Coming-of-Age in '60s Haiti Explored in Eubanks' Novel by Linda Harmon
Review 
In the March 24, 2010, issue of the Ojai Valley News, Linda Harmon, OVN Contributor, published this review of my novel Worlds Apart.
Tom Eubanks’ first novel delivers on its title. The book, “Worlds Apart,” is the saga of a youth transformed by a summer spent in 1966 Haiti. This coming-of-age story centers on Matthew Banning, Eubanks' 14-year-old protagonist, who accompanies his missionary father and two younger brothers to Haiti for a summer of missionary work.
Eubanks makes fine use of his own childhood, growing up in the then fresh-scrubbed newly suburban Southern California, along with stories of Haiti told to him by his pastor father who traveled there often.
Eubanks’ use of Banning’s 14-year-old narrative voice has just the right balance between innocence, excitement, and unexpected introspection. Banning weaves the story’s details as he shares his summer, distilled through the eyes of an unabashedly self-centered teen that grows more aware of the world around him as his days and nights in Haiti pass.
The book is not the somber tome one may expect from a preacher’s son set in one of the poorest of the world’s nations, but it does contain a refreshingly frank and straight forward approach to the poverty there. It also follows Banning through several sexually loaded situations. The first is how the boy deals with his physical and emotional attraction and developing relationship with Rachel, a young native girl. The second is his clandestine, unintended witnessing of what could be construed as statutory rape of a young charge by one of the church’s leaders.
The darkness presented in the book is lightened by many comic moments. As a reader I was charmed by the combination of characteristics Banning presents as he stumbles unaware down a path filled with adventures and situations many more mature characters would avoid. Haiti’s exotic surroundings are not lost on this explorer of the universe, and serve to lure him along throughout.
Haiti proves to be an opportunity for the entire Banning family to find more meaning, empathy and self-awareness in life, bringing it home with them.
The book is a good read and gave me a window to a “world apart.”
To purchase a copy of the book, go to www.iUniverse.com. Thanks for your support. Amen.
In the March 24, 2010, issue of the Ojai Valley News, Linda Harmon, OVN Contributor, published this review of my novel Worlds Apart.
Tom Eubanks’ first novel delivers on its title. The book, “Worlds Apart,” is the saga of a youth transformed by a summer spent in 1966 Haiti. This coming-of-age story centers on Matthew Banning, Eubanks' 14-year-old protagonist, who accompanies his missionary father and two younger brothers to Haiti for a summer of missionary work.
Eubanks makes fine use of his own childhood, growing up in the then fresh-scrubbed newly suburban Southern California, along with stories of Haiti told to him by his pastor father who traveled there often.
Eubanks’ use of Banning’s 14-year-old narrative voice has just the right balance between innocence, excitement, and unexpected introspection. Banning weaves the story’s details as he shares his summer, distilled through the eyes of an unabashedly self-centered teen that grows more aware of the world around him as his days and nights in Haiti pass.
The book is not the somber tome one may expect from a preacher’s son set in one of the poorest of the world’s nations, but it does contain a refreshingly frank and straight forward approach to the poverty there. It also follows Banning through several sexually loaded situations. The first is how the boy deals with his physical and emotional attraction and developing relationship with Rachel, a young native girl. The second is his clandestine, unintended witnessing of what could be construed as statutory rape of a young charge by one of the church’s leaders.
The darkness presented in the book is lightened by many comic moments. As a reader I was charmed by the combination of characteristics Banning presents as he stumbles unaware down a path filled with adventures and situations many more mature characters would avoid. Haiti’s exotic surroundings are not lost on this explorer of the universe, and serve to lure him along throughout.
Haiti proves to be an opportunity for the entire Banning family to find more meaning, empathy and self-awareness in life, bringing it home with them.
The book is a good read and gave me a window to a “world apart.”
To purchase a copy of the book, go to www.iUniverse.com. Thanks for your support. Amen.
Posted by Tom Eubanks at 4/2/2010 5:35 PM 
Categories: Worlds Apart, It's Published--Period
Tags: Rave Guest Writer Shameless Plug
Categories: Worlds Apart, It's Published--Period
Tags: Rave Guest Writer Shameless Plug
Comments