Opal is an African American girl who lives with her despondent mother and hoodlum older brother on New York's Lower East Side, an ethnically mixed neighborhood that has its share of violence. Though she is bright, athletic and a literary contest winner, Opal's self-hatred is so intense she bruises herself physically and emotionally. Attention and concern from an elderly Jewish neighbor--the pious, feisty Solomon Leshko--heals wounds that have festered in her for years. Her spirits lifted, Opal begins a community project that brings media acclaim and a hopeful outlook for the future. Greene's first novel has good intentions, but Sol and Opal's friendship seems contrived. A mawkishness pervades the essentially plodding narrative, and the stereotypical dialogue (" Oy vay , a darkness is all over me") often fails, especially when it strives for profundity. The story is occasionally provocative and suspenseful, however, and its message--Solomon's conviction that "we are all the same"--is worthwhile. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-A memorable and moving book. Opal Tyler, a 13-year-old African American, lives in a world of drugs, crime, and squalor. Struggling to stay above the more sordid aspects of her life, she is angry, depressed, and suicidal. Her mother works much of the time and sleeps the rest, soothing her emotions with tranquilizers. Her brother is often violent, and her best friend is no friend at all. Opal forges a friendship with Solomon Leshko, an elderly Jewish man who is trapped in his memories and in his grief, and, yes, trapped in a neighborhood he has watched change from a clean, solid place to a filthy, crime-ridden slum. Resentful of the new residents, he cherishes only his cats, his religion, and his family. But he sees something special in Opal and offers her his home as a hiding place after she is threatened by her brother. Their friendship blossoms, and both are instrumental in creating a community garden that brings the neighborhood together. The story deals with racial and religious relations, but it is also a book that looks at pride and dignity. It shows the kind of emotional strength needed to survive an urban ghetto and the value of community. Beautifully written, it will appeal to a wide audience.
Carol Jones Collins, Montclair Kimberley Academy, NJ
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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