Empress of Elsewhere

by Theresa Nelson

Ain't polite to point out what a person's got missing, Jimmy Harbert thinks, in his unmistakable east Texas twang. Joy Dolores Monroe had just referred to Jasper's tongue, which is indeed missing; the chauffeur tells all with hand signs. Not all, actually, for there are many mysteries behind the grandiose exterior of Grandmother Monroe's mansion, to which Jimmy and his younger sister, Mary Al, have been cajoled to baby-sit a capuchin monkey that keeps escaping-which is more than J.D. can do. Many Monroe mysteries Jimmy must plumb for himself among the mansion's spooky passages and on the island in the lake behind it-the site of Elsewhere. With tenderness and a dramatist's sense of story, the writer opens a caged world to sunlight, and two unlikely friends, J.D. and Jimmy, to each other.

Genres: Young Adult

Paperback

First published September 15, 1998

Reviews

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was unsure about reading The Empress of Elsewhere at first, but I'm glad I did. It's a very unusual, lovely book. There is an air of mystery held throughout the book, giving it an almost surreal quality, though there is little in the book that could be described as surreal in itself.

The book is mainly about the relationship between the three main characters; Jim, J.D, and Mary Al. As the book progresses, the reader is able to see why J.D has become aggressive and cold, and why friendship is the only thing that can help her. Through a shared interest in the Empress, J.D slowly warms up to her new friends.

It's a sweet, touching story, and even though some teens may have trouble connecting to the younger characters, it's definitely worth a read if you're interested in something slightly off the beaten path.

[Laura Henning · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just about the sweetest and most engaging story I have ever read. I absolutely loved it. Any young person from the Houston or East Texas areas should be made to read it. I loved every page.

[Karla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was using my library's catalog to find a book that bore no relation whatsoever to this book. They didn't have it. But this was the first listing to appear in the search results. Go figure. The library did have this, so I got it. It's a book with some sad topics. But it's also about working together to get through it. Even if it takes a pet monkey to help make it happen. It is adventure and personal redemption from the edge of a cliff, it is sadness opening up to joy. It is imperfect people working it out to the betterment of them all.

[Laurie Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Texan country slang of the narrator Jim was a little much at first, especially since it was set in a contemporary time. But I began to like the rhythm it gave the book.
The story had sassy echoes of The Secret Garden.
The sad rich older relative, the angry unpleasant child, the animal whisperer, the nurturing effect of nature and fresh air.
And of course the secret place, Elsewhere, where adults did not tread.
The last chapters provided a fast-paced romp, the dilemma of the limits of friendship and a heartwarming conclusion.