I was really excited to get an early copy of this middle grade Jewish fantasy. When I realized the protagonist was also queer I was even more excited. Of all the genres I read I feel like fantasy gets the least diverse representation which is unfortunate. I loved that his story gave me a little bit of information about Jewish mythology, a topic I don’t know much about. Zach and his little sister are a flea market when she spots an old Jewish ring that Zach reluctantly spends 20 dollars on for his mother’s birthday. But that ring leads him on a journey he could never have predicted. I do think there is a little suspension of belief needed for this book, but it’s a fantasy story and I feel like that goes with the territory. I did wish the story had been a little longer so the characters could have more fully developed just a little bit. Overall though this was a fun and engaging story. I wouldn’t mind seeing more set in this world for sure.

I had SUCH a great time reading this book! It was a short fun read that I'm sure will be compared to Percy Jackson and other new classics of the genre, but this one stands out to me for two main reasons entirely aside from the (fantastic!) queer and Jewish rep. I loved Zach having an actual realistic relationship with his sister (how often does that happen?!) and the **spoiler** fact that Zach's journey with his sexuality wasn't actually defined by his crush - it was just one thing on the way to who he was becoming.

I wanted to read Aden Polydoros' new middle grade book, Ring of Solomon, because I just loved The City Beautiful, by the same author, and I was intrigued by another Jewish folklore adventure. Ring of Solomon is described as the first in a planned trilogy for young readers, although it works perfectly well as a standalone novel -- there are heavy hints that young Zach is not done with his adventures, but there's an ending to this novel, not a cliffhanger.

I have to admit that I don't read a lot of middle grades fiction. Young adult fiction, sure, I often find myself picking up YA novels long after my own teenage years. For many adults, YA fiction can be nostalgic and escapist, and a good young adult novel includes compelling and well-developed characters, often facing a coming-of-age discovery or personal high stakes, which can create that strong emotional connection for any age readers. 

Ring of Solomon is the kind of book I would have read as a tween, though... well, sort of....  There weren't really any queer or Jewish tween fantasy novels around when I was that age. But I read a lot of stories about tween friends finding a powerful magical artifact and figuring how to NOT destroy the world, and as I read this one, I felt like I'd basically read this adventure story with Greek or Roman or Celtic creatures and characters before, and it was a real pleasure to read an action fantasy adventure with creatures from Jewish folklore instead.

Zach finds a mysterious ring at a flea market, which is a perfect call to adventure, isn't it?  The ring calls up Ashmedai, the demon king. Ash is actually kinda the good guy in this... It's the weird polo-wearing, white-teeth pro-apocalypse cult that you've gotta watch out for.  This hits the MG fantasy standards, with the hero, the magical artifact, and his friends going on a mission against evil. Zach's allies are his bestie, Sandra, and sometimes his little sister Naomi and Sandra's older cousin, Carmen. The adults in this world are almost completely absent (affectionate, but clueless), and the destruction from demon battles is somehow explained away. It's all the hits I remember from this genre when I was younger.

Zach is queer and closeted, which I thought would play more of a role in the plot. Maybe it's being set up here for a larger role in the rest of the trilogy? I did like Zach's realization that his crush was handsome and cool, but not a very kind person under the surface, which is a sadly realistic realization.

I was less interested in the action scenes. Like I said, I don't read much middle-grades so I'm not familiar with trends or writing conventions. But I felt like some of the battle scenes went on for ages, and started to feel like a kid describing the plot of their favorite show or Minecraft adventure to me. It was odd to find myself skimming in what I expected to be a dramatic battle at a climatic scene.

Overall, I think it would be a fun read for tweens, but might not hold up as well for older readers.

I support the HarperCollins union so will not post this review to Goodreads until the workers have a fair contract. I love the Jewish mythology spin so would have loved this as a kid.

tl;dr
An incredibly fast-paced adventure that hits all the right notes for fans of middle grade mythology.

Thoughts
I had a great time reading this book. Middle grade mythology books can be tricky - the structure is what makes them fun, but stick too close and you run the risk of seeming derivative. Ring of Solomon balances expectations with some great twists, and I especially enjoyed the friendship between Zach and Sandra devoid of any crushes or romantic leanings. A lot of people are going to talk about the strong rep in here, with good reason. I'm not Jewish, so I can't speak to the presentation of the folklore, but as a fellow queer who dislikes rainbows and face paint, my heart absolutely connected with Zach. I think the one thing that caught me off guard is how quickly the story moved. If I didn't know this was the start of a trilogy, I would have guessed that the author only had this one book to fit in everything. The ending ties off neatly enough that this can be considered a standalone, but I do look forward to seeing what comes next.

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an advance copy. All thoughts posted in this review are my own.

I don't read many middle grade novels so I don't know a lot about what is out there for young readers, however, I love the fact that Aden Polydoros is a gifted writer and can suck you in with any story. I loved that Polydoros was exploring Jewish mythology and that is main character was a gay Jewish boy. I will say that I did think that the characters didn't have enough time to develop in this novel, but since it is part of a trilogy, I'm hoping that we get to know more about each of the characters and we see them grow as the series progresses.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

I think my new favorite genre is Jewish middle grade fantasy where children accidentally befriend a demon/other magical creature. I am so pleased that there are so many Jewish fantasy books out now that I actually have a list to recommend people! I would have loved that as a kid.

The “Dear Reader” at the start was very touching and I loved it. And even in the fantasy setting, Polydoros sets up the very real feeling of “otherness” that comes from being Jewish or queer or Jewish AND queer. And the added helplessness of being part of a minority group while being harassed by school bullies and the way teachers just ignore it instead of taking a stand. I know the book is really more geared toward the fantasy and apocalypse plot but it does a great job paralleling to real world discrimination.

My only complaints were the kind of like “boy humor” jokes which were kind of gross but I know I’m not the target audience so it’s something I can forgive and then also the way the ending just seemed to kind of trail off. Open endings are fine but this seemed waaaay more broadly open ended.

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

Fans of Percy Jackson and mythology, brace yourselves for this gripping adventure of a novel. Full of whimsy, wit, humor, and all the drama. Ring of Solomon is a fantastic middle grade debut from a prominent voice in the YA genre.

I love Aden Polydoros’ books and when I saw he had a middle grade I was so excited. His books hit a very special place for me, and Ring of Solomon continues that trend.

Zach and his younger sister, Naomi, find an old ring at the flea market and plan to get it for their mom for her birthday as she collects Judaica, but when they realize they can use the ring to communicate with animals, Zach decides to keep it for himself. He’s been being bullied for a while now and the teachers don’t do anything, so he makes a wish of sorts to be able to enact revenge on Jeremy and ends up awakening Ashmedai, the King of Demons.

This is definitely a fitting addition to the realm of mythology inspired middle grade novels and I loved all the Jewish lore and history. I also really love how Zach is fascinated by classic horror movies and it brings up small comments about monstrosity and who is the monster in a story. I love that this is a theme Aden continues to explore in different aspects with his books, and I’m looking forward to the continuation of Zach’s adventures.

Overall this is a really fun, exciting middle grade novel and I can’t wait to see what’ll be next for Zach and his friends! Definitely recommend if you’re a fan of books like Percy Jackson and want a story inspired by Jewish lore.

This is a solid entry into the middle grade fantasy genre similar to series by Rick Riordan. Here, though the religion explored is Judaism, which is unusual. All the elements of a fine fantasy-adventure are here - the likable but reluctant and sometimes clueless hero, his helpers, a nasty villain, and a wonderfully drawn powerful object.

This will appeal to kids who enjoy fantasy-adventure, but also can be a first-time read for someone exploring the genre. It’s sure to be a hit either way.

I loved this book so so much. I enjoyed The City Beautiful by the author, but I did not expect to like this book so much. It’s been wonderful to see queer Jewish rep in books and get to learn new things. I’m so glad this is the beginning of a trilogy because I definitely want more of these characters and this world.

This was not my kind of book. I found it really hard to get into the story and found it kind of boring.

Thank you, Inkyard Press, for allowing me to read The Ring of Solomon early.

This story is just a glorious adventure. After reading The City Beautiful, I already knew that Aden Polydoros was a gifted writer, and with this middle-grade book, he proves it again. Loved, loved, loved the book!

Zach already has a full plate of trouble. He's being bullied at school for being Jewish, his mom keeps saddling him with bringing along his annoying younger sister, and he has a secret that makes him feel like one of the monsters from the horror movies he loves.
Then, in search for a special birthday gift for his mom, he buys a ring at a flea market that lets him speak to animals...and allows him to accidentally summon Ashmedaii, the king of the demons. As you might expect, things get significantly worse for young Zach and his friends.
I loved the pacing of this story. It was full of excitement, and just the right amount of danger for a middle school reader. There is a cleaver twist on the identity of the giant bird called a Ziz that I did not see coming.
And, who could have guessed that the king of the demons would be so fond of pizza?