Sparrows in the Wind

Description: "Trojan princess Cassandra is cursed by Apollo with the gift of prophecy, and must try to find her place in a world that she knows to be perilous; years later, will her friendship with a young Amazon princess named Rin help her to avert a disastrous end to their war?"--

Brief description:

Gail Carson Levine's first book for children, Ella Enchanted, was a Newbery Honor Book. Levine's other books include Ever, a New York Times bestseller; Fairest, a Best Book of the Year for Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal and a New York Times bestseller; Dave at Night, an ALA Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults; The Wish; The Two Princesses of Bamarre; A Tale of Two Castles; Stolen Magic; The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre; Ogre Enchanted; and the six Princess Tales books. She is also the author of the nonfiction books Writing Magic: Creating Stories That Fly and Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink, as well as the picture books Betsy Who Cried Wolf and Betsy Red Hoodie. Gail Carson Levine and her husband, David, live in a two-centuries-old farmhouse in the Hudson Valley of New York State.

Review Quotes:

"Cassandra and Rin's friendship and their attempts to change Troy's destiny make for a compelling read, weaving history, legend, and imagined possibilities. This welcome addition to Greek mythology-inspired stories centers multidimensional female characters often lacking in traditional tales. An original, superbly executed reimagining of a story with enduring appeal." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Levine immerses readers in a Bronze Age society, contrasting the strictures placed around Cassandra and other Trojan women with the freedom and agency enjoyed by the Amazons, whose culture is also meticulously portrayed. Cassandra's friendship with the Amazon princess adds another intriguing strand to the narrative." - Horn Book Magazine

"Twining the source material with contemporary sensibilities, Levine emphasizes strong female protagonists in a richly imagined, urgently told mythological variation." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Levine's penchant for writing plucky heroines comes through with Cassandra and Rin, who narrate the first and second halves respectively... The classic history and mythology along with machinations in the eleventh hour make this a satisfactory read for Percy Jackson fans seeking female protagonists" - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Levine's simple, crystalline prose is pure pleasure, and with so much ground to cover, events are often dispatched in brief passages, reflecting perhaps a Homeric style. All in all, a delight for young fans of Greek myths and a thoughtful adventure for fans of upper-middle-grade fantasy." - Booklist (starred review)