[2VB]∎ Read Gratis Switch! The Lost Kingdoms of Karibu edition by Karen Prince Children eBooks

Switch! The Lost Kingdoms of Karibu edition by Karen Prince Children eBooks

Download As PDF : Switch! The Lost Kingdoms of Karibu edition by Karen Prince Children eBooks

Switch! The Lost Kingdoms of Karibu edition by Karen Prince Children eBooks

I don't usually have time to read books by new authors but a Zimbabwean friend recommended it to me so I thought I'd take a look, and I was so glad I did. I immediately became totally immersed in the sights, sounds and smells that I remember so well from my time in Zimbabwe. From the searing heat to the torrential rains, the exotic fruit to the even more exotic wildlife, I think Karen Prince got the feel of the country spot on.

The story itself was exceptionally well told, with plenty of wonderful plot twists, and a large cast of characters drawn from African mythology. Although I am sure the Tokoloshe are not this friendly according to legend, Karen gets away with it by giving them unlimited access to magic that seems to make them charmingly mischievous instead of nasty.

I loved the witch with her plotting and scheming to get out of trouble, the young man, Ethan, with his first world ways and Jimoh, the greatest tracker in the district, but my favorite of all was Tariro, who never seems to catch a break.

Although The whole story was pretty much wrapped up, I find myself eagerly awaiting a sequel.


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Switch! The Lost Kingdoms of Karibu edition by Karen Prince Children eBooks Reviews

I loved the beginning of this book. The sights, scents, and tastes of Africa are lavishly described in this book. I learned of beautiful African lingo new to me such as mahobohobo and nyanga. The author spent years living in Zimbabwe, in Africa and it definitely shows. She writes of the African flora and fauna with a familiarity that more than equally matches ours of boreal forests, elk, and groundhogs in Europe or North America.

The magic is enchanting. Various shapeshifters pop up throughout the book, transforming from humans to African animals with ease, and vice versa. Many of them befriend and aid Ethan, the primary character in this book.

I was spellbound perfectly until the point where Ethan and a determined group of boys resolve to find a missing friend, named Joe, and enlist telepathic crocodiles and a graceful leopard (who are also shapeshifters). After that, the plot got a little confusing for me, with plenty of misfortunes, skirmishes, newly introduced characters, and majestic locations. If the author had streamlined the encounters and adventures in a more linear way, I might have been able to track who was who and what was happening. There were dozens of names of various characters at the mid-point in this book, and I was unable to keep up with the frequent new dollops of information. I wasn't sure who the enemies were sometimes; I knew that the Almohad had tried to capture the witch, and then the boys encounter the Tokoloshe, but wasn't sure what the connection of these two tribes had with each other, or who were the antagonists (the Tokoloshe seemed quite friendly as time went on!). The original mission was to find Joe, the boy who disappeared when the witch switched with him, but developed into much more complicated consequences with more new tribes and lost cities.

But for a majestic tapestry, with fascinating African folklore and mythology, I definitely recommend this book!
This looked a little different, a YA adventure set in Africa. Unfortunately, it tends to trip over its own feet. Characters go out of their way to be stupid, ignoring facts until pummeled repeatedly over the head. It's hard to sympathize with blockheaded, stubborn boys. Karibu itself is interesting, a realm where magic runs thick in the water, but I grew confused by too many names, an impenetrable tangle of places and people and personalities amid bursts of magic. Frequent bursts of action liven things up, but they often seem to end abruptly with little resolution. The story itself cuts off so sharp and hard at the end that a sequel is practically required, if only to determine whether the characters finally learned their lessons. While I found this story imaginative and a little different, ultimately I just couldn't immerse in it.
Initially posted on Theexemeus.blogspot.com

In the novel Switch the author, Karen Prince, creates an intricate story about self-discovery set in the heart of Africa. Prince seamlessly blends multiple points of view and a dynamic setting together in a way that makes for a wholly original coming of age story about a germaphobic, hypochondriac named Ethan. When Ethan is sent from the technologically advanced city of Cape Town to stay in the underdeveloped countryside of Zimbabwe with his father, Ethan has to decide how far he is willing to go to survive and what he's willing to do to save those he loves.
With a cast of side characters such as a witch with a vacillating moral compass, a scrupulous soul jumper, and a shape shifting Hyena with his own agenda Switch is unlike any other young adult book on the market. The characters are multi-dimensional, with motivations that make them seem more human than your average protagonist or antagonist. No one can be classified as all good or all bad, which is an accurate depiction of the world-- and people --not often seen in books. This setup challenges the reader to consider all possible outcomes, and to constantly reevaluate the characters for who they become as the novel progresses.
Although this story shines, because of its innovative setting and its cast of characters, there are portions of setting and inner monologue that could have been edited out to ensure a continuous flow of action. Additionally, there are aspects where complex problems are quickly and easily fixed (or not fixed) with no consequences. Despite these flaws, Prince has written a timeless coming of age piece that will appeal to people of all ages.
*********** 3.5 STARS ****************
I don't usually have time to read books by new authors but a Zimbabwean friend recommended it to me so I thought I'd take a look, and I was so glad I did. I immediately became totally immersed in the sights, sounds and smells that I remember so well from my time in Zimbabwe. From the searing heat to the torrential rains, the exotic fruit to the even more exotic wildlife, I think Karen Prince got the feel of the country spot on.

The story itself was exceptionally well told, with plenty of wonderful plot twists, and a large cast of characters drawn from African mythology. Although I am sure the Tokoloshe are not this friendly according to legend, Karen gets away with it by giving them unlimited access to magic that seems to make them charmingly mischievous instead of nasty.

I loved the witch with her plotting and scheming to get out of trouble, the young man, Ethan, with his first world ways and Jimoh, the greatest tracker in the district, but my favorite of all was Tariro, who never seems to catch a break.

Although The whole story was pretty much wrapped up, I find myself eagerly awaiting a sequel.