While going through the list of books I read, I came across Hawkes Harbor by S. E. Hinton. I remembered finding out she wrote a new novel and that it was targeted for an older audience. And as a big Hinton fan, I knew I was going to read this novel no matter what. Keep reading to find out her how change to writing an adult fiction novel went!
Hawkes Harbor Summary
Jamie Sommers is an orphan and a bastard and because of that, he believes he has no hope of getting into heaven. He believes his life to be a dreadful existence. Jamie is a Roman Catholic and is tortured by the nature of his birth; being conceived in adultery.
In search of excitement and fulfillment, Jamie adventures on the sea. He visits exotic ports around the world as a smuggler, gunrunner and a murderer. Jamie believes himself to be tough enough to deal with anything and has survived pirates, foreign prisons and even a shark attack.
But his biggest challenge lies in a small seaside town in Delaware. Jamie discovered something that drove him insane and changed his life forever. Now, he has to face down against this evil in Hawkes Harbor once and for all.
Commentary
Like a lot of people, S. E Hinton got me into reading with her novel The Outsiders. And while I do revisit that novel from time to time, I also enjoyed her other novels and will be visiting them again. Hawkes Harbor was her attempt to write an adult novel and write for a different audience.
And even then, I’m sure a lot of her fanbase read this novel. I enjoyed it and it was interesting to see her writing something different. She wanted to prove she could write an adult novel and she did just that.
Conclusion
If you liked her other novels, the you will surely like this one too. If you don’t mind some sex and violence that is. Seeing an author experiment is always a welcoming sight because their audience also grows and can follow the author’s adventure with them. Hinton’s journey doesn’t disappoint and adds to her rich and iconic catalogue.
Somehow this book had escaped my notice. I’m putting a library hold on it now. Thank you!
Glad to help!