From Publishers Weekly
This eerie time-travel tale revolves around the excavation of a mass grave in Liverpool, England. Thirteen-year-old narrator Tom, a mistreated foster child, investigates an abandoned construction site and falls into a hole lined with decaying coffins and scattered bones. From here, he is magically transported to 1847 Ireland just in time to save the life of Tully Monaghan, an impoverished boy who could pass for Tom's identical twin. Imaginations will spin as readers speculate about the purpose of Tom's mission and his connection to a lookalike. Tom shuffles between past and present, helping the Monaghans survive the potato blight and returning to present-day slow-witted Brian, a foster brother in need of his help. Heneghan (Wish Me Luck; Torn Away) skillfully conveys a tug-of-war between Tom's allegiances and allows readers to empathize with the hero's subtle shifts: initially the Irish setting is more compellingly drawn because Tom feels a sense of belonging there, but as the protagonist recognizes that he also has a place in his own world, the strengths of his present-day situation become more apparent. The author relies heavily on coincidence to construct a neat, happy (and highly improbable) resolution, but many readers will be willing to suspend disbelief to welcome a brighter future for a hero who has experienced more than his share of darkness. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10-Tom Mullen, nearly 14, has spent his life shuttling from one "fozzy" (foster home) to another after being abandoned as a baby. At his latest school, a construction project arouses his curiosity and he and his fellow foster kid, a developmentally slow boy named Brian, investigate the site. Skirting the security guard, Tom falls into a mass grave and out of 1974 Liverpool. He hits the ground in Ireland in 1847 just in time to perform CPR on a drowned, slightly older boy who could otherwise be his double. Tom stays with the Monaghans-Tully, Hannah, Brendan, and their parents-learning to care for them, especially Hannah, until accidentally transporting himself back to 1974. He manages to slip back to the past a few more times, experiences the forced migration caused by the potato famine, and comes to realize that the Monaghans are his ancestors and Tully is his great-grandfather. Heneghan's story-written in a very British vernacular-will appeal to time-travel fans who like their fantasy with an edge. Tom, while not always a likable character, tells a gripping story. The sections in 1974 have a gritty, almost impersonal feel to them, mirroring the atmosphere of foster-home life. In contrast, the parts with the Monaghans are warmer and more homelike. The ending, in which Tom finds his real parents, seems a little too pat, but makes for a satisfying conclusion. Recommend this to readers who enjoyed Nancy Bond's Another Shore (McElderry, 1988; o.p.) or to fans of historically detailed time-travel stories.
Lisa Prolman, Greenfield Public Library, MA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
