The Game of Triumphs by Laura Powell - ADVISABLE

Powell, Laura The Game of Triumphs, 265pgs. Alfred A. Knopf, 2011. $16.99. Language: PG    (6 swears, 0 “F”); Mature Content- PG-13; Violence: PG-13

15-year-old Cat is a loner and prefers it that way. She is able to negotiate the streets of London in a way that allows her to observe, but remain invisible. This holds true until the day she finds herself unwittingly pulled into a complex game that will lead her into another reality unlike anything she knows. As she discovers more about the game she learns more about her past and realizes that what she thought was real may in fact be a sham. Playing Tarot has never had such fantastic rewards or dire consequences.  Powell wastes no time in starting the action of this book. From the first page the reader is immediately draw into the “game” alongside Cat. The book is well written with teenage characters that are portrayed as intelligent and free of the usual stereotypes that plague most young adult literature. My only hesitation with this book is the complexity of the tarot game the characters are involved in. Many times I had to reread passages and use the reference pages to attempt to understand how the game worked and what this meant to the plot and characters.

HS—ADVISABLE. AEB, Social Studies Teacher