Diksia.com - If you are looking for a novel that will keep you hooked from the first page to the last, then you might want to check out Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey. This Australian bestseller is a captivating story of two boys who stumble upon a dark secret in their small town and how it changes their lives forever.
Introduction
Jasper Jones is a novel that combines elements of mystery, historical fiction, and coming of age. It is set in the summer of 1965 in the fictional mining town of Corrigan, Western Australia. The protagonist is Charlie Bucktin, a 13-year-old boy who loves reading and writing. One night, he is visited by Jasper Jones, a 14-year-old outcast who is half-Aboriginal and half-white.
Jasper leads Charlie to a secret glade in the bush, where he shows him the dead body of Laura Wishart, a local girl who was Jasper’s only friend. Jasper believes that he will be blamed for the murder, so he asks Charlie to help him hide the body and find the real killer.
Charlie agrees, but soon realizes that he has entered a world of trouble and danger. As the town searches for the missing girl, Charlie faces his own challenges: his strained relationship with his mother, his budding romance with Laura’s sister, his loyal friendship with a Vietnamese boy named Jeffrey, and his quest to discover the truth about Jasper Jones and Laura Wishart.
Novel Details
- Title: Jasper Jones
- Author: Craig Silvey
- Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age
- Chapters: 17
- Language: English
- Publisher: Allen & Unwin
- Rating: 4.09 out of 5 stars on Goodreads1
Synopsis
Jasper Jones is a novel that explores themes such as racism, prejudice, family, loyalty, courage, and identity. It is narrated by Charlie Bucktin, who tells the story in retrospect as an adult. The novel begins with Jasper Jones knocking on Charlie’s window and asking for his help. Charlie follows Jasper to his secret spot in the bush, where he sees Laura Wishart’s body hanging from a tree. Jasper tells Charlie that he found her like that and that he didn’t kill her.
