A. Rivera reviewed Trickster by Matt Dembicki
Review of 'Trickster' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This is definitely a good book for kids and young adults, but it is not exclusively for those two groups. I think adults will enjoy it as well. Personally, it reminded me of some folktales books I read when I was young back in Puerto Rico. One of the tales, the one where the bunny tricks the wolf so the rabbit can ride him as a horse is very similar to a tale we have where a rabbit does the same trick to a tiger (there is no love interest though in our tale). So if anything, maybe some themes are common and universal. And that is something pretty apparent in this collection which revolves around the theme of the trickster figure, a figure that at times can be heroic, good or evil, or mischievous; he (usually the trickster is male it seems) may win or lose, but in the …
This is definitely a good book for kids and young adults, but it is not exclusively for those two groups. I think adults will enjoy it as well. Personally, it reminded me of some folktales books I read when I was young back in Puerto Rico. One of the tales, the one where the bunny tricks the wolf so the rabbit can ride him as a horse is very similar to a tale we have where a rabbit does the same trick to a tiger (there is no love interest though in our tale). So if anything, maybe some themes are common and universal. And that is something pretty apparent in this collection which revolves around the theme of the trickster figure, a figure that at times can be heroic, good or evil, or mischievous; he (usually the trickster is male it seems) may win or lose, but in the end the story has some kind of lesson or message.
The stories are told by various Native American folks and storytellers (you can get their biographical notes at the end of the volume), and they are very nicely illustrated. Since we have different artists, you get exposure to various art styles, styles that do complement the stories nicely. The book makes a nice and accessible introduction to Native American tales. And in addition, this collection is certainly a nice breath of fresh air so to speak, something different to pick up if you happen to enjoy graphic novels and want something that is not just superheroes.
