Medina Hill
by Trilby Kent
by Trilby Kent
Summary
In the grimy London of 1935, eleven-year-old Dominic Walker has lost his voice. His mother is sick and his father’s unemployed. Rescue comes in the form of his Uncle Roo, who arrives to take him and his young sister, Marlo, to Cornwall. There, in a boarding house populated by eccentric residents, Marlo, who keeps a death grip on her copy of The New Art of Cooking, and Dominic, armed with Incredible Adventures for Boys: Colonel Lawrence and the Revolt in the Desert, find a way of life unlike any they have known. Dominic’s passion for Lawrence of Arabia is tested when he finds himself embroiled in a village uprising against a band of travelers who face expulsion. In defending the vulnerable, Dominic learns what it truly means to have a voice.
Review
Trilby creates the backdrop of this book beautifully, combining the feel of London in the 1930s and the escape into the past with Lawrence of Arabia. The difficulty of life during that period is evident in the parents of Dominic and Marlo - their mother ill and father unemployed. But, they each find their own outlets in different books. These interests peak when they leave with their Uncle Roo and connect with other people who bear the same interests. I love how their coping mechanisms grow into something tangible and important, not just slip to the side when taken away from the uncomfortable situation at home.
The story holds your interest with the different events taking place. While you follow Dominic during most of the book, you get a great sense of Marlo and her own struggles. Add in the gypsies, especially one young girl, that live nearby Uncle Roo's home, and we find Dominic partaking more enchanting and fun adventures. There are other characters that add color to the pages, each one with such differing personalities and background that anyone could find a character to relate to - or know of a person just like them.
I had a personal connection to this book that really put me into Dominic's shoes during his journey to speaking again. When I entered Kindergarten, I did not talk at school - at all. I was over it by the end of the year, but from that experience, I can definitely relate to the main character. Overall, I fell in love with the story and the characters and you really can't ask for anything more from a book.
About the author:
Trilby Kent was born in Toronto, Ontario, and grew up in cities on both sides o
f the Atlantic. After completing degrees at Oxford University and The London School of Economics, she worked in the rare books department at a prominent auction house before turning to writing feature articles for publication in Europe and North America. She now lives in London, England. Medina Hill is Trilby Kent’s first novel.To purchase a copy, click here.
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