Brotherhood

August 5, 2013
Westrick makes an impressive debut with this post–Civil War novel, set in Richmond, Va., told from the point of view of self-proclaimed Confederate son and “good old boy” Shadrach Weaver. A skilled tailor’s assistant, 14-year-old Shad is dyslexic and plays second fiddle to his “hothead” older brother, Jeremiah, since their father died at Gettysburg. Circumstances bring Shad into contact with the liberally minded Perkinson household, in which black servants and children are not just treated as equals, but educated. Invited to trade sewing lessons for reading lessons, he uneasily accepts. Shad’s initial shock at his situation turns to appreciation, creating a turbulent conflict between his growing feelings for the black teachers and children and his loyalty to the Ku Klux Klan, to which he has recently sworn allegiance, even as he recoils from its cruel actions. Readers will undoubtedly be taken aback by Shad’s hatred of Yankees and contempt for blacks, but Westrick generally achieves her goal of capturing Shad’s “emerging capacity to question his circumstances,” while drawing a vivid picture of the embittered, violent environment of 1867 Richmond. Ages 10–up. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Writers House.

August 15, 2013
Set in Richmond, Va., in 1867, Westrick's debut affords readers a look into the mind and heart of a reluctant member of the Ku Klux Klan. Fourteen-year-old Shad Weaver's life is full of secrets. Desperate to learn to read, he begins attending a school for African-Americans, offering tailoring lessons to the students there in exchange for the instruction he receives. He is very careful not to be seen, especially by any members of the other secret group to which he belongs, the Klan. Shad is deeply ambivalent about the brotherhood, appreciating it for the camaraderie it fosters but becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the violence it perpetuates. When the head teacher of the African-American school is murdered and Shad's brother Jeremiah is fingered, Shad must rely on his own evolving moral compass to help him figure out what to do. While it becomes a bit tedious at times, Shad's inner dialogue is crucial, as it reveals his struggle against the almost overwhelming social forces seeking to shape him into an instrument of racist violence. The constant sense of danger evoked will keep readers interested, and while the resolution is not entirely satisfying, it is nonetheless realistic. From the perspective of a curious, compassionate young man caught up in Klan violence, this coming-of-age story will spark fruitful discussions about race, identity, social pressure and loyalty. (Historical fiction. 10-14)

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August 1, 2013

Gr 5-9-The Civil War is over and Richmond, Virginia, is occupied by Yankee soldiers. A secret society of men and boys has begun meeting with the stated mission of protecting Confederate widows. Fourteen-year-old Shadrach Weaver follows his older brother to a gathering and ends up being initiated into the Ku Klux Klan. Shad likes the feeling of brotherhood the group provides. On an errand for his family's tailor shop to the house of a local teacher, Shad, who suffers from dyslexia, makes arrangements to trade his sewing skills for reading lessons. He is surprised when the teacher arranges for him to work with African Americans; he knows he has to keep this secret, but it's not long before the existence of the school is discovered. Shad's brother, a loyal KKK member, becomes involved in a plot to bring the school, along with its students and teachers, to a violent end. Shad must decide between remaining loyal to his family and the brotherhood or warning the people for whom he has developed feelings of friendship and respect. Debut author Westrick does an excellent job of re-creating post-Civil War Richmond and giving voice to the resentments of its inhabitants. She explores the implications of brotherhood and demonstrates how right and wrong can be so intricately entwined that whatever choice one makes can result in disaster. A welcome addition to classroom discussions.-Cary Frostick, Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2013
Grades 6-8 In 1867, two years after Lee's surrender, a conflict is just beginning within 14-year-old Shad, a poor white boy living in burnt-out Richmond. On the one hand, he longs to learn how to read and grasps at his only chance, secretly taking lessons with freed slave children. On the other, he follows his older brother's lead and joins the Klan. Though he mistrusts his reckless brother, still he longs to become a man. Clearly a clash is inevitable. Westrick's first novel is ambitious in focusing on the losing side's point of view after the Civil War. In order to remain sympathetic, if not heroic, Shad must choose a different path from his fellow Klansmen, whose opinions make painful reading at times. This first novel seems carefully constructed rather than organic. Most characters are portrayed as primarily good or evil, though readers will catch glimpses of the moral ambiguity and social complexity of Reconstruction. The appended author's note focuses mainly on that period in the South and on the rise of the Ku Klux Klan.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2014
Living in postbellum Virginia, Shad follows older brother Jeremiah in joining the KKK. But after stumbling into an arrangement to teach tailoring at the colored school in exchange for reading lessons, Shad's loyalty to the Klan begins to come into conflict with his conscience. Though the tension is mostly well sustained, the narrative slows at times and the resolution feels rushed.

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