The Hush

Starred review from May 1, 2017
Chester Hays has been on the road for months, searching for his vanished father.The 17-year-old plays his fiddle in return for room and board, but one night at a Hamelin saloon, he's caught tapping into the Song, the source of life in a world where Music is magic and only licensed Songshapers are allowed to connect to "the heartbeat of the world." His punishment for committing this blasphemy: death. Fate intervenes when the ambiguously "tan" Chester is rescued from the chopping block by the infamous Nightfall Gang. There's mercurial, burly, white cowboy Sam; white lesbian Dot, an inventive Songshaper; foppish, brown-skinned lady's man Travis; and pale-skinned, trouser-wearing redhead Susannah, their headstrong captain. This group of teenage, Robin Hood-esque outlaws travels in their echoship through the Hush, a terrifying distorted parallel reality formed from excess Music and populated by deadly Echoes. The Nightfall Gang may hold the clues to Chester's father's disappearance, but the only way he'll find out is to go along with a very dangerous plan that might cost Chester his life. The story is beautifully paced as it unfolds one tantalizing, shocking detail at a time. Masterfully drawn details are so crisp, so tangible, that readers will be surprised they can't just reach out and touch this rich world. A steampunk-tinged fantasy adventure with plenty of breath-holding action. (Fantasy. 12-18)

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May 1, 2017

Gr 7-10-Chester Hays, a street musician in a world where music fuels sorcery, is searching for his missing father. The Song is this society's life source and can be accessed legally only by Songshapers. Chester unintentionally connects to the Song and is sentenced to death. He's rescued by the legendary thieves, the Nightfall Gang. Their ability to move through the Hush-a dark and dangerous shadow world that mirrors the real world-is their secret to avoiding capture. The Nightfall Gang have discovered Chester's ability to access the Song and need him for their final mission. They plan to break into and destroy the Conservatorium, where Songshapers are trained, and help Chester find his father. Each member of the gang has been damaged by the Conservatorium and wants revenge. This intriguing story is hampered by a slow start and a lack of character development. Cowboy Sam seems out of place in this world. Travis, one of two characters of color, is arrogant and self-centered, but his speech is more annoying than clever and roguish. Dot's punishment for being gay feels like an outdated plot device. However, the narrative gathers momentum, delivering twists and more complete world-building as the pieces for the Conservatorium break-in are locked into place. The ending is satisfying, with just the slightest hint of more to come. VERDICT An additional purchase for collections needing more fantasy or a fascinating view of the power of music.-Carla Riemer, Claremont Middle School, Oakland, CA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2017
Grades 8-11 Music is the vehicle for magic in Chester's world, where the elite are trained to be songshapers, who run society and guard against untrained magicians. Though of poor background, and therefore limited training, Chester possesses a strong natural connection to the Song, which eventually leads to his arrest for heresy. As he stands on the gallows, the killing blade moving toward his neck, the world suddenly stills and Chester is whisked away to become a member of the notorious Nightfall Gang, whose mission is a revenge-based strike at the heart of the Conservatorium. The Australian author's world tends toward steampunk, although machinery is not the focus of this imaginative tale of loyalty and commitment. Additionally, conversation pertaining to environmental consequences arises toward the story's end, part of a surprise twist about the book's setting and the meaning of reality. At times the main character's navel gazing is repetitive, but his angst is balanced by the lively members of the Nightfall Gang and a touch of romance.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 30, 2015