Hunter's Heart

Hunter's Heart by Julia Green

Fourteen year old Simon is new to a small coastal British town. He has moved there with his mother and sister. Simon's father died in a motorcycle accident when Simon was younger. He is pubescent and angry. Simon is very interested in survival literature, living off of the land, hunting, sling shot and air rifles.
Simon and his mother don't communicate well. He is angry at her for being protective. She is protective yet spends little time with him. She begins dating Simon's art teacher from school. This makes Simon even more angry if possible.
Leah is Simon's sixteen year old neighbor. Her mother is an alcoholic and her father seems to be having an affair. She spends a lot of time laying out in the sun. She and Simon strike up a friendship. They swim and walk around together. They find an old burial mound/cave. Leah brings gin. She gets drunk. They have super quick sex.......no joke, he's fourteen.
Simon thinks that he is being followed by a war vet named Mad Ed. Mad Ed is mysterious and seems quite psychologically scarred by Desert Storm.
Leah likes Simon's art teacher.......the one his mother is dating. Matt, the art teacher, hires Leah to clean his house and studio. He has been doing drawing of Simon's mother in the buff. Then he begins drawing Leah this way also. Simon visits the studio and sees the drawings. He becomes jealous. He finally gets the air rifle that he has wanted. He follows Matt and Leah to the art studio. When he sees Leah without her shirt on and Matt drawing her, Simon snaps. He first begins shooting at the art. Then he hits Leah in the leg. Just then Mad Ed shows up.........he always seems to be around. Matt and Leah see Mad Ed, not Simon. Simon dashes home and hopes that no one will be the wiser. He feels awful. Mad Ed drowns himself. Simon's secret is safe.
Weird book. It seems the British drink a lot. Alcohol seemed the norm even for the youngsters.......wine and beer anyway. The book felt mysterious and I can't say it ever cleared up for me. I am disturbed that it is aimed at young teens. The book wasn't so bad, I just didn't like the sex with no consequence.
Rating 3 Not the best......not the worst. Entertaining.
Rating PG 13 Teen sex, drinking, violence.