SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About TLT
  • Reviews
    • Book Reviews
    • A to Z Book Lists
    • Book Review Policy
  • Teen Issues
  • Middle Grade Mondays
  • Programs
    • TPiB
    • Tech Talk
  • Professional
    • Teen Services 101
    • Things We Didn’t Learn in Library School
  • MakerSpace
  • Projects
    • #SVYALit
    • #FSYALit
    • #MHYALit
    • #Poverty in YA Lit

May 10, 2012 by Karen Jensen, MLS

Book Review: Hemlock by Kathleen Peacock

May 10, 2012 by Karen Jensen, MLS   Leave a Comment

In this world, it is a known and accepted fact that werewolves exist.  If you receive a scratch or a bite from a werewolf you must turn yourself in, for you now suffer from LS (lupine syndrome).  Failure to report is a crime.  The infected are sent off to rehabilitation camps and never heard from again.  Mac shouldn’t care about all of this, but when her best friend is murdered by a werewolf the world begins crumbling around her.  It seems that everyone has a secret and she isn’t sure who she can trust.

Mac, short for Mackenzie, is haunted by visions of her murdered best friend, Amy.  It’s been five months since her brutal murder and the remaining three in their group of 4 best friends are struggling.  Jason has taken to alcohol to drown his sorrows and Kyle is wrestling with an ex-girlfriend that changes his life forever.  They are barely holding it together when a new werewolf attack occurs and they decide to try and take care of the problem on their own, though in very different ways. 

It would be easy to dismiss Hemlock as another werewolf story; but it is in fact an engaging mystery/thriller with a supernatural twist.  This is a title that I think teens will be asking for and will enjoy.  There are some popular ya conventions that occur in Hemlock: most adults are conveniently absent or are villainous parents, there is of course a love triangle or two, and there is a lot of teenage alcohol consumption involved.  But I think the characters are well developed and relatable, there are some unseen twists that occur to keep you wondering who done it, and I think the prejudice against humans with lupine syndrome would make for some interesting discussions about prejudice and tolerance.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

In fact, there is a group in Hemlock known as the Trackers who are definitely reminiscent of white supremacists.  Although in this case they have the authority behind their actions.  The concept of the rehabilitation camps described brought to mind the Japanese Internment camps of World War II.  It would be interesting to hear what teen readers thought about these elements and then show them the parallels between the world of Hemlock and the real world’s history of violence and discrimination towards those perceived as being “other”.

The mystery portion of this title is revealed by book’s end, it is clear who do it and why, but some of the emotional elements are left hanging and the book is set up as the first book in a trilogy.  To be honest, a couple of the twists (the who) are actually bold storytelling moves, although the ultimate why is a fairly reasonable turn of events.  There is a part of me that feels as a reader that this would work well, perhaps even better, as a stand alone title; but it is hard to determine the truth of this statement without having read the remaining two titles in the trilogy. Peacock is a good storyteller and she may have some tricks up her sleeve I can’t even begin to predict.

The other device that worked really well was the idea of the “ghost” of Amy as a sort of subconscious for Mac.  Amy’s presence casts a nice, dark psychological pall over the story arc.  Amy’s personality combined with the reminders of her death were twisty in all the right ways.

Hemlock has all the elements necessary – good pacing, interesting characters, swoony romance – to be a popular read and it is a satisfying supernatural mystery.  Twilight and the Wolves of Mercy Falls fans will appreciate this addition to the werewolf genre, but any reader looking for a supernatural mystery will be a satisfied reader as well.  I think a tighter resolution at the end would have elevated this as a story, but I also think that teens will like the world of Hemlock and it’s 3 main characters enough that they will come back for the sequels and in the end that’s what we want – to keep those teens reading.  4 out of 5 stars.

Filed under: Book Reviews, Hemlock, Kathleen Peacock

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Karen Jensen, MLS

Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

June 2022

Book Review: The Name She Gave Me by Betty Culley

by Karen Jensen, MLS

June 2022

Book Review: The Loophole by Naz Kutub

by Karen Jensen, MLS

June 2022

Post-It Note Reviews: Graphic novels, picture books, and more!

by Karen Jensen, MLS

June 2022

Book Review: Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White

by Karen Jensen, MLS

May 2022

Take 5: Recent graphic novels reviews

by Karen Jensen, MLS

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Gallery: The Art of the Picture Book Barcode 2022

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Press Release: Picture Book Summit Line-Up Confirmed

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Casagrandes | This Week’s Comics

by Lori Henderson

Heavy Medal

Continuing the Mock Newbery Process: Time for July Suggestions

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Writing of Ghosts when the World is Grieving, a guest post by author Helene Dunbar

by Karen Jensen, MLS

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Shark Week, Vanilla Ice Cream, and the Honda CRV: Bob Shea and Brian Won Team Up for ADURABLE

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

37 Kidlit and YA Titles in Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month

8 YA BookTubers To Watch Right Now

Board Book Evolution: No Longer 'Just for Babies'

Duke MDs’ Prescription for Schools? Masks, with Enforcement, and Psychological Support for Teachers, Students.

17 Middle Grade Titles for Latinx Heritage Month (and All Year-Round)

Commenting for all posts is disabled after 30 days.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2022


COPYRIGHT © 2022