Rate this book

The Jumbee (2010)

by Pamela Keyes(Favorite Author)
3.27 of 5 Votes: 4
ISBN
0803733135 (ISBN13: 9780803733138)
languge
English
genre
publisher
Dial
review 1: I stayed up late reading this book, and then I couldn't sleep after that. This book totally gave me the chills. Especially after watching the movie, Unborn, this book just gave me the creeps. I tried to stop reading it, I really did, but I just couldn't put it down. The suspense was killing me and I had to find out who Alan really was and if he was actually a 'jumbee' or if he was just some psyco stalker. While I really did think that the main character Esti was a total idiot for ever getting involved with him, especially when she had Rafe who loved her so much, I really did like her character and her love for acting and theater. Her two main love interests were so totally different. Alan's character was complex, mysterious, and deep. He totally surprised me in the end. Th... moreen there's Rafe, who I liked a lot better despite the fact that he was a total player. He was honest and protective of Esti, and also he had an awesome accent. :P
review 2: Let me start off by saying that I have a very biased opinion of this book. I'm a musical freak. I live for Broadway and spend half of my time reading and the other half obsessing over musicals. And one of my absolute favorite musicals is Phantom of the Opera. I love how complex the story and the characters are and how much it made me think after seeing it. Not to mention the stunning pieces composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber: I still get chills listening to All I Ask of You. So when I picked the Jumbee up and found out it was not only about theater, but also a modern day Phantom of the Opera set in the Caribbean, my heart was set on loving it. And I thought the author pulled it off pretty well! The beginning was slow and overall the dialogue was choppy, especially at the beginning and in the dry areas of the plot. But by the end I could see the multiple layers of each character unraveling and the story of Phantom coming to life in a different way. Speaking of characters, I feel that many people would criticize the main character, Esti who is based off of Christine in the actual Phantom, for being...well weak, needy, whiny, selfish, and basically a total idiot. But I saw through her direct characterization and saw her confusion. When the Jumbee first appears, she sees him as her father. Her love for him was really love for her father: she was coping with his death in a different way by trying to replace his love with the Jumbee's. She was lost, not intentionally needy. And in the end, she came out stronger than ever...which is exactly how I feel about Christine. So you see? My opinion is biased. Go ahead and read this if you like Phantom of the Opera, but if you don't? Eh, maybe, maybe not. I'm not really the best person to ask that question. less
Reviews (see all)
Diana
Great connections to the classics, The Phantom of the Opera and Romeo and Juliet. Very well done.
AoiApple
I only read a couple of chapters, and when it got too predictable, I had to put it down.
mbert
If you like The Phantom of the Opera, you'll like this Modern day telling.
carlachristell
Meh. I really wanted to smack the MC Esti, never a good sign.
DeeDee
Read for professional review.
Write review
Review will shown on site after approval.
(Review will shown on site after approval)