Old Gods New Tricks
Beatrix dos Santos- known as Trixie- has a love of playing pranks which frequently gets her into trouble. She also has a great love for myths and legends from around the world so when the world suddenly loses all its electricity, she quickly realises that the ancient gods, angered by the fact that they are no longer worshiped as they once were, are behind everything. Leaping into action, she enlists the help of the trickster gods- Uxé, Loki, Mauī, Huehuecóyotl and Sun Wukong, The Monkey King. Having convinced- or tricked- them into helping, Trixie must now get them to work together to locate the electricity, appease the gods and save mankind!
What an absolutely brilliant read! ‘Old Gods New Tricks’ is bursting with humour and action, a pacy, engaging story which introduces its readers to trickster gods from different cultures. It’s fabulous!
Trixie- so well named!- is a spirited, lively girl whose love of pranks and mischief frequently gets her into trouble at school. Even her choice of pet, a ferret named Iorgi (short for Jormungandr) is quirky! Her love of mythology and archaeology is inherited from her parents and grandparents and the story is rich in details of ancient cultures and beliefs. Trixie’s determination, adventurous spirit and her lively intelligence make her very appealing to readers.
Each chapter is prefaced by a section from the ‘Wolff-Rammer World Mythology Collection’ and a synopsis about each of the tricksters is included at the end of the book, which is obviously written by someone with a real love and knowledge of the subject. This is sure to lead readers to discover more about ancient gods and broaden their knowledge of these beyond those frequently read at school.
Brilliantly written, ‘Old Gods New Tricks’ is an excellent read with so much to recommend it! Perfect as a guided reading text, it would also make a wonderful class story, offering plenty to discuss and enjoy!
Old Gods New Tricks Thiagi de Moraes
David Fickling Books ISBN: 978-1788452953
You can read my review of ‘History Atlas’ here.
