Shanti and the Magic Mandala

Camargo’s debut novel is filled with interesting ideas but overwhelmed by a twee writing style and some awkwardly presented characters. Shanti, a girl born in Mumbai and now living in New York City, enjoys her new home but also longs to see the world. She has a vision of the god Krishna telling her that she’s actually an alien from Sirius, but it’s only after her dog, Max, is kidnapped that she really starts to believe in strange things occurring. Max’s rescuer, Itai, studies the Kabbalah, and he’s able to make some connections, which suggest that the two of them and several others are part of a larger cosmic battle. Unfortunately, the story gets bogged down by overly simplistic characters (Shanti’s teacher, who assures her she’ll qualify for a nigh-impossible scholarship, toes the line between naïve and irresponsible) sharing stilted dialogue (“Many seeds were planted in this life, and they always germinate”). Readers looking for urban fantasy that reflects real cities will love the wide variety of cultures and religions. (Nov.)