By: Pamela Keyes
Summary (from Goodreads):
Seventeen-year-old Esti Legard spent her childhood in the Shakespearean world of her famous father, and when he died, she knew she could never give up acting. After she and her mother move to a Caribbean island for her senior year, she realizes that nothing at her new school's theater department is quite as it seems. Stunned by the death of a fellow student on her first day of class, Esti is soon surrounded by legends of the wicked jumbees that haunt the West Indies. She finds herself snubbed by the school’s star actress and relegated to a minor part in Romeo and Juliet.
Only her intriguing new friend, the elusive Alan, shares her passion for Shakespeare. Hiding in the dark recesses of the theater, he leads Esti deep into her own soul to explore the limits of her talent. When Esti's childhood best friend moves to the island and back into her life, however, Alan disappears. Rocked by growing accusations of befriending a jumbee, Esti realizes she must find out who – or what – Alan really is. She is soon forced to defy everyone and everything she’s ever believed in, as she plunges into the mysteries of Shakespeare and the legends of the West Indians, discovering shocking truths about her own past that will forever shape her future.
My Review: This book certainly exceeded my expectations. It was pitched to me as Phantom of the Opera with a modern, tropical twist. I have seen the Phantom of the Opera movie, and enjoy the soundtrack. (Come on, who doesn't love that soundtracks?) But, I thought THE JUMBEE could either be very good or very bad.
I've got to give Pamela Keyes some serious kudos for her portrayal of the Cariba island. I've noticed in novels where the setting is in some exotic place, it seems to be just for the sake of being exotic. But, it's clear that Keyes knows her stuff, and really brought Cariba to life. The dialogue was fantastic, and the superstition of the natives was very believable. It was a lot of fun to read.
I wasn't sold on Esti. Damsel in distress characters just don't do it for me. But, that is my own personal preference. I actually thought she was quite well done for what she was supposed to be. She's very dramatic, because well, let's face it, she's an actress. And, like Christine Daae, she is quite aloof, undecided, and stuck in a dreamland.
Rafe was an interesting twist on Raul. I must confess that I have not read the novel, and I can't recall the play or movie delving into Raul's past other than he and Christine were childhood sweethearts. THE JUMBEE makes Raul sort of a playboy that needs a strong woman in his life to keep him in line. I have to say that I disagree with that idea, however. While Rafe and Esti's romance was steamy and passionate, it's not one that I see as long lasting. And for any girls out there that think they can reform a bad boy by just being strong enough to keep him in line, better think again.
But, these few flaws were very easily overlooked. As I sat in my chilly house, listening to the rain hit my window, for a few hours I was in the beautiful West Indies and fully invested in Esti's fate. Even though I knew the general story arc from the Phantom, I was very curious to see how Keyes would make the story work in a modern setting. It was handled beautifully. In my recent memory, I can't remember reading anything quite like this. It's everything it was billed to be: a fresh, tropical twist on Phantom of the Opera.
My Rating:
Profanity: None
Sexuality: Mild; a few references
Violence: Mild
Alcohol and Drugs: Mild
