Book Review: Hawkes Harbor

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Hawkes Harbor     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
S. E. Hinton
Class/Genre:   Fiction   Fantasy   Dark Fantasy   Horror
Tor, Sep 2004, $21.95, 256 pp.

Jamie Sommers was born in sin during World War II. His father died overseas while serving his country, but never married Jamie’s mom although the parish priest Father Nolan believed he intended to do so. In 1950, Jamie’s mother Colleen dies. Only eight, he is removed from his Bronx home to live with nuns who believe he is a child of sin. Several years later, a very disturbed Jamie joins the US Navy and eventually becomes a criminal.

Jamie survives his life at sea having fought pirates and run guns for the IRA amongst other shark infested adventures. His life changes when he arrives at Hawkes Harbor, Delaware looking for reported pirate treasure near Hawkes Hall. Grenville Hawke tries to kill him before hiring him. Jamie quickly calls Grenville the Thing or the Vampire. Several years later, Grenville is paying for medical treatment for his ser vant Jamie with Dr. McDevitt of the Terrace View Asylum, who hears quite a bloodsucking story.

Highly regarded young adult author S.E. Hinton (see THE OUTSIDERS) takes her youth tales and places them in an adult setting (to include sex and profanity). The story line is actually told in flashbacks as Jamie talks about his life with McDevitt especially how he met his employer when Hawke stepped out of a coffin to drink his blood. Readers will enjoy the plot twists and along with McDevitt initially wonder if Jamie is so deranged as to believe in the supernatural, but after a time so convincing ponder whether Hawke is truly a vampire.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner