Justice and Her Brothers is a 1978 science fiction novel for young adults by award-winning author Virginia Hamilton. The novel, like many by Hamilton, is set in Yellow Springs, Ohio — the author's birthplace.[1] It is the first novel of The Justice Trilogy and is followed by Dustland (1980) and The Gathering (1981).
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| Author | Virginia Hamilton |
|---|---|
| Series | The Justice Trilogy |
| Genre | science fiction young adult |
| Publisher | Greenwillow Books |
Publication date | 1978 |
| Publication place | United States of America |
| ISBN | 978-0-688-80182-3 |
| Followed by | Dustland; The Gathering |
Background
editIn an article for The Horn Book Magazine, Hamilton explained that Blackness in her works is sometimes significant and sometimes not. In Justice and Her Brothers, Hamilton noted:
"race has nothing whatever to do with plot and the outcome for the characters. The powers of extrasensory perception, telepathy, and telekinesis the children have are not meant to be peculiarities. They represent a majestic change in the human race."[2]
Plot
editThe story is told over one week during a hot summer in Ohio. Protagonist Justice Douglass is dealing with the fact that her mother is attending college and has to spend time away from the home, leaving Justice to the care of her twin older brothers, Thomas and Levi. Levi clearly cares for Justice, both with domestic tasks and emotionally, while Thomas is antagonistic toward Justice.[3]
Thomas has established the Great Snake Race, a competition for the boys in the neighborhood, and Justice prepares by seeking out the snake that is both the largest and the fastest. Concurrently, Justice notices that Thomas seems to be able to mentally control his twin brother Levi. Fear of Thomas brings Justice to the home of Mrs. Leona Jefferson and her son Dorian Jefferson, mother and child. Mrs. Leona Jefferson teaches Justice about her own psychic abilities, both to protect Levi and to practice her own power.[3]
Justice learns that the object of the Great Snake Race is not to actually race snakes but to catch the most. Justice, thinking she will lose, ends up winning over Thomas, as her snake was pregnant and had offspring. After the Race, Thomas probes Justice's mind and tries to control her. Justice and neighbor Dorian battle against Thomas, defeating him. The children then link minds and Justice transports them to the future, briefly, where they learn that as a group, they are the "first unit," a new kind of human.[3]
Characters
editSource:[3]
- Justice Douglass, aged 11, is the protagonist of the novel. Justice is dealing with her mother's absence from the home (to attend college). Throughout the novel, Justice comes to learn that she has psychic abilities
- Thomas Douglass, aged 13, is Justice's brother. He is an avid drummer
- Levi Douglass is Thomas's twin brother
- Mrs. Douglass, Justice and the twins' mother, attends college
- Mr. Douglass, the children's father, is a stonecutter
- Dorian Jefferson is a neighborhood boy who has psychic powers
- Mrs. Leona Jefferson is Dorian's mother. She is a Sensitive who teaches Justice about her abilities
Themes
editThe novel deals with ideas of loneliness in childhood, the family unit and its effect on children, and identity.[3]
Reception
editIn a review in The New York Times, Jean Fritz wrote that "the book is like an expertly crafted, highly original painting over which a surrealistic film has been tacked."[4] School Library Journal praised Hamilton's descriptions, noting "many rich details... are skillfully woven into a complex plot all the more chilling for being so firmly grounded in reality."[5] In The Junior Bookshelf, M. Hobbs noted "[Hamilton] is a Black novelist using racial characteristics in a new, altogether fascinating way."[6]
One critic debated the appropriate age of the novel's audience, due to its complexity. In The Christian Science Monitor, Clive Lawrence wrote "Is it suitable for 12-year-olds? I have to say no. The average child will find it boringly serious."[7]
Influence
editAt the time of its publishing, Justice and Her Brothers was one of few science-fiction young adult novels featuring Black characters.[8]
Awards
editThe novel was a Coretta Scott King Award honor book in 1979.[9]
Further reading
edit- Apseloff, M. (1983). "Creative Geography in the Ohio Novels of Virginia Hamilton." Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 8(1):17.
References
edit- ^ Apseloff, Marilyn (1983). "Creative Geography in the Ohio Novels of Virginia Hamilton". Children's Literature Association Quarterly. 8 (1): 17–20. doi:10.1353/chq.0.0193. ISSN 1553-1201.
- ^ Hamilton, Virginia (December 1, 1981). "Ah, Sweet Rememory!". The Horn Book. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
- ^ a b c d e Leonard, Elisabeth Anne (March 1997). Masterplots II: Juvenile & Young Adult Literature Series, Supplement. Salem Press. pp. 1–2. ISBN 0-89356-916-X.
- ^ Fritz, Jean (1978-12-17). "CHILDREN'S BOOKS (Published 1978)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
- ^ Ritter, Karen (Dec 1978). "Justice and Her Brothers [review]". School Library Journal. 25: 60.
- ^ Hobbs, M (August 1979). "Review of Justice and Her Brothers". The Junior Bookshelf. 43 (4): 220.
- ^ Lawrence, Clive (March 12, 1979). "Review of Justice and Her Brothers". The Christian Science Monitor: B4.
- ^ Kutenplon, Deborah; Olmstead, Ellen (2014-04-08). Young Adult Fiction by African American Writers, 1968-1993: A Critical and Annotated Guide. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-52822-5.
- ^ JAMUNDSEN (2012-04-05). "Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present". Round Tables. Retrieved 2020-12-20.