few faults. It was a remarkable story filled with adventure. I recommend this book to young adults and adults who enjoy reading historical fiction and survival books.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It is an enjoyable book with a well-developed main character, but there is room for improvement in its pace, dialogue, and the way it does its foreshadowing.
******
A Captive in Algiers
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Set in 1788, Captive in Algiers by AJ Lewis tells the story of a adolescent boy named Ettore. Ettore is an orphan who strives to secure a future by earning money as a tour guide. However, Ettore's ambitions lead him to be greedy. Ettore will find himself and his friends in peril due to his actions. He will be forced to seek ways to adapt and discover what he is willing to do to keep himself and his friends safe.
The book tells an incredible story about survival and perseverance. In the book, we see Ettore question what he is prepared to do to survive. We also see Ettore question his morals and debate what he believes in. AJ Lewis executes a spectacular job of portraying complex topics, such as the lines between good and evil and religion, which helps to develop Ettore as a character.
One of my favorite parts about the book was the character development. I immensely enjoyed seeing Ettore grow as a character realistically. As the story progresses, Ettore reflects on himself and his negative qualities and learns to improve. He acknowledged his faults and overcame them. Witnessing his growth made the book enjoyable and gave me a reason to root for him and sympathize with his struggles.
In addition, AJ Lewis did an astounding job of world-building. The setting was easy to visualize while also being simple to understand. Throughout the story, it is effortless to be able to immerse yourself in the world as if you were alongside Ettore yourself.
However, there is some room for improvement. The book starts slow, which makes it hard to get into. While the book does eventually pick up, getting through the first two chapters was burdensome. Another fault was that there were instances in which the dialogue between characters was awkward and unnatural. At times the conversation seemed forced. The book also tended to spoil itself. The foreshadowing was heavy and would reveal what was going to happen in a way that would get rid of the suspense. This would make the book predictable and impacted the experience.
Altogether, the book was brilliantly composed and with few faults. It was a remarkable story filled with adventure. I recommend this book to young adults and adults who enjoy reading historical fiction and survival books.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It is an enjoyable book with a well-developed main character, but there is room for improvement in its pace, dialogue, and the way it does its foreshadowing.
******
A Captive in Algiers
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
“Great books help you understand, and they help you feel understood.” -John Green 
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