Jerry leaves upstate New York for the first time at twelve. He travels to Little Rock Arkansas in 1953 to visit an aunt who was about to have a baby. He sees Jim Crow for the first time, not being allowed to sit in the balcony of the movie house as it was reserved for "Coloreds Only". Jerry and his freiends hadn't been raised with such predjudice. This bothered the lad - so much so that he got a special visitor one night following his bedtime prayers - divine guidance. The life maturing experiences he had witnessed in the south were about to be turned into one of the best adventures Jerry and his friends, the Pompey Hollow Book Club have ever had. The south would never be the same, again! It just so happened that in Little Rock, on a secret snooping mission for a story, Ernest Hemingway just might be an opportunity for Jerry to get something done. Hemingway had learned that Eisenhower was readying troops to enter Little Rock to aid in the desegragation of the public schools. He went there for a story. Jerry was about to be in the middle of it all.
Hemingway, Three Angels, and Me tells the unique story of a boy who witnesses the prejudice of the Jim Crow era firsthand and then enlists his friends, family members, and neighbors to help Anna Kristina, one victim of that prejudice. The themes of the novel, including racial prejudice, cultural differences, coming of age, and the effects of war, will resonate with modern readers, both young and old. The moral of this story--that it is never too late to make a difference in other people's lives--is neatly summarized in the epilogue, yet the novel never feels "preachy." There aren't any unanswered questions in the novel, and the readers will feel satisfied by the ending.
The novel is generally well structured, and the plot moves at a good pace. The chapter breaks seem deliberate and work well within the novel, often creating a sense of suspense without interrupting the action. In a slightly different vein, the references to the holidays (specifically Thanksgiving and Christmas) serve to make the time frame of the story very clear.
The structure of the novel is fairly typical for the genre. The structure of the novel supports the story. In particular, the structure supports Jerry's telling of the story: it allows him to really reflect on events and memories but also to tell his story in an engaging way. The amount of introspection he offers works well for the genre and is smoothly integrated into the dialogue and the action.
The first chapter of the novel does a good job of drawing the readers in; it immediately establishes the character of Jerry, offers a bit of historical context, and makes clear the setting of the novel. It's also rather intriguing, and I was particularly curious about the reference to guardian angels.
Review :
FOREWORD CLARION REVIEWS - 5 STARS The Jim Crow South is the setting for this compelling coming-of-age story filled with compassion and understanding. 1950s Little Rock is a whole new world to a kid from rural New York. In Jerome Mark Antil's Hemingway, Three Angels, and Me, themes of racial prejudice, crossing cultural divides, and the lasting effects of World War II are crafted into a compelling coming-of-age story filled with compassion and understanding. In this fourth installment of the Pompey Hollow Book Club series, thirteen-year-old Jerry travels to Little Rock to visit his aunt and his uncle, a WWII bomber pilot and Jerry's personal hero. While there, in the midst of discovering the awful realities of Jim Crow, Jerry is visited by three guardian angels who enlist him to help a girl in trouble. The Book Club members have seen their fair share of adventure and catching criminals, but this is their biggest challenge to date. It is no surprise that Mark Twain and Ernest Hemingway feature in this story, as Antil's writing shows influences of Twain's down-home charm and Hemingway's straightforward storytelling. The rural countryside is almost a character in its own right, providing the backdrop for a warm, caring community that pulls together in times of trouble and welcomes those in need with open arms. Though much of the story takes place in a bucolic setting, the plot does not mosey along; rather, it keeps a steady pace, pushing the action forward to a daring escape from Little Rock. Parents should note that just as the kids of the Pompey Hollow Book Club have grown, so too has the nature of the issues they confront. The burglars and pickpockets of earlier books are replaced by the horrors of overt racism, including lynching and rape. While these issues are not described in detail, parents may want to consider if their children are ready for these topics. Black-and-white pictures from Antil's family collection illustrate the story, and QR codes provide interactive audio and video effects, using modern technology to introduce younger audiences to the sights and sounds of the 1950s. The Pompey Hollow books are suited both to middle readers and to those nostalgic for a time ripe with family farms and small towns, rarer now than then. Those who enjoy novels with small-town settings and wholesome young protagonists will enjoy this novel as well. It is not necessary to read the previous books in the series to enjoy this one, but once the last page is turned, the others are sure to be sought out. "The themes of the novel, including racial prejudice, cultural differences, coming of age, and the effects of war, will resonate with modern readers, both young and old." Jolene Paternoster, Editor "The story does seem reminiscent of Hemingway's work." Jolene Paternoster, Editor
