Recommendation: The New Policeman

The New Policeman by Kate Thompson
(Click here to find a library copy.)

Recommendation by Alana
Should we keep it?  YES
Why?  This book has a lot of Irish mythology in it, which separates it from a lot of the modern fairytale stories out there.  It's appropriate for just about everyone, and it has traditional Irish music in it (which I am just dying to hear played).  J.J. is a relatable protagonist, Aengus is just downright gorgeous, and getting rid of either this book or its sequel (The Last of the High Kings) would be a crime.  Plus, it's one of my very favorite books.

This book was part of the Last Call book display in the teen section during November and December. Thanks to everyone who participated! If you still have slips, no worries. Just bring them in by the end of January.

Book Review: The Last of the High Kings

The Last of the High Kings by Kate Thompson
Click on the book cover to see which libraries own it.

SUMMARY: A generation after The New Policeman, J.J. Liddy's daughter Jenny is running wild. She disappears into the countryside for hours on end, constantly inconveniencing her family and refusing to go to school. Jenny's mental stability is also questionable, as she claims to converse with a ghost and a goat. But as J.J. discovers that Jenny is speaking the truth, and that she is involved in something potentially sinster, he is forced to reveal family secrets that have long been hidden.

OPINION: Despite being labeled as a sequel to The New Policeman, this book stands alone as a wonderfully atmospheric tale of fairy and other legendary folk. The infusion of Irish lore into a contemporary setting made it feel entirely possible for the fairy realm to actually exist alongside our own. It started out slowly, but all the parts of the story came together into an exciting climax. I began it while eating a plate of nachos, kept reading after they were gone, and ended up finishing the entire book while sitting at my table! Even if you usually prefer your fairies to be more urban punk than Irish pranksters, you will not be disappointed by The Last of the High Kings.

Book Review: The New Policeman

The New Policeman by Kate Thompson

SUMMARY: Heart-pounding Irish music is the common ground between material and magical worlds in this ambitious fantasy, which begins in western Ireland. When J. J. Liddy is 15, his mother jokingly asks for a birthday present of more time. From an eccentric neighbor, J. J. learns to his astonishment that his mother's request may not be impossible to fill. Bravely venturing into an alternate fairy world, J. J. takes on a thrilling, epic quest in which he confronts dark family rumors and tries to repair a cosmic time leak between his world and the land of eternal youth. Thompson packs her mesmerizing, chaotic novel with Irish culture, interconnected mysteries, and sly questions about the stresses of contemporary life and the age-old frictions between religion and folklore. Musical scores for Irish tunes close each chapter in this soulful, wildly imagined tale. (from the Booklist review)

OPINION: This book looks thick, but the short chapters, each with a song, make the pages fly. You'll wonder where the time went! The alternating chapters come together at the end of the book, with many mysteries solved. My only complaint is that I wish it came with a soundtrack. It talks about Irish music so much that I really wanted to listen while I read! This is not an edgy fairy book, like Tithe or I Was a Teenage Fairy, but it is a wonderfully atmospheric read.