Cameron Dokey

I'll freely admit I have no love for the original Jack and the Beanstalk tale. It bothered me that Jack could be so thoughtless when he knew so much was at stake. Plus I felt it taught a bad moral lesson; do irresponsible things and things turn out better! However I'm a big fan of the Simon and Schuster line of "Once Upon a Time" novels, and Cameron Dokey as an author in specific, so I was content to read this novel.

I wouldn't say The World Above blew me away, or made me rethink how I felt about the original tale, but I enjoyed Dokey 's interpretation of the events. Told through the eyes, and practical nature, of Jack's twin sister Gen, we learn the 'truth' behind the fairy tale. Jack isn't much different from his normal self; still flighty, still a day dreamer, still thinking of the next big thing instead of mundane matters. Gen is the practical one, the one who plans and lists and strives to keep the family together through all their hardships. Along the path of the novel the two learn to compromise their extreme bi-polarity in natures, but in the end its Gen's practical, planning side that wins the day.

Mixed in with the Jack and the Beanstalk tale is also pieces of Robin Hood's legend. He has his merry band, he lives in the forest and robs from the rich to give to the poor. I thought this was a nice touch, gave Gen's love interest something other then being that guy who you think the worse of at first. The scenes in the forest are some of my favorite I think for this reason. Robin's interactions with his 'people' are charismatic, firm and tinged with hope. He doesn't lie to them or lead them falsely.

My only complaint is that the characters as a whole felt shallow. Shannon and Sean are compassionate people, who try their best to keep the people's spirits alive as their father did, but very little is said beyond this. Perhaps because of the small nature of the novel (just over 200 pages), this is the reason, but I would have liked to know more about Duke Guy--for such a ruthless, cut throat man he caves awfully quickly. I can't believe 16 years changed him from a blood thirsty, power hungry usurper to a terrified old man easily bested by a slip of a girl.

Still, this version of the tale is the version I want to believe. I don't want to believe that Jack is as careless as the original tale would have us believe after all.… (meer)