The Hermit Thrush Sings

'Long ago in the time of dinosaurs, a great tragedy struck the Earth, starting a new world of life. Now, the disaster had repeated itself and befallen the Earth once again. A government strives to dictate the few remaining establishments, feeding them lies to turn them against each other and prevent a rebellion. All the while, controlling the food supply to force the people into dependency, and terrifying the populace with frightening tales of the Birmbas: mutated man-eating gorilla/black bear creatures who terrorize the forests beyond the village walls. But when Leora discovers a captured Birmba cub, and finds out they're not as 'horrible' as the corrupted government might like to believe, can she survive the jungle outside of civilization, reach safety with her Birmba friend, and keep hidden her secret, the illegal "defect" beneath her very own cloak? Will she find the answers she's been searching for, answers to the mysterious deaths of her father and older sister, many years past; answers to the strange inscribed locket she received as birthright; or even fathom the meaning of an island full of quite a diversity of young women, from all 15 villages, yet who share one, common goal: freedom? Even more intriguingly, will the Hermit Thrush, a bird with a voice as sweet as a nightingale's, not heard since before the disaster, decades ago, ever sing again? I LOVED this book, and would recommend its splendor to any reader, however young or old!! Those who love to wonder of might be will enjoy this mesmerizing tale!

This is one of the best books I have EVER read! It is just as good as many newberry books that I have read in the past. It's got a great plot, and it's a real page turner! So hurry up and buy it, or go to your library and read it!

The Hermit Thrush Sings is a remarkable story of a young adolescent named Leora. Leora faces many challenges in a new and different world. The state of Maine has been transformed into Maynor after a meteor hit the earth. There are many new things to explore in this world, like the mutant species of plants and animals, which the reader will discover secrets about throughout the story. Aside from these challenges, Leora's main problem is that her left hand is webbed, unlike that of anyone else. This is a problem because people who are "defects" are sent to the Institute where they are treated like animals. In her escape from this dreadful place, Leora finds herself on a quest to find her long lost sister Reba. One of the effects that made the novel so striking was the many twists and turns that the plot takes. Leora's quest to find her sister is always turning into something else on her way. Because of this, I was snared from the beginning. Each new twist brings a fresh and different series of events. The author does not dwell on one event forever; she may use one major happening as the road, but there will always be more events that act as the forks where Leora must chose which way to go on. The scenery is described with a very interesting and unusual technique. First of all, Leora draws spectacularly with her left hand. This hand is very sensitive as well as prophetic. Leora can use it to feel everything from twigs to hidden personalities. Because the story revolves somewhat around Leora and her hand, the imagery in the story is based on her hand's perceptions, at least to some degree. She has constant urges from her hand to create drawings, which often become prophetic. Because of this, the description is very artistic. As she goes through these urges, she looks at the most handsome pieces of the scenery. Therefore, these pieces are what the author describes, unless, on occasion, something else is important. Here is an example of the touch involved in the imagery: "Under the dark folds of her cape, her hand explored the twiggy texture of the bird's nest." Because the perceptions of Leora's left hand are so central, most of the imagery is visual and tactile. There is some hearing imagery, such as the way that, frequently, Leora listens to the birds. For instance, here are the last few sentences of the novel: "It was a pure sweet-throated call, the flutelike voice lilting upward, then dwindling to a distant haunting tremolo. Just when Leora feared that the song was done, the voice echoed itself, sliding its harmony into a new key. It was like a waterfall going backward." The author has done well at creating strong characters. Each one is well suited to his/her role. Leora's companions and friends seem to be quite realistic. Just from meeting them, the reader will be able to understand their actions by subconsciously categorizing their traits. The book provides a wide var

This is a wonderful book. I borrowed this book from the library for my 12-year old daughter and after she had read it three times, I decided to see what she was so intrigued by. It is a beautiful story, well-told and evocative. Though I have a tendency to not like futuristic, apocalyptic literature, this was a warm, inspiring tale of mystery and courage. My only disappointment is in not finding any other fiction by this author. I want a sequel!

I couldn't put down this book. Every second was so tense that I had to go on. Each time I thought Leora was going to be okay something suspenseful would happen to keep me reading. The feelings and expressions that the author described really put me into Leora's world. I felt like I was on a leash. Where the author led me, I followed. The Redwall books are my favorite and the Hermit Thrush Sings came very close with dramatic description and great storytelling.Jack, 11 years old