The Freedom Maze Book Review

 Author: Delia Sherman. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Big Mouth House. ISBN: 9781931520300.

Annotation: In 1960 Louisiana, thirteen-year-old Sophie Martineau is sent by her recently divorced mother to Oak Cottage, an old plantation on the bayou, to stay with her grandmother for the summer. Bored and lonely, Sophie makes a wish that inadvertently transports her 100 years in the past, where, after being mistake for a slave, she experiences life on a pre-Civil War plantation.

Personal thoughts: I am a big fan of both historical fiction and time travel, so this book was right up my alley. I thought the author did an outstanding job of describing the plantation and life as a slave in 1860. The reader is truly transported into this tumultuous period of time, something that I think would be very valuable for tween or teen readers who are learning about the Civil War or slavery. The author’s passion for this era, as well as slave narratives and memoirs, is very evident throughout the novel, and adds that much more to the already exceptional story.

Plot summary: In 1960 New Orleans, thirteen-year-old Sophie Martineau is struggling to cope with her parents’ recent divorce. Her father has moved to New York City, and her former best friend is no longer allowed to socialize with the child of a single mother. To make matters worse, Sophie’s mother has decided to send her to Oak Cottage, an old plantation outside of New Orleans, to stay with her grandmother and aunt for the summer. Bored and lonely, Sophie makes a wish to be someone else, and is inadvertently transported back in time to 1860. Having spent several weeks in the sun exploring the bayou of Oak Cottage, Sophie’s tanned skin causes her to be mistaken for a slave, and she is immediately put to work in Oak River House, the luxurious home of her ancestors, the Fairchilds. Sophie is used to the racial segregation in the south of 1960, but nothing prepares her for the cruelty and discrimination she experiences as a slave in a pre-Civil War plantation.  

Review:  Inspired by real life slave narratives and memoirs, veteran author Delia Sherman’s The Freedom Maze proves to be a well-written and intriguing novel that is both entertaining and educational. Although the story involves time travel to the 19^th century, it begins in the past, over fifty years ago, at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Sophie is a complex character, as is her mother, a recently divorced, bitter woman who warns Sophie against associating with “negroes,” especially men. As was likely the case with many children during this period of time, Sophie is unsure of exactly why she is supposed to be afraid of African Americans, but takes her mother’s word for it, trying hard to be a proper southern lady. Sherman does an excellent job of conveying Sophie’s frustration, both with her parents’ divorce and her “exile” at the Oak River plantation. The story gets even more layered, however, after Sophie travels back to 1860. The many plantation slaves become to focus of Sophie’s new life, as do the ancestors she is forced to serve after they assume she is the light-skinned offspring of a relative and his servant. The author’s description of life on the plantation, from vocabulary to daily tasks, is very well done, and gives The Freedom Maze enough historical accuracy to have a strong place in the classroom. Overall, an exceptional novel that can easily be enjoyed by tweens, teens and adults, particularly those with an interest in American history.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Reading level: Grade 6+

Similar titles: Kindred by Octavia E. Butler.   

Themes:  Time travel, slavery, plantations, racism, divorce, American history, the South, the Civil War.

Awards/Reviews:  Starred review from Kirkus, positive reviews from authors Alaya Dawn Johnson, N.K. Jemisin, Nisi Shawl, Cory Doctorow, Jane Yolen, Holly Black, and Elizabeth Knox.

Series Information: N/A

Discussion questions:

-     Compare life for African Americans in 1860 to 1960. How were African Americans treated in each time period? Do you think things were that different between 1860 and 1960?

-     Why do you think the Fairchilds mistook Sophie for a slave? Do you think they would have treated her differently if they thought she was white?

-      Why do you think Antigua was so upset when she thought Sophie lost her free papers?

-      What do you think Sophie learned by living life as a slave in 1860?

-      Do you think life for African Americans has changed between 1960 and the present? How?

-       Read an actual slave narrative and compare Delia Sherman’s descriptions of life on a plantation. How historically accurate do you think The Freedom Maze is?

-     Why do you think the novel is called The Freedom Maze? What is the significance of the maze in the story?

The Magnolia League Book Review

Author: Katie Crouch. Release date: 2011. Publisher:  Hachette Book Group. ISBN: 9780316078498.

Annotation:  After her mother dies in a car accident, sixteen-year-old Alex Lee must leave the communal California farm she grew up on to live with her grandmother in Savannah, Georgia. After arriving in Savannah, Alex learns that her grandmother is part of an elite society known as the Magnolia League. Alex soon begins to suspect, however, that there is more to the league than just pretty dresses and debutante balls.  

Personal thoughts:  This book was a mixed bag for me. There were parts of the story I really liked and parts that I thought were either really silly or unnecessary. I will probably pick up the sequel regardless, because Crouch has managed to create an interesting story despite the downsides.

Plot summary: Sixteen-year-old Alex Lee has always lived on a communal farm in the mountainous woods of Mendocino, California with her mother. The farm values community and togetherness, and Alex and her mother help support the other residents by selling herbal tinctures her mother concocts. One terrible day, however, Alex’s mother is killed in a car accident. Alex soon finds out that she is being sent to live with the grandmother she has never met in Savannah, Georgia. After arriving in Savannah, Alex realizes she couldn’t fit it any less with her dreadlocks and grungy clothes. It appears that Alex’s grandmother, Miss Lee, is the head of an elite social group known as the Magnolia League. The Magnolias rule Savannah, and two of the league members Alex’s age, Hayes and Madison, are quickly forced to befriend the new girl despite their better judgment. Miss Lee tries hard to help Alex adjust to her new surroundings: buying her expensive clothes and teaching her the rules of being a debutante. As hard as her grandmother tries, however, it seems that Alex will never fit in. Soon, however, Alex becomes intrigued by the Magnolia League, not because of the fancy clothes or popularity, but when she learns that another Savannah family, the Buzzards, have helped to give the Magnolias their power through the use of hoodoo. Alex begins to wonder if the hoodoo spells could help her achieve beauty and popularity like the other Magnolias.

Review:  This first novel in Crouch’s new series (according to Crouch’s website, the sequel is being written), introduces an interesting back-story that, unfortunately, is hampered by a weak cast of characters and several unnecessary plot elements. The biggest problem with the story is the protagonist. Although Alex is a likable character, her upbringing and behavior are far from believable. Her constant references to the communal “pot farm” she grew up on in Mendocino and how her biggest talent lies in growing organic produce gets old quickly. Alex’s “hippiness” could have been downplayed more to be less cheesy and still have been effective. The second problem is Alex’s “friends,” Hayes and Madison. It’s clear that these two characters do not particularly want to be friends with Alex, but the trio spend a lot of time together anyway being mutually unpleasant. Alex’s constant second-guessing and unpleasantness make their loyalty hard to believe, even with the Magnolia League as an excuse. There are also some sexual references in the story that are unnecessary and out of place as well. That being said, Crouch does create some interesting plot elements that still manage to intrigue the reader. The back-story of the relationship between the Magnolia League and the Buzzards, as well as all of the references to hoodoo, are very interesting. The novel closes with a very effective cliffhanger that sets the stage for the next novel. Overall, I would not give this novel a high recommendation, but hope the series improves as more installments are published.

Genre: Fiction/Mystery

Reading level: Grade 9+

Similar titles: N/A

Themes:  Hoodoo/magic, Savannah/the South, death/loss, popularity, being yourself.  

Awards/Reviews:  Written by New York Times bestselling author.

Series Information: Sequel is being written, but title has not been released.   

Discussion Questions:

- What did you think of the compound where Alex and her mother were living in California? Would you like to live in such a place? Why or why not?

- Did you learn anything about hoodoo traditions when reading this book? Did you want to learn more about the history of this practice?

- What do you think of the Magnolia League? Is it a good or bad thing? Why?

- Are the Buzzards protagonists or antagonists? Why?

- What would you like to see happen in the sequel to this novel?