Thursday, October 09, 2008

The Night I freed John Brown by John Michael Cummings

Ever since the Richmonds have moved in to the historical
town of Harpers Ferry, young Josh knows he has to
investigate further into an old family secret. The
Richmond's house is a five-story Victorian house, with a
Catholic church built in. The twist is that Josh's
grandmother's house is the exact structure, except it's
hidden by the woods. Josh shows his new neighbor, Luke, the
abandoned house in the woods, and describes the woeful
event that occurred in Josh's grandmother's house. Years
before, someone stole everything from the house and the
church; from the napkins to the bell. Ever since, the house
has been abandoned. A wax figure of John Brown, a
historical abolitionist, overlooks Josh's house. Could he
be the one causing all the bickering in Josh Conner's
house? What about Father Ron, the mysterious pastor? And
can Josh and his brothers solve the mystery of the
Victorian house in the woods before time runs out?



I liked the book. Considering that this is Michael
Cummings's first novel, The Night I Freed John Brown was
great. In the beginning, the story seemed monotonous. It
took me awhile to finally catch on to the book's action.
The story was very easy to predict, although the first
chapter leads you astray, making you think that this was
going to be a ghost story, not realistic fiction. I liked
the parts that held suspense, and the sudden change of
character each person displayed. Overall, The Night I Freed
John Brown was a great book.

Reviewer Age:12

Reviewer City, State and Country:
Osseo, Wisconsin United States