The Patron Saint of Butterflies

by Cecilia Galante

Honey and Agnes have lived their whole lives in a religious commune in Connecticut. Their leader Emmanuel is revered by all and feared by most. The two girls have been called to the "Regulation Room" on several occasions, most recently because Honey was caught kissing a boy, and Agnes was considered an accomplice. Both girls come out with red welts all over their backs and legs. All the adults in the commune just look the other way when these situations arise. Agnes always blames herself and believes Emmanuel knows what's best for the "Believers." Honey just gets angrier and more determined to escape the commune. When Agnes's grandmother arrives for an unexpected visit, and learns about the Regulation Room, she decides it's time to take the children away from the commune. However, when Agnes's little brother Benny is severely injured by a heavy, carved wooden door closing on his hand, Nana Pete realizes that time has run out. Emmanual has done a butchered job of sewing Benny's fingers back on, then declaring it a miracle, but it is obvious Benny will die if he doesn't get competent medical attention immediately. Against Agnes's better judgment, she, Honey and Benny leave the commune with Nana Pete to seek medical attention for Benny. This is the first time any of the children have ever been away from the commune, and they are faced with an unimagined new life. Each new experience is a fun adventure for Honey; each one an evil temptation for Agnes. Both are faced with difficult decisions and come to unexpected conclusions. The Patron Saint of Butterflies is a timely coming of age story. Reviewed by Dail Sams

Since school started, it's been tough to find time to read and add to this blog. However, I recently finished Black Rabbit Summer by Kevin Brooks. I had this book on a future order, but decided I ought to read it first. It is a typically tense and suspenseful Brooks novel, so I have no doubt it would appeal to a lot of guys. However, the story is a little raw for me--I'm choosing not to add it to the high school collection. The story, which centers around the reunion at a carnival of some high school friends who had drifted apart, has too much of too many things. The tone of the novel is very dark and melancholy. When one of their old classmates turns up dead after the carnival, and another one missing, doubt, suspicion, and mistrust consumes Pete, the main character of the book. Since the missing classmate is Pete's best friend, his investigation into the murder parallels the police investigation. Although the murder is solved by the end of the book, Brooks leaves many unanswered questions, which could frustrate some readers. In spite of the negative aspects of this book, Black Rabbit Summer is not without redeeming qualities. Even with his faults, I had to like Pete for his loyalty to his friend Raymond, who was quite a strange character. And I really liked that Pete's parents were good people and that Pete obviously loved and respected them, even if he didn't always obey them. But bottom line, there are plenty of good, suspenseful mystery stories out there without all the language and questionable activities. Black Rabbit Summer is on next year's Tayshas list, so there are lots of librarians out there who like this book. It has received excellent reviews. But I think I'll let any student who wants to read this book find it at the public library.
--Reviewed by D. Sams