Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 10/15/2016 Rivka and Arik were born seven minutes apart and were inseparable up until their magic test at age eight. When Arik was found to be halan (nonmagical) rather than kasir (magician), he was disowned by his birth parents. But Rivka never forgot him and, years later, breaks the law to find his lost brother. The two then seek other sets of separated siblings in an effort to force Parliament to vote against taking children, kasir or halan, from their families. Glewwe stays with the social justice theme and setting from her first book, Sparkers (2014), expanding the cast of characters and reinforcing the negative consequences of prejudice and segregation as seen through the lens of family relations. The parallels to slavery are inescapable, from families being torn apart to the perils of school desegregation. The competent storytelling stops short, however, of being inspirational. Plenty of action moves the story along, but the characters are predictable, and the mature tone distances readers from the intensity of the action. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 10/01/2016 Gr 5–8—Rivka Kadmiel accompanies her ambassador father to Ashara for one reason: to find her lost twin brother, Arik. At age 10, Rivka passed her magic test, remaining in her kasiri (upper-class) family while Arik, a nonmagical wilding, was immediately placed with a halani (lower-class) family in the country of Ashara. Rivka works fiercely to locate her brother with the help of her new school friend, Caleb. Rivka shares class notes with Caleb, since he has hearing loss, and Caleb connects Rivka to Arik and other halani families. The strict "family laws" prohibit kasiri and halani from mixing, and Rivka's future with Arik seems uncertain unless the laws are overturned. She works with her brother and social activists Marah Levi and Azariah to legally reunite wilding families in an exciting courtroom battle. This sequel to Sparkers, Marah and Azariah's story, is not a stand-alone novel. Kasiri and halani terminology are not clearly explained from the beginning, although there is a glossary in the back. Glewwe writes Rivka's tale in first-person present tense, which seems choppy and awkward at the start but immediate and urgent in the final scenes. While Arik doesn't match Rivka for loyalty and bravery, Rivka's growing understanding of the function of law and her passion for creating a just society are inspiring. This is a thoughtful adventure, with magic seeping through the pages. VERDICT Don't hesitate to purchase this morality-driven fantasy where Sparkers has fans.—Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT - Copyright 2016 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.