Bandy by Craig R. Hipkins
Isaac’s only friend is a passenger pigeon named Bandy. He deludes himself in believing the bird talks to him. Bullied, he is resigned to a life of being the misunderstood bookworm by neighboring boys until a disastrous fire kills his parents and little sisters, sparing only his younger brother, Thomas. He and Thomas are taken in by their Uncle Raymond, an abolitionist, who plans to send Isaac to Virginia to buy Joy, a young slave with debilitating health, from her slave owner, Wil Jericho. Shortly after arriving in Virginia, Isaac learns the ugly truth. The butler who accompanied him on the journey killed his uncle before leaving and plans to do the same to Isaac to steal Raymond’s estate.
Isaac, with Joy, escape into the backwoods of Virginia. Discovering passages of the Underground Railroad, stowing away in carriages, hiding in churches, and outwitting the mercenaries hired by Jericho, the two teens fight tooth and nail to make it to Boston before they’re caught. Will Joy be taken from this life by sickness before she’s found freedom? On their journey, they learn a lot about each other. Isaac promises to bring Joy to Bandy's pond, a heavenly place where peace and serenity reign.
My Take:
During the turmoil preceding the Civil War, a young, unfortunate person learns valuable lessons about slavery, friendship, and the value of a single act of kindness.
Isaac's only friend is Bandy, a passenger pigeon. Isaac and Bandy have long conversations. The pigeon gives Isaac good advice, and sometimes follows him on his adventures. A disastrous housefire leaves Isaac and his little brother orphans. Their only hope lies in their rich Uncle Raymond, an aloof older gentleman that lives in Boston. Before agreeing to keep them, thoughg, Uncle Raymond, an ardent abolitionist, sends the young lad Isaac on a quest into rural Virginia to purchase Joy, the sister of his adopted daughter. However, accompanying Isaac is Raymond's sinister butler, who Isaac soon discovers has murdered his uncle with plans to steal the family fortune.
Nothing in Isaac's quest is as it seems, and he must act quickly with the help of others to spirit the terribly ill slave Joy away on the Underground Railroad. But with the evil slaveowner Wil Jericho on their heels, and every man's hand after him, only the heroism of Isaac and his friends can save them now.
PG - alcoholism and drinking is depicted several times.
PG - Characters are shot and killed, and hung offscreen.
PG - There is a light salting of swear words.
G - There is no romance or kissing in this book.
This pre-Civil War historical adventure is rife with acts of faith and trust. Self-sacrifice is almost the norm. Light and dark are clearly delineated, and there are several character arcs of transformation and redemption. The concept of standing for what you believe in is a central and well-depicted theme. Worship and righteousness counterpose evil and selfish ambition. Corruption and graft play their vile parts well. The forces of the devil have their say, but the forces of light win the day.
Bandy was a gripping tale of heroic fidelity and love in a time of epic division and hate. The world building was extraordinary, and the historic accuracy was well-researched. Characters were believable and lifelike. The settings were immersive and the action constant. The stakes were very high and the tension palpable. It was a page turner barn burner. Five Stars!
About the Author
Craig R. Hipkins was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. He currently lives in North Carolina.Craig published his first book, “Fireballs: A History of Meteors and other Atmospheric Phenomena” in 2009. Adalbert is his first novel. It is the sequel to the novel Astrolabe written by his late twin brother Jay S. Hipkins (1968-2018)He is an avid long distance runner. He also enjoys astronomy and reading history in his spare time. You can find out more about him at hipkinstwins.com
