When a gold digger is murdered in Kimmy's small Australian town, one of the man's wild children comes to live in Kimmy's home, and the two children build a friendship that will change them both.
| ||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
In the weird rural Australia of Crew's fiction (Strange Objects; No Such Country) it's not surprising to encounter characters out of The Road Warrior: feral children, a brutish prospector scratching around in the bush. Such types people the author's suspenseful new yarn. Kim, a boy in sixth grade, relates how gold hunter Paddy Flannagan is found murdered, prompting an all-out search for his two wild children, teenage Leena and eight-year-old Micky. Leena is captured and put into the care of Kim's father and mother, the town's only doctor and nurse. Under the assumption that Paddy's killer is still at large, Leena's whereabouts are kept secret?until Kimmy, as usual, spills the beans. Then he and his older sister's boyfriend find seemingly autistic Micky, who is likewise hidden. But as someone named "Mister" stalks the two Flannagan children, it falls to Kim to protect them. The mounting tension will keep readers glued to their seats. Teens used to the horrifying climaxes of adult suspense films or fiction may feel let down by the relatively innocuous resolution, but younger readers will probably be relieved. Ages 10-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9?An exciting, well-crafted mystery intertwined with an intriguing view of family relationships. Kim Marriott, 11, narrates the tale that fascinates his small Australia town: the murder of an impoverished gold digger and the disappearance of his son and daughter. Rumored sightings of these "wild children" quickly follow. When first Leena, then Micky is captured and temporarily housed with Kim's family, he befriends them and?in a hair-raising scene?protects them from the dreaded "Mister" who attacked their father. Smoothly woven into the suspense is a thought-provoking look at family loyalties and interactions. Leena and Micky both parallel and contrast with Kim and his vibrant, rebellious older sister Julia; the neglect experienced by the "wild children" is in sharp opposition to the Marriotts' strict, overprotective upbringing. Angel's Gate is a rich novel that will appeal to a wide variety of ages and backgrounds. Characterization, setting, and plot development are outstanding. This is by far Crew's best book to date, and is a superb representation of contemporary Australian writing.?Ann W. Moore, Guilderland Public Library, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting,
By A Customer
This review is from: Angel's Gate (Hardcover)
Whether you enjoy this novel really all depends on your taste of books. If you're the one for sci-fi or adventure, this book is a little slow moving. However, if you like crime mysteries, this one is for you. Set in the small country town of Jericho, the Marriot family's life in fairly uneventful. That is, until a gold-miner who was recently seen around the area dies by mysterious means. The concern of the town is that, there are claims that he had two children around with him at the time. Their whereabouts is unknown. The story's ability to mix trivial events along with the highlights is extremely clever.
4.0 out of 5 stars
is it a mystery? (=,
A Kid's Review
This review is from: Angel's Gate (Hardcover)
The book is about a brother named Kim and the sister named Julia.There was a guy named Flanagan who was hurt bad with a bloody arm in his truck.Kims mom and dad are docter that work at there house wrapped his arm up and Flanagan gave the docters two dead parrots because he didn't have money with him.Kim and Julia had to burried the two parrots out in the yard.A couple months later Ben and the sarge who came to Kims house they said Flanagan is dead and the cops took Kims dad down to the crime scene and take a look at the injuries.The dad didn't get home until three o'clock in the morning.A couple days later there mom and dad thinks Kim and Julia going to school but there actully going to the conference about the death of Flanagan but they can't get in without julia boyfriend, bobby.They got in but all they were talking about was where he died when he died and clues who might of did it.The enxt day later julia was trying pick a dress to go to the dance the next day.They were at the dance while julia was in her regular normal clothes trying to stand out and other people are wearing dresses and fancy suits.She got into a fight with bobby and left.That night they're neightbors saw something and was terrify.It was a girl with a dress all beaten up.So kims mom and dad kept her so the welfare people won't.She could barly talk and she doesn't know anything.She talks to Kim and after a while Kim teaches her to do her A,B,C's.The next day Bobby won'ts to if Kim would go camping on New Years Eve.He said yes but they were actully looking the boy who was with the girl that night who the mom and dad kept at there house.When they went campinp in the middle of the night they saw fire so then when they got to the fire they saw the wild boy and at the time Kim was feeling really sick.After they went camping Bobby dropped off Kim at his Pa's house and Kim started to throw up and the reason why was because he had ticks in his head.Pa got them out and Kim went home.Then the day after that the sarge had found the wild boy and took him into Kims home.The girl was so happy to see him.Then on a stromy night Kim and his dad was at home alone and asleep when the phone rang and his dad had to go to a neightbors home to make sure he was ok because lightning was so close to her she wo7uld almost have a heart attack.The when the dad left someone showed up at the door.It was ben!Atfer a few minutes his dad and sarge showed up and caught him.He said he wanted the money then the wild boy said,"I did it,I killed flanagan but i ment to kill ben."So ben went to jail and the boy and girl was adopted and Kim told his mom and sister everything that happen to him.I like the book because you don't know whats going to happen next.My opion on the that it may need some more action to it.The exciting part of the book that it has a twist to it at the end because I thought Ben killed Flanagan but it was really the wild boy.I reccomond this book to people who likes mystery and multicultural books.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lost, Found, and Murdered,
By A Customer
This review is from: Angel's Gate (Hardcover)
Lost Found and MurderedWho killed Flannagan and where are his two kids? Flannagan, a guy that not many people know is murdered one night but when the scene of the crime (his campsite) is searched there are no signs of his kids. After many complaints from farmers, of eggs and milk being stolen, the girl is found and captured but her brother gets away. After a long time of searching her brother is found, but they would not tell who the murder was. However, after an argument between three adults he cannot hold it in any longer and tells them who killed his father, who could it be? I enjoyed reading this book, I dont think there was one minute that I was bored, it kept you guessing and wondering what could be next. Then the murder is thrown in and all thoughts of who the murder is are crushed. You will not be able to put the book. It is truly the most interesting book I have read all year.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
