From Publishers Weekly
Twelve-year-old Hero has chosen to talk to no one except (on occasion) her older brother, and yet, she notes, "even in the heart of my silence, I was still a word child." And, indeed, the reflective Hero?who returns again and again to stories she has read?uses words to wondrous effect as she slips in and out of both her "real life" ("the life I lived with my family") and her "true life" ("the early-morning life, which I lived before anyone else was up and about"). Articulate and filled with intriguing imagery, her first-person narrative proves that, though she may remain silent, Hero absorbs and creatively decodes all that she hears and observes. Mahy's (The Haunting; Underrunners) inventive plot involves two women who are hiding something: Hero's older sister, who returns after many years with an adolescent boy in tow; and an eccentric neighbor who hires Hero to work in her garden. In different ways, their secrets will change Hero's life?as will the voice inside of her, bidding her to "do something magical. I must push the story on, and then I really could close the book and leave it behind me." Mahy's exceptional imagination and storytelling prowess will make it difficult for readers to leave this book behind them?hers is a tale with staying power. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up?This intriguing novel will be welcomed by Mahy's fans and by those who enjoy thought-provoking fiction. She touches on various topics including family dynamics, child abuse, and gender roles, while simultaneously exploring themes of self-realization and individuation. Hero, the narrator, reflects on her 12th year when a series of unusual events changed her life. At home, the abrupt return of her older sister, Ginevra, creates both joy and stress in the Rapper family. Meanwhile, Hero's leafy hideaway in the parklike grounds of a neighboring house becomes the setting for a parttime job as well as the scene of violence and despair. Working as a gardener for the eccentric Miss Credence, Hero is at first unaware of the misery and madness that surround her. Skillful foreshadowing, however, prepares readers for the book's shocking revelations. Parallels between Ginevra and Miss Credence, neither of whom were able to live up to their parents' unrealistic expectations; and between Hero, mute by choice, and Jorinda, Miss Credence's unacknowledged daughter who is locked in silence by severe neglect and possible brain damage, provide plenty of food for thought as the story builds to a crescendo. Despite the serious subject matter, the book is neither grim nor hopeless. Hero finds the strength to communicate verbally again and to resist her unintentionally overbearing mother as she develops her own personality and values. Deft characterization, smooth writing, and a totally original and absorbing worldview make this another fine book by the versatile Mahy.?Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
