I finally gave into the kid’s wishes and read one of his books, and this is SO charming. It’s basically Percy Jackson, except it’s based off of Hindu mythology. Aru Shah is an insecure, mouthy teen, constantly exaggerating (or outright lying) to put herself in the best light, and I liked how this character note was presented both as a weakness and a strength. Aru meets another girl named Mini, and the two discover that they are both Pandavas reborn, needed to defeat the demon that Aru accidentally awakened while trying to impress her friends. The writing is a bit precious but the jokes are genuinely funny; it works for the middle grade level, keeping the tone casual even as the themes get a little heavy.
One thought on “Aru Shah and the End of Time, by Roshani Chokshi”