The Traitor's Gate
by Avi

    THE TRAITOR'S GATE by Avi
    Illustrated by:  Karina Raude
    Category:  Historical
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
    Release Date:  5/22/07
    Publisher:  Atheneum
    Reviewed by:  Lynn Crow
    Rating:  5 Stars


    THE TRAITORS' GATE is everything you'd expect from an Avi novel--a well-realized historical adventure, plenty
    of suspense, and lots of surprises along the way.  Whether you're intrigued by Victorian England, you like a good
    mystery, or you're just looking for a book that will keep you guessing right until the final chapter, you'll find
    something to enjoy here.

    It is the mystery of THE TRAITORS' GATE that will keep readers turning the pages. If 14-year-old John Huffam
    wants to save his family from destitution, he must find a scheming traitor, who engineered his father's arrest in order
    to force Mr. Huffam to sell the military secrets he has memorized.  Unfortunately for John, he has more suspects
    than he can count, and every piece of information he learns raises as many questions as answers.  Even with the
    help of a Scotland Yard inspector and a scruffy street girl who knows all the secrets of London, the task seems
    close to impossible.  Yet John pushes on, through multiple twists and turns, to an ending that is satisfying yet
    unpredictable.

    Underneath the mystery, however, there is a lot more to the story.  At heart, it is a tale of lost innocence and
    growing up.  John must come to terms with the fact that many of the adults in his life, including his father, are deeply
    flawed.  It is up to him to choose: allow himself to sink to the levels of his role models, or do his best to hold himself
    above them and be the best person he can be, despite his circumstances.  He must also decide who to turn away
    from, and, more importantly, who to forgive.  For nothing in THE TRAITORS' GATE is completely black and
    white.  Every character has virtues as well as vices, and most are simply doing what they think is best for them, with
    believable (if not always sympathetic) motives.  This depth with stick with readers long after they've discovered the
    answer to the mystery.

    Making the story even more engaging is the vivid depiction of Victorian London.  Descriptions are full of detail and
    life.  Readers will feel as though they've taken a trip there rather than just reading about it.  Avi reveals the full range
    of London experiences, from the lush homes of the rich to the squalid rooms of the very poor, and everything in
    between.  Though some of the laws and customs of this period will be unfamiliar to readers, explanations are easily
    worked into the story as John learns things about his society even he didn't realize.

    If you have a chance to pick this one up, don't hesitate.  THE TRAITORS' GATE will stir the mind and the heart
    equally, and entertain readers along the way.