This is a rather simple retelling of a Persian folktale that gives the reader a glimpse of the rich Persian culture. The art is appealing and the prose very readable for younger readers. The story itself is not explicitly preachy but has discernible moral themes to it and just in case you didn’t catch them, comes with a short essay that talks about the symbolism etc present in the story.
ebook, 28 pagesPublished January 2012 by Bloomsbury
SourceSynopsis:This is the story of those eleven minutes, and the six days that follow, from his perspective. Because while it must be terrifying to be trapped under the ice, it’s a different kind of terror seeing your best friend trapped…Especially if it’s your fault.
There’s something about Megan Miranda’s writing that sucks me in and impresses the hell out of me. I think it’s because there’s such sincerity in her prose – I do not quite know how to explain it. Eleven minutes is a poetic, lyrical look at the events that occurred when Delaney was in the hospital following her accident. It is from Decker’s perspective and manages to convey his utter desolation at what he perceives as his fault. I thought it was beautifully detailed and very convincing.
I enjoyed this short story that is set before Seraphina becomes the music master’s assistant. It sets the foundation for the wonderful story and more importantly, it shows us the character of the princess who, if I remember correctly, I unfairly judged as flighty when I first met her in the novel. We also get an initial glimpse of the relationship Seraphina has with an uncle and it is every bit heartwarming as it is in the book.
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