Hawkes

Harbor

S.E. Hinton

Those who have read and loved such S.E. Hinton classics as The Outsiders and Tex may have wondered if she has written anything new recently. The answer to that question is yes! After a 15-year hiatus, Hinton has come out with a new novel, but if readers are looking for another teen novel like The Outsiders, Hawkes Harbor will come as something of a shock. This dark, adult novel of Jamie Sommers, an orphan abused as a child, and terrified as an adult by an awakened vampire to the point of madness, moves too slowly to really capture, and for me, at least, was too crude and violent to engage. I wanted to stop reading every page. The plot seems inconsistent. Near the end of the book, the cruel vampire, Grenville Hawkes, is cured of his vampirism, and suddenly gains concern for the man he violently controlled for years. While I like happy endings as much as anyone, this resolution just didn't seem to fit the tension-filled beginning of this novel. S.E. Hinton's new book will not be available in the high school library, and I would be hard-pressed to recommend it to our students. There are plenty of better vampire books out there. Leave this one on the shelf. ~review by Dail Sams

hush: an Irish princess' tale

by Donna Jo Napoli

In hush, Napoli has created a haunting tale based on an ancient Irish folk story about a princess named Melkorka. Melkorka is beautiful and haughty, used to being waited upon and to looking down on those who serve her. A brutal attack in which her older brother's hand is severed, causes their mother to send Melkorka and her little sister, Brigid, away for safety. Along the way, the girls are abducted by slave traders, and very quickly learn what they must do to survive. Melkorka deals with her situation by becoming mute. She reminds herself continually of some of her mother's last words to her--"hush Melkorka, hush." Her lack of speech, causes her captors to be curious and even afraid of her which protects her from unwanted attention. Eventually Melkorka is sold to a man who treats her well, though he uses her as a concubine. However, as a slave, she has no rights and virtually no chance of ever returning home.

This story gives a grim picture of life in 900 A.D. British Isles. Raiding Vikings cause constant fear, and there is unrelenting work for the common people just to maintain the barest necessities of life. Napoli has once again given us a realistic picture of ancient life, and a strong character in Melkorka who changes from a spoiled princess to a compassionate, capable survivor. A great historical read on this year's Tayshas list. --reviewed by Dail Sams