← Back to search
Cover of Jasmine Nights

Jasmine Nights

S. P. Somtow (1994)

SubgenreHigh Fantasy
Age groupYA 12-17
Content ratingPG-13
Pages (Standard (250-400))
Setting
CSM age13
Goodreads4.0
Buy on Amazon ↗Buy on Bookshop.org ↗Buy on Apple Books ↗

Content levels

ViolenceMild
Sexual contentMild
LanguageMild

Trigger warnings

Racism

Positive tags

Coming of AgeFriendshipSelf-DiscoveryHeartwarming

Protagonist archetypes

Coming-of-Age ProtagonistDuo / PartnersFish out of Water

Tropes

Coming of AgeFish out of WaterNon-Western SettingFound Family

Themes

Cultural IdentityEast Meets WestFriendshipComing of AgeRace and HeritageBelonging

Synopsis

The setting is Thailand and the protagonists are two boys, one Thai, the other African-American. The novel traces their relationship, which is a meeting of East and West. By a Thai-born writer, author of Vampire Junction.

Is Jasmine Nights appropriate for my child?

Suitable for most readers 13 and up.

This cross-cultural coming-of-age story explores friendship between two boys from different backgrounds in 1960s Thailand. Likely contains themes of cultural differences and identity that may include period-appropriate racial attitudes.

What to know going in

This book has mild violence, mild sexual content, and mild language. Content notes include racism.

Who'll love this

Teens will connect with this story of two boys from different worlds forming an unlikely friendship while navigating cultural differences.

Tags

Literary FictionCultural FictionHistorical Fiction