In ‘Whispering Alaska,’ a skillful pivot to young adult fiction from the author of ‘The Alaskan Laundry’

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Book review: Brendan Jones — whose debut novel 'The Alaskan Laundry' explored themes of redemption and resilience, and drew widespread acclaim — skillfully pivots to young-adult fiction with his latest work, 'Whispering Alaska.'

Following up on a well-received debut novel is never an easy task, but it’s what Brendan Jones faced after his 2016 tale “The Alaskan Laundry” drew widespread acclaim. That book offered a poignant meditation on how people come to Alaska hoping for one last chance to redeem themselves, and how Alaska can repeatedly derail such efforts. It was one of the finest works of Alaska literature to emerge in the past decade, and it left readers with high expectations for where Jones would go next.

For young readers, the COVID aspect will resonate. They’ve spent the past two years living in an upended world, and the repeated references to masking, social distancing, and fears of contagion will be all too familiar. The Halls arrive to find the town on the brink of voting on whether or not to sacrifice the forest for the trees that will keep the mill operating. For residents, it’s an unfortunate but necessary decision. For newly arrived Nicky and Josie, it’s devastating.

This is where Jones, in the form of a novel for kids, writes as an adult. Uncle Cliff, along with the mill’s owner, Lars Ruger, are presented as humans, not villains. They have fully legitimate concerns for the future of the place where they have made their lives. They just happen to see logging as the only viable means of saving the town.

 

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