Pop’s lawyer knows the power of the Box from the
Gleam country. He digs it up and steals away with it. Ellie sees him, but to
avoid giving Oma more pain and suffering on this pain-filled day, she says
nothing.
The Button Box carries a history of both good and
bad happenings connected to its use. Nothing it could serve up or break apart
could compare with the truths that Oma is forced to tell Ellie about her real
identity.
Ellie sets out to retrieve the Box and destroy it and all the bad
luck it carries. Also to discover who she really is. On her way, she encounters
Meridian, a future and past teller that recognizes the same gift in Ellie. She
is the girl’s port in a storm.
Charged and interesting roles are played out in
this novel. There is Nanny the talking goat with powers of her own, who
protects Ellie and leads her to her destination. Luca, Meridian’s nephew,
becomes the Lightning Boy after he discovers the hidden truths about his life. He
too, sets out on a quest to find his roots. He and Ellie have many things in common; they
are strong, fearless, focused and courageous. Then there’s the mysterious ghostly
old man that follows them, who neither eats, drinks or sleeps.
This is a mysterious magical quest for truth,
identity, and reparation. It is designed to shine a light on the importance and
necessity of stories handed down over time. It is a movement of music in four parts. The
story is made up of strands of the characters’ lives interwoven with the strongest
strand being Ellie, in the middle, to hold it all together.
Title:
Shine Mountain
Author:
Julie Hunt
Publisher:
Allen & Unwin, $16.99
Publication
Date: April 2018
Format:
Paperback
ISBN:
9781760291501
For
ages: 15+
Type:
Young Adult Fiction
