Young Adult Fiction: What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

After learning that author Isabel Ibañez would be appearing at this year's LibraryPalooza (though she sadly ended up having to cancel the appearance), I decided it was time to tackle her Secrets of the Nile series, starting with What the River Knows. A young girl learns about the deaths of her parents, and finds herself in the Egyptian desert chasing both forgotten magic, and dangerous secrets.

The Situation: On the surface, Inez Olivera has a life many would envy. As part of the upper society in Buenos Aires, Inez lives a life of luxury and relative ease, with little to worry about. Unfortunately, it is not the life she wants, as she has always dreamed of being able to join her parents in Egypt, where they have spent at least six months of every year for her entire life. After constantly asking if she can join them, and always being told "no" because it is too dangerous, Inez awaits the arrival of a letter that she hopes will finally have the answer she has always wanted. But the letter contains a different kind of news altogether: It seems her parents have perished in the desert, leaving her incredibly rich, but devastated. Against everyone's wishes, she decides to travel to Egypt herself and learn what happened.

The Problem: Inez manages to make it to Egypt, only to be told upon arrival that she must go back. It seems her archeologist uncle agrees with her parents' argument that Inez should not be in Egypt. But after managing to escape his watchful gaze more than once, which means frustrating and deceiving his handsome British assistant Whit, Tío Ricardo finally agrees to letting her stay after she proves to be useful, in more ways than one. Not only is Inez a gifted artist and can help sketch detailed depictions of what is found at the dig site, but she is sensitive to the magic that can still be felt in some of the places and items. This will help Tío Ricardo's team find what they are looking for, and hopefully before their rivals do. But the more discoveries Inez makes, both at the site and about her parents, the more the danger increases, as does her determination.

Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult historical fiction novel set mostly along the Nile River in 1800s Egypt. Starting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Inez is living comfortably with her aunt and two cousins, the only thing missing from her life being the presence of her parents. Once she learns about their death, she defies everyone's wishes and leaves for Egypt, only to encounter resistance, and a seemingly endless amount of secrets. Her uncle knows something, but is not telling, which only makes Inez more determined to stay in Egypt and learn the truth. With her parents' deaths being Inez's main driving force, there is also the larger situation that was taking place in 1800s Egypt, which was experiencing colonial expansion and imperial rule, while artifacts and valuables were being taken from temples, monuments, and tombs. And then there is a subtle hint of magic underlying everything, and that serves as Inez's guide.

My Verdict: This book is a combination of adventure, magic, and romance that so many readers crave. Not only is the protagonist traveling up and down the Nile River in an attempt to find priceless artifacts, but those artifacts often contain magic, as do the places where they are found. And then there is the constant back and forth, and romantic tension between Inez and Whit. The secrets are endless, as are also the discoveries, and every new twist opens up more possibilities, and unanswered questions. Inez's stubbornness and resolve are at once delightful, while also frustrating, as she ceaselessly makes massive mistakes. Then again, feelings of desperation and neglect makes people do reckless things. Ibañez allows this story to go places, where many authors would probably have held back.

Favorite Moment: Whit attempts to put Inez on a return ship back to Argentina only moments after she arrives in Egypt. But she makes a big gamble and finds a way to stay, which both impresses and frustrates her uncle's assistant.

Favorite Character: This is tough, because everyone in this book is hiding something, almost no one can be trusted, and Inez cannot seem to keep herself out of trouble. Isadora is the daughter of a man Tío Ricardo hired as a sort of security guard, and while there is certainly more to her than what is shown, she seems to truly be on Inez's side and comes to her aid more than once.

Recommended Reading: On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Yaryura Clark is a historical fiction novel also set in Argentina, moving back and forth between the past and present.