Lisa Doucet Reviews Hugh MacDonald’s Our Rock and Our Salvation
Our Rock and Our Salvation
Hugh MacDonald
Acorn Press
(Ages 12 & up)
When Adam learns that he and his friend Tish have been invited to attend council meetings with the elders of the forest people, he is both honoured and unsure. Are he and Tish ready for such responsibility?
A recent series of violent attacks by fierce raiders on neighbouring villages have caused concern among all of the people who have been living peacefully together in the forest, and this is to be discussed at the meeting. But on their way, Adam and Tish are abducted.
Their rescue leads to the capture of their abductors and eventually to the apprehension of the vicious raiders, who had left death and suffering in their wake. As these various bands of outlaws are found, they are shocked to find themselves facing a different form of justice than they ever could have imagined … or dared to hope for.
In this final volume of The Last Wild Boy series, PEI’s Hugh MacDonald concludes his thought-provoking dystopian trilogy in an action-packed tale that invites readers to consider the value of restorative justice, and a society that believes in the power and possibility of healing for all. He also prompts us to recognize the important contributions that youth as well as elders can make in a balanced and just community.
And while the forest people give those who have harmed them the opportunity to tell their stories and to receive guidance to change their ways, it is still, ultimately, their choice. They may choose to accept this help and to become a contributing member of the community, or they can refuse. This too, is a powerful message for readers of all ages.
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