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H I G H S C H O O L F I C T I O N
B O O K R E V I E W S
The book of the
maidservant / Rebecca
Barnhouse. New York:
Random House, 2009.
LCCN 2008028820.
HBB, 9780375858567, $16.99.
Fic
232 p. : map ; 22 cm.
HS MS Rating: 4
Johanna leaves her sister Rose
and goes into service to Dame
Margery Kempe, a very
religious woman who lacks
compassion for those around
her. She has decided it is her
calling to make a pilgrimage to
Rome and Johanna is to
accompany her. Unfortunately
for Johanna, preparations for
the pilgrimage are an added
chore to her already
demanding day. Finally, the
day of departure has come
and gone and after a
somewhat difficult trip across
the sea, the pair joins a group
from their hometown. The
constant piety of the Dame
almost causes her to be
abandoned, with Johanna
forced to continue with the
group, but the Dame has given
rules to follow―or else.
Johanna and the Dame do
eventually part ways, but both
end up in Rome. Johanna
discovers a new sense of
internal fortitude that serves
her well; she also enjoys
finally being paid for her
efforts.
The setting of the story is
1413 England, not a familiar
background for most people.
Barnhouse does an excellent
job researching for The Book
of the Maidservant. Her
descriptions of villages,
forests, people, and hospices
are engaging. Her character
development is well done,
especially with Johanna, Dame
Kempe, and the group that
make the pilgrimage―giving
the reader clear insight into
their culture.
Debby Willett
Perfectly dateless : a
u n i v e r s a l l y
misunderstood novel /
Kristin Billerbeck. Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Revell,
2010. LCCN 2010006048.
PAP, 9780800734398, $9.99.
Fic
259 p. ; 22 cm.
HS (MS) Rating: 3
P e r f e ctly D a t e l e ss , a
contemporary novel by Kristin
Billerbeck, chronicles a
senior’s quest for the perfect
prom date. A few obstacles
stand in her way. Daisy
Crispin belongs to the
invisible group, and her lifelong
crush has caught the
attention of one of the popular
girls. Though Daisy’s parents
don’t allow her to date, buy
fashionable clothes, or dance,
Daisy is determined to find a
way to attend prom and do it
in style. But wanting to be
noticed will take her places
she never imagined she’d go.
Daisy’s craving for fashion and
popularity makes her seem
shallow at first, but through
the story, Daisy learns the
consequences can be high.
Tied in with this growth,
Daisy’s relationship with her
parents also shifts. In the
beginning, Daisy’s frustration
emerges through sarcastic
comments, disregard for her
parents’ rules, and negative
thoughts about her family and
home. However, as the story
progresses, Daisy learns
things about her parents that
cast them in a new light, and
their relationship begins to
change from both sides.
A big drawback to Perfectly
Dateless is its many
contemporary references,
which include technology,
celebrities currently on the
teen radar, and TV shows.
These references will quickly
outdate the book. And teens
living in other countries, or
those not consumed with pop
culture, are likely to feel like
outsiders as they read.
Rachelle Dawson
CHRISTIAN LIBRARY JOURNAL 35 APRIL 2011