Intro to Book
Hello Readers,
After a few Young Adult books, I need space to return to the middle-grade novel. Which is what I am reviewing today. An upper middle-grade novel. That being said, have you ever planted a tree, or seen one of those tree cookies that show the rings of a tree? Seeing the thousands of rings is simply amazing knowing that they have lived so long to make those unique rings. Trees have a special place in human history because they are particularly amazing and last generations beyond us. It is interesting to think that God made the Tree of Life, and he made the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Why a tree? Why could it not be a brook, or a bush, or two ferns? They were specifically trees. And Judeo-Christianity isn’t the only religious entity to utilize trees so pointedly. Many religions did and some still do. Some worshipped under trees. Some worshiped trees. Unrelated, but it still makes the point, trees make books. Trees bring brilliant shade. I say this because my tree in the front yard shades my house nicely. Trees are special. But this is a book review podcast, not an arbor-loving podcast so why all the talk about trees? Because trees are rather special in this next book.
Okay, the book isn’t about trees, but they do make for a centralized location in the book. That will make more sense when you read it. We’re reviewing Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key by S.D. Smith and J.C. Smith. Written by a father and son of the same last name, which is awesome and something I hope to do with my kids as well. However, when referring to the authors, I will simply call them “Smith.” The book is about Jack Zulu, but the Waylander’s Key is hardly featured and not very talkative. But Benny, Jack’s best friend is. Really, it is mostly about these two boys and the friendship they have when it seems like everything is crumbling in Jack’s world. It’s a coming-of-age book written in my favorite genre. Fantasy.
Summary
Jack Zulu is the boy every boy wants to be. A star baseball player who seems good at whatever he does, and has a tagalong friend, Benny, with quick quips and faster lips. Set in the 80s, this book is already in a time its readers are unfamiliar with, but still, there are some things that are timeless, well, now anyway. Pizza parlors, video games, fantasy books. All things that were known in the 80s, and somewhat nerdy, are still known today.
But this is where Jack Zulu is in time. In the 80s. His dad is dead, has been for a bit, and his mom is sick in the hospital. And middle school Jack is just trying to have a normal life, with hopes of escaping his imprisoning little town. Benny’s family, the Marinos, take care of Jack and have been friends of the family for a long time. But Jack still lives alone. His favorite place to be beside the baseball field is Mr. Wheeler’s little bookstore.
This is where Jack the nerd comes out, reading fantasy books like nobody’s business, hoping for a life like the worlds he reads about. But things are starting to get odd around Jack’s little town. Something seems to have Mr. Wheeler spooked, and he gives Jack an old chest to keep secure until he returns. Mr. Wheeler is constantly coming and going but this seems different. When curiosity gets the better of Jack, everything changes in his little town.
Characters
Thankfully, this book’s cast of main characters is much smaller than the previous books I’ve been reviewing.
Mainly it sticks with Jack, Benny, and Mr. Wheeler. Another character is important in the story but doesn’t come to importance until the end. Instead of spoiling who that character is, I’ll let you read it and just tell you a bit about the more prominent characters.
Jack is as mentioned, the boy every boy wants to be. He seems to be good at anything he picks up. It doesn’t matter if it is sports or if it is chess and strategy. He is just naturally talented. Except for talking with others when he gets nervous. And cooking. But hey, that’s what pizza places are for, right?
Benny is Jack’s best friend. They’ve been best friends for as long as either of them can remember and their relationship is more like brothers. Benny is the opposite of Jack. Not great at anything he picks up, lives in Jack’s shadow in that way. But he’s a smooth talker and a great cook. That may be because his parents own the local pizza parlor and he often helps out with that. He also eats, and eats, and eats but is rail thin. One of those kids your mom would say “Where does it all go?” or your dad would quip “Must have a hole at the bottom of his foot.” At least, that’s what my parents often said about my siblings who were a lot like Benny in that way.
Mr. Wheeler. I honestly can’t remember a character I’ve been more fond of than Mr. Wheeler. Let me just say, if we all had a Mr. Wheeler the world would be a better place. He’s a wise, sage type of fellow. Always gently guiding Jack and Benny toward the right path. Challenging them to take the next progressive step toward betterment. He’s also quite proverbial and quotable because of it. I could see a movie made out of this story and Mr. Wheeler would have mountains of memes (funny or sagely).
Alongside these three we see glimpses of several supporting characters. Jack’s mom, some school rivals, a school crush named Michelle, Benny’s parents, and yes, some fantasy peoples and characters. I did say this was a fantasy book, and it is. Though I’ve hardly mentioned it I’m aware. In fact, I’ve only summarized a short bit of the story. Almost like a book blurb. I’m leaving you hanging, I know, but it’s because of how it is presented by Smith. In the blurb on Amazon, it barely gives more. Merely a bit, a short sentence really, about a gate and twelve realms. Just remember that I said trees are special and gave a spoiler like I’ve never done before.
Analysis
Smith is a talented writer, to say the least. Author of the acclaimed Green Ember series, (acclaimed might be a bit strong, but so many whose literary tastes I trust, have recommended the series to me as a personal read so I’ll stick with it), Smith is familiar with writing and in this genre. This book feels like the skill of someone who has mastered their genre over time. It is refined literary goodness. I honestly am impressed by all Smith did in this book, and still made it seem like a shorter book. I clock it at somewhere about 70,000 words, but this is just an estimate. However, it read rather quickly and seamlessly.
Major Themes:
I think the one theme our minds ought to consider here is the coming-of-age theme. This is about the growth of Jack and Benny. Physical, mental, spiritual. They are growing up and doing it quickly as darkness quickly descends on them. Jack, with all that is going on in his life, is torn between running from it all or running to just be there. While Benny, who sticks by Jack’s side like he’s glued to it, must learn to not lean on Jack for all the things he lacks. As Mr. Wheeler instructs them, they need to become better versions of themselves, if not the best versions of themselves in a short amount of time.
Writing Style:
This book reads like a classic upper middle-grade book. I don’t know a classic upper middle-grade book for an example, but this fits it. Like many of my other reviews, this hits that category of between 10 to 14 as a great age range. But I do want to point out one little funny quirk. It is set in the eighties. And being set in the eighties there are a lot of references to eighties things. I loved it. But while I did, many things will probably go over the heads of the modern 10 to 14-year-olds. That being said, it is pretty easy to read and action-packed. The continual action of the story keeps the reader engaged. This suits those younger ages whose minds need that consistent action.
Plot:
The plot is complex, but not too hard to follow. The most difficult thing is the changing settings, but the way Smith sets up the world makes this easy enough to grasp. I personally enjoyed the way Smith created this world and how the characters travel throughout it. As far as the rest goes, it’s your basic underdog hero vs overwhelming villain kind of story. And the hero has a weak spot to make him vulnerable, approachable, and relatable. This is a familiar story but one that touches us so it doesn’t feel ill or overused.
Gospel Connections:
Okay, so Smith is a Christian author. Gospel connections are spewed all throughout this book. Let’s just summarize the basics of what Smith does here. We’re really only going to scratch the surface since the book is so deep.
One, there are plenty of mentions of God, prayer, and faith. It is all throughout this book. Honestly, set in the eighties in a little mid-east town, it makes sense and fits the setting of the book. The people in this town believe and are in several backgrounds of faith. Catholics, Baptists, Episcopal, and Reformed backgrounds fit the many different characters. All working together, all talking about faith. It is rather refreshing to see the ecumenical approach to the book.
Two, there are angels or angel-like creatures in the book. At least, the golden, glowing warrior-type angels we typically imagine. Seraphim, Cherubim…I can’t remember which class of angel it represents, but they are represented in this book. If you know it, feel free to leave the answer in the comments. I haven’t seen any comments, so if it’s not working let me know. I’ll work on that. I value your input and want to make sure you have the opportunity to make comments.
Three, there is a kind of spiritual warfare happening in the book. I mean, the similarities between battling sin and spiritual warfare over the soul are uncanny. Much of what we see in Jack and Benny is a battle for their souls. Good versus evil, hope over despair, and all the narratives we come to expect for a soul-battling story that we see here.
Social Impact:
Again, this is set in the eighties. So some social things are over the heads or seem out of place, but some, rather unfortunately, continue to impact people even today. For one, Jack is a half-African, half-Appalachian kid. Taking his African dad’s features over his mom’s, there are a lot of mentions in the story about the struggles of being a black teenager where he lives. While no one mistreats him directly in the story due to the color of his skin, he talks about some of the similarities between what he is dealing with to being black.
Beyond that, there are probably a lot of people who are marginalized who can similarly identify with being marginalized. I can’t say that I relate to you, but I sit here knowing that this could touch you. Stories like these allow people like myself to understand just a little more and I really hope that it reaches people on both sides of the spectrum of marginalization. For students, this can certainly help them to just begin to grasp something they’ve been feeling or to see people different than them in a new light. This is an excellent reading opportunity for a young learner to grow.
Another social impact is dealing with loss, and dealing with potential loss. A fatherless young teenage son, with a mom sick in the hospital. I honestly don’t know how often that happens, but I would imagine it happens more often than I would like to imagine. In any case, this is a relatable story for many who have suffered the same as Jack.
Last, there are drugs and a druggie. This is perhaps the most disturbing bit in the book and makes that one part feel much older. It’s a sad reality that we live in a world of drugs, but I believe Smith has done a decent job of making it just disturbing enough to feel real without being too scary or creepy. But it does hit a nerve.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I would give this book a solid 5 out of 5. I am a generous book reviewer and if I really like something I’m all in. And I’m all in. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It helps that I get to pick stories that I know I’m likely to enjoy as my reading habits go. If y’all like these types of stories as well I’ll keep going, but if you’d like to suggest a book, or if you’ve written a book and you’d like me to review it, let me know at my website. In the end, I still reserve the right to choose which books I’ll review as honestly as possible, keeping the gospel in mind for any story. But these types of stories, where the gospel is evident and weaved into the story from the start, while still being separated enough to just be a good narrative, will always be among my favorites.
Until next time, have a good read.
Jack Zulu and the Waylander's Key