This is by no means a cheerful fairy tale.
We find ourselves in the home of a poor family, where one of the two children is paralyzed and slowly dying. He knows it. His older brother loves him very deeply, but he does not offer him empty hope; instead, he says: "Yes, you will die soon, but..." And he promises him they will meet again in the wonderful land of Nangijala, where everyone goes after death. That is exactly what happens, except they reach Nangijala in reverse order: first, the healthy brother dies unexpectedly, and then, the sick one follows him.
Once truly beautiful and happy, Nangijala is going through hard times: a tyrant has come to power, he has an army on his side, the people pay exorbitant tribute, starve, and daily life is completely regulated.
A conspiracy is being prepared against the tyrant, in which the Lionheart brothers participate; the underground movement is very determined, they have a plan, agents, weapons, and they understand that not everyone will survive. Most of the book is preparation for the uprising with everything that usually accompanies it: conspiracies, betrayals, persecution, espionage, digging tunnels, and preparing weapons. The story is very dynamic, with no long-winded reflections—the main themes are conveyed through events, not through philosophizing. Yet, it is a philosophical fairy tale nonetheless. It makes no sense to simply read it with a child—after reading it, it is essential to have a thorough discussion about it: about freedom, tyranny, self-sacrifice, and death. Perhaps this tale is more relevant now than ever.
In the decisive battle, secondary characters of the story perish, while the Lionheart brothers remain alive, but one of them—this time the other one—becomes paralyzed. He knows that beyond the horizon of Nangijala there is another land, Nangilima, for those who die in Nangijala. To avoid waiting for death to separate them, the brothers decide to jump off a cliff together and reach Nangilima simultaneously. Death after death, but this time not due to a tragic coincidence, but by making their own free choice. What should we call this situation: suicide, self-sacrifice, or liberation?
It is a heavy, ambiguous book, and parents should first familiarize themselves with it to decide whether they should read it with their child. Perhaps it is better to put it off for later if the child is still small and impressionable. Or perhaps skip it entirely—after all, there are many other good books. But it is also possible that you will feel that now is the perfect time for books about freedom and tyranny given the overall situation in the world. In any case, it is intended for children over 10 years old.
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