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Audible sample Sample
The Penalty Audio CD – CD, February 28, 2011
As the city of San Juan pulses to summer's sluggish beat, its teenage soccer prodigy, El Brujito, the Little Magician, vanishes without a trace—right after he misses a penalty kick and loses a big game for his team. Paul Faustino, South America's top sports reporter, is reluctantly drawn into the mystery of the athlete's disappearance. As a story of corruption and murder unfolds, Faustino is forced to confront the bitter history of slavery and the power of the occult. A deftly woven mystery flush with soccer and suspense, this gripping novel is one that shouldn't be missed.
From the award-winning author of Tamar, a time-shifting thriller about a vanishing soccer star, occult secrets, and the dark history of slavery.
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherCandlewick on Brilliance Audio
- Publication dateFebruary 28, 2011
- Grade level7 - 9
- Dimensions5 x 1.38 x 7 inches
- ISBN-109781455800728
- ISBN-13978-1455800728
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Product details
- ASIN : 1455800724
- Publisher : Candlewick on Brilliance Audio; Unabridged edition (February 28, 2011)
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 9781455800728
- ISBN-13 : 978-1455800728
- Grade level : 7 - 9
- Item Weight : 4.8 ounces
- Dimensions : 5 x 1.38 x 7 inches
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Faustino becomes involved in the disappearance of a soccer prodigy -the gifted teenageer El Brujito (the little magician)who simply disappears after being substituted in a big game .Faustino's search takes him upriver ,to a remote and virtually inaccessible part of the jungle where he finds a world still largely in thrall to the Old Gods ,those of Africa and with their roots in slavery
Much of the book takes place in flashback with the narrative being provided by a captive African slave and he tells of transportation to Lation America ,the survival of the old ways and also features some quite violent scenes of murder and sexual violation .It is abook over which an air of violence and coruption ,both moral and legal, hangs and I am unsure of its susitability for juvenile audiences on these grounds
It is strongly written and powerful but too dark and distiurbing to be an auatomatic recommendation for soccer loving kids and adults who enjoyed the previous book .I would instead urge it upon those who like South American fiction as it gives an interesting British take on the themes commmon to Latin American novels
Top reviews from other countries
It's a tale which switches between different time periods effortlessly. One moment we are in 17th century Brazil with it's slavery and Africans settling in. In a heartbeat we are whisked to the modern colourful S America. The narrative though can get a bit dark as it deals with strong themes like slavery, black magic and corruption in Brazilian football.
But the way Mal peet weaves all these different strands together in his terse, excellent prose is a delight.
I loved it.