The Keepers

Sixteen-year-old Isra and her younger sister, Zaffirah, face homelessness and kidnapping in Islamabad, Pakistan, after their parents’ deaths. Farid and his adopted sister, Maya, also in Islamabad, contend with adult brutality as they beg on the streets. Told in the alternating voices of Isra and Farid, first-time author Lalani’s disjointed narrative chronicles the discovery that both teenagers are keepers of amulets that unlock the paradise of Adam and Eve, known as Zarcane and ruled by Abaddon, Queen of the Red Court. Keepers come with their own angels as protectors, and while Isra’s is determined to help her choose between Earth and Zarcane, Farid and his angel, in league with Abaddon, seek destruction. Overcoming complete ruin takes a legion of otherworldly creatures, including an Angel Queen and a company of centaurs. With Zaffirah in a coma and Isra falling for her protector, her plight often overshadows Farid’s, creating unbalanced character development in places. Violent and squeamish scenes abound, including a lecherous kidnapper and flesh-eating bugs, adding grit to a crowded but intriguing tale. Ages 12–up. (BookLife)