It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
So what does Charles Dickens' `A tale of two cities' have to do with Theresa Dawn Sinclair's `Children of Hamelin'? In a word - or a few words - perhaps nothing. Or perhaps more.
So why start with Mr Dickens? Am I going to compare CoH with Two Cities? Not directly. Nor give you a summary of the plot. But, for a moment, let's look at that opening line. Or rather, fragment of a line. Because it's not just a great opener - it's a Voice. It's written in a way that reflects its time, and the way people spoke then. And one of the reasons it's a great opener is that it's a very strong Voice.
In `Children of Hamelin', Ms Sinclair has a very strong Voice. And I mean that in a very good way :-).
CoH is the Voice of Ms Sinclair - and the voice of Simon Pullitt, one of Hamelin's children. And not just Simon, for later there is another voice - and another side of the tale. Still, I said I wouldn't speak of the tale itself - so I won't. But all three voices (Simon's, Jessup's and Ms Sinclair's), are voices of Hamelin's time. Which is not to say it is so full of thee and thou, of thus and forsooth, that a modern reader gets lost - but they are still voices of Hamelin, and for that, much stronger. And Voices of dichotomy. Even as Mr Dickens speaks of best and worst, of wisdom and foolishness - Ms Sinclair speaks of Simon, and everything that is not Simon, of Jessup and everything that is not Jessup. Of the Hamelin of grown ups - and the Hamelins of children. Of the world boys may make for themselves - and of another, that girls may craft. Of the mystery that is the Piper - and the simplicity behind that mystery. Not a simplicity of foolishness, but one not contaminated by the complexity of `modern' thought and motive. When Simon tells Rosemary, in a state less proud than the one she once wore, that her new name and nature suits her - even Rosemary is surprised to find she agrees. She says "I feel, oh I don't know, I feel like a child again, light-headed and foolish.." And that, indeed, may be the core of CoH. That there is a difference between foolishness and simplicity, between knowledge and innocence, and that we cannot exclude either from our selves.
If I read what I have written it might seem to say `Children of Hamelin' is some daunting work. If so, the fault is mine. For me it not only read easily, but kept me reading and held me in it. And for that, I'll gladly give it the five stars I have. For you? I'd suggest you buy it and read also - and see if you agree :-).
If I wanted to be clever I'd try to close with some smart-alec thing like `it was the best of books, it was the worst of books'. But I won't. Because I'm not sure there is a `best' book of any kind, and certain this one is much better than many I've read. So let Ms Sinclair, and Nick Oak, steal you away. Come to Hamelin - and beyond. ( )

Always wondered what happened after the piper lured the children away. Did he drown them in the sea or feed them to the rats? The author does a good job of extending the classic tale in a believable fashion. But this is not a story for children. It is dark and compelling yet strangely endearing as well. I liked the first half of the book but the second half reached out and grabbed me by the throat.
Nice one!!
Cassandra DeBrown
Author of Legitimate Issues, Our Urban Utopia and A Little Bit Of Black Magic ( )