THE CROSSBOW OF DESTINY, by Brandon Hoang, Scholastic Press, Aug. 6, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 8-12)
A Vietnamese American girl travels through Vietnam in search of an ancient magical crossbow in The Crossbow of Destiny, by Brandon Hoang.
When Vietnamese American Freddie Lo finds herself in Vietnam for the first time since she was little, she’s not quite sure how to feel. The memories of her extended family are more like distant echoes; she has a tough time speaking Vietnamese; and she can’t help but feel like she just isn’t Vietnamese enough. Still, this is her chance to reconnect with her family, especially her Ong ngoai — or grandfather — who is receiving a big award.
That’s when Ong ngoai reveals his secret: He knows the location of an ancient legendary crossbow, one with the power to decimate armies — and he’s hidden it away from those who intend to use its magic for evil. But when Ong ngoai is kidnapped, it’s up to Freddie, her cousin Lien, and a mysterious boy named Duy to get to the crossbow before it ends up in the wrong hands.
In this Indiana Jones-style adventure, readers will travel through Vietnam — from its seaside villages, to the swamps of the Mekong Delta, to the majestic Marble Mountains of Da Nang — as Freddie learns what it takes to be a hero. —Synopsis provided by Scholastic Press
The Crossbow of Destiny starts off with a bang — a Vietnamese ruler saves his kingdom with a magical crossbow, but the power goes to his head, and everyone he loves ends up dead. Fast forward 2000ish years and Freddie must find the same crossbow and save her grandfather.
This adventure-filled story is fast-paced and full of surprises.
Author Brandon Hoang’s writing is clear and accessible. His pacing is strong and his ability to set a scene makes you want to visit Vietnam. The sights, smells and sounds are all there.
I read an advanced copy that didn’t have a glossary, but the final copies do. This is a great addition for kids not familiar with Vietnamese. Although, Hoang does provide a lot of context around that vocabulary making it fairly easy to understand what’s going on.
At approximately 250 pages, The Crossbow of Destiny is a good length for middle-of-the-road middle readers. It’s a strong standalone novel that will appeal to a large cross-section of readers.
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