Tempestuous

Gr 8 Up—In this take on Shakespeare's The Tempest, Miranda Prospero is required to have a job in order to repay the money she earned with a tutoring service turned cheating scam. Unfortunately, that means she has to work in the bowels of the mall food court and endure the taunts of her former prep-school friends as she serves hot dogs. Due to a significant snowstorm, what begins as a surprise plan to celebrate her coworker Ariel's 17th birthday turns into a night of mischief and crime solving as the staff of the mall is stranded along with Miranda's clique of ex-friends. Miranda finds herself handcuffed to the cynical game-store employee, Caleb, who provides running commentary and acts as her social conscience while she attempts to seek revenge for Ariel's humiliation at the hands of the private-school crowd. The night turns dangerous when it becomes obvious that a robber is also stranded in the mall with them. This is a clever, light read with the kind of mystery solving that is reminiscent of Scooby Doo and the gang. The characters are believable, the plot moves at an entertaining pace, and, though the conclusion is predictable, it does not lack substance. Readers unfamiliar with The Tempest will have no problem enjoying this outrageous night at the mall.—Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD