From Publishers Weekly
Like Crew's masterfully bizarre Strange Objects , this story devolves in the weird, sunblasted landscape of coastal Australia. This time, however, the author falters a bit in blending the paranormal with the prosaic, and his narrative swerves uneasily between a supernatural Down Under Handmaid's Tale and a somewhat predictable YA coming-of-age mystery. Strange signs, intelligible only to "the Father," appear in New Canaan, culminating in Rachel's mother's death and the mute depression of the mother of best friend Sarah. Born on the same day and the loan female survivors of the town's ill-fated offspring, the girls are further united by their desire to escape the stultifying drudgery and subservience to the Father that are the lot of women in the isolated fishing village. Rachel befriends Sam Shadows, an anthropology student who, in exploring an aboriginal shell midden, uncovers secrets of the past that ignite an apocalyptic chain of events. Crew drops clues portentously, but the splendidly evoked setting takes the onus off the obvious plot machinations. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 7-9-Set in a small Australian fishing village, this thought-provoking tale probes religious fascism and genocide. A priest (known as the Father) generally controls the behavior of the inhabitants of New Canaan, but Rachel and Sarah, both 15, are suspicious of him. Rachel is also dismayed by the unwanted attention of a boy known as the Angel. He insists in a bullying manner that she belongs to him, an idea perpetuated by the Father. Enter Sam Shadows, a university student doing anthropological work at an aboriginal site nearby. His interest in the place is more than intellectual; raised in a home for boys, he is searching for clues about his mother, an aboriginal girl who came from New Canaan. He is aided by Rachel and Sarah, who have their own reasons for wanting to solve the mystery behind the power the Father wields over their village. The novel is compelling, though the Angel's malevolent character is underdeveloped. The text's overall freedom from Aussie slang increases its appeal, for this is a story that could take place in other settings, including the United States. A good candidate for discussion.
Mary Jo Drungil, Niles Public Library District, Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
