There will be spoilers in this review.I enjoyed this story for the most part but looking at it critically I have several issues. Salah is supposed to be one of the most well traveled and well educated men in all the world. Versed in philosophy, medicine, astronomy as well as many other things yet all the way to the end of his life he strongly believes in slavery and mocks Luc for remembering his life among the "infidels" before he was a slave. I find it a difficult pill to swallow in a children's book that one of the messages I feel is conveyed is that as long as you believe you are doing something that will better a person, the ends justify the means. Yes, Luc can read and write and speak another language after he was stolen into slavery but does that mean his life was not of value before? Salah thinks so and in the end I believe Luc believes so as well. Luc equates the fact that because now he wants something different out of life than to be a fisherman, it was ok that he was kidnapped and sold. I also took issue with the fact that Salah KNOWS Bes is mistreating Luc the entire time and justifies the behavior because Bes felt his place in the household was threatened.This story is as much about Beatrice as Luc and I did not have issue with her story until the last few pages. When Beatrice goes to the castle and all is revealed I was left with uncomfortable questions. Clearly the Count was half in love with Beatrice and knew she cared for Luc. How is this going to work now that Luc is back and better than ever? I really did like the story. Reading this story or recommending it to a middle school child gives me pause unless I think they are able to think critically enough to evaluate all aspects of the book, including the fact that they do not portray slavery in a poor light at all. This one is pretty enjoyable but at the same time, it seems to be lacking something important as well. It's a bit more of a historical adventure than historical fiction, perhaps along the lines of The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, making it an enjoyable story but leaving lots of questions as to the historical realism parts. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg is definitely an adventure tale as well, but somehow seems seeped in recognizable historical setting and events even if events and notable people are minimized. I've seen this book referred to as historical fantasy and it does read like that with the bit of romantic quest, especially for a younger juvenile audience where love may be a bit more simple. It does seem to work out a bit too conveniently for typical historical fiction and since it lacks an actual author's note or bibliography discussing the factual setting, may not have actually been intended as historical fiction. I did find the parts in Northern Africa to be the most fascinating because they were describing a culture and place that I am unfamiliar with but also because they seemed less idealized than the tiny fishing village Luc longs to return to despite the knowledge and wealth of the Maghreb/Barbary Coast. The author's biography suggests a research trip to the area which may recommend these parts as more historically linked, especially with the introduction of what appear to be real personages. The story seems to be an interesting reversal of slavery and can be verified by research on the Barbary Pirates but this seems to be too simple to accept at face value, especially given Luc's unrealistically fortunate circumstances, so I would continue questioning this. Unfortunately that might also recommend this book only to older audiences and there may actually not be enough meat there to maintain a deep investigation. The other alternative is to just read this as a fun adventure with a bit of info about the Maghreb/Barbary Coast and just leave it at that. I think my students might have their work cut out for them in looking at this as historical fiction...
What do You think about The Unfortunate Son (2012)?
Such a good story! Great characters and fun historical backdrop with great details.
—Jannette
