Different
by Ruthie Thomas
Paperback
Price: £5.99
Publisher:Roperpenberthy Publishing from Trust Media Distribution
Published:05 November 2010
ISBN:978-1-903-90566-1
GoodBookStall Review:
This book is truly Different, Ruthie Thomas has drawn on her personal experience of Black Pentecostal Church life in South Wales, to weave a story which will keep you reading and empathise with Hester, the young girl in the story. I may be old, but I can still vividly remember the emotions I felt when I was wrongly accused of something. Youngsters will immediately recognise Hester’s distress and feel involved with her story. Not only is she not believed but she is treated harshly by her Pastor Father and Step-mother and seemingly disliked by others because of her different appearance: black people do not have blue eyes, or so they think. As for Prophetess Rubella. Well! Read and see!
The audio review has in addition short extracts from the book read by actresses Kez and Bethen James.Editor
Reviewer: Mary Bartholomew (21/12/10)
This book is truly Different, Ruthie Thomas has drawn on her personal experience of Black Pentecostal Church life in South Wales, to weave a story which will keep you reading and empathise with Hester, the young girl in the story. I may be old, but I can still vividly remember the emotions I felt when I was wrongly accused of something. Youngsters will immediately recognise Hester’s distress and feel involved with her story. Not only is she not believed but she is treated harshly by her Pastor Father and Step-mother and seemingly disliked by others because of her different appearance: black people do not have blue eyes, or so they think. As for Prophetess Rubella. Well! Read and see!
The audio review has in addition short extracts from the book read by actresses Kez and Bethen James.Editor
Reviewer: Mary Bartholomew (21/12/10)
| Reader review: - Pat Earle-Andrews, Cardiff, 21/12/10 Co-ordinator, Black Caribbean Achievement Project The story of Hester Henry is unique. By choosing to write Different, Ruthie Thomas has invited her readers to observe a very different world. Hester finds herself discriminated against because of her appearance and her faith, which she wrestles with in order to establish her identity. Through Hester we see how religion can be difficult for a young person to understand especially when miss-handled by adults. Different also stands as an alternative to the usual format of spells, witches etc. found in popular children’s fiction. It would do well on a book club list. Surely it will stir up questions if you have any links at all to a Black Pentecostal Church. |
