The Jumbee

September 15, 2010

Esti Legard is an aspiring actress. She and her mother are still mourning the death of her world-renowned thespian father when they move to the island of Cariba so that Esti can attend a theater school. Working hard to improve her skills and hone her craft, she isn't prepared for Alan, the mysterious voice that starts to coach and direct her. The voice may be a presence that the islanders call the "jumbee"--a spirit both dark and controlling. But Esti can't turn her back on her shadowy new coach, even as she starts to fall for an old friend, Rafe. Torn between her attraction to these two compelling but very different men, her emotions resemble the winds that are building into a hurricane around the island, threatening to tear everyone apart. Drawing on both Shakespeare (the students are rehearsing Romeo and Juliet) and Leroux, this florid Phantom of the Opera story goes down easy and is perhaps a good way to introduce younger readers to themes from the classics. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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Starred review from November 1, 2010

Gr 8 Up-In this compelling retelling of The Phantom of the Opera, high school senior Esti Legard moves to the island of Cariba, in the West Indies, to begin theater studies at Manchicay School. Once there, she struggles to break free of the shadow of her late father, a legendary actor, in order to be recognized as a legitimate actress in her own right. During tryouts for Romeo and Juliet, Esti hears the seductive voice of a mysterious man-known as Alan-helping her through the audition. Unknown to anyone, she begins meeting privately with him at the theater although he refuses to reveal himself, and she performs in the play under his tutelage. When Esti shares with a classmate that she has been hearing Alan's voice, the news spreads, and the superstitious islanders suspect he is a type of ghost-a jumbee. However, Alan's passion for Shakespeare wins Esti over, and she begins falling for him, unsure of whether she has feelings for a man or a ghost. Further complicating matters is Esti's growing attraction to a family friend turned bad boy, Rafe Solomon. When mysterious accidents befall the set of the play, everyone, including Esti, begins to suspect Alan is behind them. In her quest for the truth, she uncovers shocking secrets about her father and the island. Keyes masterfully weaves Shakespearean dialogue into the narrative in a manner that is accessible to readers. This evocative gothic tale will engage teens looking for an unconventional romance infused with suspense.-Lalitha Nataraj, Chula Vista Public Library, CA

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2010
Grades 8-12 A teenage actress falls for a mysterious stranger in this haunting romance, reminiscent of The Phantom of the Opera. High-school senior Esti Legard and her mother have moved to the Caribbean after the death of Estis father, a famous Shakespearean actor. While playing Juliet at her prestigious performing-arts high school, Esti starts receiving acting instruction from a disembodied voice in the theater. Frightened that she is being courted by a jumbee, or ghost, Esti tries to switch her attention to charming flesh-and-blood Rafe, but she continues to be seduced by the velvety-voiced persona, which seems to read her mind. When Estis real and imagined worlds collide in the climax of a tropical hurricane, her secrets are revealed, along with those of her conflicted island community, where descendants of slaves and slave owners alike live in an uneasy peace. The lushly described exotic setting breathes new life into the classic star-crossed story line. Romance fans will enjoy the fascinating locale along with the slow-building suspense and incidental acting lessons.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)