Ivy by Julie Hearn

Ivy by Julie Hearn

Hearn, Julie. Ivy. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2008. 355 pages. $17.99. ISBN 1416925066

Readers Annotation: The laudanum addicted Ivy becomes part of the strange Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood as the model of a brotherhood hopeful.

Plot Summary: After running away from her family, Ivy is taken in by Carroty Kate, a cunning thief, and her group of vagabonds. Ivy learns the trade of snatching good clothes to sell off the backs of children, and also develops a dependency on laudanum. After one of their ruses goes horribly wrong, Ivy goes back to her family. Years later, she is spotted by Oscar, a painter who hopes to become part of the Pre-Raphaelite school of painters. Believing that Ivy is his muse, he attempts to secure her as his model. Her family, poor and very greedy, forces her into his employ. Ivy doesn’t like being a model, but must work or be forced back on the streets. Oscar’s mother doesn’t like Ivy as her sons new model either, and makes every attempt to murder the girl. Oscar’s neighbor, none other than the famous Dante Gabriel Rossetti, sees Ivy one day and decides he needs to have her as his own model. Meanwhile, Ivy finds friendship with Rosa, a girl who runs a home for stray dogs with her father. She finds her passion in life when able to care for the dogs. When invited to stay at Kelmscott Manor, the home of William Morris, Ivy intends to go but is imprisoned by Oscar’s jealous mother in hopes that she will over-dose on laudanum. Just when Ivy thinks she will never escape, an unlikely rescue party appears.

Critical Evaluation: I was drawn to this book when I learned that it centered on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. I’ve done a few research papers on these artists, and know all of their names and histories. However, I don’t believe the average teenager will recognize the significance of some of the situations in the novel without knowing a bit about the Pre-Raphaelites. Hearn describes the neighbor of Ivy’s employer, discussing his appearance, where he comes from, and the drama associated with him, including digging up his wife’s grave to retrieve a collection of poems. I knew who she was describing, but Hearn never mentioned his name until about ¾ of the way through the novel. Even then, if I remember correctly, she only mentions his last name. Also, when Oscar travels to Kelmscott Manor, Hearn doesn’t directly explain whose manor house it is, and then I believe she only mentions William Morris’s wife’s name. I felt that the book left a lot of guesswork for the reader, if they didn’t have prior knowledge of these artists. That being said, I thought the book was captivating and a very creative glimpse into the lives of Pre-Raphaelite artists, or at least brotherhood hopefuls. She describes the real dangers of laudanum, and makes Ivy such a frustrating character; the reader wants to shake her at times. I think Ivy is a great addition to any YA collection, especially since it seems like the first of its kind.

Reading Level: The reading level of Ivy is high school, fourteen to eighteen, especially because of the drug use.

Book talk ideas: I would read a selection about the state Ivy is in when she is under the influence of laudanum. I would discuss that many people took laudanum as medicine, but it is now considered an hallucinogenic drug. Other books I would suggest include the Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray, for those interested in the 19th century.

Why it is included: I chose this book mainly for the subject matter. I’d never seen a book, especially a YA book, set in the middle of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. It was on two best book lists in 2008.

Challenge Issues: I think the drug use in the novel would cause some controversy, however at the time laudanum was taken medicinally. Hearn does not portray Ivy’s use of laudanum in a romanticized manor, instead portrays Ivy as we would portray a pot smoker today. Thus it doesn’t encourage drug use, and therefore is not a risk to impressionable minds.