Unstoppable Octobia May

July 28, 2014
It’s 1953, and 10-year-old Octobia May believes that “freedom is as big as the moon for a colored gal who ain’t afraid of nothing.” She’s eager to follow in her Aunt Shuma’s footsteps and go after what she wants, even if others disapprove. But trying to prove that her aunt’s insomniac boarder, Mr. Davenport, is a vampire could be too risky, even for brave, quick-thinking Octobia May. After she thinks she sees Mr. Davenport murdering a woman on the street, she is targeted by the boarder, who is a wealthy banker, and an Irish policeman who thinks she’s up to no good. Three-time Coretta Scott King Honoree Flake (The Skin I’m In) offers a fast-paced mystery that traces Octobia May’s journey into dangerous territory at a time when women and African-Americans struggled to exercise their rights. Though some of Octobia May’s feats push plausibility and some secrets about Mr. Davenport’s past too easily discovered, Flake provides an eye-opening picture of post-WWII America. Octobia May is a determined sleuth who will win the admiration of Flake’s fans. Ages 8–12. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt.

August 15, 2014
With elegant prose and a spunky narrator, Flake's latest offers detailed snapshots of African-American life in 1953. "Death does not look like people think it should. Sometimes it wears summer suits and fine hats, silk gloves, and handmade shoes. Like him." The "him" Octobia May refers to is Mr. Davenport, a boarder in her aunt Shuma's rooming house that she believes is a vampire. With the help of her best friend, Jonah, Octobia May stalks the man, telling everyone of her suspicions. It is a unique perspective, depicting a character of color during the 1950s who is more enraptured of horror-movie prototypes than anything else. But Octobia May's passion begins to feel like compulsion, then obsession. When she insists that she sees what others cannot, she becomes an unreliable narrator-and one who sounds desperate. Then later, when the book shifts from vampires and talking to the dead to Octobia May's desire to become a detective, the plot feels crowded and loses its emotional resonance. Flake's incorporation of the social and political milestones of the era makes the story a veritable compendium. From Masons to McCarthy to Pall Malls, Camels and Lucky Strikes, the tale offers an intriguing insight into an important time in U.S. history. However, jarring transitions and a narrator who at times feels emotionally disconnected ultimately leave readers wanting. Immersive and witty, it illuminates as a historical piece yet falters when connecting the snapshots into a cohesive picture. (Historical fiction. 8-12)

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September 1, 2014

Gr 3-6-Octobia May has an untamed imagination. When she moves in with her Auntie Shuma, Octobia spends her days doing chores with her pretend servant friends, talking to the graves of the Before Girls at the nearby cemetery, and trying to unveil one of Auntie's boarders, Mr. Davenport, as the vampire he is. With the help of her friends, Jonah and Bessie, Octobia uncovers the dastardly deeds of Mr. Davenport, although the deeds have more to do with bank robbery and murder than with drinking blood. This story paints a realistic portrait of life for an African American girl in the 1950s, but the characterization and plot are marred by unclear writing. While the plot meanders, little information is offered about Octobia's (or any other character's) backstory, leaving readers ungrounded throughout the tale. Awkward quote attributions and murky action may have been meant to add to the mysterious nature of the plot, but fall short as one passage may take several examinations to comprehend. The way the adults, especially police officer O'Malley, in this story inexplicably flounder about with a cold-blooded murderer on the loose is unbelievable. Short chapters begin with a thick, black border, and a selected bibliography of relevant history ends the novel. While Octobia and other well-rounded characters were enjoyable and the overall plot was exciting, a less complicated writing style would have better highlighted the good this story offered.-Brittany Staszak, Glencoe Public Library, IL

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2014
Grades 4-7 Octobia May is convinced that Mr. Davenport, the new tenant in her Aunt Shuma's boarding house, is a vampire, even though she thinks, the man is colored like me. Now I know the truth; vampires do not discriminate. Octobia must revise her conviction, however, when she sees Mr. Davenport outside in broad daylight (death to a real vampire), but there's still something mysterious about the man. When a series of murders then ensue and a cache of stolen jewels is discovered, Octobia May and her best friend, Jonah, are determined to find the truth at any cost. Set in 1953, Flake's novel is not only a mystery but also an examination of racial discrimination in the precivil rights era, and the many corollary constraints on the freedom of black Americans. Octobia May longs to be free herselffree of discrimination, certainly, but also free simply to be her own rambunctious self. Flake has done a fine job of integrating her expository material into a reader-satisfying and page-turning mystery.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2015
African American Octobia May lives with her boardinghouse-owner auntie Shuma. Octobia May is convinced boarder Mr. Davenport is a vampire, but no one believes her. Unstoppable indeed is the dogged, imaginative protagonist of this fast-paced mystery set in 1953. Once Octobia May gets an idea into her head, she follows it as far as it will take her, defying gender norms and racial prejudice.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2014
Unstoppable indeed is the dogged and imaginative protagonist of this fast-paced mystery novel set in 1953. Once narrator Octobia May gets an idea into her head, she follows it as far as it will take her, even if that means defying gender norms and racial prejudice. African American Octobia May has lived, for the past two years, with her auntie Shuma, an unmarried woman -- and excellent role model -- who owns a boardinghouse. The boardinghouse is populated by distinctive characters with their own struggles against racism and anti-Semitism. And then there is the mysterious Mr. Davenport, who never leaves his room during the day. Octobia May is convinced he's a vampire, but no one will believe her -- including readers, who will agree that it's just her big imagination at work. The plot turns when Mr. Davenport reveals himself to be truly sinister, and Octobia May and her friend Jonah undertake an investigation to figure out what he's really up to. It's a page-turning read that never feels like a history lesson, even when the resolution is dependent on readers having grasped what they've learned from the story about racial politics; there are lots of twists and turns and dark humor. And the last page offers hope that we haven't seen the last of Octobia May. kathleen t. horning

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)