Red Palms

KLIATT

This first novel by an author with experience working with tribal people in South America is remarkable—certainly a candidate for awards in the field of YA literature. It begins in 1932, when Benita is 14 years old, and we get a glimpse of the privileged life she and her family are used to in a city in Ecuador. Twenty-seven pages later she and her family are transported to an island where her bankrupt father intends to establish a coconut plantation. The only inhabitants of the island are native people. Months pass, the conditions deteriorate for the family, the father drinks, and Benita develops a crush on Raul, one of the few natives who speaks Spanish, Benita's language. Midway through the book, Benita and Raul run away together to a secret location across the island where they live simply until their relationship falls apart. Raul is wounded, and Benita must find a way to get them back home. She is helped by a mysterious creature, Ay Pook, perhaps a witch, perhaps a forest goddess named Yanasa, perhaps a vicious jungle cat who attacks Raul. That is the rough outline of the plot, but it only hints at the richness of this novel. Benita is a highly intelligent and sensitive young woman, who learns to survive a bad relationship and a difficult family situation, who learns to survive in the jungle, and who keeps a Pablo Neruda poem in the journal she carries with her always. Haycak is a gifted writer who describes well the emotional nuances, the cultural conflicts, the incredible landscapes, even the strange religion of the islanders. Benita and Raul have a sexual relationship, described in some detail, which might mean the book is inappropriate for middle school libraries, butcertainly all YA collections in public libraries and all high school libraries should consider this for purchase. KLIATT Codes: S*—Exceptional book, recommended for senior high school students. 2004, Random House, Wendy Lamb, 327p., Ages 15 to 18.
—Claire Rosser

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-A coming-of-age novel with an unusual and exotic setting. Benita, 14, lives in Ecuador. Her father, whose business has been ruined by the Great Depression, decides to move the family to a small, primitive tropical island where he plans to raise coconut palms. Once there, he systematically alienates everyone with his superior attitude and bumbling farming practices. Benita becomes enamored of Raul, a handsome young islander. He initially shows no interest in her, but then decides that they should go away together to live on the far side of the island as a precursor to getting married. They make a home for themselves that is at first idyllic, but Raul is not the person Benita thought him to be and their life together soon becomes monotonous. Further, a mysterious old woman who may or may not be able to shape-change into a dangerous wild cat lives nearby. Benita ventures into the jungle to investigate and learns a great deal about herself along the way. Ultimately she must help a badly injured Raul back to the village to save his life. This story has overtones of magical realism as native women's rituals, the mystical cat, visions, and local superstitions create haunting notes. Benita's first-person voice is strong and sure. Both she and Raul are well-drawn characters. The narrative's leisurely pace may not appeal to all readers, but this is an absorbing tale.-Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Readers will be enchanted by the exotic, magical qualities of this coming-of-age story. When the Great Depression bankrupts Benita's beloved father, the family moves from their home in Guayaquil, Equador, to the primitive island of Pa'ta to start a coconut farm. Benita has difficulty adjusting to the harsh conditions on the island and blames her father for her unhappiness. Soon Raul, a native islander, takes notice of Benita and proposes marriage. He suggests getting to know one another by moving from the shore to the jungle. Benita agrees, if only to escape her father's plantation, but after four months of living alone with Raul, it becomes clear they don't love each other and Benita feels trapped once again. Benita's strong spirit emerges when Raul is seriously injured. Venturing away from camp in search of help, she encounters a spirit in the form of an old crone who reveals Benita's inner strength. This discovery gives Benita the courage to find her way out of the jungle towards a life of her own. Unique and beautifully written. (Fiction. YA)