The Amethyst Road

by Louise Spiegler

In a society similar to ours in some ways and very different in others, 16-year-old Serena and her older sister, Willow, struggle to get by in a tough, crime-infested urban neighborhood. By birth they... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0618485724
• ISBN13: 9780618485727
• Release Date: January 2005
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 328 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.3" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Let me think how many copies I'll need...

This book feels like fantasy, but there are no tired fairy-, elf-, goblin-type characters. Just regular humans. Thank God and Loiuse Spiegler for a young adult book that finally has high moral standards, great lessons about friendship, and it's a real page-turner! All my nieces will be getting this book for Christmas or birthdays or whatever.

Excellent FICTION!!

It's too bad that some reviewers don't seem to understand that this YA fantasy is a work of fiction, and that the Yulang people in it are NOT Rom. The author gives a more detailed explanation of this on her website, www.amethystroad.net. After reading more about her background and her inspiration for this story there, it's even more clear to me that she never intended for the novel to be a portrayal of Rom culture, nor to perpetuate an inaccurate, other-wordly image of the Romany people. On the contrary, Louise Spiegler has created a richly-layered fictional world that parallels our own in thought-provoking ways, inhabited by strong characters that are fully-realized and psychologically believable. The Amethyst Road is driven by a strong sense of social justice, and is not high fantasy, a la Tolkein, but rather an alternate reality fantasy, set in a gritty modern world with magical elements. It would be a terrific read for teens interested in the dynamics of racism, as well as those who are just looking for a fast-paced and compelling coming-of-age adventure.

Want to read a good book?

Want to read a good book? One that makes you ponder? A book that will whisper to you at night about how you are connected to the world? Are you tangled in a web of love and hate, too? Have you learned you must always give? After reading this book I really wanted a necklace with charms so I'd be able to give them away one by one -- a lasting symbol of how I'm connected to my friends. Are you someone who has a bit of gypsy in your heart? Read this thought-provoking book. The Amethyst Road has been nominated for the newly minted Andre Norton Award (YA category of the Nebulas) by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Kudos to the SFWA folk for recognizing this worthy book. I'm rooting for Louise. Her book is brilliant!

A compelling journey

This coming-of-age story explores complex relationships in an accessible way. Serena and Shem portray two strong characters. Young readers will identify with their feelings of being outsiders, their commitment to those they love, and their weaknesses made strong through adversity. Serena's only possession provides a necessary and symbolic layer to the storyline without becoming sentimental. The Amethyst Road would work well in literature circle or classroom use to prompt discussion of cross-cultural identity issues, interpersonal struggles, and integrity.