A Book with Lessons that Linger
A Young Adult Novel Defies Description
Jena's Choice is story that fits well on my bookshelf. I keep only books that
do more than entertain, thus some special shelves I had built are full of classics and
modern literary novels, poetry and histories. Once in a while I'll place a volume of genre
fiction there and it fits proudly. I won't know quite how to classify Jena's Choice
by Beverly J. Scott but it will have a permanent spot there as well.
Jena's Choice is a young adult novel, albeit a good, fat one -something one
doesn't see often in fiction for that age group. It is also historical fiction and has
enough subtle romantic tension to qualify as a romance--well, OK, a near-romance. It is
also a western of sorts and a mystery of sorts, an adventure story of sorts. And it would
fit nicely on a shelf labeled "books feminists would like." Through all this it manages
to explore topics that are pertinent in today's world like independence and tolerance.
Does this mean that the novel doesn't know what it is? Not a chance. This is a story that
knows exactly where it is going and that it can't be pigeonholed is only to its credit.
In this, the story of a young woman left to care for her younger brother and a ranch
threatened by greedy, predatory neighbors, Jena Grant must use all her strength and motivation
to fight them and the mores of her culture, as well. It is set firmly in western history
and Scott has borrowed liberally from the events and changing geopolitics of the late
1800s to craft her story. This is a book that readers will want to pass on to friends,
or to keep safe on their bookshelves for future re-reading.