Zafron, Carlos
Ruiz (2011). The Midnight Palace. Trans. Lucia Graves New York: Little,
Brown and Company.
The Midnight Palace was a 2012 USBBY Outstanding Interational Book and is the second in a series of books that Zafon wrote for young adults, which also includes The Prince of Mist and the Prisoner of Heaven. Zafon is also the author of the well-known and widely translated adult novel The Shadow of the Wind. He currently divides his time between Barcelona, Spain, and Los Angeles, California.
The Midnight Palace combines mystery, suspense, drama, and historical fiction to create a compelling story with a fast-paced plot. The story takes place during the 1930s in India, when England had imperialistic rule, and features two young protagonists, Ben and Sheree, who must escape Calcutta to save their lives. Mistakes of their father's past have put them in danger, but with help from Ben's loyal band of friends from the orphanage, the two hope to prevail.
Potential Discussion Questions (using components of Critical Literacy):
1. How do the challenges that the Indian citizens face during the 1920s and 1930s parallel the challenges minorities face in the United States, both in the past and in present times? What proactive steps can we, as concerned global citizens, take toward change?
2. How do the children in the novel empower themselves, even though they are oppressed because of their race and because they are young people without parents?
3. Do you think the book portrays the setting accurately? Why or why not?
4. What is the author's background, and why is it interesting when considering the political implications of this book?
5. Thomas Carter, as the orphanage director, is willing to risk his life for the children. How can parental figures expand beyond your blood relatives?
6. Are the relationships between the friends in the book realistic? Why or why not?
1. How do the challenges that the Indian citizens face during the 1920s and 1930s parallel the challenges minorities face in the United States, both in the past and in present times? What proactive steps can we, as concerned global citizens, take toward change?
2. How do the children in the novel empower themselves, even though they are oppressed because of their race and because they are young people without parents?
3. Do you think the book portrays the setting accurately? Why or why not?
4. What is the author's background, and why is it interesting when considering the political implications of this book?
5. Thomas Carter, as the orphanage director, is willing to risk his life for the children. How can parental figures expand beyond your blood relatives?
6. Are the relationships between the friends in the book realistic? Why or why not?
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