The Jewel and the Key

by Louise Spiegler

Overview

An earthquake and the discovery of a mysterious antique mirror unleash forces that jolt sixteen-year-old Addie McNeal back to 1917 Seattle, just as the United States is entering World War I. Addie finds herself shuttling back and forth between past and present, drawn in both times to the grand Jewel Theater. In both decades the existence of the Jewel is threatened and war is looming . . . and someone she cares about is determined to fight.

Eventually, Addie realizes that only she has the key to saving the Jewel—and the lives of her friends. But will she figure out how to manipulate the intricately woven threads of time and truly set things right?

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780547533087
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	08/29/2011
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	464
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Louise Spiegler lives with her family in Seattle, where she teaches writing and history at a local college. To learn more, visit www.amethystroad.net.

Editorial Reviews

The Amethyst Road by Louise Spigeler Clarion, 2005 Junior Library Guild SelectionIRA Notable BookSFWA Andre Norton Award shortlist/finalistNYPL Book for the Teen AgeKansas State Reading Circle RecommendationPuget Sound Council Best Book of the YearAmelia Bloomer Project List "This work is not only unique in its smooth and imaginative integration of genres; it offers an original blend of societal grit and compelling fantasy-based spirituality. Serena and Shem are complex young people in a complex world, who both collide and collaborate on their shared journey to meaningful adulthood. A terrific read for teens." —ALA Booklist "Those who appreciate bold heroines unwilling to accept society's dictates might wish to join Serena on her quest." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books —

From the Publisher

Gr 8–10—Addie, an aspiring actress, discovers a trunk full of beautiful antique clothes in her father's Seattle bookstore and learns that the building's previous owner was the director of the legendary Jewel theater. Soon after she tries on a vintage dress and examines a lovely silver mirror, an earthquake hits the city. Addie agrees to go across town to see if her neighbor's elderly friend, Becky Powell, needs help. After a glimpse in the mirror, the teen finds herself in a strange version of her city; here she meets Mrs. Powell and her son, Reg. She is confused by their apparent lack of awareness of the earthquake, but agrees to meet the woman at the theater. It takes her a while to realize that the mirror is a key to the past. Gazing into it lands her at a time when the Jewel was a successful enterprise, Meg Powell was its famous director, and people demonstrated against the United States entering World War I. The past parallels Addie's own world: Whaley, her best friend who lives with her family, contemplates enlisting to fight in Afghanistan while Reg considers joining the ranks in Europe. Addie returns to the past over and over, in an attempt to preserve the theater. Saving it, she believes, will prevent Whaley from leaving in the present. This erratic tale is an interesting take on the time-travel genre but fails to satisfy. Characters come across as stand-in figures rather than fleshed-out people with reasonable motivations. Spiegler takes on too many issues, including pacifism, Addie's self-discovery that she is meant to direct rather than act, and the unresolved and confusing relationship between the protagonist and Whaley. The ending wraps up Addie's relationship with Mrs. Powell and Reg tidily, but the present remains uncertain.—Tara Kehoe, Plainsboro Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal

Addie dreams of becoming an actress but only finds success when she discovers a way to travel through time to a Seattle theater of 1917.

The theater, the Jewel, is derelict in Addie's own time, but in 1917 it's a vibrant institution run by a determined woman and her handsome, talented son, Reg. Addie immediately falls for him and gets swept up in some of the issues of his day. The city police work to bust a union, America is entering into World War I and, most immediately, a union member is accused of murder after a violent demonstration. In her own time, Addie is also dealing with her best friend Whaley's determination to enlist to fight in an unpopular (but coyly unspecified) war, the aftereffects of an earthquake and her inability to find a place in her school's theater clique. Characters abound, a full set for each time period, but few are more than lightly sketched. A strong anti-war theme, diminished by the vague nature of the conflict, infuses both stories but ultimately just distracts from the disjointed plot. Too much is going on, and a predictable denouement that attempts to draw all the threads into cohesion falls flat.

Save this for time-travel enthusiasts; others may find it less than timeless. (Fantasy. 11-16)

Kirkus Reviews