The second edition of The Great and the Small by A. T. Balsara, has twin narratives, one of Fin, a young rat, and one of Ananda, a seventeen-year-old girl. I didn't read the first edition, which is an eight-time award-winning YA fiction novel, but I was told by Simone Jung, a publicist at Books Forward, that this new edition provides a deeper, nuanced exploration of the protagonist, Ananda. So, I imagine it, too, will earn awards.
Even though part of her own history eludes her, Ananda is a history buff, like her father. She reads books about famous leaders in history, including Joseph Stalin, which gives her an inside look at just how dangerous some influential men can be. When Tom, Ananda’s father, urges her to read about the Black Death, Ananda learns that history can sometimes be destined to repeat itself. In this case, it does, and by the same means—rats. It’s no coincidence that these rats have a charismatic leader of their own.
Fin is a young rat who is being raised by his uncle, lovingly dubbed Papa, who is the Chairman in charge of the tunnel rats in their community. This society of rats coins the term Two-Legs to refer to humans, and they despise us all, in spite of their propensities toward our food scraps.
With plague rats infecting humans every chance they get, death soon sweeps through Ananda’s harbor town. Her grandmother’s death is still a fresh wound, and her childhood trauma is hidden away and knocking loudly to be set free, so lockdown and isolation don’t do her any favors. Her nightmares become more frequent, and suicidal ideations take hold. Young Fin's nightmares mirror Ananda's pain. Despite their attempts to understand these unsettling dreams, they both remain vexed and perplexed.
The author does a fantastic job of showing how these two protagonists simultaneously yearn for and resist the truths that haunt the edges of their minds. All while the Black Death claims numerous lives around them, affecting Fin and Ananda in unforeseen and profound ways.
Toward the end, the outcome is uncertain—a hopeful dawn or an endless night?
It’s clear the author observed rats before writing this book. The way Balsara describes them cleaning themselves and nipping each other while they play shows me that she is a subject matter expert, and that is exactly what makes the scenes with Fin and his brethren authentic and engaging. Ananda’s character is also genuine; and though she is haunted, Ananda also displays typical teenage traits, which I often see in my daughter.
To my surprise, I learned that A. T. Balsara is not only the author of The Great and the Small, but she is also the illustrator. The illustration below is my favorite, and the following excerpt describes the scene well.
She put her cooled palms over her eyes and then stared up into the moon’s face, wishing this peace would last forever. Even as the thought came, an ache swiftly followed.
I recommend picking up a copy of The Great and the Small on its release date, September 3, 2024. It is a YA novel that teens will enjoy, but with the action and suspense, adults will too. Not to mention, if you’re the parent of a teenager, the insight into a teen’s mind is invaluable and may just provide you with some clarity and understanding.
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