Guile
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
“A fun read, with a bit of fantasy and mystery, and it’s sure to put a smile on your face (did I mention it has a talking cat?).”—Here’s to Happy Endings
Yonie Watereye lives in the bayou. The water there is full of guile, a power that changes people and objects. Yonie, 16, makes a living investigating objects affected by guile, but in fact it’s her talking cat, LaRue, who has the power to see guile.
Yonie becomes aware that someone is sending harmful guile-changed objects to certain people, including herself. Her investigation becomes entwined with her hunt for the secrets of her mother’s past and leads her to discover dangers hidden within her own family.
In the suspenseful adventure that follows, Yonie and her feline companion face challenges that could end their adventuring forever.
* A Junior Library Guild Selection *
“The setting is a blend of Venice’s canals and Louisiana’s bogs; the plot is an almost cozy mystery with red herrings aplenty; the heroine is as plucky as her sidekick is prickly. Add just a dash of romance and you’ve got yourself a fine gumbo of a book that, while satisfying in one gulp, may also have readers returning for second helpings.”—Bulletin
“The plot is invigorating and exciting . . . Unexpected twists leave readers both on edge and fulfilled.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Memorable, well-drawn characters . . . Those who like unusual fantasies will enjoy this and will identify with the appealing Yonie as she searches for her roots and a place to belong.”—Booklist
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Yonie Watereye, the memorable heroine of Cooper s debut, lives with her talking cat, LaRue, in a city reminiscent of New Orleans. Orphaned and rejected by her surviving relatives, 16-year-old Yonie makes a modest living thanks to LaRue, who is sensitive to guile, a magical substance that suffuses the river. A series of adventures, initially episodic and rushed, leads Yonie to seek out her relations both the bayou-dwelling paternal cousins she grew up with and the mysterious High Town family of her disowned mother. Before long, the ever-curious Yonie and her smitten cousin Gilbert are headed upriver in a sentient houseboat, on the run from a terrifyingly irresponsible villain, and on track to discover the origins of guile. A slower pace in the second half, despite the ramped-up suspense, allows for more exploration of Yonie s world and character. Cooper adeptly captures the transition from adolescence to adulthood as Yonie faces temptations and hard choices, but the real star of the show is LaRue, whose primness amuses while her mutual loyalty with Yonie gives the story its heart. Ages 12 up.
