Posted by
Conservative Swordfighters Club on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 6:31:08 PM
When you get past the liberal themes (or if you don’t mind liberal themes to begin with), you will probably enjoy this well-written 400-page novel by Irish author Kate Thompson, especially if you like fantasy, Ireland, or music.
The hero, J.J., is a 13-year-old boy; the setting is an Irish village.
After introducing all the likeable and believable characters, the fantasy element appears when J.J. crosses over into the mythic Irish land of eternal youth.
Liberal themes:
-The villain (or at least a contagonist*) is the Christian church itself, as represented in the novel by inflexible, prudish, fuddy-duddy Catholic priests with no sense of humor
-Non-Christian liberals are sympathetic, tolerant, fun-loving, and thoughtful
-To preserve his mother’s family name, the protagonist’s parents never got married; instead they live together
-The protagonist’s father attends anti-war meetings
*contagonist is a minor antagonist.
--Swordfish