Parents' Guide to

Aru Shah and the End of Time: Pandava, Book 1

By Carrie R. Wheadon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 9+

Flawed but fascinating modern spin on Indian mythology.

Book Roshani Chokshi Fantasy 2018
Aru Shah and the End of Time: Pandava, Book 1 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 9+

Based on 1 parent review

LibraryAssistant
LibraryAssistant Adult
August 22, 2019
age 9+

If you liked Percy Jackson, try Aru Shah

If you've read Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson, you will be in familiar territory with Aru Shah, but this time the middle schooler is dealing with Hindu gods. I really enjoyed the two main characters who are both girls. Flawed (Aru can be a liar) but likable, you will be rooting for both Aru and Mini. I am going to try to purchase this series for my elementary school's library and I would recommend it to teachers as a read aloud.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In ARU SHAH AND THE END OF TIME, Aru sets Armageddon in motion on a dare. Her mom, curator of the Indian cultural museum downstairs from their apartment, has told Aru never to light a particular lamp on display. She does it anyway when three school frenemies who visit the museum call her a liar. Just like that, the friends are frozen in place, her mom is frozen in a scream running to stop her, and Aru must set off on a quest in her Spider-Man PJs to stop a demon creature called the Sleeper from ending the world before the new moon. She learns a lot quickly: that she's a reincarnation of one of the Pandava brothers, famous heroes; that there is another descendant set to help on her quest, an equally flummoxed, hypochondriac girl named Mini; and that she and Mini are therefore linked to the gods. What they need to know most is how to save their loved ones and the Earth in time. If they find three keys, they can open the Door of Death where weapons and answers lie. It's no surprise that the hardest part of going through that door to the Kingdom of Death will be getting out of there alive.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (12 ):

Despite problems with the storytelling, kids who love modern takes on mythology will delight in this tale of two Indian American girls who find out they're linked to Indian mythological heroes. Aru and Mini make for deliciously awkward questing buddies. There's Aru with her fear that the only thing she's good at is lying, and Mini who is just as afraid that germs lurk around every corner as she is that a demon wants to end the world. They both come a long way and grow to love each other like sisters by the end. But at the beginning of the story, their lives lack a proper setup: We're rushed into the quest so fast we don't really get to understand these heroines as characters until at least halfway through Aru Shah and the End of Time. The story could also use time with Aru and her mom. Mom and her secrets is the whole reason they're on a quest, and she's barely developed. It's a missed opportunity to deepen the story.

There are more missed opportunities when Aru and Mini are deep in the quest. They pass through so many fascinating places in the Otherworld -- the coolest Costco ever and the Kingdom of Death, for starters. The way these very otherworldly places are written, so spare on place detail, it's hard to picture them. To truly transport outsiders to this world, the author needs to land us there. Still, by the end of the story the series is under way and another installment already looms. That may be grounding enough for most readers to go on another thrilling adventure.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the mythology in Aru Shah and the End of Time. Is Indian mythology new to you? What did you learn? Where can you learn more?

  • Aru Shah makes a huge mistake trying to impress kids from school. Would you have done the same thing in her situation? How does peer pressure make it hard to make good decisions sometimes?

  • Will you read the next adventure? Where do you think Aru and Mini are headed next?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate