The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

Starred review from January 30, 2023
Orphaned novice monk Omar is saved from stoning at the hands of his order at the start of this cleverly constructed adventure centering two Sogdian protagonists. For the dubious equivalent of six bolts of silk, the monks trade the approximately 12-year-old child to Samir, a savvy traveling merchant known as The Seller of Dreams. As their caravan family travels the Silk Road, moving from caravanserais to cities to oases across the Taklamakan Desert en route to Samarkand, Omar, now called Monkey, observes how Samir’s dealings have earned more enemies than riches. Fearing for his own fate as a series of hired assassins tracks Samir, and beginning to intuit the man’s underlying kindness, Monkey attempts to thwart the killers, each time moving closer to gaining his freedom. Regular acknowledgements of Monkey’s involvement in Samir’s eventual death accompany an ongoing chain of trades and catastrophes, creating page-turning narrative tension. Nayeri blends playful humor, solid pacing, and fully realized characters into a witty, assassin-studded traveler’s yarn that also serves as a memorable, lively portrait of the 11th-century Silk Road. Richly hued art by Miyares and expansive back matter enhance the delight. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Joanne Volpe, New Leaf Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Judy Sue Goodwin Sturges and April Jones Prince, Studio Goodwin Sturges.

March 1, 2023
Along the medieval Silk Road, a boy is cast out from the temple and nearly stoned to death by monks. He is purchased as a servant by a fast-talking merchant named Samir, for the price of six bolts of silk, and dubbed Monkey. Monkey watches Samir spin tales and make enemies everywhere he goes. In fact, the man is being hunted by six different "killing lines, " from a Viking berserker to a Mongol gunner -- though at the end of the first chapter it's Monkey who tantalizingly confesses: "That is why I killed him." The book is warmly funny, with folkloric commitment to larger-than-life characters, exaggerated perils, and plenty of jokes, punctuated by Miyares's lively and colorful illustrations. The formula of the six killing lines encourages readers to anticipate the unspooling of the tale; the twist regarding Samir's eventual death is more a reward than a shock. ­Celebration of the cultural riches of the Silk Road, along with the geographic, ­religious, and material diversity of the setting, make for engaging historical fiction -- and a rollicking good yarn. Alex Schaffner

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from April 1, 2023

Gr 4-8-This delightful adventure along the 11th-century Silk Road opens with its 12-year-old narrator, Omar (soon called Monkey), fleeing for his life from the monks who had once sheltered him. Monkey is saved by Samir, a merchant traveling in a caravan, who buys him from the monks for six bolts of silk. Monkey joins Samir in his journey to Samarkand and begins to learn Samir's tricks of the trade. What initially seems like simple bartering tactics and weaving of wild tales turns out to be a recipe for disaster. Samir has earned grudges from many of his former customers, and now several assassins are after him. The thrills never let up in this fast-paced adventure tale that is packed with intrigue, vivid description, and plenty of heartwarming moments. The narrative voice is at times naive, at others snarky, but ultimately readers will find delight in Monkey's own ability to weave a wild tale that keeps them guessing till the very end. Miyares's beautiful full-color illustrations animate life along the Silk Road, and an extended author's note provides excellent historical context for Monkey's tale. VERDICT An epic adventure with an enduring message about love and family, this is a first purchase for upper elementary and middle school libraries.-Dana West

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2023
A servant boy attempts to win his freedom by repeatedly saving his master as they travel the Silk Road. At roughly age 12, Omar has led a hard life, having lost both his parents and the woman who cared for him after their deaths and now being chased away by the monks who once housed him for asking too many questions. For the price of six bolts of silk, they hand him off to Samir, a fellow Sogdian who calls himself the Seller of Dreams. Renamed Monkey, he is tasked with assisting Samir in trading. As the two head west with a large caravan across the Taklamakan Desert toward present-day Tajikistan, Monkey learns Samir's business tricks, though he often disapproves. He also meets blacksmith's assistant Mara, the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Soon, though, it becomes clear that Samir faces more problems than just making the next deal: He has wronged more than one person along the road, and assassins are after him. What follows is Monkey's account of Samir's brushes with death--and how Monkey himself may have contributed to Samir's eventual demise. Filled with the multicultural hustle and bustle of the Silk Road, enlivened by the unpredictable nature of unreliable storytellers, and adorned with whimsical, colorful illustrations, this is a strange, wondrous, and creative tale. Can family be found along the Silk Road, or will everyone ultimately betray you? An enticing taste of a rich historical world. (author's note, bibliography) (Adventure. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from February 15, 2023
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* This tight little tome shares the testament of one orphan boy, dubbed Little Monkey following his rescue (and purchase) by the titular Samir, an incorrigibly jovial and conniving snake-oil merchant, whom--as the boy states up front--he has killed. As Monkey settles in with Samir's caravan, he comes to detest the endless bloviating, scheming, and swindling of the ""Seller of Dreams,"" for whom trickery is not just a constant impulse but the paradigm through which he views the world. As such, there are many who want him dead, and on the journey east along the legendary Silk Road, Monkey elaborates on seven attempts on his master's life. Miyares' rich paintings, only a few here seen, precede each chapter, giving vivid shape to the figures but also endowing the story with a classic quality through a style hearkening to certain renditions of the Arabian Nights. Nayeri grounds the proceedings in Monkey's narration, and the boy proves to be a thoughtful and engaging guide through this simple yet sophisticated story. As Monkey works to save Samir from assassination, hoping to win his freedom in exchange, he takes an inner journey, exploring ""the expansive nature of love"" and ultimately finding something more than he expected. Readers, too, will find more than expected, including tender philosophies, complex characterizations, heaps of humor, a masterful twist, and most importantly, just a great story, beautifully told.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2023
Along the medieval Silk Road, a boy is cast out from the temple and nearly stoned to death by monks. He is purchased as a servant by a fast-talking merchant named Samir, for the price of six bolts of silk, and dubbed Monkey. Monkey watches Samir spin tales and make enemies everywhere he goes. In fact, the man is being hunted by six different "killing lines," from a Viking berserker to a Mongol gunner -- though at the end of the first chapter it's Monkey who tantalizingly confesses: "That is why I killed him." The book is warmly funny, with folkloric commitment to larger-than-life characters, exaggerated perils, and plenty of jokes, punctuated by Miyares's lively and colorful illustrations. The formula of the six killing lines encourages readers to anticipate the unspooling of the tale; the twist regarding Samir's eventual death is more a reward than a shock. Celebration of the cultural riches of the Silk Road, along with the geographic, religious, and material diversity of the setting, make for engaging historical fiction -- and a rollicking good yarn.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)