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Deadpoint
Reviewed by Carol Anne Shaw
*
In Deadpoint, Ayla, a reluctant rock-climber, finds herself with two experienced injured climbers on the side of Black Dog Mountain.
Reviewer Carol Shaw finds much to admire in the steep learning curve scaled by Ayla - and author Nikki Tate -- on this mountain journey.
Ayla must face her fears, translate her rock-climbing theory into practice, and learn leadership skills the hard way to get everyone safely down from Black Dog Mountain. -- Ed.
*
Vancouver Island author Nikki Tate's latest YA book, Deadpoint, is part of the popular Orca Sports series. These fast-paced, easy-to-read actions novels are relatively short (25,000 words) and well-suited for the reluctant reader.
Deadpoint will not disappoint. It is the story of Ayla, an anxious sixteen-year-old girl who loves to rock climb -- providing it takes place on an indoor climbing wall, well away from any number of unpredictable dangers.
Her best friend, Lissy, is much more adventurous. An experienced climber with a fearless approach to life, Lissy is passionate about the great outdoors. She doesn't spend her time worrying about what might happen, the way Ayla does, and she doesn't pass by opportunities to play it safe.
When Carlos, an adventurous new boy, arrives in town, he and Lissy share an instant connection that has Ayla feeling a little bit like a third wheel. When she finds herself agreeing to go on a weekend climbing trip to Black Dog Mountain with Lissy, Lissy's dad, and Carlos, she has mixed emotions.
On the one hand, Ayla will be able to keep an eye on Lissy and the daredevil Carlos, but on the other, she's going to have to push herself out of her comfort zone. And that is something she's not sure she wants to do.
When a terrifying accident occurs on Black Dog Mountain and Lissy and her father are seriously injured, Ayla and Carlos find they are pushed to their limits both physically and emotionally.
Chock full of adrenaline-inducing moments and fast-paced action, young readers' heart rates will climb right alongside Ayla and Carlos as the two teens brave adverse conditions and, somehow, save the day.
While Deadpoint is an action-packed adventure, there are a couple of subplots that deserve mention: Ayla's mother lives three times zones away, has a new husband, a new life, and a busy career; and Ayla's father, with whom Ayla lives, spends most of his time depressed in front of the TV worrying, like Ayla, about things that might never happen.
I wanted to know more about Ayla's relationship with her father, but the novel does not suffer from this omission. The main characters are believable and the dialogue is refreshingly authentic.
Young readers will also relate to the confusing feelings Ayla experiences when Lissy makes room in her life for Carlos and his outgoing personaility. He is, after all, everything Ayla is not. He is also the first boy ever to complicate their friendship.
An avid climber herself, Nikki Tate has succeeded in writing a novel that not only entertains but educates in the arts of both story telling and rock climbing.
Those unfamiliar with this activity will learn a lot. Detailed descriptions of climbing maneuvers and appropriate jargon happen at just the right time, and in just the right place. Not only did Deadpoint leave me with some real knowledge of the sport, I now feel inclined to give it a try -- and I'm afraid of heights.
I found Deadpoint an exciting, heart-thumping adventure and also a story of courage and personal triumph.
Nikki Tate's vibrant characters, compelling plot, narrative tension, and gratifying finish hooked my attention and sustained my interest. I loved it.
*
Carol Anne Shaw is the author of the acclaimed "Hannah"; books, all from Ronsdale Press: Hannah & the Spindle Whorl (2010), Hannah & the Salish Sea (2013), and Hannah & the Wild Woods (2015). When not writing, Carol Anne can often be found painting at her easel or hiking the local trails that surround her home in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island.
*
In Deadpoint, Ayla, a reluctant rock-climber, finds herself with two experienced injured climbers on the side of Black Dog Mountain.
Reviewer Carol Shaw finds much to admire in the steep learning curve scaled by Ayla - and author Nikki Tate -- on this mountain journey.
Ayla must face her fears, translate her rock-climbing theory into practice, and learn leadership skills the hard way to get everyone safely down from Black Dog Mountain. -- Ed.
*
Vancouver Island author Nikki Tate's latest YA book, Deadpoint, is part of the popular Orca Sports series. These fast-paced, easy-to-read actions novels are relatively short (25,000 words) and well-suited for the reluctant reader.
Deadpoint will not disappoint. It is the story of Ayla, an anxious sixteen-year-old girl who loves to rock climb -- providing it takes place on an indoor climbing wall, well away from any number of unpredictable dangers.
Her best friend, Lissy, is much more adventurous. An experienced climber with a fearless approach to life, Lissy is passionate about the great outdoors. She doesn't spend her time worrying about what might happen, the way Ayla does, and she doesn't pass by opportunities to play it safe.
When Carlos, an adventurous new boy, arrives in town, he and Lissy share an instant connection that has Ayla feeling a little bit like a third wheel. When she finds herself agreeing to go on a weekend climbing trip to Black Dog Mountain with Lissy, Lissy's dad, and Carlos, she has mixed emotions.
On the one hand, Ayla will be able to keep an eye on Lissy and the daredevil Carlos, but on the other, she's going to have to push herself out of her comfort zone. And that is something she's not sure she wants to do.
When a terrifying accident occurs on Black Dog Mountain and Lissy and her father are seriously injured, Ayla and Carlos find they are pushed to their limits both physically and emotionally.
Chock full of adrenaline-inducing moments and fast-paced action, young readers' heart rates will climb right alongside Ayla and Carlos as the two teens brave adverse conditions and, somehow, save the day.
While Deadpoint is an action-packed adventure, there are a couple of subplots that deserve mention: Ayla's mother lives three times zones away, has a new husband, a new life, and a busy career; and Ayla's father, with whom Ayla lives, spends most of his time depressed in front of the TV worrying, like Ayla, about things that might never happen.
I wanted to know more about Ayla's relationship with her father, but the novel does not suffer from this omission. The main characters are believable and the dialogue is refreshingly authentic.
Young readers will also relate to the confusing feelings Ayla experiences when Lissy makes room in her life for Carlos and his outgoing personaility. He is, after all, everything Ayla is not. He is also the first boy ever to complicate their friendship.
An avid climber herself, Nikki Tate has succeeded in writing a novel that not only entertains but educates in the arts of both story telling and rock climbing.
Those unfamiliar with this activity will learn a lot. Detailed descriptions of climbing maneuvers and appropriate jargon happen at just the right time, and in just the right place. Not only did Deadpoint leave me with some real knowledge of the sport, I now feel inclined to give it a try -- and I'm afraid of heights.
I found Deadpoint an exciting, heart-thumping adventure and also a story of courage and personal triumph.
Nikki Tate's vibrant characters, compelling plot, narrative tension, and gratifying finish hooked my attention and sustained my interest. I loved it.
*
Carol Anne Shaw is the author of the acclaimed "Hannah"; books, all from Ronsdale Press: Hannah & the Spindle Whorl (2010), Hannah & the Salish Sea (2013), and Hannah & the Wild Woods (2015). When not writing, Carol Anne can often be found painting at her easel or hiking the local trails that surround her home in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island.
Submitted on May 31, 2017 in By David.
