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35th out of 45 books
—
110 voters
The Door of No Return
by
Sarah Mussi
Zac Baxter's grandfather has always told him that he's the descendant of African kings, whose treasure was stolen when his ancestors were sold into slavery. Of course, Zac brushes this off as a tall tale -- until his grandfather is murdered and their apartment is completely ransacked. Clearly somebody is after something.
Heeding his grandfather's dying words, Zac is off to...more
Heeding his grandfather's dying words, Zac is off to...more
Hardcover, 400 pages
Published
August 26th 2008
by Margaret K. McElderry Books
(first published January 1st 2007)
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At about 100 pages in, I realized I didn't give a damn. What sounded like an amazing premise was slow and bogged down by some just downright stupid decisions on the part of the main character (the bad guys try to frame you for stealing by planting a mobile phone on your person--what should you do? Well, if you're the main character of this book, you stash the phone until later and then begin freely using it to text and call other people. As if they wouldn't be tracing your use of the phone . . ....more
When I first read this book, I really didn't like it. I couldn't figure out why exactly, but the story slipped from my mind until about a year later, which is when I decided to give it another chance.
That's when I figured out why I wasn't connecting to the story at all. I was reading this book as if the action was unfolding before me and Zac was relating it as it happened. Sort of like a third person present in past tense. That is not the way this book is supposed to be read. It disconnects you...more
That's when I figured out why I wasn't connecting to the story at all. I was reading this book as if the action was unfolding before me and Zac was relating it as it happened. Sort of like a third person present in past tense. That is not the way this book is supposed to be read. It disconnects you...more
16-year-old Zac Baxter has never really believed his grandfather's claim that they are descended from African royalty illegally forced into slavery by the British and that they own a treasure hidden in Ghana. But when his grandfather is murdered and everything except the carpet is stolen from their apartment, Zac begins to wonder. Add to this the fact that everyone now seems out to get Zac, and things start to seem suspicious. It is downright scary at parts; Zac is now an orphan with no one to t...more
I didn't realize this book was going to end up being about reparations for slavery. I think the reparations debate is completely silly (especially given the state of the economy these days, where is the government going to find the money to pay all the Black descendants of slaves in their country? AND how do you know if some of your ancestors were slaves, not everyone can afford to have their family history traced....) so that put a slight damper on my enjoyment of the book because I kept rollin...more
The book that I read was The Door of no Return by Sarah Mussi. The Door of no Return is about a boy named, Zac Baxter is the last descendant of African Kings from Ghana. His grandpa has been telling Zac that their treasure was lost when they were sold into slavery. At first Zac didn’t believe him but when his grandfather was murdered he told Zac that he had the map to the treasure and he had to finish the search for it. His grandpa’s dying words sent Zac on a mad journey to Ghana to find the lo...more
This book is about a boy named Zac Baxter. His father is a man who believes that he and Zac are descendants of African kings, and their are diaries that Mr. Baxter wants to show Zac. Before he gets a chance to do so, though, he gets mugged and is killed. Now, with no one to take care of him, Zac gets shipped off to a family who is willing to take up Zac into their arms. Little does Zac know that the stories of him being a descendant is true, but there is much more to it than that. There are peop...more
Terrific middle grade interweaving of historical fiction and thriller. Zach is descended from a Ghanaian prince who was betrayed by his brother and enslaved by the British. Bartolomeu Dias (yes, the explorer) tries unsuccessfully to ransom the young prince. 300 years later, Zach is caught in a governmental cover-up of a broken treaty that could lead to a lawsuit and political embarassment for those in power. He has some of the pieces of the puzzle he needs to solve the mystery and find the ranso...more
This book was really good. It was about this boy name zac and on day him and his grandpa where on there way to a group meeting and his graFndpa was attacked and they stole his poems and diarys. On the way to the hospital he ends up dying. So zacs grandpa had a bunch of stuff about a lost king and he was related to him. So he was out to get the gold that the lost king had lost. His Uncle Fedelis was out to try to steal the map and the diaries that told you where to go so that he can have the gold...more
This was a unique story with mystery, suspense, and good characters but from the beginning of the book, I had to force myself to keep reading (anytime I "force myself" that means a two-star book). I also did a bit of "scan reading"--skimming through parts of the book to get to other parts. These are always signs that I will rate the book more in the two-star range. Despite this, I kept reading because I wanted to know how the story turned out but I had a couple of issues with the story.
First,...more
First,...more
Apr 29, 2010
Clare Cannon
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
13+ years
Shelves:
13-15yrs,
young-adult
A fascinating historical plot with fast-paced action adventure. Zac is a 16-year-old African-British kid who doesn’t believe his grandfather’s stories. But when Pops is murdered in the street, Zac is thrown into a world of secrets which cover a shocking and long-hidden past.
Zac learns he is the descendent of a Cormantin Prince captured as a slave in 1700. This broke a bond and ransom exchanged between the British and the Cormantin King, something for which Zac could sue the British Government, a...more
Zac learns he is the descendent of a Cormantin Prince captured as a slave in 1700. This broke a bond and ransom exchanged between the British and the Cormantin King, something for which Zac could sue the British Government, a...more
Zac lives with his grandfather. His grandfather tells him tales about being a descendant of an African king. The king was kidnapped into slavery from the slave castle in Ghana. A ransom of gold dust was paid for his return along with an agreement with the government to stop the slave trade. Zac's grandfather is murdered. Is it because of what he knows about the gold? Is Zac next because of what he might know about the gold and the bond? Find out how Zac ends up in Ghana with the map to the treas...more
I never thought of the British government dealing in slaves. I always think of our slavery here in the USA. But this is the story of a boy who is decended from a King in Ghana. He is looking for clues to find the chest of gold dust that his ancestor hid. But the British govt. doesn't want it found. If it is found with the treaty that declared the Ghanians safe from slavery, they may have to compensate the decendants of those slaves. Intrigue, murder, friendship, and twists make this a good story...more
Seemed slightly unbelievable how things just happened to fall out nicely for our hero, but I'm sure I'm a few years over the intended target reader, which would make a difference to the believability. Also, I am unbelievably annoyed by text-talk, even when used in text messages. Grammar exists for a reason. A good story and a good book nonetheless. I was happy to see it feature a country which doesn't tend to get much exposure in the books I normally read.
Compensation for all Black people in England that were part of King Baktu’s tribe. That is what Pop’s wanted. He wanted it so much that the government killed him for it. Zac Baxter is descended from a line of African Kings. From the youngest son of King Baktu, who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Two things have been passed down from that day the prince was kidnapped. Tribal tattoos given at the age of 7 and the journals of those family members that go all the way back to the kidnapped princ...more
Here's an African-Anglo kid with a secret treasure map in his possession that he doesn't even know he has. He loses his grandfather who was about to tell him a secret and ends up with a court ordered punishment where he experiences the savagery and deprivation of his African ancestors imprisoned on the Ivory Coast of Africa. I liked this story idea and had no trouble wanting to know what happened next.
I did not love this book, which is disappointing because I wanted to. Certain elements of the book were quite well done, such as the setting, and the character Ashley. But despite an intriguing premise, the pacing was too uneven, and there were some plot points that did not ring true to me. I found Zac, the main character, to be naive, which took me out of the story too much. I liked Zac, and I was rooting for him, but the story was too much in his head, and an adventure needs more dialogue and...more
Tall tale. Zac loved his grandfather, but according to his grandfather, Zac is heir to a treasure stolen from his ancestor, an African king. Zac knew slaves were part of his family tree but a king? To Zac it was a tall tale, until his grandfather is murdered and Zac’s apartment is burglarized and trashed.
I loved this book. Mussi Weaves piercingly drawn slave history with a very gritty and realistic description of what it is like to be a young boy in care. The mixture is really unexpected and, as I had the unexpected pleasure of letting Mussi know, is reminiscent of To Kill a Mocking Bird.
Really, I wasn't sure what to expect from The Door of No Return. I knew the barest of details and perhaps that's best. It didn't spoil anything for me and it kept it interesting.
Zac's Pops gets murdered for the secret of his family's hidden gold in Ghana. Orphaned, he goes to a foster home of a family that loves him only to be arrested for something he didn't do. Events snowball and the next thing he knows, he's being sent to Ghana. Which is where he wasnts to be to solve the mystery of his fami...more
Zac's Pops gets murdered for the secret of his family's hidden gold in Ghana. Orphaned, he goes to a foster home of a family that loves him only to be arrested for something he didn't do. Events snowball and the next thing he knows, he's being sent to Ghana. Which is where he wasnts to be to solve the mystery of his fami...more
Sep 28, 2008
Clay
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
teens
Recommended to Clay by:
Karin, Beth
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Excellent book! Zac was a great protagonist and the plot kept me engrossed from start to finish. The description of Ghana was evocative and interesting. I definitely recommend this to teens and adults.
Sep 26, 2011
Cody Mccarty
added it
The book shows bravery of a young boy, a descendant of King Baktu. The book was very suspensful and i recommend it to everyone.
Interesting historical context and some nice moments, but overall what came out of it wasn't worth the effort, especially because of the weak ending.
i found it intresting how at first zac was woriied about cating lepersy, but in the end it didnt worry him.
Good cover and good concept, but the author's dialogue-driven style is not for me.
Sep 27, 2011
Nwest
is currently reading it
I THINK ITS A REALLY GOOD BOOK AND ITS TAKEING FOREVER FOR ME TO FINISH IT
Zac is raised with the belief that he is a descendent of a wealthy, revered king in Ghana. After his grandfather is murdered, Zac sets out to find the hidden treasure of his ancestor.
I liked the idea of this book, but I think it could use some major editing. Many of the sections seemed very drawn out to me.
I liked the idea of this book, but I think it could use some major editing. Many of the sections seemed very drawn out to me.
i wanna go to africa!!
pretty interesting read
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Sarah Mussi was born in Gloucestershire. After her education at a girl’s school in Cheltenham, she completed a post graduate degree at the Royal College of Art before leaving the UK for West Africa. She lived in Ghana, West Africa for over eighteen years, marrying a Ghanaian and teaching in Accra. Sarah now lives in Brixton and teaches in Lewisham, splitting her holidays between England and Ghana.
More about Sarah Mussi...
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Oct 01, 2008 04:28am