Interested in a detailed summary with read-alikes?? Check out my Annotation of this book.
This review is based on an advanced review copy (ARC) received through Reedsy Discovery. Plot Summary and Personal Thoughts below have also been published on that site.
Author: MM Hoshaw
Category/Type: Middle Grade fiction
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: June 6, 2023
Number of Pages: 284 pages of story text; includes an Afterward with theological and language notes.
Geographical Setting: A variety of other planets in the fantasy world.
Time Period: Unknown; readers will follow Dyami over the course of many years.
Series (if applicable): This is book 1 in the Guardian of the Galaxy series.
Plot Summary: Dyami and the Gobi Crystal is a meandering adventure story based on theological teachings. It’s packed with plot twists, life lessons, and unforgettable characters.
Dyami, an angelic being assisting in the of archives on her home world, awaits her first assignment as a Watcher. Watchers live among communities on different planets maintaining neutrality as they record the histories of those around them. Dyami is thrilled to be assigned as a Watcher for a group known as the Dukán. She learns about the Dukán’s loving nature while training with her mentor, but a dark fate awaits the group whose lives she’s meant to record. This group has signed a contract with off-planet beings known as the Naga and the Dukán soon find themselves enslaved. As Dyami’s emotional connection with the Dukán grows more intense through the fear and anger they experience over their predicament, she is challenged by the neutrality required of her. To make matters worse, she is held captive and forced to do the Naga king’s evil bidding. Dyami struggles to make the right choices as she battles new emotions amid intense circumstances. Can she overcome her mistakes or will her actions lead to destruction and punishment?
Reminiscent of Kelly Barnhill’s creative parodies of real-world events, Dyami and the Gobi Crystal is an imaginative tale that is likely to initiate engaging conversations with young readers.
Content warnings (may containt SLIGHT SPOILERS): Slavery, violence, and attempted rape.
Representation:
Taking place across planets allows the author to include diverse representation with a Black main character.
PERSONAL THOUGHTS
WARNING: May contain spoilers
Hoshaw’s book is full of compelling details and readers will instantly love Dyami, her good intentions, and her appetite for new experiences as a Watcher. Hoshaw grants a lot of space to details and explanations, making descriptions easy to understand while creating a lush fantasy world. The story of thinly veiled ill intentions and faulty contracts is a tale as old as time, allowing readers to easily make real world comparisons. The contract with the Naga reminded me of the treaties made with indigenous peoples across North America by European settlers. Dyami and the Watchers’ commitment to neutrality echoes the Prime Directive from Star Trek and made me consider the current onslaught of book banning attempts in the United States, bringing into question the supposed neutrality of libraries. What if neutrality is in itself a decision that favors one side over another?
While I was excited to explore these difficult themes in a safe fantasy space, the cohesiveness of the story is challenged by Hoshaw’s ambition. There was so much happening, many worlds, many characters, and an endless array of magical abilities, that it was hard to keep track of everything. Situations are too easily resolved by magic: Dyami is suddenly visited by her mentor and immediately feels better after being lonely because the Naga trapped her in a tower. When Dyami brings the Dukán pastries they are instantly happy again. These speedy resolutions make it difficult to suspend disbelief and take the conflict seriously.
Hoshaw has a packed plot. The majority of the book focuses on the Dukán and Dyami’s struggles with the Naga, but finishes with Dyami facing individual challenges after a trial for the mistakes she made as Watcher. Though not unrelated, this felt like a different book tacked onto another story.
Despite being confusing at times, this a story with rich world-building that asks readers to reconsider current and historical events while drawing upon traditional religious teachings to lead to a positive conclusion.
Final resting place: My ARC was digital so this resides in my Notability app library.
WHAT I’M READING NOW
My annotations and reviews are always running a bit (or more than a bit) behind what I’m actually reading so here’s a little bit of a teaser, if you will, for reviews to come.
A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab (re-read)