Anna's Athabaskan Summer Book

I'm a pretty big fan of Mildred D. Taylor, with her writing style, and the subjects she writes on.
I think I've said this before in my review of 'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry', but in short I really loved this book, so I gave it a five stars.
If I were to be my usual pessimist-self I would only give it a four.
The only flaws I could find were a few continuity errors, or (in my opinion) poor development of certain characters.


What I loved about this book:

Cassie is now 17! So no more annoying complaining and uppityness. Also - boooyyys!

Everyone is older - Moe, Little Willie, Stacey, L.Man, C-John, and Jeremy. So we can see them with jobs, cars, responsibility - and how they respond to the white people of their town.

We are at the head of the action. No more overhearing things while we were supposed to be sleeping things - that take forever to figure out.

Solomon Bradley. ;)


What I didn't like about the book:

How I got the vibe that Papa and Mama were ooold now.
No more big strong daddy to 'blow up trees if you don't something...?'
Big Ma is always... Big Ma. lol

WHERE THE HECK IS MR. MORRISON????!

Didn't actually meet Uncle Hammer. Only mentioned him a few times actively.

What ever happened to C.J's friend? T.J's little brother? Clyde! What happened to Clyde?

How we didn't hear the end of some important characters' storys. Like:
Mrs. Jamison - Mr. Morrison - Dubé Cross - Suzella (though I admit she's out of the way) -Other random white people that we knew in the previous books, like Stuart and his gang, Mrs. Jim Lee Barnett, the Wallaces...

That we didn't fix the bad things sooner.
Don't want to spoil it too much but Cassie and any relationship with Moe besides friendship - I think we could've talked about that more. Solomon - we should've talked that out more. Clarance and Sissy - THAT WHOLE THING should've been talked out.

Being heavily influenced by Disney from a small child, I still feel like we need more singing and dancing to end a book happy. But quite frankly, we're back to where the book started. And probably a bit worse off. Plus there was so much death and real issues in there.



My questions for the characters.
Will Cassie make it to her various schools and get that education she's always talking about?
Did she read those books Solomon gave her.
So her purse is just gone, ey?
Will she get with Moe? Will she have to move to him? How will the Solomon thing play out?

What is Sissy going to do now?
Clayton (Little Man), and C.J (Christopher-John) do what all day? School? Will they be going off to work, or war any time soon?
Are people still struggling with their land and such?
Did we ever fix the car?
DOES JEREMY DIE??????



Ok that's all.

My rant has been long enough.
Read this book because it's awesome, well written, and worth your time. It's not that inappropriate - like it says 12 and up. Very short kissing (if any -.-), and overall good.

Thanks for Reading!
~Simone