The Story Box

by Monica Hughes

Colin fears for his younger sister, Etta, who has dreams that wake her in the night. For on the Isle of Ariban, imagination is outlawed, stories are banned, and dreams must die before they are spoken.

Colin’s fear grows when, on a hunt for salvage along the shore, he spies something strange amidst the debris. In a tangle of seaweed lies a pale hand. It belongs to a beautiful, barely alive young woman from a foreign land. And she clutches a small chest whose contents are more precious than gold or jewels—for this, she tells Colin, is the Story Box.

Genres: Fantasy, Canada, Young Adult

204 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Monica Hughes was a very popular writer for young people, and has won numerous prizes. Her books have been published in the United States, Poland, Spain, Japan, France, Scandinavia, England, and Germany. She has twice received the Canada Council Prize for Children's Literature, and was runner-up for the Guardian Award.

She is the author of Keeper of the Isis Light, an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, which also received a Certificate of Honor from the International Board on Books for Young People; Hunter in the Dark, also an ALA Best Book for Young Adults; and Sandwriter, among many other titles.

Reviews

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel reminded me a lot of John Wyndham's novel, The Chrysalids without the science fiction element, or perhaps even Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Children face the consequences when they dare to transgress the limits set by a fundamentalist, insular, xenophobic and repressive society. Although Ariban is presumably an imaginary place, it's obviously inspired by the Hebrides; the setting was presented with breathtaking detail. The primacy of imagination as a way of processing and facing reality is of ultimate significance here.

[Jaimie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has been part of my collection since I was a child, but I have almost zero memory of its actual plot… time for a re-read and re-evaluation in the name of weeding the collection or remembering an old favourite. Monica Hughes tells a story set on an island isolated from the world, one in which its citizens live small, dreamless lives as either fishermen or shepherds (and their wives). You can pretty much guess what happens next… The unexpected arrival of a washed up girl with a penchant for tales shakes the reality of first the boy who finds her and then of the whole community. While the story has great themes about society and the rules that bind us (or not), I didn’t find Hughes’ storytelling to be that compelling as an adult. I can see how as a younger reader the book would have appealed (yes, simple, rail against the system and strive to keep dreaming), but her characters are a touch too shallow and the language isn’t quite lyrical enough to keep my adult-self engaged.

[Foggygirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found myself really liking this book despite thinking that the main character of Colin was a bit of a spineless twit. He manages to rally near the end and redeem himself somewhat so the book ended on a hopeful note.

[Isa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute kids story about an island where dreams are forbidden. Until a woman mysteriously appears and disturbs the status quo. Dreams are important. Imagination too.

[Faith · Rating 2 out of 5]

"That is the way life is," he told himself firmly, remembering his mother's words.We do not need dreams or talk about the future here on Ariban. We are born to be fishermen or shepherds or the wives of fishermen and shepherds. That is the beginning and the end of it.
Unbidden, the words of the story he had read in Half-Moon Cove came back to him. Once upon a time there was a prince whose future was bound by duty...

This story is like a less crazy version of The Chrysalids. It's a fantasy set on the dreary island of Ariban where stories and dreams are forbidden. Life is uneventful... until a stranger washes up on the shore.

The world-building is pretty good in this book, but unfortunately the book still fell a bit flat for me. While I liked Jennifer and Etta, the main protagonist is Colin, Mr. 'Internal Conflict Who Can't Stand the Thought of Character Change.' His perspective got to be very repetitive and irritating. And while the book promised stories, I feel like there wasn't enough of them to go around. I craved an abundance of fairytales and dreamy faraway lands, but all I got was two or three moral stories. The author is obviously very skilled, but unfortunately the book didn't quite work as well for me. I love the cover though!

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't let the pencil crayon cover fool you: this book is no amateur. I found the storyless setting of Ariban felt authentic. Colin and his sister Etta were well-drawn characters who grew and changed. My one criticism of the book was that Jennifer felt more like a static foreign artifact than a fully realized character.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by Monica Hughes that I read which is NOT scifi. It was surprisingly interesting, lovely, and heartfelt. Also short. I loved it.

[jules (drowned in studying as of currently) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75

[YorkshireSue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating concept and beautifully told tale by one of my favourite YA authors.