Tale of a psychic teen
Shifting Sight, a YA novel about a teenager with a psychic gift, is extraordinary on many levels. First, it opens readers’ eyes to understanding prejudice at its roots.
Ben Cleary, the youth telling the story in the first person narrative present tense, discloses how his best friend, Mike Brown, hates Melissa Alterwood and her mother because Mike’s mom believes they are witches. However, Ben likes Melissa so he must feign disinterest in her when he’s around Mike, and turn a blind eye to his best friend’s bullying.
The novel also delves into the tribulations most teens experience when they try to fit in, but feel different from their peers. To make things even tougher on Ben, he can’t tell anyone about his gift for fear of losing his friends. The only person he trusts is the witch’s daughter.
The writing team of Kurt and Krissy Hindman present an intriguing story around their protagonist. Ben dreams one night of a train crash. As this dream intensifies, Ben sees Melissa injured in the tragedy. In the morning, Ben thinks it was just a nightmare, but news reports on local TV confirm his fears.
Ben rushes to school only to discover Melissa’s absence. Then he has a day vision featuring Melissa in a bed at a local hospital. Thus begins Ben’s unraveling psychic gifts as he uses them to help strangers, but is frustrated when he can’t prevent tragedy happening to his own family.
Young adult readers will enjoy the entertaining pace and surprise twists and turns in Shifting Sight. My only reservation about the novel is that it seemed to end abruptly. I would have liked to see Mrs. Brown and Ms. Alterwood work out their differences.
About the Author
Kurt Hindman, a forty-something writer, almost died as a teen when a car hit him while he rode his motorcycle. Due to the blood transfusions he received, he contracted Hepatitis C. Hindman’s writing is upbeat and positive. Though he’s suffered a lot, he has an optimistic attitude that jumps off the pages of his books. Hindman is also the author of 10th Street Witches.
Anything that helps to understand prejudice is a good thing.
I don’t know who you wrote this for but you helped a brother out.
A wonderful job. Super helpful and informative.