Midget

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

With its supernatural elements and cautionary moralizing, this British import might have been a Twilight Zone episode. Teenage Midget, abnormally small, can barely speak and has fits as a result of the secret abuse he suffers at the hands of his psychopathic older brother, Seb, who is to outward appearances utterly devoted. His one solace is to escape to the marina, where he watches Old Joseph restore a wooden sailboat. Before long Midget discovers that whatever he pictures comes true, whether it's his new therapist cutting himself on a letter opener or, after Old Joseph dies and wills him the boat (called The Miracle Man), besting Seb in a lengthily described sailing race. Seb almost murders Midget; in return, Midget wills him to be mortally injured. But Midget learns the meaning of Old Joseph's warning that evil comes from wishing for a ``bad'' miracle, and spares his brother, whose true colors are finally known to all. Even so, Midget is unable to forgive him and heeds Seb's girlfriend's plea to ``sacrifice that part of you that hates'' by sacrificing his whole self. There is no rule that successful YA novels must have a happy ending, but surely Bowler could have found a wiser resolution to this already creepy tale than having its hero walk into the sea just when his future starts to look brighter. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)

KLIATT

Fifteen years ago, Midget's mother died at his birth, and his older brother Seb has never forgiven him. Midget is just that, tiny, prone to seizures, and tongue-tied in the presence of his family, while Seb masquerades as the caring, kind, compassionate older brother who "understands" Midget's mumbled attempts at speech and interprets his desires. Everyone admires Seb, and feels only compassion for the boys' father. But this shy, tortured soul has no idea what's going on in his house. Midget is much more capable than he appears. When his abilities expand to include "seeing" things that haven't happened yet, and even influencing events so they will (or won't) happen, things get really creepy. An old man becomes very influential in Midget's life, but it may be a question of "too little, too late." Can Midget save Seb? Does he want to? And what about Midget's own life? Who will save him? Will anyone even try? This is a profoundly disturbing book, not for younger teens. Use caution and judge a potential reader's maturity before handing it out. KLIATT Codes: SA—Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 1994, Simon & Schuster, 159p, 22cm, $8.00 Ages 16 to adult. Reviewer: Judith H. Silverman; Chevy Chase, MD, September 2000 (Vol. 34 No. 5)

Children's Literature - Judy Silverman

This book has the stuff nightmares are made of. And yet, a truly mature teen could handle its vision of a deformed child whose birth killed his mother, the hidden-to-the-world, but murderous, resentment of an older brother, and the detachment of the father who believes that his older son is a loving brother. Fantasy takes over when Midget-his real name is never mentioned-finds his mind games coming true. But will he kill his brother, as he knows his brother would-no, will-kill him? The ending is devastating. If the reader can remember that it is fantasy, the characters and their situations become real.

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-Fifteen-year-old Midget, who is physically handicapped, speech impaired, and subject to seizures, lives in fear of his 17-year-old brother, Seb, who blames him for their mother's death during childbirth. To everyone else, Seb appears to be a concerned, doting brother, but to Midget, he is a torturer whose death threats and physical abuse during the night induce the young man's uncontrollable seizures. Only daydreaming about sailing offers Midget peace. But when he inherits a boat from an unusual elderly man, he discovers that he can make things happen simply by visualizing them, which proves to be increasingly dangerous for Seb as his abusive acts fuel Midget's desire for revenge. As Midget explores the extent of his abilities, he learns that power comes at a price. Set in England's Leigh-on-Sea, this psychological thriller is immediately engaging, as readers witness one of Seb's nightly visits to Midget's room. Suspenseful and fast-paced throughout, the novel provides a chilling glimpse at sibling rivalry at its worst and the Jekyll and Hyde personality it precipitates in Seb. There's no predictable or happy resolution to the conflict; the ending hauntingly demonstrates the danger power poses to those who abuse it.-Kelly Diller, Humboldt High School, IA