Sparkers

by Eleanor Glewwe

Overview

A magical world that will captivate fans of Kate DiCamillo and Diana Wynne Jones.

Marah Levi is a promising violinist who excels at school and can read more languages than most librarians. Even so, she has little hope of a bright future: she is a sparker, a member of the oppressed lower class in a society run by magicians.

Then a mysterious disease hits the city of Ashara, turning its victims’ eyes dark before ultimately killing them. As Marah watches those whom she loves most fall ill, she finds an unlikely friend in Azariah, a wealthy magician boy. Together they pursue a cure in secret, but more people are dying every day, and time is running out. Then Marah and Azariah make a shocking discovery that turns inside-out everything they thought they knew about magic and about Ashara, their home. 

Set in an imaginative world rich with language, lore, and music, this gripping adventure plunges the reader into the heart of a magical government where sparks of dissent may be even more deadly than the dark eyes.


From the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698150836
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/30/2014
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	259,982
File size:	3 MB
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Eleanor Glewwe was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Minnesota. Her parents sent her to French immersion school in kindergarten, and she began studying Mandarin in high school. At various points in her life, she has also attempted to teach herself Cantonese, German, Spanish, Hindi, Ancient Greek, and Turkish. She plays the cello and used to host music parties for her friends, arranging Renaissance dances and Baroque concerti grossi for unorthodox instrumentation. She plays the cello and once braved a snowstorm to perform in a chamber music competition. At Swarthmore College, she studied linguistics, French, and Chinese and worked in the music library, shelving composers’ biographies and binding scores with a needle and thread. More recently, she haunted the tunnels under the Minnesota State Capitol as a legislative advocate. In addition to being a writer, Eleanor is a folk dancer and a Sacred Harp singer. Eleanor lives in Los Angeles, where she is a graduate student in linguistics.

Read an Excerpt

The officers of the First Councilor’s Corps close in, raising hideously contorted hands. I can’t hear the incantations, but I see colored sparks flash between their fingers.

The girl clings to me. I can feel her shaking. The square fills with the bitter scent of magic.

“Don’t look!” I gasp too late, pressing the little girl’s face into my cloak.

The people scatter, doubled over from the painful effects of the magical spells. In the aisle of the marketplace, the young man lies slumped on the ground.

--Excerpted from Sparkers

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"I love a well-built world, and this is as deep, delightful, and lived-in as any I've visited. It's a place where combating terrible evil requires not just magic but music, friendship, and an abiding love of books. I hope SPARKERS is just our first foray into Glewwe's imagination; I'm already ready to visit again!" —Rachel Hartman, author of The New York Times bestseller Seraphina

"Sparkers will draw readers in to an incredible world where magic is real—and dangerous—but a brave pair of kids can make all the difference. The twists and turns and surprises kept me riveted all the way to the end." —Margaret Peterson Haddix, author of The New York Times bestselling series The Missing

"Rich with music, magic, and devotion to friends and family, the world of Sparkers will ignite your imagination." —Ingrid Law, author of the Newbery Honor Book Savvy

“In the entrancing Sparkers, terrible secrets are hidden among lost spells, forgotten languages, and forbidden books, and still one beautiful truth shines clearly through: Adults may have all the power, but it’s kids who can change the world. I loved this book.” —Anne Ursu, author of Breadcrumbs

• "Social injustice is a rare theme in middle-grade fantasy, but Glewwe conveys the insidious poison of prejudice by grounding the narrative in evocative details. . . A compelling story on a difficult topic, addressed with maturity and grace." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This book holds all that fantasy readers could desire: magic, intrigue, mysterious characters, ancient curses, and a dark evil that must be defeated. Not everything is wrapped up neatly, and the various characters are multilayerd, neither all good nor all bad. A worthy and worthwhile stand-alone book in a genre so often serialized." —School Library Journal

"Marah is a fully realized character, a young woman with intelligence, curiosity, conviction, and fierce loyalty to her loved ones. A rich cast of supporting characters gives Marah’s world a very realistic complexity that goes beyond good and evil. . . . Will please socially conscious readers with a taste for light fantasy.” —VOYA

"Strong, believable characters and an important message. . . Middle-school novels rarely address social injustice so clearly, and this first novel does so in a way that empowers young people to think of ways to make a difference." —Booklist

"Marah is an appealing heroine—warm, compassionate, and smart—and the plot pleases by requiring Marah and Azariah to develop and use their special talents to save the city while losing a small bit of their innocence. . . Marah’s talents extend to an ability to pour out her emotions in virtuoso violin music; similarly multitalented middle graders will find in her a kindred spirit." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Readers who enjoy mysteries, political intrigue, and some light fantasy will enjoy this adventure-filled novel."  —Library Media Connections

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2014
Gr 5–8—Marah discovers that her brother Caleb has been struck by the illness that is spreading rapidly in the city of Ashara. Like the other victims, Caleb is feverish and his eyes have turned an unnaturally dark color. The sickness is always fatal. What can she do? Marah is only a halan, a sparker as they are insultingly called, and does not possess the magic of the ruling class of kasari. Marah, as do many of the halani, has the gift of intuition, but that did nothing to save her father from dying years ago or the young man in the marketplace from being magically executed by the First Councilor Corps a few weeks before. Yet that same day in the marketplace, Marah saved a young kasiri girl, Sarah, who has taken a keen interest in Marah's storytelling abilities. Soon Marah meets Sarah's older brother, Azariah, who shares her fascination for languages. Pooling their knowledge, they soon discover that they are in possession of the recipe for a cure for the dark eyes, but it comes from a language outlawed by the council over a hundred years ago. The two children must risk their lives to get the ingredients on the black market and brew the magic cure—all while hiding from their pursuers. Marah and Azariah, with the help of his family, must attempt to overcome the First Council and disperse the cure to all. This book holds all that fantasy readers could desire: magic, intrigue, mysterious characters, ancient curses, and a dark evil that must be defeated. Not everything is wrapped up neatly, and the various characters are multilayerd, neither all good nor all bad. A worthy and worthwhile stand-alone book in a genre so often serialized.—Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA

School Library Journal

"I love a well-built world, and this is as deep, delightful, and lived-in as any I've visited. It's a place where combating terrible evil requires not just magic but music, friendship, and an abiding love of books. I hope SPARKERS is just our first foray into Glewwe's imagination; I'm already ready to visit again!" —Rachel Hartman, author of The New York Times bestseller Seraphina

"Sparkers will draw readers in to an incredible world where magic is real—and dangerous—but a brave pair of kids can make all the difference. The twists and turns and surprises kept me riveted all the way to the end." —Margaret Peterson Haddix, author of The New York Times bestselling series The Missing

"Rich with music, magic, and devotion to friends and family, the world of Sparkers will ignite your imagination." —Ingrid Law, author of the Newbery Honor Book Savvy

“In the entrancing Sparkers, terrible secrets are hidden among lost spells, forgotten languages, and forbidden books, and still one beautiful truth shines clearly through: Adults may have all the power, but it’s kids who can change the world. I loved this book.” —Anne Ursu, author of Breadcrumbs

* "Social injustice is a rare theme in middle-grade fantasy, but Glewwe conveys the insidious poison of prejudice by grounding the narrative in evocative details. . . A compelling story on a difficult topic, addressed with maturity and grace." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This book holds all that fantasy readers could desire: magic, intrigue, mysterious characters, ancient curses, and a dark evil that must be defeated. Not everything is wrapped up neatly, and the various characters are multilayerd, neither all good nor all bad. A worthy and worthwhile stand-alone book in a genre so often serialized." —School Library Journal

"Marah is a fully realized character, a young woman with intelligence, curiosity, conviction, and fierce loyalty to her loved ones. A rich cast of supporting characters gives Marah’s world a very realistic complexity that goes beyond good and evil. . . . Will please socially conscious readers with a taste for light fantasy.” —VOYA

"Strong, believable characters and an important message. . . Middle-school novels rarely address social injustice so clearly, and this first novel does so in a way that empowers young people to think of ways to make a difference." —Booklist

"Marah is an appealing heroine—warm, compassionate, and smart—and the plot pleases by requiring Marah and Azariah to develop and use their special talents to save the city while losing a small bit of their innocence. . . Marah’s talents extend to an ability to pour out her emotions in virtuoso violin music; similarly multitalented middle graders will find in her a kindred spirit." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Readers who enjoy mysteries, political intrigue, and some light fantasy will enjoy this adventure-filled novel."  —Library Media Connections

From the Publisher

When a mysterious virus begins to attack the residents of Ashara, both the upper class kasiri and the lower class halani, are randomly affected. Neither magicians nor doctors seem to have any real understanding of the origin of the disease that causes eyes to turn dark, and eventually leads to death. A love of stories and languages brings together a boy and girl across ethnic lines with unexpected results. Marah, a responsible, hard-working halan girl has been secretly given a forbidden book that may unlock the cure for the disease. However, the teen must venture into the dangers of the kasiri side of Ashara to connect with Azariah, another lover of languages, to translate from his ancient tome to complete the necessary information. When the two young people make a startling discovery about the virus, both of their lives are jeopardized. Without what seems to be the requisite witchcraft in many contemporary YA novels, magic, accompanied by its own hazards, still plays a significant role in the fast-moving plot. This title is a refreshing story of loyalty, courage, and unity that knows no class boundaries. Reviewer: Janice DeLong; Ages 10 to 14.

Children's Literature - Janice DeLong

Marah Levi lives in a strictly divided society, where those born with magical powers—the kasir—rule over those who do not. Having been born a mere Sparker, with no magic ability, Marah gets by with her passion for music and books, bolstered by strong bonds with family and friends. When her best friend and brother catch a mysterious, deadly disease that has begun to spread across the city, Marah races against the clock to find a cure buried in ancient texts. Her quest becomes so much more when she uncovers a sadistic government plot to kill off all Sparkers in order to purify the kasir race. Glewwe’s dark debut draws from the worst chapters of human experience: class wars, genetic purification, and leaders exerting control though the destruction or containment of information. Magic takes a backseat as Glewwe explores these themes; readers expecting magic in action will have to wait until the conclusion to see magic employed in interesting ways. Marah is a fully realized character, a young woman with intelligence, curiosity, conviction, and fierce loyalty to her loved ones. A rich cast of supporting characters gives Marah’s world a very realistic complexity that goes beyond good and evil. This earnest novel is low on action but will please socially conscious readers with a taste for light fantasy. Reviewer: Lindy Gerdes; Ages 11 to 15.

VOYA, October 2014 (Vol. 37, No. 4) - Lindy Gerdes

★ 2014-06-25
A fantasy debut grapples thoughtfully with all-too-mundane evil.Fourteen-year-old Marah may be intelligent, hardworking and musically gifted, but a mere "sparker" (the insulting slang kasir magicians use for the despised halani underclass) has little chance of a future. Such concerns seem trivial, though, when a mysterious plague devastates the city of Ashara. Marah forges an unlikely partnership with Azariah, a talented young kasir, to decipher a forbidden ancient text that might offer a cure—but what if the epidemic conceals a more sinister threat? Social injustice is a rare theme in middle-grade fantasy, but Glewwe conveys the insidious poison of prejudice by grounding the narrative in evocative details, constructing Ashara from an intriguing mix of the familiar and the alien. Marah is a terrific heroine—smart, determined and ferociously devoted to her friends and family—but she also makes mistakes, asks for help and finds herself torn between conflicting desires. If the other characters are less rich, they are still commendably complex and diverse. The grim subjects—racism, disease, betrayal and genocide—demand a dark tone, but it is never graphic or gratuitous. Nor is this tale devoid of light; but while insisting that triumph over systemic oppression is possible, it does not pretend that victory will be easy or without compromise.A compelling story on a difficult topic, addressed with maturity and grace. (Fantasy. 10-15)

Kirkus Reviews