CINCINNATI LEE, CURSE BREAKER

After Cincinnati Lee, an American girl who has some Chinese heritage, snags her ailing 135-year-old archaeologist great-great-great-grandfather’s diary, she learns about a clay idol from Peru that he looted (and which has cursed the family) and the legendary Spear of Destiny (a relic rumored to grant immense power, but at great peril). Determined to right past wrongs, Cincinnati works to recover the idol. In doing so she unravels an international web of secrets involving corporate art smugglers, curse-bearing relics, and her own family history. Along the way, Cincinnati is supported by friends: Parsley, a Black classmate at her posh private school and the daughter of a celebrity musician, and Felix, who presents Latine and is an amateur forger whose father works with Cin’s mom at the Cosmopolitan Museum of New York. The settings and characters are well developed, and laugh-out-loud dialogue accompanies the bold, fast-paced narrative. References to other adventure stories, real places, and true-to-life political controversies (such as the Hobby Lobby smuggling scandal) abound, adding depth and inviting readers to reflect on questions of cultural heritage and museum ethics. As Heilig writes in her author’s note, “When the treasure we put on display is evidence of a crime, what will future generations believe about our values?” This story is hilarious, smart, and respectfully rendered, and the writing is accessible while still feeling literary.

Mar 25, 2025 - 07:41

After Cincinnati Lee, an American girl who has some Chinese heritage, snags her ailing 135-year-old archaeologist great-great-great-grandfather’s diary, she learns about a clay idol from Peru that he looted (and which has cursed the family) and the legendary Spear of Destiny (a relic rumored to grant immense power, but at great peril). Determined to right past wrongs, Cincinnati works to recover the idol. In doing so she unravels an international web of secrets involving corporate art smugglers, curse-bearing relics, and her own family history. Along the way, Cincinnati is supported by friends: Parsley, a Black classmate at her posh private school and the daughter of a celebrity musician, and Felix, who presents Latine and is an amateur forger whose father works with Cin’s mom at the Cosmopolitan Museum of New York. The settings and characters are well developed, and laugh-out-loud dialogue accompanies the bold, fast-paced narrative. References to other adventure stories, real places, and true-to-life political controversies (such as the Hobby Lobby smuggling scandal) abound, adding depth and inviting readers to reflect on questions of cultural heritage and museum ethics. As Heilig writes in her author’s note, “When the treasure we put on display is evidence of a crime, what will future generations believe about our values?” This story is hilarious, smart, and respectfully rendered, and the writing is accessible while still feeling literary.