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Certainly, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the most intriguing, most complicated, and most satisfying of the Potter series, and author J.K. Rowling deserves the media hype recognition she's received. Besides the immense financial bonus, Rowling's books are achieving notable literary success as well. In Book Four, Harry is entering his fourth year at Hogwarts; he's 14 years old; and he's showing a much more mature side of himself (after all, he's a year older!) In this 700+ pager, Rowling presents themes of young love (Harry and Ron are now noticing the opposite sex!), social significance (Hermione is championing house elves' right to be free), and death (a central character is murdered). Rowling addresses these--and other issues--in a more mature manner as well. Of course, the usual “good v. evil” story continues. Voltemort is back! And he's sending shock waves around the world. Enter even more intrigue (and desperate at that) as Harry and his friends and mentors at Hogwarts continue their “constant vigilance.” But vigilance against evil does not come with a small price and Rowling patiently--and expertly--explores this struggle. Harry's adventures are, indeed, heart stopping. This book is the climax of the four published, but Rowling is on a roll and the anticipation for Book Five is mounting! Reviewed by Bill Hobbs http://www.allreaders.com/Topics/info_538.asp?BSID=0.
½This is a moving, if somewhat awkward, account of the life of two Métis sisters as they grow up in a society that frequently treats them quite badly. We have all read about such lives: the broken home, the abuse, the drinking, and the prostitution.
The writer is not as skilful as she eventually will be if she continues to write, but readers will respond to the strength of her emotions. When a writer chooses such topics, particularly within the North American Indian context, it is absolutely essential that he or she avoid stereotyping in action or character. This has not been achieved totally by the author despite her obvious knowledge of her material. She is not in as full control of her material as she might be, and, in places, her piling of horror upon horror weakens rather than strengthens the impact of her story. We begin to feel that she is doing this to shock us rather than to advance the story.
There is no doubt, however, that this is a worthwhile attempt. Distasteful matters are presented honestly. People with an interest in social problems, would find this book very interesting. Reviewed by C.H. Mountford http://www.umanitoba.ca/cm/cmarchive/vol12no1/searchaprilraintree.html.
The winner of the 1993 Western States Book Award in the creative nonfiction category, Wallis recounts the Athabaskan Indian legend of two elderly women who are abandoned when their tribe experiences an unusually harsh winter and runs low on food. The tribe barely survives until spring, and the next winter is just as bad. When the tribe finds itself back in the place where they had abandoned the women, they send out scouts to find traces of them. When found in good health, the women must now decide whether to save those who had betrayed them. A penetrating story, perfect for reading aloud. Reviewed by Steve Brock http://www.kstrom.net/isk/books/ya/ya320.html.